ES BENEFITS TECHNICIAN/Telework
State of Washington
FreshPosted Mar 26
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Posted: March 31, 2026 (0 days ago)
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ES Benefit Specialist 3 Intake: Lead/Virtual-Telework
State of Washington
Employment Security Department
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 involves leading a team of unemployment insurance specialists by providing coaching, technical guidance, and quality checks to ensure accurate and timely benefits processing for workers.
It's a supportive role that helps staff handle complex claims while delivering empathetic customer service over the phone.
A good fit would be someone with experience in customer support, strong people skills, and a passion for helping diverse groups access economic aid, who is also comfortable working remotely most of the time.
Key Requirements
- Experience in phone-based customer service with empathy and strong communication skills
- Proficiency in basic computer skills, including Microsoft Office (Word and Excel) and web-based programs
- Ability to coach, mentor, and provide technical assistance to team members on unemployment insurance policies and procedures
- Knowledge of unemployment insurance processes, including initial claims, continued claims, and adjudication
- Skills in monitoring team performance, reviewing work for accuracy, and ensuring compliance with laws and deadlines
- Proven track record of excellent customer service with diverse backgrounds, exemplifying integrity, kindness, equity, and inclusion
- Willingness to learn, adapt to change, and occasionally attend in-office meetings (primarily telework)
Full Job Description
This position is open to internal ESD employees only.
The ideal candidate in this role will use coaching practices when working with team members. They will be strong communicators, flexible in their methods, have a high level of empathy, are welcoming, have a willingness to learn and will be change agents in support of agency business initiatives.
They will be comfortable with technology, experienced in providing phone-based customer service, and have basic computer skills to include utilizing web-based programs and Microsoft Office (Word and Excel) Suites.
Candidates will exemplify the agency values of integrity, kindness, equity, and inclusion and will have a proven track record for providing excellent customer service and interacting with people who are from a wide variety of backgrounds, ethnicities, and beliefs.
As a UI Benefit Specialist 3 - Lead Worker you will support Employment Security Department’s mission and vision of providing Washington’s workers equitable access to programs that contribute to economic security by supporting staff through coaching, mentoring, and providing technical assistance as a subject matter expert for the UI Benefits program to ensure timely, accurate benefits.
You will assist the unit supervisor in leading and directing the day-to-day work of a team or teams of professional Unemployment Insurance Employment Security Benefit Technicians and Specialists.
This is a full-time/ permanent position that is primarily telework but may need to go into the office for occasional meetings or events.
Note: This opportunity is available to current Internal Employment Security Department staff ONLY and positions are located within the Claims Center Enterprise and may be connected to Lacey or Spokane.
Requirements
Assist the supervisor in leading and directing the day-to-day work of UI Benefits employees: This includes:
- Provide technical support and policy/procedure clarification and consultation on various types of initial claims, continued claims, and adjudication
- Provide guidance to Benefit Specialists and Benefit Technicians on difficult, complex, or unusual cases
- Assist with training, orienting, directing and coordinating the work of Claims Center Benefit Specialists
Assist the supervisor in monitoring quality, performance, and productivity of Claims Center staff. This includes:
- Review work of Benefit Specialists to ensure accuracy and conformance to laws, regulations, policies, procedures, and standard work
- Ensure the work of Benefit Specialists meet the timeframes and deadlines set by program requirements
- Provide coaching and mentoring to Benefit Specialists and Benefit Technicians on all aspects of Unemployment Insurance of varying levels
Provide senior-level direct service support for Unemployment Insurance services. This includes:
- Audit unemployment insurance work to detect discrepancies and clarify data through inquiries, correspondence, and interviews
- Establish over/underpayments when errors are discovered
- Provide expert technical assistance to internal and external customers and employers
Qualifications
- 6 years of equivalent education/experience as noted below
- OR 1 year as an ES Benefits Specialist 2
- OR 1 year of experience equivalent to the ES Benefits Specialist 2 with another state that administers insurance benefits programs
- OR Associate’s degree in a health or social science, public administration or a related field and 4 years of the required experience below
- OR Bachelor’s Degree in a health or social science, public administration or a related field and 2 years of the required experience below
- OR Master’s Degree in a health or social science, public administration or a related field and 1 year of the required experience below
AND:
Required equity competencies:
- The ability to take action to learn and grow
- The ability to take action to meet the needs of others
Required experience includes:
- Regulatory Knowledge & Communication Skills: Proficiency in explaining complex regulations clearly
- Analytical & Investigative Skills: Expertise in analyzing claim documentation for accuracy
- Technical Assistance Expertise: Ability to address complex issues effectively
- Subject Matter Expertise: Proficiency in navigating intricate claim matters
- Technical proficiency to understand system functionality: attention to detail to identify errors, problem-solving to troubleshoot issues, data analysis to verify accuracy, and communication skills to report findings effectively
- Adaptability & Multitasking Skills: Flexibility to manage varied responsibilities
Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:
- Must be able to pass an Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Paid Family Medical and 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.
These positions require hardwired cable access to stable and consistent high-speed internet service. Internet services that provide data in batches such as satellite internet and cellular hot spots are not compatible with our Claims Center phone system.
Internet speeds of 30mbps download and 2mbps upload and latency (ping) speeds under 50ms. To test your internet speed please go to: www.speedtest.net. YOU MUST ATTACH A COPY OF YOUR RESULTS FROM SPEEDTEST.NET WITH YOUR RESUME AND COVER LETTER. https://www.speedtest.net/
Additional Information
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 Caleb Baldwin or at 253-306-2999 or the Talent Acquisition Team, prior to the position 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.
This recruitment may be used to fill additional agency-wide positions, including Dual Language positions, in accordance with Article 4 of the WFSE Collective Bargaining Agreement.
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