Employment Development Supervisor (WSS6): WorkSource Thurston
State of Washington
FreshPosted Feb 10
✓ Fresh Listing
Posted: February 13, 2026 (1 day ago)
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Employment Specialist (WSS4): WorkSource Kitsap
State of Washington
Employment Security Department
Location
Washington, 98504
Salary
$4,542 - $6,107
per month
Type
Full Time
More Other jobs →Closes
February 28, 2026More State jobs →
SES Pay Grade
Base salary range: $147,649 - $221,900
Typical requirements: Executive-level leadership experience. Senior executive qualifications required.
Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).
Job Description
Summary
This job is about helping job seekers find work and supporting local businesses in hiring by connecting them with talent and resources.
You'll spend time meeting employers to understand their needs, coaching individuals on job skills and barriers, and running workshops in a busy office setting.
It's a great fit for someone who is empathetic, organized, good at building relationships, and passionate about community workforce development.
Key Requirements
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills to engage employers and job seekers with empathy and professionalism
- Ability to conduct interviews, assess needs, and determine eligibility for employment programs
- Experience in providing coaching, mentoring, and workshops to help individuals overcome employment barriers
- Skills in business outreach to identify workforce needs, promote services, and develop job opportunities
- Proficiency in maintaining accurate records, using labor market information, and coordinating with partners
- Thrives in fast-paced environments and stays organized under pressure
- In-person attendance required at WorkSource Kitsap office in Silverdale, WA, with limited telework after training
Full Job Description
The Employment Security Department (ESD) is seeking a relationship-driven professional to serve as a WorkSource Specialist within WorkSource Kitsap.
The ideal candidate excels at engaging both employers and job seekers, adapting to diverse needs with empathy, professionalism, and strong communication skills.
You are persuasive without being pushy, skilled at uncovering business needs, and equally comfortable guiding customers through structured employment services.
You thrive in fast-paced environments, stay organized under pressure, and bring a customer-centered approach to every interaction.
You are motivated by helping employers find talent, supporting job seekers in overcoming barriers, and strengthening the local workforce ecosystem through collaboration and service.
This position blends proactive business outreach with direct job-seeker services across our Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessments (RESEA), the Wagner-Peyser Employment Service labor Exchange Services (LEX), and Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers (MSFW) programs.
You will represent WorkSource in the community, meet with employers to understand their workforce needs, promote available services and incentives, and develop job opportunities and collaborate with Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Business Services to support work-based learning placements.
You will also conduct interviews, determine eligibility, deliver workshops, and provide individualized coaching to help customers prepare for employment.
Business services be a significant portion of the role; you will also support job seeker programs.
About the Workforce Services Division:
Workforce Services Division (WSD) is made up of three Lines of Business: WorkSource, Central Operations System Support, and Washington Service Corps (WSC).
WSD administers the Labor Exchange (LEX), Migrant Seasonal Farmworker (MSFW), Veterans Services, Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), and WorkFirst programs for job seekers and employers in Washington and provides job seekers with referrals to partners providing Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) adult, youth, and dislocated worker training and support services.
Requirements
In this role, you will assess customer needs, determine eligibility for specialized programs, and create personalized employment and training plans.
You will conduct interviews, provide coaching and mentoring, and help remove barriers to employment by connecting individuals to support services and resources.
You will also lead workshops, deliver classroom instruction, and use assessments and labor market information to guide customers toward meaningful career pathways.
This position requires maintaining accurate records, coordinating with partner agencies, and collaborating with local employers to identify job openings and training opportunities.
The role is located in Silverdale, Washington, with in-person attendance required at the WorkSource Kitsap office; one day of telework may be approved after training.
Some of what you will do:
- Conduct outreach to employers and community partners to identify workforce needs, job opportunities, and training placements
- Build and maintain strong business relationships; promote WorkSource services, incentives, and partnership opportunities
- Perform job development, job matching, and job referrals based on employer needs and customer skills
- Interview and assess customers to explain program services, identify needs, and create engagement plans
- Determine eligibility, enroll participants, and develop employment and training plans aligned with RESEA, LEX, and MSFW requirements
- Provide coaching, mentoring, and targeted life-skills instruction to customers with employment barriers
- Facilitate orientations, workshops, job-readiness activities, and labor-market information sessions
- Conduct assessments, interpret results, and integrate findings into employment and training plans
- Maintain accurate case notes, service plans, expenditures, and data entry across multiple systems
- Collaborate with WorkSource partners and employers to connect customers with job opportunities, training, and support services
To request a detailed position description, click here.
Qualifications
Required:
Option 1: One year as a WorkSource Specialist 3 or equivalent class within the Employment Security Department, or another state’s Employment Security agency
Option 2: A Bachelor's degree and three years of relevant experience in workforce development, social or human resource services, public relations, or public contact work, such as: education, social services, public relations, human resource services, unemployment insurance, benefits programs, insurance claims, law enforcement and banking OR a combination of education and/or relevant experience.
Option 3: A combination of education and/or relevant experience that totals seven (7) or more years.
The required experience includes:
- Client-Centered Service Delivery: Needs assessment to evaluate client situations, goal setting to establish realistic objectives, problem-solving to address barriers, and communication skills to guide and support clients effectively.
- Client Motivation and Career Planning Expertise: Ability to encourage workforce engagement.
- Public Engagement Skills: Proficiency in structuring learning sessions for targeted job seekers.
- Relationship-Building: Ability to effectively engage customers, establish credibility and trust, and foster meaningful connections.
- Specialized Training Expertise: Ability to tailor workshops for diverse workforce needs.
Required equity competencies:
The ability to take action to learn and grow.
The ability to take action to meet the needs of other.
Education to Experience Equivalences:
Associate Degree = 2 years | Bachelor Degree = 4 years | Masters or Higher = 5 years
Additional Requirement of Employment:
- Must be able to pass Unemployment Insurance (UI) & Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) claim and fraud check.
Please submit only the required documents as noted below and ensure all Personal Identifying Information (PII) such as Social Security numbers etc. are edited out of your materials for privacy.
Additionally, we ask that you not include photographs or external links within your documents. Any documents uploaded through this platform will be securely transmitted electronically to support application review.
Please submit your Cover Letter and Resume with your Online Application through the "Add Attachments" field.
A resume will not substitute for the "work experience" section of the application or vice versa.
Applications with blank fields, or supplemental question responses with comments such as "see attachments" may be considered incomplete.
Additional Information
Why work with us?
Our agency's mission and values drive every decision that we make, determine how we interact with others and are at the core of who we are. We value Access, Love, Belonging, Equity, and Stewardship.
We understand that a work environment that respects your work/life balance is key; that's why many of our positions are eligible for flexible work schedules and teleworking opportunities.
Through support, value, and trust, our employees are empowered to grow and develop into their best self.
Opportunity for All
We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, ethnic, racial, religious, sexual orientation, and gender identity diversity.
Women, racial and ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, people over 40 years of age, people with religious beliefs, veterans or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.
The Employment Security Department is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.
If you are a person needing assistance in the application process, if you need this job announcement in an alternate format, or if you have general questions about this opportunity, please contact Katie Swanson, 360-742-8208 or the Talent Acquisition Team, or Washington Relay Service 711 prior to the recruitment closing.
If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please contact careershelp@des.wa.gov or (360) 664-1960 or toll free (877) 664-1960, Washington Relay 711.
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