Administrative Operations Manager - Ecology Division - Olympia, WA - Attorney General's Office

Persons requiring reasonable accommodation in the application process or requiring information in an alternative format may contact the recruitment team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov. Those with a hearing impairment in need of accommodation are encouraged to contact the Washington Relay Service at 1-800-676-3777 or www.washingtonrelay.com.

This position will remain open until a sufficient number of candidates have applied. The Washington State Office of the Attorney General reserves the right to close this announcement at any time without notice. 

Position and Salary
The Attorney General’s Office is recruiting for a permanent full time Administrative Operations Manager (WMS Band 1) for our Ecology Division. This position is located in Olympia, Washington and is not union-represented.

This position is set as Band 1 in the Washington Management Services structure. The salary range for this position is $83,276 - $104,094 annually.
   
The base pay offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the preferred candidate’s job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.
The following stipend may apply based on position requirements:

• Incumbents assigned to a position designated as requiring dual language skills will receive a 5% Dual Language Requirement Pay stipend.  

Excellent Benefits
Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation, including Medical/Dental/Vision for employees & dependent(s); Vacation, Sick, and Other Leave; 11 Paid Holidays per year; Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) plans; and Life Insurance. Beyond these traditional benefits, we offer Dependent Care Assistance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Deferred Compensation, Employee Recognition Leave, and more.
    
With the goal of employee health and wellness, we also offer flexible schedules and telework options for most positions, a Wellness Program, the Employee Assistance Program, and numerous affinity groups to foster community and connection.

Position Description
The Administrative Operations Manager will develop a strong relationship with the Division Chief (DC) and be responsible for running this diverse legal office from top to bottom.

If you thrive managing people and office programs such as HR actions, payroll, equipment & facilities planning, development & management of budgets, contract & public records management, strategic planning, and essentially influencing all the details of an office while fostering successful and positive colleague relationships, this might be the opportunity for you.

What does it take to be a successful AOM?
The successful incumbent will have a unique gift for managing people. The position requires someone who is consistently present with others, listens empathetically, and is committed to the staff’s success. They know how to bring out the best in others and flourish in an environment where they’re comfortable running meetings, influencing and recommending policy, and rolling up their sleeves and getting things done all in the same day.
  
Working with people, savvy management, continual learning and adaptability to change, time management, and relationship development are the most important skills to succeed in this role.

About the Ecology Division in Olympia, WA
The Ecology Division seeks an Administrative Operations Manager (AOM) for its division located in Olympia, Washington. The division consists of 30 attorneys and 13 professional staff. We value collaboration and teamwork, diversity, flexibility, transparency, and collegiality. The division primarily provides legal support to the Department of Ecology. It is composed of four sections, Environmental Quality, Water Resources, Environmental Legacy, and Cleanup, handles a broad range of environmental issues, and practices in every level of the court and administrative forums. The AOM is the lead professional staff and supervises four managing paralegals, as well as being second-level supervisor to all other professional staff in the division. The AOM works with the division chief to establish division policies and procedures, assists the division with routine questions on a wide variety of topics, is involved in setting/tracking the budget, legislative tracking, strategic planning, purchasing, recruitment, HR actions, performance development planning and review for professional staff, etc. The AOM is a part of the division management team and leads the professional staff supervisory team.

About the Washington State Office of the Attorney General
Join an agency whose work impacts the lives of every resident of Washington State.
The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) touches the lives of every resident in this state. We serve more than 230 state agencies, boards, commissions, colleges and universities, as well as the Legislature and the Governor. The Office is comprised of nearly 700 attorneys and 800 professional staff, all working together to deliver the highest quality professional legal services to Washington state officials, agencies, and entities. This includes:

• Economic justice and consumer protection (safeguarding consumers, protecting youth, seniors, and other vulnerable populations)
• Social justice and civil rights (addressing discrimination, environmental protection, and veteran and military resources)
• Criminal justice and public safety (investigative and prosecutorial support, financial crimes) And much more!
• Our agency also has national reach, representing the State of Washington before the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals and trial courts in all cases that involve the state’s interest. If you want to make a difference, we may be the perfect fit for you! Learn more about the AGO here.  

