Equity Director

Title: Equity Director

Location: Lacey WA United States

Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid

Job Number: 2025-06850

Job Description:

Respect. Professionalism. Integrity. Accountability.

Help protect the consumers of Washington state!

Equity Director

Range of Consideration: The starting salary offer will be determined based on the successful candidates' qualifications within the salary range of $109,354 - $125,196 annually, Exempt Management Service (EMS) - Band 3. However, there is the ability for growth and progression increases within approved budgetary resources.

UTC reserves the right to make a hiring decision and/or choose to close or extend this recruitment at any given time. 

The Equity Director plays a critical leadership role in advancing the Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) mission in providing strategic planning and expert guidance to Executive Leadership team and staff on equity centered practices. The director leads the agency in developing, maintaining, and advancing equity and inclusion goals. 

The director is responsible for leading the development and execution of our strategic equity plan and efforts to further advance the agency. This position will provide coaching, training, technical assistance, and facilitation to proactively leverage multiple dimensions of equity and diversity.    

Hybrid: 

Although this is a hybrid opportunity, the successful incumbent must reside within Washington state and must be available to report to the Lacey, Washington headquarters building as needed. 

Travel: 

Local travel, mostly within Thurston County, is required to attend training and meetings. Travel may be required throughout the state or nation for recruitment or training activities.

Who We Are:

Our mission is to protect the people of Washington by ensuring that investor-owned utility and transportation services are safe, equitable, available, reliable, and fairly priced. 

We protect consumers by regulating the rates, services, and practices of private or investor-owned utilities and transportation companies to ensure they are safe, equitable, reliable, and affordable.

The UTC is continually recognized for its excellence and integrity as a regulatory agency, as we challenge the status quo and ourselves to ensure equitable outcomes for our customers and the people of Washington State.  

We recognize that our employees are the key to the agency's success. We are committed to our work but value balance with our personal lives. We demonstrate our commitment to employees by providing an environment that stimulates professional growth, and offers continuing learning opportunities, meaningful work, and a comprehensive benefits package.

What We Offer Our Employees:

• UTC fosters an environment of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, while striving to hire and retain a workforce from the communities we serve. 
• We place importance on a healthy balance between personal and professional lives; offering flexible work schedules, wellness programs, and mobile/telework opportunities.
• Through the state, our employees (and their families) are offered options for medical, dental, vision and basic life insurance. 
• We offer enrollment into the state retirement programs and a deferred compensation plan. 

Full-time and part-time employees are entitled to paid holidays and one paid personal holiday per calendar year.

Some of what you'll do:

The primary responsibilities include: 

• Providing consultation and technical advisement to leadership and staff on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) best practices.
• Create, implement and monitor the Equity Strategic Plan Develop policies, proposals, and recommend resolutions to support language accessibility and other equity-centered strategies and priorities. 
• They will design training initiatives on various equity-related topics to increase awareness and support of our equity and inclusion values while maintaining compliance with applicable laws.
• Participates with agency and statewide enterprise level equity and inclusion collaborations on behalf of the agency. 
• Provides leadership and technical expertise serving as a resource on equity, diversity, and disproportionalities for the work force.
• Provides consultation and guidance in policy reviews for a pro-equity and anti-racist lens. 
• Develops strategies to promote a shared understanding of equity and approaches supporting the organization's environment; ensuring we foster a culture that is inclusive, innovative, and willing to take risks.
• Serves as a change agent to provide solutions and resources, and coordinates outreach relationships with community organizations, and collaborative partnership with the Tribes.
• Provides support to internal employee resource groups by partnering with team members to develop strategies and goals to support their work. 

Additional duties include, but aren't limited to the following: 

• Serve as a senior advisor and agency expert to leadership and teams on DEI topics, best practices, and engagement. Provide guidance and resources on integrating DEI commitments into policies and practices.
• Manage contracts for training and coaching, work with the contract team and HR staff to establish goals for training and coaching. 
• Supervises or leads projects or committees of agency-wide or statewide significance related to DEI initiatives.
• Assess equity and cultural humility and responsiveness training needs for agency staff and executive leadership.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Bachelor's degree from an institution that can demonstrate accreditation recognized by either the US Dept. of Education, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or a foreign equivalent in the social sciences, human resources, business or related disciplines, and two years working experience leading, developing, coordinating or implementing projects or programs that focus on diversity and inclusion, equity, employment disparities, social justice, community engagement and/or working with historically marginalized communities or Tribes.

