Hearings Supervisor | Correctional Hearing Officer 4

Full Job Description

Correctional Hearing Officer 4 | Hearings Supervisor

Full Time | Permanent

Location: Kennewick Field Office | Kennewick, WA

Salary Range: $84,012 - $113,064 Annually

This position is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees bargaining unit and is open to current DOC employees only.

The Department of Corrections is seeking a highly skilled leader to serve as a Hearings Supervisor (Correctional Hearings Officer 4), a role that sits at the intersection of justice, accountability, and public safety.

In collaboration with criminal justice partners, victims, and community stakeholders, the Department works to enhance community safety by holding individuals accountable while upholding the highest standards of fairness and due process.

The Correctional Hearings Unit plays a vital role in this mission by conducting all legally binding administrative hearings that impact an individual’s liberty, guided by statute, case law, policy, and court decisions.

This position is an opportunity to lead within a system where every decision carries real weight and lasting impact.

The Hearings Supervisor provides direct oversight of Correctional Hearing Officer 3’s (CHO3), ensuring that all hearings are conducted lawfully, consistently, and with integrity.

As a member of the Hearings Unit leadership team, this role serves as a subject matter expert on hearings-related law, policy, and procedure while guiding a team of Hearing Officers who preside over complex and diverse quasi-judicial proceedings.

The supervisor is responsible for mentoring and developing staff, and maintaining the quality and consistency of hearings across the unit.

This role is critical to protecting due process and ensuring the credibility of the hearings system.

The Hearings Supervisor establishes and reinforces quality standards by providing clear direction, interpreting evolving legal and policy requirements, and working closely with staff to strengthen performance when expectations are not met.

Through leadership, coaching, and technical expertise, this position ensures that every hearing is conducted with professionalism, accuracy, and respect for the legal rights of all involved.

If you are a leader who believes that fairness, accountability, and the rule of law must coexist—and who thrives in an environment where your judgment directly impacts lives and public trust—this is your opportunity to step into a role that truly matters.

A completed application packet will include:

• A cover letter regarding your interest in this position with our agency
• A detailed resume
• Three professional references

Requirements

We are looking for teammates who share our vision of public service, committed to an equitable and inclusive culture that fosters and inspires excellence, while promoting innovation, engagement, and safety, leading to better outcomes for our incarcerated population, our agency, and our community.

As a Correctional Hearing Officer 4, some of your duties will include:

• Supervise and assign workload to CHO3’s which could look like:
  • Supervising CHO3’s within the assigned geographical area
  • Assigning the CHO3 workload
  • Regularly assessing individual employees and team performance
  • Providing clear directions and clarification to staff regarding hearings
  • Assisting in the professional growth of each Hearing Officer
• Facility/docket scheduling/re-scheduling and coordination to include:
  • Monitoring of contractual or transportation impacts, emergent health or facility needs, troubleshooting, etc.
  • Communicating with internal and external facilities and other DOC units and divisions
  • Addressing complaints and concerns regarding hearings
  • Developing and managing docket modules for facilities
  • Managing ongoing docket/facility issues
  • Working collaboratively with diverse stakeholders
• Regional Hearing Appeal Panel lead and response to correspondence
• Leadership Meetings
• Serves as backup statewide Hearings Duty Officer and Probable Cause Determinant
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

What we need (required qualifications):

OR

OR

In addition to the above required experience, the below knowledge, skills and/or abilities are required:

What will make your application stand out (preferred qualifications):

Additional Information

Vision: Working together for safer communities.

Mission: Improving public safety by positively changing lives.

Our Commitment: To operate a safe and humane corrections system and partner with others to transform lives for a better Washington.

DOC is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, honorably discharged veteran, veteran status, genetic information, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a person with a disability.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• This recruitment may be utilized to fill more than one position.

Please include a minimum of three (3) professional references with your application.

A professional reference is defined as an individual who has been paid to supervise your work and can attest to your work performance, technical skills, and job competencies.

If you do not have any or sufficient professional references, please include non-related professionals, such as educators or other professional associates.**Please note: Phone number AND email address are required for all professional references.

• A background check including criminal record history will be conducted prior to a new hire. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the position.
• Employees may work directly with or near incarcerated individuals in a potentially hazardous setting. Please consider this when deciding whether to apply.

We are committed to maintaining a drug and alcohol-free work environment, and our employees are expected to comply with all state and federal laws.

A pre-employment drug test may be administered as part of the selection process, and applicants who test positive for any controlled substances, will be disqualified from consideration.

• Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) is an aerosol pepper spray made available as a means of self-defense and/or de-escalation. Applicants with sensitivities or allergies are encouraged to ask about the level of exposure they could expect in this position.
• Animal care projects are a common component of most Washington State prisons, including dog and cat programs. Applicants with animal sensitivities or allergies are encouraged to ask about the level of exposure they could expect in this position.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a priority health issue for DOC employees. The successful candidate may be required to provide valid proof of a baseline TB skin test within 60 days from the date of hire.

When positive tests result, further information, testing and treatment will also be required. Employment is not contingent upon test results.

Foreign equivalent degrees awarded outside the United States must have a credential evaluation report attached to your application.

You may request the required evaluation/documentation from www.wes.org and www.aice-eval.org. Until this documentation is provided, you will not be selected to move forward in the hiring process.

DOC complies with the employment eligibility verification requirements for the federal employment eligibility verification form I-9.

The selected candidate must be able to provide proof of identity and eligibility to work in the United States consistent with the requirements of that form.

https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents

• DOC does not use E-Verify; therefore, we are not eligible to extend STEM-Optional Practice Training (OPT). For information, please visit www.uscis.gov.

Telework Details

This position may be allocated for telework.

Work may be performed from your home or another offsite location within the state of Washington using a reliable internet or cellular hotspot service at that time.

Employees are expected to perform assigned duties in a safe manner, to take proper care all state-issued equipment, and maintain confidentiality of all information in possession while working offsite.

Employees will be required to commute to a Department of Corrections facility or field office as business requires, to potentially include components of the onboarding process.

Some offices will have a “drop in” area available, however, a dedicated workspace within a DOC facility will not be provided.

What We Offer:

As an employee of the Department of Corrections, your work-life integration is a priority.

Washington State employees are offered one of the most inclusive and competitive benefits packages in the nation.

Besides comprehensive family insurance for medical, dental, and vision, these perks also may include:

• Remote/telework/flexible schedules (depending on position)
• Up to 25 paid vacations days a year
• 8 hours of paid sick leave per month
• 12 paid holidays a year
• Generous retirement plan
• Flex Spending Accounts
• Dependent Care Assistance
• Deferred Compensation and so much more!

PERS: State Employees are members of the Washington Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). New employees have the option of two employer contributed retirement programs. For additional information, check out the Department of Retirement Systems' web site.

For questions about this recruitment, or to request reasonable accommodation in the application process, please email mackenzie.conley@doc1.wa.gov or call us at 509-630-9160. For TTY service, please call the Washington Relay Service at 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.