Human Resources Director (EMS3​/DLS

Human Resources Director (EMS3/DLS)

This recruitment is posted continuously. Application review will begin on 8/21/2026 and you are encouraged to submit your application materials as soon as possible. The hiring manager reserves the right to close the posting at any time once a selection has been made.

The Health Care Authority is seeking a people leader who is able to develop and deploy strategic, relational, operational, and technical HR capabilities at scale, in alignment with the agency's values and objectives. If you pride yourself on cultivating a culture of organizational connectedness, compliance, and equity, and have a strong background in HR administration or related field at the executive level, this may be the opportunity for you!

All HCA employees will apply an equity lens to their work, which may include but is not limited to all analyses of core business and processes.

About the division:

The Division of Legal Services (DLS) provides support to the entire agency to mitigate risks, comply with changing laws, and assist the agency in accomplishing its strategic and tactical goals. DLS' mission is to "deliver legal and specialized professional support so HCA can provide high quality health care through innovative health policies and purchasing strategies." Its vision is to "be a model of excellent customer service and efficiency in the delivery of legal and specialized professional services."

In addition to the agency-wide values, DLS values include excellence, dependability, customer focused, and integrity.

About the position:

The Human Resources Director (HR Director), who is the Deputy Assistant Director of DLS and serves on the agency's Executive Leadership Team, reports directly to the Chief Legal Officer (CLO).

The HR Director is responsible for the strategic and daily operational leadership of HCA's human resources portfolio, including terms of employment, training and development, classification and compensation, recruitment, labor relations, protected leave and accommodations, employment risk management, employee performance management, employment investigation, just cause progressive discipline, HR data and reporting, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. This position acts under delegated authority of the CLO.

This position is eligible to telework but is frequently required to report on-site to meet business need. The default assigned work location of all Health Care Authority (HCA) positions – both on-site and telework eligible positions – is within the State of Washington. This position reports to Olympia, WA. Frequency of onsite work will vary based on business and operational needs.

All agency employees are required to report on-site in Olympia on their first and last days of employment to pick up and return state-issued equipment, regardless of telework status or location.

Some of what you will do:

• Direct an agile human resource unit and serve as the key advisor to the CLO and other agency executive leadership, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws.
• Represent HR on the division's leadership team and actively participates in division initiatives, employer of choice strategies, portfolio management activities, and projects.
• Ensure the effective and proactive identification and management of risk as it relates to all human resources operations and functions.
• Plan, lead, and set the strategic direction of the human resource work performed by the agency.
• Collaborate across the agency in coordinating the interconnected operations of HR with other HCA divisions.
• Serve as key advisor to the HCA Director, Deputy Director, and agency executive leadership in all matters related to collective bargaining, labor relations, protected leave, and recruitment strategy.
• Guide and oversee employee and leadership development and training programs.
• Oversee and set the strategic direction of HCA's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) workforce initiatives.

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in human resources, public administration, business, law, social or organizational sciences, labor relations, or closely related field.
• Eight (8) years of recent, broad-based, progressively responsible professional human resources experience, which includes direct experience with the majority of the functions encompassed within the human resources portfolio.
• Three (3) years of recent experience managing professional human resources staff.

Note:

Additional years of progressive management responsibilities may substitute year-for-year for education.

Required competencies:

• The ability to take action to learn and grow.
• The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.
• Expert knowledge of human resource management practices and strategies.
• Expert knowledge of employment, privacy, disability, and medical leave laws as they relate to employment.
• Superior interpersonal skills, especially the ability to build strong collaborative relationships with a variety of people at multiple levels to…