Assistant Director, Administrative Law

WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

Respect. Professionalism. Integrity. Accountability.

Help protect the consumers of Washington state!

Assistant Director Administrative Law Division

Range of Consideration: The starting salary offer will be determined based on the successful candidates qualifications within the salary range of $118228 $129360annually Exempt Management Service (EMS) - Band 3. However there is the ability for growth and progression increases within approved budgetary resources.

This recruitment is open through Tuesday October 28 2025 with the initial review of applications beginning on Friday October 17 and weekly thereafter.

UTC reserves the right to make a hiring decision and/or choose to close or extend this recruitment at any given time. It is in your best interest to apply as soon as possible.

The Opportunity:

The Assistant Director Administrative Law Division plays a crucial role in advancing the Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC)s mission by providing top-tier leadership and guidance to a team of administrative law judges and legal support staff cultivating a culture of inclusion and belonging in collaboration with the division director.

This position provides direction and guidance on legal analysis and case management reviews and approves orders notices compliance letters and prepares final orders in cases over which the incumbent presides without the Commissioners.

Hybrid:

Although this is a hybrid opportunity the successful incumbent must reside within Washington state and mustbe available to report to the Lacey Washington headquarters building as business needs require.

The duty station for this position is the UTCs Lacey headquarters. Employees are not compensated for travel time between their residence and the duty station.

Travel:

This position will require travel during and outside normal work hours throughout the state to meet business needs.

Who We Are:
Our mission is to protect the people of Washington by ensuring that investor-owned utility and transportation services are safe equitable available reliable and fairly priced.

We protect consumers by regulating the rates services and practices of private or investor-owned utilities and transportation companies to ensure they are safe equitable reliable and affordable.

The UTC is continually recognized for its excellence and integrity as a regulatory agency as we challenge the status quo and ourselves to ensure equitable outcomes for our customers and the people of Washington State.

We recognize that our employees are the key to the agencys success. We are committed to our work but value balance with our personal lives. We demonstrate our commitment to employees by providing an environment that stimulates professional growth and offers continuing learning opportunities meaningful work and a comprehensive benefits package. For more information about our benefits or working at UTC please visit our website.

What We Offer Our Employees:

• UTC fosters an environment ofdiversity equity inclusion and belonging while striving to hire and retain a workforce from the communities we serve.
• We place importance on a healthybalance between personal and professional lives; offering flexible work schedules wellness programs and mobile/telework opportunities.
• Through the state our employees (and their families) are offered options for medical dental vision and basic life insurance.
• We offer enrollment into the state retirement programs and a deferred compensation plan.
• Full-time and part-time employees are entitled to paid holidays and one paid personal holiday per calendar year.

Some of what youll do:

• Independently manages and conducts simple and complex adjudicative proceedings that often involve multiple issues many parties of record and development or application of novel or unique issues of law and policy. The position ensures that Commission orders reflect sound and lawful policies and principles.
• Responsible for managing adjudications and rulemakings. The position exercises independent judgment and prepares initial orders in cases over which the position presides without the Commissioners.
• Prepares other orders manages the case record and makes recommendations for Commissioners ultimate decision on matters that are the subject of final orders.
• Supervision of administrative law judges and legal support staff. Provides directions on legal analysis and works with administrative law judges with guidance provided to the commission ensuring its practical lawful and consistent with public interest. Responsible and accountable for providing timely and sound legal decisions.
• Resolves legal policy and factual disputes as the presiding officer or mediator in adjudications and as part of a team of commission staff in rulemakings.
• Advises the Commissioners on procedural legal and policy matters and to prepare final orders.
• Provides advanced legal analysis and writing with creative and strategic thinking applied in matters having significant long-range impacts in constantly evolving regulatory frameworks.

Additional duties include but arent limited to the following:

• Establishes implements and supports procedures for effective management of work within the administrative law section.
• In collaboration with the director communicates roles and responsibilities among administrative law staff including roles and responsibilities of administrative law judges.
• In consultation with director recruit interview and hire staff as needed and as vacancies occur. This includes updating position descriptions working with Human Resources to post positions developing criteria for scoring applicants and leading interviews.
• Independently manage and conduct simple and complex adjudicative proceedings that often involve multiple issues many parties of record and development or application of novel or unique issues of law and policy.
• Develops tools and web platforms to organize and coordinate the work of the division and manage the workload of the staff under the positions direct supervision.
• Consults with the administrative law director on decisions that may have a substantial impact on the Commissioners and the agency.
• Prepares other orders manages the case record and makes recommendations for Commissioners ultimate decision on matters that are the subject of final orders.

