Director of Operations

About the Department

Position: Director of Operations

Agency: Washington State Office of Civil Legal Aid

Job Type: Permanent Full-Time

Salary: $140,000 - $155,000

Location: Washington State (location flexible; hybrid/remote work arrangements available)

Open: September 4, 2026

Close: Open until filled. Review of applications will begin on September 28, 2026.

This is primarily a hybrid/remote position, however, a regular presence in Olympia, Washington is required. In addition, this position requires occasional travel in Washington State for meetings and events. 

Introduction

Agency

The Washington State Office of Civil Legal Aid (OCLA) is an independent judicial branch agency. Created with an understanding that the provision of legal aid services to indigent persons is an important component of the state’s responsibility to provide for the proper and effective administration of justice, OCLA’s mission is to secure, invest and oversee the use of public funding for civil legal aid to low-income people in Washington State and to ensure accountability for public funds dedicated to the purpose. 

Since 2005, OCLA has administered and overseen general civil legal aid in Washington. Today the agency also supports legal aid to victims of crime and domestic violence, children in foster care, kinship caregivers, indigent tenants facing eviction, and individuals reentering society following completion of their terms of incarceration.

Consistent with The Washington State Supreme Court’s June 4, 2020, Statement to the Legal Community (Download PDF reader), OCLA acknowledges that it and its contracted civil legal aid providers operate in a law and justice system historically grounded in racism and that time and again has administered justice differentially depending on the racial identities of those involved.  OCLA was an initial subscriber to the Washington Race Equity and Justice Acknowledgments and Commitments.  As outlined in its Race Equity and Justice Statement of Purpose, OCLA is committed to being an active partner in carrying out the Washington State judicial branch’s commitment to ensuring equity and justice for people and communities throughout our state.  

Find out more about OCLA here

Position Duties

Reporting to the OCLA Director, the Director of Operations (DoO) is responsible for budget development and tracking, human resources, regulatory accountability, and general agency operations. The DoO coordinates administrative processes to ensure alignment, consistency, effectiveness, and efficiency across the agency.

Responsibilities include: 

• Coordination of annual, biennial, and long-term budget planning including assisting the OCLA Director and program leaders with overall agency and programmatic budget development and expenditure tracking. 
• With the OCLA Director and program leaders, develop decision packages and fiscal notes, engaging with legislative staff and others to ensure effective and successful representation of the agency’s budget requests.  
• Oversee standardized, equity-informed agency contracting and procurement practices. 
• Ensure effective coordination of all programs, contracts, and vendor relations. 
• Oversee human resources for the agency ensuring processes are consistent, equitable, and appropriately aligned with best practices.
• Lead internal IT functions and serve as the agency’s liaison to other state agencies for outsourced IT functions.
• Assist in leading a culture of continuous improvement throughout the agency and serve as a project manager for related initiatives.
• Supervise central support staff and ensure administrative work is coordinated across the agency to ensure consistent practices, efficient operations, and appropriate backups.
• Represent the agency in judicial branch and other task forces, work groups, and planning committee on matters that affect the agency’s core mission and responsibilities. 
• Serve as OCLA’s primary liaison to other agencies for matters relating to budget and accounting and select human resources operations.
• Participation in OCLA’s Race Equity and Justice Statement of Purpose.
• Workeffectively as a critical member of a small team of professionals in a highly mission-driven environment.

This position will also perform other duties as assigned by the OCLA Director or the OCLA Director's designee. The position may work in consultation with other OCLA program staff, as needed, to support cross-program and agency-wide operations. 

Minimum Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• A minimum of 5-7 years of progressive financial and operations leadership.

