Job Description

Posting number: 2026-08006

Department: Dept. of Social and Health Services

Division: ESA

Job classification: WMS BAND 3

Posting type: Open & Promotional

Categories: Legal, Risk Management, Executive Management, Audit

Summary

Enterprise Administration & Risk Management Chief

Help shape how one of Washington’s largest human services administrations works across the state. As Chief of Enterprise Administration & Risk Management, you will join the Economic Services Administration’s (ESA) Executive Leadership Team at an important point of organizational change. You will bring together administrative functions that serve all of ESA, helping create greater consistency, coordination, accountability, and efficiency across divisions while supporting the delivery of services to Washington residents.

This is more than an oversight role. You will build and shape a new enterprise function, including establishing ESA’s centralized Enterprise Contracts Office and bringing previously separate teams together around shared processes, expectations, and goals. You will work closely with executive leaders, employees, division leaders, and partners to create an organization that is responsive to the needs of the people it serves while strengthening risk management, compliance, internal controls, and stewardship of public resources.

As a trusted advisor to ESA executive leadership, you will bring perspective to complex issues that cross organizational boundaries and help turn strategic priorities into practical action. You will lead managers and guide a team that is growing and evolving. Your ability to build trust, bring people together, navigate ambiguity, and guide meaningful change will be central to establishing this new enterprise model. Your portfolio also includes public disclosure, privacy, discovery, and audit coordination, helping ESA respond to sensitive matters and reduce organizational risk.

Some of what you will do

• Build and shape ESA's centralized Enterprise Contracts Office, bringing previously separate contracts functions together, establishing clear roles and service expectations, and creating consistent processes that maintain critical work while the organization changes.
• Bring multiple administrative functions together under a cohesive enterprise model, creating clear accountability, shared practices, and better coordination across divisions rather than allowing functions to operate separately.
• Lead and develop managers and a multidisciplinary team, establishing priorities, supporting leadership development, building a collaborative team culture, and connecting their work to ESA's broader goals.
• Oversee enterprise risk management, identifying and evaluating organizational risks, advising executive leadership on mitigation strategies, and developing enterprise operational policies and procedures.
• Oversee public disclosure, privacy and confidentiality, and discovery coordination, supporting timely, consistent responses to records requests and litigation-related information needs while protecting confidential information.
• Direct internal and external audits, oversee responses to audit findings and corrective actions, and strengthen internal controls and compliance practices across ESA.
• Assess current operations and shape practical ways of working for the future, identifying opportunities to improve processes, reduce duplication, increase efficiency, and create greater consistency across ESA.
• Guide significant organizational change, building trust and collaboration with employees, leaders, division partners, and contractors as previously separate functions move into a centralized enterprise structure.
• Provide executive advice and decision support on complex operational, fiscal, legal, compliance, governance, and risk matters, bringing together information from across ESA to help executive leaders make informed decisions.
• Build relationships across organizational boundaries, working with ESA divisions, DSHS leadership, Tribal governments, federal partners, state agencies, community organizations, contractors, and other partners to support shared goals and responsive service.

Who should apply

An experienced executive leader who can see the big picture while understanding operational realities and translating broad organizational priorities into practical approaches.

You may meet the requirements through several experience and education pathways, but the core requirement is substantial leadership experience in a headquarters-based organization with statewide impact, including executive responsibility for enterprise governance, risk management, internal controls, audit practices, compliance, public-sector administration, or other regulated administrative functions.

Contract management expertise is not required, although the ability to provide executive direction and oversight of contract subject-matter experts is important.

In addition, you will bring advanced experience leading multiple organizational functions through direct reports, connecting people, functions, and priorities across organizational boundaries to create greater consistency, coordination, accountability, and efficiency.

Knowledge, skills, & abilities you bring should include:

• Leading complex administrative, operational, governance, compliance, or risk-related functions, particularly across multiple organizational units or business areas.
• Bringing separate teams or functions together, establishing shared roles, processes, expectations, and service goals while maintaining continuity of critical work.
• Building or shaping an organization or function, including establishing an operating structure, developing processes, clarifying accountability, and creating a cohesive team culture.
• Guiding significant organizational change, with the ability to build trust, foster understanding, navigate ambiguity, and work effectively with people affected by the change.
• Providing confidential, executive-level advice and recommendations on complex operational, fiscal, legal, compliance, governance, or risk matters.
• Establishing policies, governance practices, internal controls, and processes that improve consistency, accountability, efficiency, and responsible stewardship of public resources.
• Exercising sound judgment in sensitive risk matters, including public disclosure, privacy, discovery, and audit responses, and translating findings into practical improvements.
• Building trusted working relationships across organizational boundaries and communicating clearly with executive leaders, employees, division partners, Tribal governments, federal partners, state agencies, contractors, and community organizations.

DSHS partners with people to access support, care, and resources.

This job is classified as Washington Management Services 3 (WMS3) and offers a hybrid telework schedule, with one day each week in Olympia and a second day at the DSHS office closest to your home. Occasional travel may be expected.

Interested? Please list 3 professional references’ current contact information on your application and include your current resume and a letter of interest (up to two pages) specifically addressing the knowledge, skills and experience you have related to this job and responsibilities.

Questions? Please contact the Recruiter, Reema, at reema.goyal@dshs.wa.gov or 360-725-5810 and reference #08006. Learn more about DSHS.

The Department of Social and Health Services’ (DSHS) vision that people find human services to shape their own lives requires that we come together with a sense of belonging, common purpose, shared values, and meaningful work. It is crucial to our agency’s vision that you bring a fairness, access, and social justice commitment to your work with DSHS. We strive to support all Washingtonians, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, people with physical, behavioral health, and intellectual disabilities, elders, LGBTQIA+ individuals, immigrants and refugees, and families building financial security.

Supplemental information

Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history may be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the job. This announcement may be used to fill multiple vacancies. Employees driving on state business must have a valid driver's license. Employees driving a privately owned vehicle on state business must have liability insurance on the privately owned vehicle.

Washington State Department of Social and Health Services is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in any area of employment, its programs or services on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, marital status, race, creed, color, national origin, religion or beliefs, political affiliation, military status, honorably discharged veteran, Vietnam Era, recently separated or other protect­ed veteran status, the presence of any sensory, mental, physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, equal pay or genetic information. Persons requiring accommodation in the application process or this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the Recruiter at (360) 725-5810. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.

Relationship and Reporting Structure (Nepotism) Disclosure: If you are selected for hire, you must disclose whether you have a relative, household member, close friend, or romantic partner within your potential supervisory chain of command. DSHS has a Relationships and the Reporting Structure policy that prohibits nepotism and can be reviewed here. Applicants whose appointment would result in a prohibited reporting relationship are not eligible for appointment to that position.

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