Required Education Experience and Competencies:

• Active Washington state Bar or another state Bar Association license as a lawyer or under judicial status.
• Expert knowledge and work experience serving as an administrative law judge commissioner attorney advisor or other comparable position within a state or federal utility commission or in matters involving utility or other regulation administrative law or comparable legal issues requiring legal analysis and the application of law to fact.
• Excellent analytical and oral and written communication skills.
• Judicial temperament including the ability to be objective balance competing interests manage administrative hearing and develop and implement policies consistent with applicable law and record evidence.
• Good working knowledge of rules governing the admissibility of evidence and procedural issues consistent with pertinent law.
• Ability to work effectively as a reviewing judge of draft orders providing constructive feedback to administrative law judges in a thoughtful and helpful manner with the ability to resolve potential disputes with patience.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team with commissioners advisors and stakeholder representatives.
• Demonstrated effective supervisory skills through effectively supporting or leading a team of individuals.
• Demonstrated strong analytical skills by effectively gathering interpreting and evaluating data to support decision making process.
• Proficient ability to convey information clearly and effectively both oral and written communication.
• Exceptional ability to work effectively as part of a team with commissioners advisors staff parties and interested individuals.
• Effective team management skills demonstrating conflict management skills including ability to calmly manage disputes between litigation parties as well as between participants in agency proceedings.
• Proficient ability to prepare and provide accurate detail-oriented written orders in a complex litigation with multiple parties in a timely manner.
• Proficient organizational skills and attention to detail in ensuring hearings are scheduled promptly and in accordance with established timeframes.
• Demonstrated proficiency in keeping interested parties informed to include but not limited to the Executive Director/Secretary and Commissioners.

Agency Core Competencies focused on: Customer Focus Trust and Integrity Relationship Building and Teamwork and Achieving Results and Professional Expertise.

Leadership Principles:

• Challenge Systems of Inequity.
• Set the Example.
• Strengthen Others.
• Recognize Contributions.
• Foster Collaboration.
• Envision the Future.
• Manage Your Program.
• Challenge Your Business Processes.

DEI Competencies for Leadership:

• Advocates and Models our Culture and Values.
• Cultivates a Shared Strategic Vision for DEI.
• Fosters Learning.
• Makes the commission more accessible to underrepresented and marginalized communities
• Leads and Navigates Change.
• Embraces and Embeds Inclusion in Decision-making.

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Competencies (expected of all employees):

• DEI Knowledge Understanding & Commitment.
• Self-Awareness and Commitment to Growth.
• Cultivating Mutually Beneficial and Trusting Strategic Partnerships.
• Inclusive Excellence & Allyship.

Demonstration of UTC Core Competencies (expected of all employees):

• Accountability
• Measuring Success and Improvement
• Customer Focus
• Results Focus
• Communication Skills
• Adaptability/Flexibility
• Self-Development
• Continuous Process Improvement

Preferred/Desired Education Experience and Competencies:

• Current or inactive membership in good standing of a state bar association.
• A juris doctorate degree from an accredited law school OR successful completion of a law clerk program pursuant to Washington Admission to Practice Rule (APR) 6.
• Advanced litigation management skills particularly in complex litigation involving diverse interests advocated by multiple participants.
• Demonstrated understanding of economics accounting corporate finance regulatory rate making and utility and transportation company operations as well as public policies that relate to these areas.

READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION COMPLETELY:

• This position is exempt fromcivil service rules Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Chapter 357.
• This position is overtime exemptfrom the requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
• RCW 80.01.020 limits the UTCs ability to employ any person who owns stock in any company the UTC regulates or is otherwise financially interested in such company. Such interests include those of an employees spouse.

How to Apply:

Interested in joining the UTC team Click the Apply button at the top to begin! To be considered for further screening ensure you attach the following documents to your completed application:

1. Letter of Interestdescribing how you meet the position qualifications and why you believe you are the ideal candidate.
2. Resumedetailing your applicable experience and education.
3. ReferencesAt minimum three (3) professional references with current telephone numbers and email addresses must be included with your application; one (1) contact MUST be your current or most recent supervisor.
4. Brief Legal Writing Sample preferably no more the ten (10) pages that you have written without contribution assistance or substantive editing by anyone else demonstrating your professional work.

The initial screening of candidates will be solely based on the contents and completeness of the application including answers provided to the Supplemental Questionnaire along with the required attachments - letter of interest resume references and writing sample submitted as part of the application process.

Please note: a resume will not substitute for completing the work experience section of the application or vice versa.

All information may be verified and documentation may be required for may be disqualified if the education and/or work experience does not include information used to meet the minimum qualifications of the job.

The UTC is an equal opportunity employer. We want to make sure you have an equal opportunity to join our team. Our commitment is making sure current and future employees are treated fairly and equally without regard to age sex (including gender identity) race ethnicity disability sexual orientation veteran status marital status or religious or political affiliation.

Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may contactFor TTY service please call the Washington Relay Service at 7-1-1 or 1-.

For more information about the UTC please visit:

State of Washington: