Credit Union:

Dept. of Washington Financial Institutions

Region:

Tumwater, WA

Type:

Staff

Closing:

9/19/2021

Job Description:

Position Number/Object Abbreviation: 0583
Agency/Division/Unit: Dept. of Financial Institutions/Executive Team/Admin
Address: 150 Israel Rd. SW, Tumwater, WA
Supervisor’s: Name and Title: Charles Clark, Agency Director
Work Schedule: Full Time
Overtime Eligible: No
Supervisor’s Name and Title Director: Charles Clark, Agency Director
Supervisor’s Phone: 360.902.0518
Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment: Must pass a background check.
Work Conditions: Office environment, some telework | Schedule: Days | Travel: 10-30% | Tools & Equipment: Computer, Laptop, Cellphone, Desk, Virtual Meeting Tools

Organizational Structure:

The Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) regulates financial services to protect and educate the public and promote economic vitality. The DEI Director will work with the Director to support DEI in our regulated industries, and efforts to promote financial inclusion in communities of color. The DEI Director will implement DEI community outreach programs, and policies and practices supporting the increase of DEI in regulated entities, with consumers, and at the Department of Financial Institutions. The position will also work with the Director and the Executive Team to implement Executive Orders, and other agency wide policies and practices on DEI. This position reports directly to the Agency Director.

Position Objective:

The mission of the Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) is to protect consumers and advance the financial health of Washington State by providing fair regulation of financial services and educating consumers to make informed financial decisions. A primary purpose of this position is to develop a strategy and help lead the implementation of the strategy to help reduce racial wealth gaps that exist in Washington state through collaboration with our regulated financial industries and community stakeholders. This work will be supported by targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion financial education outreach and support programs. In addition this position advances principles of diversity, equity and inclusion and operationalizes strategies that promote fairness, embrace difference and support participation so that we achieve our vision of being the most future ready workforce for all.

The DEI Director position will oversee, direct, conceptualize and cultivate equity, diversity and inclusion as institutionalized resources. This position contributes to the forward movement of this goal by identifying, increasing awareness, and building capacity around moving and eliminating structural and systemic barriers for marginalized communities through: policy development and analysis, training deployment, creation and administration of DEI champions across the state, ongoing assessments and implementation of related projects for advancing critical success measures for DFI. The focus is to embed DEI and a culture of respect and belonging as the way we do business compared to a program that sits separate from our core.

Assigned Work Duties & Tasks: 

  • Creates processes and systems to measure the impact of our equity and inclusion work as it relates to service delivery. Includes research identification, and recommendation of assessment tools and resources that would measure the ongoing impact of our work with our stakeholders, consumers, and employees.
  • Provides advice and consultation to agency leadership recommending avenues to increase awareness, support, and culture change in implementing DEI principles and practices in or service delivery.
  • Develops recommendations to establish and implement equity and inclusion components in the agency’s strategic plan.
  • Collaborates closely with agency leaders and staff to operationalize strategies, solutions, policies, best practices, training, tools and resources that further equity and inclusion strategic goals.
  • Coordinates and partners with the Diversity Advisory Team (DAT) and external enterprise-wide DEI related committees, Business Resource Groups (BRG’s), etc.
  • Represents the agency with external audiences, preparing and delivering presentations in partnership with the Communications Director, and serves on external workgroups as needed in coordination with our Communications Unit and Human Resources Office.

Accountability: 

  • May brief public entities and advocacy groups on business processes and initiatives to advance financial inclusion and DEI within our regulated industries.
  • Develops, reviews and participates in the development of DFI’s operating policies and processes to ensure all employees are meeting the intent of Executive Order 17-01, Reaffirming Washington’s Commitment to Tolerance, Diversity and Inclusiveness.
  • Facilitates the informal resolution of concerns of community partners across all agency operations. Conducts inquiries into concerns, resolves them, and brings systemic concerns to the attention of the Agency Director.
  • Partnering with our Communications Director, develops communication strategies that resonate with our consumers to explain why we collect data and how we use it.
  • Creates dynamic partnerships that maximize engagement opportunities and strengthen stakeholder and consumer confidence in our services.
  • Partners with the Training Manager and the Human Resources Office to provide resources and training content to DFI staff to help them understand the complex and sensitive issues our stakeholders and consumers are facing, to give them the skills they need to be inclusive, friendly, and helpful to all Washingtonians.

