Director, Washington State Department of Commerce

Full Job Description

Please Note: The starting salary offer will be determined based on the successful candidates’ qualifications within the starting salary range of $180,180 - $227,268 annually.

Our physical office is located in Olympia, WA with the ability to telework.

As the Director for the Agency you will need to travel to in-person activities, meetings, and events according to business needs.

Additionally, the Director shall have a strong in person presence and engagement with staff.

Terms of Appointment: Per RCW 43.330.030, the Director shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the governor, with consent of the senate.

The job opportunity

As the Director, you’ll serve as a member of the Governor’s executive cabinet. You’ll be relied on for your leadership on community and economic development, setting the vision, strategy, and direction for work that strengthens communities across Washington.

You’ll lead the stewardship of more than $9 billion in state and federal investments each biennium and oversee a diverse portfolio of more than 400 programs and 8,000 contracts focused on housing, infrastructure, clean energy, economic development, and community services.

With responsibility for an agency of approximately 800 employees, you’ll ensure programs are delivered effectively, equitably, and in alignment with the Governor’s priorities, legislative direction, and federal requirements.

Serving as a trusted advisor to the Governor and Legislature, you’ll represent the agency with Tribal governments, local governments, businesses, labor organizations, federal partners, and other stakeholders.

This highly visible role requires strong executive judgment, collaboration, and political awareness to advance Washington’s position as a national and global leader in community and economic development.

Why work for the Department of Commerce?

The Department of Commerce, is the state’s lead agency for community and economic development, uniquely positioned to touch nearly every aspect of how communities grow and thrive.

The agency works in close collaboration with local governments, Tribal nations, businesses, nonprofits, and civic leaders throughout the state.

Through these partnerships, Commerce helps communities build resilient economies, address housing and infrastructure needs, support businesses and workers, and promote sustainable, inclusive growth so all residents have the opportunity to prosper.

Commerce is organized into the following administrations, whose leaders report directly to the Director:

• Housing
• Energy
• Local Government
• Economic Development
• Community Services

Requirements

Duties

In this role, you’ll administer the activities of the department in accordance with RCW 43.330.050.

What you’ll work on

• Set the agency’s vision, strategy, and priorities and lead day-to-day operations to deliver high-quality, efficient services statewide.
• Ensure effective stewardship of agency resources and position the agency to meet emerging community and economic development challenges.
• Foster a collaborative, mission-driven culture that strengthens partnerships with local governments, tribes, businesses, and civic leaders.
• Lead and support a diverse, high-performing executive leadership team.
• Advance diversity, equity, and inclusion by embedding equity considerations into agency programs, policies, and decision-making.
• Serve on the Governor’s Executive Cabinet and advise the Governor and Legislature on community and economic development issues.
• Represent and advocate for the agency and the Governor with the Legislature, Tribal governments, local and federal partners, and other key stakeholders.

Qualifications

What we need you to bring

Required Qualifications:

• Advanced graduate degree with a major study in economics, community development, public administration, public policy, or closely related field and seven years of professional level experience and specialized knowledge and skills listed below:
  • Senior management level experience in managing complex public or private organizations with a wide variety of functions, which include working collaboratively with public and private sectors, the Governor’s executive staff, legislators, local elected officials, CEOs of major corporations and private contractors.
  • Extensive experience in multi-faceted budget/cost control (both federal and state monies).
  • Extensive knowledge of divergent as poverty, homelessness, water and sewer infrastructure, alternative energy resources, local and state economic development, and local, state, national, and international trade.
  • Excellent oral and written communication and public presentation skills in addition to negotiation, mediation, and collaboration skills.
  • Ability to manage, coach, inspire, and motivate staff and others to accomplish the agency’s mission and goals by providing clear direction and positive interpersonal influence.
  • Ability to lead, organize, and energize staff through large-scale systemic change to achieve a common goal.

Please Note: Additional years of professional level experience, knowledge, and skills listed above may substitute for the degree requirement.

We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one from a less traditional background. Don’t let doubts stop you from applying for this position.

If you have transferable experience, please tell us about it or contact us with questions about the required qualifications and how your experience relates to them.

Additional Information

What we offer:

We foster a culture of integrity, innovation, inclusion, and belonging. We value both learned and lived experiences, believing that diversity makes us stronger. To support your health and well-being, we offer a variety of benefit programs for our employees.

Please visit our Recruitment Page for a full list of benefits available to employees. Here’s a quick glance at some of the unique benefits that we offer:

• An environment of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging
• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance
• 12 paid holidays, 14 paid vacation days (minimum), and 12 days of sick leave per year
• State retirement programs

Application Process: Once you submit your application, a real person is going to read it. We do not use AI or other technology that screens your application and rejects it.

So please be sure to provide clear and detailed information about your work history so your qualifications can be accurately assessed.

We will contact the top candidates directly to schedule interviews. If you need reasonable accommodation in applying, please call 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.

When completing your application, you must attach all of the following:

• Cover letter: describing your qualifications for this specific position
• Resume: that details your applicable experience and education.
• References: at least three professional references and their contact information. Note: References will not be contacted until you've been notified.

Questions:

Our Staff ASL interpreter is available to all deaf and hard of hearing applicants. For questions about this recruitment or to request a reasonable accommodation in the application or interview process, please email us at TalentAcquisition@ofm.wa.gov.

The Office of the Governor is an equal opportunity employer.

We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity.

Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, and disabled and Vietnam-era veterans are encouraged to apply.