Director of Policy, Governance & Strategic Compliance - Charter School Commission

Director of Policy, Governance, and Strategic Compliance

Exempt

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

$140,000 - $150,000

Closes August 14, 2026

The Washington State Charter School Commission (Commission) seeks to fill the Director of Policy, Governance, and Strategic Compliance position. This full-time permanent exempt position is based in Olympia, Washington. During your initial onboarding training period (2 weeks) you will be required to be in the office 4 days a week. After you've completed your initial training, you may have the option to work from home on a flexible telework schedule.

We encourage interested candidates to visit the Washington State Charter School Commission website to review the Commission's Strategic Plan and Educational Equity Policy.

The Washington State Charter School Commission ("Commission") is an independent state agency. Our mission is to authorize high-quality charter public schools, especially those designed to expand opportunities for students historically underserved in public education, and to ensure the highest standards of accountability and oversight. The Commission is guided by its Educational Equity Policy: we hold both a moral and legal obligation to cultivate schools where socio-economic status, race, gender, language, sexual orientation, national origin, and disability do not predict academic or life outcomes.

Educational equity benefits all students and strengthens communities.

MISSION

To authorize high-quality charter public schools and provide effective oversight and transparent accountability to improve educational outcomes for at-risk students.

VISION

Foster innovation and ensure excellence so that every student has access to and thrives in a high-quality public school.

Position Overview

The Washington State Charter School Commission seeks a strategic, detail-oriented, and solutions-focused Director of Policy, Governance & Strategic Compliance to strengthen the agency's policy development, governance practices, contract administration, regulatory coordination, and organizational risk management capacity.

The Commission operates within a complex public accountability environment requiring sound governance, transparent decision-making, effective oversight, and strong administrative systems. Through charter contracts, oversight decisions, corrective action processes, renewals, relocations, closures, rule making, public records, and public meetings requirements, the agency must consistently balance innovation, accountability, equity, and stewardship of public resources.

This position serves as the Commission's lead coordinator for policy, governance, regulatory, and legal-support functions. The role strengthens organizational consistency, improves administrative readiness, supports risk identification and response planning, and helps ensure agency processes are well-documented, transparent, and aligned with applicable laws, regulations, and Commission policies.

Core Purpose of the Role

The Director of Policy, Governance & Strategic Compliance serves in a strategic, administrative, policy, governance, and legal-coordination capacity.

The Director of Policy, Governance & Strategic Compliance will:

• Coordinate agency policy, governance, and regulatory activities
• Support consistent administration of charter contracts and oversight processes
• Strengthening internal procedures, documentation, and decision-making frameworks
• Improve organizational readiness for legal review and regulatory compliance
• Support development and implementation of agency policies and administrative rules
• Coordinate strategic engagement with the Attorney General's Office when legal review is necessary
• Promote transparent, equitable, and well-documented agency practices
• Enhance stewardship of public resources through strong governance and risk awareness

This position does not:

• Provide legal advice on behalf of the Commission
• Issue formal legal opinions
• Establish legal interpretations binding upon the agency
• Represent the Commission in litigation or legal proceedings
• Replace, supplant, or duplicate the authority of the Washington State Attorney General's Office under RCW 43.10

All legal advice, legal representation, litigation…