Legal Liaison (WMS2) - Kent

Our vision is to ensure that “Washington state’s children and youth grow up safe and healthy— thriving physically, emotionally, and academically, nurtured by family and community."

The incumbent will play a key role in shaping and implementing policies and procedures for the Program, Field & Tribal Legal Supports Office. In close coordination with the AGO, they will provide expert guidance and legal support to Child Welfare caseworkers and leadership. This position also provides effective planning, alignment, and oversight of legal Liaison functions across the Program, Field & Tribal Legal Supports Office. 

• Provide expert legal guidance and advice to the Child Welfare staff and leadership, and other key members of the leadership team, on legal and risk management issues impacting the agency.
• Deliver legal training and consultation to Child Welfare staff and leadership, improving consistency and confidence in legal proceedings.
• Facilitate, coordinate, and provide legal support for Child Welfare staff, collaborating closely with partners of the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) to address agency needs related to advice requests, preparation for dependency hearings, and other identified legal support areas.
• Develop and implement regional court support systems, ensuring alignment with statewide strategies and priorities.
• Work directly with caseworkers to support them in their preparation for dependency proceedings.
• Serve as a member in various leadership teams and workgroups, providing legal guidance to fellow administrators.
• Contribute to the development of comprehensive regional court support systems, aligning them with agency-wide legal court support strategies to ensure support for caseworkers in the legal process. 
• Contribute to the ideas and recommendations for training, policy, and programmatic changes aimed at enhancing dependency case preparation and addressing other legal matters. 
• Collaborate and coordinate with legal counsel as well as with the AGO and external court partners in developing and providing support for caseworkers. 
• Partner with DCYF Information Technology, Office of Innovation Alignment and Accountability, and the Enterprise Risk Management Office to provide legal support for Child Welfare staff and leadership. 
• Supervise and support Legal Liaison Support Specialist staff.

• Equivalent education and experience totaling nine (9) years of progressively responsible, paid, professional experience in law or related fields, child welfare, social service, or related fields. 

• Master’s degree in business or public administration or Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD), or closely allied field from AND Five (5) years progressively responsible, paid, professional experience in law, child welfare, social service, or related fields.

• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and respectful workplace principles.

This position also requires the candidate to possess these competencies: 

• Advanced knowledge of juvenile court proceedings and child welfare laws. 
• Ability to supervise and direct the activities and performance of others. 
• Demonstration of strong writing skills in preparing clear, comprehensive reports and documents. 
• Demonstration of strong oral communication skills in group facilitation and staffing. 
• Knowledge of federal and state government structures and legislative processes. 
• Familiarity with the state or local government's structure, activities, and employees. 
• Knowledge of training principles and techniques. 

A strong commitment to: 

• Improving child welfare services and outcomes for children and youth in Washington. 
• Eliminating racial disparities and disproportionalities in government institutions. 
• Working for and/or with public sector agencies.

• Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD).
• Litigation experience, especially in dependency and ICWA/WICWA.
• Experience formulating and supporting legal support strategies, preferably on behalf of state agencies.
• Dispute resolution experience.
• Legal advice coordination/management experience. 
• Risk Management experience.

• Complete your applicant profile and attach a resume and cover letter.
•  Applicants who are invited to interview will be asked to prepare a writing sample. This does not need to be attached to your application.

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is committed to Washington’s children and youth growing up safe, healthy, and thriving. We invite all candidates to join us in our mission to create a diverse and equitable workplace that reflects the communities we serve.  If you are excited about this role but you believe that your education and/or experience might not align perfectly with every qualification in the job posting, we encourage you to apply anyway. 

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability. 

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.

Degrees must be obtained from an accredited college or university whose accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or a foreign equivalent verified by a NACES-approved organization at naces.org. Foreign Equivalency certification must be attached to the application for degrees obtained outside the U.S.

For more information about this position or if you need an accommodation throughout the application/interview process, please contact DCYF recruiter. If you're experiencing technical difficulties creating, accessing or completing your application, call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or email support@neogov.com. Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may call the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at 360-664-1960.