OR

• At least six years' working experience leading, developing, coordinating or implementing projects or programs that focus on diversity and inclusion, equity, employment disparities, social justice, community engagement and/or working with historically marginalized communities.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Cultural Humility and Responsiveness - this position requires an understanding and appreciation of cultural differences and fosters an inclusive environment that respects diverse perspectives and experiences.
• Leadership - Strong ability to guide and influence organizational culture and practices, advocate for DEI at all levels, and facilitate change. 
• Communication - Proficient in communicating effectively across all modalities starting with active listening and including DEI goals and strategies clearly and effectively, both internally and externally, fostering dialogue and understanding. 
• Analytical Ability - Expertise in analyzing data related to diversity metrics and outcomes, assessing the effectiveness of DEI initiatives, and identifying areas for improvement. 
• Training and Development - competence in designing and delivering educational programs and workshops to raise awareness and equip employees with necessary DEI skills. 
• Problem Solving Skills - demonstrating strong and effective soft skills including the ability to address challenges and barriers with awareness and sensitivity to the environmental, social, political, and economic challenges of our state's historically marginalized communities (such as communities of color and/or tribal, low-income, migrant and immigrant communities), particularly in relation to the commission's efforts to provide equitable engagement with these populations. Ability to address developing creative solutions to promote equity within the organization.

Demonstration of:

Leadership Principles:

• Challenge Systems of Inequity. 
• Set the Example.
• Strengthen Others.
• Recognize Contributions.
• Foster Collaboration.
• Envision the Future.
• Manage Your Program.
• Challenge Your Business Processes.

DEI Competencies for Leadership:   

• Advocates and Models our Culture and Values. 
• Cultivates a Shared, Strategic Vision for DEI. 
• Fosters Learning.
• Makes the commission more accessible to underrepresented and marginalized communities 
• Leads and Navigates Change. 
• Embraces and Embeds Inclusion in Decision-making. 

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Competencies (expected of all employees):

• DEI Knowledge, Understanding, & Commitment.
• Self-Awareness and Commitment to Growth.
• Cultivating Mutually Beneficial and Trusting Strategic Partnerships.
• Inclusive Excellence & Allyship.

UTC Core Competencies (expected of all employees):

• Accountability
• Measuring Success and Improvement
• Customer Focus
• Results Focus
• Communication Skills
• Adaptability/Flexibility
• Self-Development
• Continuous Process Improvement

Desired Qualifications:

• High-level of experience working on issues of justice, diversity, inclusion, and equity, including deep awareness and analysis of systems of oppression, power, and privileges, and use of research-based strategies to transform government. 
• Communicate clearly and effectively with a variety of audiences with strong written and verbal communication skills (including active listening) to be applied to a broad variety of audiences and situations.
• Knowledge of and successful implementation of diversity, inclusion, and equity work with diverse groups, teams, and/or organizations.
• Ability to commit to social change work, energy equity, and environmental justice.
• Ability to provide leadership and commitment to furthering a vision of supporting diversity, equity and inclusion throughout all aspects of the agency and our work with those we serve within Washington State.
• Broad knowledge and experience working in high conflict situations and demonstrating sensitivity in navigating and maintaining relationships. 

READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION COMPLETELY: 

• This position is exempt from civil service rules - Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Chapter 357.
• This position is overtime exempt from the requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
• RCW 80.01.020 limits the UTC's ability to employ any person who owns stock in any company the UTC regulates or is otherwise financially interested in such company. Such interests include those of an employee's spouse.

How to Apply:

Interested in joining the UTC team? Click the Apply button at the top to begin! To be considered for further screening, ensure you attach the following documents to your completed application:  

• Letter of Interest - describing how you meet the position qualifications and why you believe you are the ideal candidate. 
• Resume - detailing your applicable competencies, experience and education. 
• References - At minimum, three (3) professional references with current telephone numbers and email addresses must be included with your application; one (1) contact MUST be your current or most recent supervisor. 

The initial screening of candidates will be solely based on the contents and completeness of the application, including answers provided to the Supplemental Questionnaire, along with the required attachments - letter of interest, resume, and references submitted as part of the application process. 

Please note, see resume will not substitute for completing the "work experience" section of the application or supplemental questionnaire.

If you have gotten this far and are thinking you do not qualify, consider again! Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At the UTC, we are dedicated to building a diverse and authentic workplace centered in belonging. If you are excited about this role but your experience does not align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may just be the candidate needed for this or other roles.

All information may be verified; additional documentation may be required. Candidates may be disqualified if the education and/or work experience does not include information used to meet the minimum qualifications of the job.

The UTC is an equal opportunity employer. We want to make sure you have an equal opportunity to join our team. Our commitment is making sure current and future employees are treated fairly and equally without regard to age, sex (including gender identity), race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status, or religious or political affiliation.