Recruitment and Classification Specialist

Recruitment and Classification Specialist

The Office of Secretary of State (OSOS) offers some of the most unique and diverse job opportunities in state government. Its critical responsibilities include: ensuring a fair and accurate elections process; connecting Washingtonians through the power of libraries; protecting our important government records; and registering corporations and charities. The Secretary of State also administers vital community programs that inspire giving, document our history, and assist crime survivors in avoiding further abuse.

This independent office under the state Constitution operates from facilities in the Olympia area and statewide. The OSOS is looking for top-performing employees who embody its core values of integrity, service excellence, visionary leadership, collaboration and teamwork. It is committed to both employee growth and work-life balance. The benefits of working in state government also include potential eligibility for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

The Operations Division is the heart of the Office of Secretary of State, supporting the Executive Office and every division through the internal functions of Public Records, Financial Services, Budget, Facilities, and Human Resources. This division serves as a trusted and knowledgeable resource to both its internal and external customers. Its success depends on the expertise of employees who ensure public access to information, protect financial resources, and help develop our most valuable asset: people.

This position reports directly to the HR Manager and serves as an expert consultant across multiple human resources disciplines, including classification, compensation, benefits, employee and labor relations, recruitment, training, rule interpretation, FMLA, FLSA, reasonable accommodation, and payroll support for the Executive Team. The role is responsible for designing, implementing, and managing recruitment strategies for the Office, as well as performing comprehensive classification and compensation activities such as full-cycle position allocations and supporting new employee onboarding.

In addition, this position manages learning and development activities within the WA State Learning Center (TLC) and leads the creation, delivery, and continuous improvement of the Office's customized leadership development program, the Leadership Academy. This position has an option of a 12 month in-training at the Human Resources Consultant 3 level and can be filled at either the HRC 3 or HRC 4 level.

Manages Full Cycle Recruitment Tasks include: serving as the office's technical expert on recruitment methodologies, advising executive leadership and hiring authorities on best practices, emerging trends, and innovative sourcing strategies. Oversees implementation of complex recruitment programs, including hard-to-fill and mission-critical classifications, by tailoring strategies that meet the Office's specialized workforce needs. Leads the collaboration process with co-workers, customers, and stakeholders to build robust recruitment strategies with core components in each plan for various job classes, hard-to-fill positions, and other vacancies.

Provides expert consultation to managers on complex recruitment situations, such as organizational restructuring, new program implementation, or classification redesign. Manages job postings using Neo Gov including, but not limited to updating hiring documents, screening candidate applications and materials, and relied upon to be the subject matter expert on the Online Recruiting System (OLRS). Serves as the main contact for hiring managers and division leadership to develop application questionnaires.

Builds relationships with hiring managers and supervisors across the office to ensure a seamless and efficient recruitment and onboarding process. Incorporates diversity, equity, and inclusion in all job postings. Attends career/job fairs representing the office and employment opportunities. Manages the end to end onboarding process of all new hires to include coordinating communication, preparing onboarding documentation, scheduling orientations (as needed), and input into HRMS.

Ensures all appropriate recruitment records are stored and retained according to the State General Records Retention Schedule. Reviews interview questions to ensure they are in accordance with policies and RCWs.

Classification and Compensation Tasks include: determining and deciding the appropriate allocation of positions independently including, but not limited to continuity of positions, ensuring adherence with classification specifications, and in accordance with Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs). Leads complex classification studies, including multi-position restructures, new program builds, and organization-wide reallocation projects, ensuring consistency, equity, and compliance with state classification frameworks. Develops and interprets classification and compensation policies,…