Workers' Compensation Manager

Full Job Description

The Department of Human Resources, Central Employees Services Division seeks a knowledgeable and experienced Workers’ Compensation Manager. The successful candidate will lead a team where the number one priority is the health and safety of King County employees.

Under the direction of the Deputy Division Director Central Employee Services Division, the Workers’ Compensation Manager’s role combines strategic leadership with hands-on technical expertise to ensure King County’s workers’ compensation program performs in accordance with all industrial insurance legal requirements. This role requires a strong and collaborative leader who is not content with the status quo, is able to inspire, and who looks to form long-lasting internal and external partnerships. This is an ideal opportunity for an accomplished workers’ compensation professional, self-driven strategic thinker, skilled at navigating and balancing internal business systems with mission-based priorities. The ideal candidate will partner with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality solutions that enhance performance, improve worker experience, and support organizational growth.

Applying equity and social justice principles (ESJ) is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all King County employees. This role will champion King County’s deep commitment to ESJ by exemplifying shared values, behaviors, and practices in all aspects of the work.

Requirements

• Supervise, develop, and inspire a team of talented supervisors, claims adjudicators, and other claims professionals, including supporting the team's professional development, performance reviews, and hiring processes.
• Motivate and gain the support of others to achieve organizational goals through emotional intelligence, accountability, and respect.
• Guide implementation of workers’ compensation practices concerning adjudication strategies, communications, workflows, and software usage.
• Collaborate with the key stakeholders to develop workflow strategies, new tools & technologies, and worker’s compensation infrastructure to support the full breadth of workers’ compensation projects and initiatives for King County as a self-insured employer.
• Support change management efforts related to the implementation, transformation recommendations, and business systems improvements.
• Support strategy goals and objectives and work with cross-functional teams on key objectives.
• Propose and develop high level strategies and metrics to measure the effectiveness of technical initiatives in serving our customers and stakeholders and advancing our mission.
• Serve as the main point of contact for King County’s Workers’ Compensation Program with the Washington Department of Labor and Industries (DLI), including partnering with King County stakeholders to translate government requirements into technical specifications.
• Ensure accurate and timely reports related to the program are submitted to DLI, excess insurance carriers, and other relevant stakeholders
• Foster a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, and technical excellence in support of the development, deployment, and maintenance of high-quality workers’ compensation services to our customers.
• Coordinate timely service delivery while also addressing backlog management.
• Perform other duties as assigned by senior leadership.

Qualifications

• Progressive workers’ compensation program management experience including leading, supervising, and managing staff
• A minimum of two years' experience managing a workers’ compensation program
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts for diverse audiences
• Experience presenting to executive leadership and stakeholders
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build collaborative relationships
• Resiliency in managing competing priorities and timelines to ensure a well-balanced workload for the staff
• Self-starter who is highly motivated, collaborative, and innovative

Preferred Qualifications
Possession or the ability to obtain a Washington State Department of Labor and Industries Claims Administration Certificate

Additional Information

Who May Apply
This recruitment is open to King County employees and the public and will be used to fill one career service position.

To Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

Forms and Materials Required

An online employment application completed at www.kingcounty.gov/jobs.

The employment history should go back at least 10 years if you have 10 years of employment, or more to include all relevant experience. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application.

All relevant experience must be included in the application.

We highly encourage you to include a cover letter and resume with your application, but it is not required.

Applicants will be screened for competitiveness, completeness, and written communication skills. Initial screening will be based on a review of application materials. The most competitive candidates will be invited to participate in a series of one or more interviews.

Teleworking Requirement
This position works a hybrid schedule of remote and onsite work, requiring work in the office at least three days a week. Hybrid work schedules are subject to change based upon operational necessity. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment. Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.

Union Status
This position is not represented by a collective bargaining agreement.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

For more information on this recruitment, please contact:
Michael Strutynski, HR Business Transformation Manager, at michael.strutynski@kingcounty.gov