Scope of Accountability: Using independent judgment, diplomacy, and excellent decision-making skills, provide representation, leadership and communication on strategic projects and guidance on the Agency’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Potential Impact of Error or Consequence of Error: Failure to act according to laws and policies or significant errors in judgment on the part of the incumbent poses the risk of errant service delivery, personnel practices and litigation from failure to implement strategies for remediating workplace conduct that may be bias-driven. The position also mitigates risk when it comes to loss of public trust in our ability to serve the most vulnerable consumers we were created to serve. This could also contribute to poor moral, retention and performance management issues for diverse members of our workforce, and impact the agency’s ability to recruit future diverse employees.

Supervisory Responsibilities: No

Decision Making & Policy Impact:

  • The DEI Director assists the Agency Director and Deputy Director in promoting the agency’s policies to the public (stakeholders, local government, communities, and statewide audiences), legislative and executive branches, and when applicable, the federal government,
  • Advises the Agency Director and Deputy Director on the formulation of executive policies and manage complex agency-wide project teams in implementation of strategic initiatives to improve DFI service delivery.
  • Develops and maintains expertise on all aspects of Civil Rights, particularly Title VI related projects assigned.
  • Balances competing demands and priorities for resources for agency projects, governance, and strategic initiatives.
  • Conducts stakeholder analysis, identifies preferred practices, and recommends revisions to existing DEI-related policies and/or the establishment of new DEI-related policies.
  • Provides business leadership, analysis, and recommendations on special projects relating to Diversity Equity, Inclusion, and Title VI to the Executive Management Team.

Responsible for Making Significant Recommendations Due yo Expertise & Knowledge:

  • Establishing and implementing statewide service delivery processes and systems impacting of the equity and inclusion goals of the agency. Includes research, identification, and recommendation of DEI assessment tools and resources that would measure ongoing impact of DEI work.
  • Provide advice and consultation to the Executive Management Team and Program Managers regarding DEI and recommend avenues to increase awareness, support, and culture change to implementing DEI principles and practices.
  • Analyze statewide legislation and policies through a DEI lens for direct and indirect impact to marginalized and vulnerable populations.

Major Decision-Making Responsibilities this Position has Authority to Make: As the Agency subject matter expert for diversity, equity and inclusion, the DEI Director must make strategic and operational recommendations impacting the agency’s service-delivery options across the state. In turn, decisions based on these recommendations directly affect the ability to receive and provide services for Washington citizens.

Are Decisions Tactical or Strategic and how are Decisions Made? Decisions are both tactical and strategic. Decisions will often involve forecasting the public’s perception of the Agency’s commitment to DEI. Before being brought to the Agency Director and the Executive Management Team, decisions to recommend will involve both internal and external partners, with historical and current events happening on the local, state, regional, and national level.

What are the Risks or Consequences of the Recommendations or Decisions? Decisions based on these recommendations directly affect the ability of Washington citizens to receive agency services inclusively and with equity.

Qualifications – Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

Required Education, Experience, and Competencies.

  • Demonstrated experience working in and with diverse and historically underserved communities.
  • Experience leading and implementing equity and inclusion programs.
  • Ability to lead change initiatives within an organization.
  • Ability to influence without structural authority.
  • Leadership skills to develop, execute and drive innovation.

Preferred/Desired Education, Experience, and Competencies.

  • Bachelor’s degree in relevant subject area
  • Three to Five years of relevant experience
  • Minimum three years of high-level program management in organizations with multiple divisions
  • Experience in program design, development, management and evaluation.
  • Experience in organization with a social justice focus.
  • Experience serving as representative on external and/or enterprise-wide DEI related committees.
  • Demonstrated experience giving presentations to the public.

Core Competencies:

Professionalism

Definition: Demonstrates critical reliability and thinking characteristics to meet the demands of the workplace. These characteristics include ethics and integrity, analytical thinking, creative and innovative thinking, problem solving, accountability, judgment, and decisiveness.

  • Advanced – Ethics and Integrity: Earns the trust, respect, and confidence of coworkers and customers through consistent honesty, forthrightness and professionalism in all interactions.
  • Advanced – Analytical Thinking: Thinks through all facets of an issue, problem, or situation.
  • Advanced – Creative and Innovative Thinking: Develops innovative ideas that provide solutions to all types of workplace challenges.
  • Advanced – Problem Solving: Uses intelligence, common sense, hard work and tenacity to solve particularly difficult or complicated challenges.
  • Advanced – Accountability: Accepts personal responsibility for the quality and timeliness of work. Can be relied upon to achieve excellent results with little need for oversight.
  • Advanced – Judgment: Displays balanced thinking that combines analysis, wisdom, experience and perspective. Produces decisions that withstand “the test of time.”
  • Advanced – Confidentiality: Fosters and demonstrates high standards of integrity and judgment in handling confidential and sensitive information. Understands and upholds preservation of all types of confidential information for both internal and external purposes.
  • Advanced – Decisiveness: Makes timely decisions without sacrificing quality even under ambiguous circumstances or when data is limited.
  • Advanced – Political Competence: Has the political awareness and ability to understand complex policy issues, the ability to understand what you can and cannot control, when to take action.

Interpersonal Skills

Definition: Demonstrates characteristics related to the quality, scope, and awareness involved in individual and group dealings. Characteristics include conflict management, diplomacy, diversity, and negotiating and influencing.

  • Advanced – Conflict Management: Anticipates and seeks to resolve confrontations, disagreements, and complaints in a constructive manner.
  • Advanced – Diplomacy: Demonstrates tact and skill in dealing with people. Uses behaviors and language in dealing with people, which is appropriate for the workplace and a respective situation.
  • Advanced – Diversity: Recognizes the value of cultural, ethnic, gender, and other individual differences. Understands differences in and responds appropriately to other employees in the workplace.
  • Advanced – Negotiating/Influencing: Appropriately uses negotiation, persuasion, and authority in dealing with others to achieve goals.

Communications Effectiveness

Definition: Conveys clear, timely, persuasive messages that positively influence the thoughts and actions of others.

  • Advanced – Written: Writes appropriately for the audience and situation. Edits and proofreads own work and work of others (within agency).
  • Advanced – Listening: Listens well to others and accurately conveys their ideas to others. Responsive to the various styles and needs of the individuals/groups with whom he/she is communicating.
  • Advanced – Oral: Clearly and effectively communicates with individuals and groups. Responsive to the various styles and needs of the individuals/groups with whom communicating. Shares complete and accurate information with others.

Customer Focus

Definition: Builds and maintains internal and external customer satisfaction with the products and services offered by the organization.

Advanced – Customer Focus: Puts the customer first, making excellent customer service a high priority. Knows his/her customers and their expectations; anticipates, assesses and responds in a timely and appropriate manner to changing customer needs. Consistently goes beyond basic service expectations to help customers implement complete solutions.

To be considered for this position, please submit the following:

    • Your resume
    • A letter of interest outlining your qualifications, skills, and abilities as they relate to this announcement
    • A list of three professional references

By Sep 19, 2021 to:
Tom Grant
Lead Recruiter
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 360-725-7817
Fax: 360-902-8712

Mailing Address:
Department of Financial Institutions
PO Box 41200
Olympia, WA 98504-1200

Please note: The DFI strongly recommends that application materials be submitted via email.