Intake Specialist

Description

This role is an in-office position with the possibility of going to a hybrid schedule after 1 year

Why work for the Office of the Governor?

At the Office of the Corrections Ombuds (OCO), we are driven by a powerful mission: to create a more humane, transparent, and equitable Washington Corrections system. As an independent and impartial agency established by the Legislature, we are committed to advocating for incarcerated individuals, resolving conflicts, and fostering systemic improvements within the Department of Corrections (DOC). Our vision is to empower those impacted by incarceration to raise their concerns, reduce harm, and influence positive change across the system.

Our work is rooted in the belief that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. We provide crucial information to incarcerated individuals and their families, raising awareness about their rights and responsibilities, and ensuring that our services are equitable and inclusive. Diversity and lived experience are at the heart of our mission as we work to build a corrections system that serves everyone fairly.

The Job Opportunity

Join the Office of Corrections Ombuds (OCO) and make a real impact for incarcerated individuals across Washington State. As part of our intake team, you’ll be the first point of contact for concerns about health, safety, welfare, and rights, ensuring every voice is heard and urgent issues get quick attention.

You’ll handle and analyze complaints from our hotline, mail, email, and online system, identify public records requests, elevate critical situations, and support our investigative staff. You’ll also draft clear, professional communications for internal and external audiences.

In this role, you’ll regularly speak with incarcerated individuals, use strong communication and trauma-informed approaches, assist people in crisis, and provide self-advocacy information to them and their families.

What You’ll Work On

Complaint Intake and OCO Hotline

• Receive concerns, complaints, and requests from incarcerated individuals and their loved ones through the OCO hotline, mail, internal email, online submissions, and facility visits.
• Processes and determines the next course of action to best support the individual and address the concern.
• Performs hotline duties primarily on-site and works regularly scheduled hotline shifts as required to ensure consistent coverage.
• Provides intake support for investigators by receiving and assessing concerns, complaints, and requests, gathering relevant information, and determining next steps appropriate for investigations or other responses.
• Engages with individuals incarcerated in DOC facilities who contact the OCO hotline, obtains and clarifies information as needed, and provides appropriate technical assistance.
• Follows established procedures to accurately document complaint information and demographic information provided by individuals incarcerated in DOC facilities.
• Enters and updates complaint information, case notes, and supporting documentation in the OCO Case Management System (CMS).
• Reviews information for completeness and accuracy and takes appropriate action to ensure cases are properly documented and assigned.
• Ensures timely assignment of new complaints to “Triage.”

Mail and Document Processing

• Performs mail intake and document processing primarily on-site to support timely receipt, processing, scanning, and filing of incoming correspondence.
• Provides intake support for investigators by reviewing and assessing written concerns, complaints and requests, reading relevant information and determining next steps appropriate for investigations or other responses.
• Processes incoming mail by date-stamping, reviewing, scanning, and digitally storing…