Assistant Director of Equity in Public Spending

This is an overtime exempt role and the position can expect to work beyond a 40 hour work week occasionally. Standard business hours are Monday - Friday from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm but expected to adjust the work schedule and work additional hours as needed to meet business demands and deadlines. The position will be required to work weekends as well as early mornings and late evenings to meet the business needs of the agency. Flexible work schedules and hybrid telework are available. Due to regular interaction with customers core business hours must be met.

About OMWBE
The Washington State Office of Minority and Womens Business Enterprises (OMWBE) leads the states efforts to ensure fair and equitable access to public contracting and procurement. As the sole state agency authorized to certify small minority and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBEs) OMWBE administers a comprehensive program that includes business certification small business support and robust Supplier Diversity initiatives. We collaborate with state agencies institutions of higher education local and regional governments and small diverse businesses to instill equitable and inclusive contracting and procurement policies and practices across the state of Washington and lead the Governors Subcabinet on Business Diversity. Our work ensures small businesses and businesses owned by minorities women veterans and other underrepresented communities secure more government contractsstrengthening local economies enhancing community resilience and improving the quality of life for all Washingtonians.

Our Purpose
To be a vital and trusted resource for small businesses owned by minorities women veterans and other underrepresented communitiesimproving access visibility and opportunity in public contracting and procurement. We promote equity in Washington State spending by dismantling barriers to participation and advancing inclusive economic growth.

To learn more about how OMWBE supports Washington State click here to explore ourwebsite.

About this Opportunity
The Assistant Director of Equity in Public Spending is a strategic and operational leader responsible for advancing equity in public contracting through oversight of compliance programs that currently include the statewide Supplier Diversity Program and the Audit and Review Program established by House Bill 1259. This position supports OMWBEs mission to facilitate the maximum practicable opportunity for equitable participation by minority- and women-owned businesses in public works goods and services with state agencies and educational institutions. The Assistant Director ensures program integrity strengthens public procurement equity and leads innovation in inclusive practices statewide.

The role reports directly to the Deputy Director and serves as the agencys lead strategist and subject matter expert in supplier diversity compliance reviews and public-sector equity initiatives. The Assistant Director manages a team of professional staff and actively engages across agencies community partners and policy forums to ensure meaningful inclusion of diverse businesses in Washingtons economy.

As a direct report to the Deputy Director this position helps translate strategic direction into programmatic execution provides high-level insight on emerging risks and opportunities and ensures operational alignment with executive priorities. The Assistant Director serves as a critical advisor and partner in agency-wide decision-making performance monitoring and continuous improvement.

For the full job description email the recruiter: Rachel Vaughan .

Some of the duties and responsibilities associated with this position include:

Supplier Diversity Program

• Oversee planning implementation and ongoing evaluation of the Supplier Diversity Program in alignment with RCW 39.19
• Develop tools training and resources to assist agencies in meeting supplier diversity goals and embedding equity into procurement practices
• Track and assess key performance indicators (KPIs) and use data insights to improve program delivery

Audit and Review Program

• Manage and implement the Audit and Review Program to detect fraud and enforce compliance with RCW 39.19
• Establish rules and procedures for penalties including decertification and debarment
• Create and maintain systems for investigation tracking reporting and continuous improvement
• Provide technical support and outreach on eligibility and compliance requirements

Collaboration Outreach and Policy Leadership

• Serve as agency liaison to statewide procurement bodies and cross-agency working groups
• Represent the agency at public forums industry events and policy discussions

Leadership Supervision and Workforce Development

• Provides strategic supervision and inclusive leadership to professional staff including Supplier Diversity Program Managers and Compliance Analysts
• Develops individualized growth plans delivers or coordinates technical training and facilitates ongoing feedback through one-on-one meetings team discussions and collaborative problem-solving

• Maintains supervisory documentation and ensures compliance with agency policies performance management standards and collective bargaining agreements
• Coordinates with Human Resources on hiring performance evaluations professional development and other personnel matters

Data Analysis and Program Evaluation

• Support agency strategic planning budgeting and legislative reporting

Required Qualifications
Ways to qualify for this position:
OPTION 1

• Four (4) years of full-time professional experience demonstrating:
  Strong analytical critical thinking and problem-solving skills
  Oral and written communication through presentations and reports
  Teamwork collaboration and leadership
  Use of data to communicate complex information
  Project and/or program management
  Continuous improvement using Lean Agile or similar methodologies
  Contracting and procurement practices

• Bachelors degree in business administration public administration law public policy or a closely related field from an accredited college or university

