Hearings Supervisor | Correctional Hearing Officer

Overview

Correctional Hearing Officer 4 | Hearings Supervisor

Location:

Kennewick Field Office | Kennewick, WA
Salary Range: $84,012 - $113,064 Annually
This position is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees bargaining unit and is open to current DOC employees only.
The Department of Corrections is seeking a highly skilled leader to serve as a Hearings Supervisor (Correctional Hearings Officer
4).

This role sits at the intersection of justice, accountability, and public safety. In collaboration with criminal justice partners, victims, and community stakeholders, the Department works to enhance community safety by holding individuals accountable while upholding the highest standards of fairness and due process. The Correctional Hearings Unit conducts all legally binding administrative hearings that impact an individual’s liberty, guided by statute, case law, policy, and court decisions.

• Provide direct oversight of Correctional Hearing Officer 3’s (CHO3) to ensure hearings are conducted lawfully, consistently, and with integrity.
• Lead the Hearings Unit as a subject matter expert on hearings-related law, policy, and procedure; mentor and develop staff; maintain quality and consistency of hearings across the unit.
• Establish and reinforce quality standards, interpret evolving legal and policy requirements, and improve staff performance.
• Lead and coordinate hearing-related activities to ensure fairness, accuracy, and respect for legal rights of all involved.
• Collaborate with diverse stakeholders and manage complex and diverse quasi-judicial proceedings.
• Lead regional and statewide duties as assigned, including serving as backup statewide Hearings Duty Officer and Probable Cause Determinant.
• Lead regional docket scheduling, facility coordination, and related duties; address complaints and manage docket modules and ongoing facility issues.
• Participate in Leadership Meetings and regional hearings oversight.
• Other duties as assigned.

We seek teammates who are committed to public service, equity, inclusivity, innovation, engagement, and safety, with the goal of better outcomes for our incarcerated population, agency, and community. As a Correctional Hearing Officer 4, you will oversee workload distribution, scheduling, and coordination with facilities and internal DOC units.

• Supervise and assign workload to CHO3s (e.g., supervising CHO3s within the assigned geographical area; assigning workload; regularly assessing performance; providing direction regarding hearings; assisting professional growth).
• Facility/docket scheduling and coordination (monitoring contractual or transportation impacts, emergent needs, coordinating with internal/external facilities and DOC divisions, addressing hearing-related complaints, developing/monitoring docket modules).
• Lead as Regional Hearing Appeal Panel lead and respond to correspondence.
• Participate in Leadership Meetings
  .
• Serve as backup statewide Hearings Duty Officer and Probable Cause Determinant
  .
• Other duties as assigned.

Required qualifications:

• Six (6) years’ experience as a Hearing Officer or the equivalent in a governmental agency, or
• Six (6) years as a member of an administrative tribunal empowered to issue findings of fact or conclusions of law, or
• Six (6) years of relevant legal-related experience in private or public employment.

In addition to the above required experience, the following knowledge, skills and/or abilities are required:

• Skilled communicator (written, verbal, listening)
• Notary or ability to become a notary in the State of Washington within 90 days of appointment
• Ability to coach, give instructions, and provide constructive criticism

Preferred qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university recognized by the US Dept. of Education or CHEA
• Master’s or Juris Doctorate degree
• Experience as a hearings examiner, mediator, arbitrator, court commissioner, or judge
• Specialized experience addressing complex legal issues
• Working knowledge of offender management and supervision
• One year supervisory or lead experience (may be gained concurrently with other required experience)