Desired Qualifications
Competitive applicants will possess a combination of six years of experience through:

• Paralegal certification
• Two-year paralegal degree

and/or

• Paraprofessional experience in support of an attorney, including at least two years of supervision experience in a legal setting.

Ideal Candidate Profile, Skills, & Abilities
The ideal candidates will be empathetic and professional. They will have prior experience managing legal personnel and projects effectively. They will be comfortable with high-profile work and have the ability and eye for detail to review, make and implement office policies and procedures. They will have outstanding people skills to build professional relationships in and outside of the division. They will be a nimble team player and true leader who knows how to work with and develop staff based on individual needs in order to keep the office running. And they will be a true leader who works with the Division Chief and management team to keep the division running as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Demonstrated knowledge of:

• Paralegal practices, policies, and procedures
• Management principles and practices, including training and supervision
• Litigation techniques and support
• Recruitment and interviewing processes, onboarding processes, purchasing and payment of invoices, budget processes, legislative processes, timekeeping, travel processing, contracts development and tracking, HR processes, performance development planning, strategic planning, etc.

Demonstrated ability to:

• Develop and implement long and short-range plans
• Develop internal operating procedures
• Organize, prioritize, and manage a large number of projects, resources, and diversified work groups
• Empower employees to contribute their knowledge, creativity, and expertise to further the Division's mission of providing excellent, ethical, and professional legal services
• Build and support a diverse, inclusive, and collaborative work environment
• Lead a diverse team of professional staff in an inclusive manner
• Build successful relationships between attorneys and division professional staff, dealing with internal issues as they occur in order to avoid difficulties down the line
• Successfully implement new procedures, policies, and forms; work with new software and systems; and handle ongoing change and associated challenges

Typical successful backgrounds for this position include:

• Law office management
• State agency office management
• Higher education office management
• Administrative professionals who have worked up the ranks to office management in a professional environment
• Supervisory paralegals who have been involved in recruitment, performance development, and AGO office processes

Application Instructions
In addition to completing the online application, applicants must attach the following documents to their profile in order to be considered for this position:

• A letter of interest, describing your specific qualifications for the position; and
• A current resume detailing experience and education.

Read the following information completely:

• You may not reapply to this posting for 30 days.
• The initial screening of applications will be solely based on the contents and completeness of the "work experience" and "education" sections of your application in www.careers.wa.gov.
• A resume will not substitute for completing the "work experience" section of the application.
• Please be sure to remove private information such as your Social Security number, date of birth, etc. 
• All information may be verified and documentation may be required.
• The Washington State Office of the Attorney General does not use the E-Verify system; therefore, we are not eligible to extend STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information, please visit www.uscis.gov.

Commitment to Diversity
Diversity is critical to the success of the mission of the AGO and we are committed to building an anti-racist and equitable agency. It is our goal to identify, discuss, and challenge racial inequity in the workplace and the impact it has on our employees, and, within our authority, combat racism that impacts the people of the State of Washington. This means recognizing, respecting, and appreciating all cultures and backgrounds-- and fostering the inclusion of differences between people. Appreciating, valuing and implementing principles of diversity permits AGO employees to achieve their fullest potential in a professional, inclusive, respectful environment.
    
Our commitment to employee wellness is reflected in earning the 2024 "Zo8 Washington Wellness Award".

Equal Employment Opportunity and Accommodations Requests
Honoring diversity, equity and inclusion means that as an agency, and as individuals, we are committed to ensuring that all employees and volunteers enjoy a respectful, safe and supportive working environment. Only by fostering the inclusion of people from all backgrounds, cultures and attributes, can AGO employees and volunteers achieve their fullest potential and best advance the goals and mission of the AGO. The AGO is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation/gender identity, age, disability, honorably discharged veteran or military status, retaliation or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. Persons requiring reasonable accommodation in the application process or requiring information in an alternative format may contact the Recruitment Team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov. Those with a hearing impairment in need of accommodation are encouraged to contact the Washington Relay Service at 1-800-676-3777 or www.washingtonrelay.com. 
  
For questions regarding this recruitment or assistance with the application process, please contact HREmployment@atg.wa.gov.  If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at 855-524-5627 or support@neogov.com.