• A minimum of three (3) years of experience in supplier diversity management contract compliance and/or implementation of diversity equity and inclusion initiatives related to public spending
• Two (2) years of experience in community engagement
• Two (2) years of experience in program management
• One (1) year of experience in purchasing contracts and/or procurement
• At least two (2) years of experience supervising or leading staff

Preferred/Desired Education Experience and Competencies:

Knowledge Skills and Abilities:

• Strategic thinker with a demonstrated ability to design and implement complex initiatives
• Advanced writing and communication skills including plain language and audience engagement
• Strong listening collaboration and relationship-building skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities make timely decisions and maintain high performance under pressure
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and data visualization tools
• Understanding of Lean/Agile methodologies and continuous improvement practices
• Skilled in public speaking and presenting to diverse audiences
• Knowledge of procurement laws small business programs and supplier diversity policy

Equity and Inclusion:

• Demonstrated commitment to diversity equity and inclusion in public service
• Awareness of cultural differences and systemic inequities
• Proven ability to foster inclusive environments and challenge structural barriers
• Experience working with diverse communities and partners

Accountability & Professional Integrity

• Accepts personal responsibility for actions decisions and their consequences
• Demonstrates honesty professionalism and ethical conduct in all situations
• Communicates progress and challenges regularly with agency leadership and stakeholders
• Maintains reliability under pressure and upholds trust with internal teams and executive leadership

Customer & Service Orientation

• Proactively identifies and anticipates customer and stakeholder needs including those from historically underrepresented groups
• Delivers responsive respectful and high-quality service with a focus on removing barriers and improving experiences
• Demonstrates empathy professionalism and consistency in all service interactions
• Keeps leadership informed of customer trends emerging needs and service improvements

Effective Communication & Active Listening

• Communicates complex information clearly concisely and appropriately for diverse audiences including executive leaders
• Engages in regular dialogue with agency leadership to ensure alignment transparency and shared understanding
• Listens with intention respects differing viewpoints and encourages open inclusive dialogue across all levels of the organization
• Facilitates meetings and conversations that support collaboration understanding and strategic decision-making

Commitment to Quality & Precision

• Produces accurate complete and thoughtful work products with strong attention to detail
• Proactively identifies errors or gaps and takes initiative to resolve them
• Delivers dependable results that meet or exceed expectations in quality and consistency
• Keeps agency leaders informed of progress quality standards and any issues impacting delivery

Technical Mastery & Subject Expertise

• Applies deep knowledge of relevant fields including public contracting certification procurement equity or program management
• Shares technical expertise with teams and agency leadership to inform decision-making and drive strategy
• Keeps skills up to date and aligns technical work with current policies systems and tools

Learning Agility & Growth Mindset

• Demonstrates curiosity and self-motivation in learning new concepts systems and methods
• Adapts to new information feedback and changing environments with flexibility and resilience
• Seeks opportunities for personal and team development and shares learning insights with leadership to inform agency growth

Sound Judgment & Decision-Making

• Makes timely well-reasoned decisions using relevant data stakeholder input and professional insight
• Communicates key decisions rationales and implications clearly to agency leadership and affected teams
• Weighs risks and consequences adjusts as needed and demonstrates confidence in high-stakes decision-making

Time & Task Management

• Plans effectively prioritizes competing responsibilities and consistently meets deadlines
• Manages time independently and efficiently while respecting the time of others including leadership
• Provides timely updates to agency leaders on task status dependencies and potential roadblocks

Results-Oriented Execution

• Maintains focus on impact outcomes and progress toward strategic goals
• Takes initiative and follows through on commitments even in the face of obstacles
• Drives high performance by holding self and others accountable for measurable results
• Aligns results with agency priorities and communicates outcomes to leadership for continuous improvement

Inclusive Practice & Equity-Driven Perspective

• Actively values different backgrounds lived experiences and perspectives in decision-making and planning
• Practices cultural humility and promotes access fairness and representation in service delivery and workplace culture
• Works to identify and address structural barriers that limit opportunity or create disparate outcomes in public systems
• Keeps agency leaders informed of equity-related efforts trends and progress toward inclusive outcomes

Special Requirements / Condition of Employment

• Ability to travel sometimes overnight and work outside of normal business hours on occasion managing staff in multiple locations

How to Apply:
Interested We would love to hear from you! Click Apply at the top of this page to start your application. You can save the application and come back to it if needed. Be sure to complete the application fully to include a full work history and responses to the supplemental questions.

Please provide the following documents in order to be considered; failure to do so may result in you not being considered for the position:

• A letter of interest
• A current resume detailing experience and education
• A current list of at least three (3) professional references with their updated contact information.