• Demonstrated ability to exercise discretion and sound independent judgment on matters of organizational significance.
• Ability to operate with a high degree of autonomy, manage multiple priorities, adapt to changing organizational needs, and achieve results in a dynamic environment.
• Demonstrated systems thinker with the ability to strengthen organizational capacity by improving systems, processes, and infrastructure while enhancing cross-functional collaboration, and organizational effectiveness.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite applications, especially Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and SharePoint. 
• Ability and willingness to periodically travel both in-state and out-of-state for work-related events

Desired Qualifications

• Familiarity with state government operations, risk management, personnel management, policy development, and budget administration.
• Skill in managing and leading teams, developing and monitoring budgets, facilitating group meetings, and solving complex operational problems.

• Experience working with diverse populations including racial, ethnic, linguistic, LGBTQIA2S+, disability, immigrant, and houseless communities. 
• Knowledge and understanding of courts, court systems, administrative, and related law and justice systems that affect low-income people.
• Experience working within a remote environment. 

Other Qualifications

How to Apply

Applications for this recruitment will only be accepted electronically. Click the green “Apply” button in the upper right-hand corner to get started.

To be considered for this position you must include the following with your online application:

• Resume
• Cover letter which addresses qualifications as listed above
• A list of three (3) professional references

Benefits

More than Just a Paycheck!
Employee benefits are not just about the kind of services you get, they are also about how much you may have to pay out of pocket. Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation.

We understand that your life revolves around more than just your career. Like everyone, your first priority is ensuring that you and your family will maintain health and financial security. That's why choice is a key component of our benefits package. We have a selection of health and retirement plans, paid leave, staff training and other compensation benefits that you can mix and match to meet your current and future needs.

Read about our benefits:
The following information describes typical benefits available for full-time employees who are expected to work more than six months. Actual benefits may vary by appointment type or be prorated for other than full-time work (e.g. part-time); view the job posting for benefits details for job types other than full-time.

Note:  If the position offers benefits which differ from the following, the job posting should include the specific benefits. 

Insurance Benefits
Employees and their families are covered by medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance. There are multiple medical plans with affordable monthly premiums that offer coverage throughout the state.

Staff are eligible to enroll each year in a medical flexible spending account which enables them to use tax-deferred dollars toward their health care expenses. Employees are also covered by basic life and long-term disability insurance, with the option to purchase additional coverage amounts.

To view premium rates, coverage choice in your area and how to enroll, please visit the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) website. The Washington Wellness program from the Health Care Authority works with PEBB to support our workplace wellness programs.

Dependent care assistance allows the employee to save pre-tax dollars for a child or elder care expenses.

Other insurance coverage for auto, boat, home, and renter insurance is available through payroll deduction.

The Washington State Employee Assistance Program promotes the health and well-being of employees.

Retirement and Deferred Compensation
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.

Employees also have the ability to participate in the Deferred Compensation Program (DCP).  This is a supplemental retirement savings program (similar to an IRA) that allows you control over the amount of pre-tax salary dollars you defer as well as the flexibility to choose between multiple investment options.

Social Security
All state employees are covered by the federal Social Security and Medicare systems. The state and the employee pay an equal amount into the system.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness
If you are employed by a government or not-for-profit organization, and meet the qualifying criteria, you may be eligible to receive student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

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

Note: Employees who are members of certain Unions may be entitled to additional personal leave day(s), please refer to position specific Collective Bargaining Agreements for more information.

Full-time employees who work full monthly schedules qualify for holiday compensation if they are employed before the holiday and are in pay status for at least 80 nonovertime hours during the month of the holiday; or for the entire work shift preceding the holiday. 

Part-time employees who are in pay status during the month of the holiday qualify for the holiday on a pro-rata basis. Compensation for holidays (including personal holiday) will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status in the month to that required for full-time employment, excluding all holiday hours. Pay status includes hours worked and time on paid leave.

Sick Leave 
Full-time employees earn eight hours of sick leave per month. Overtime eligible employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month, earn a monthly proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Overtime exempt employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month do not earn a monthly accrual of sick leave. 

Sick leave accruals for part-time employees will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.

Vacation (Annual Leave)
Full-time employees accrue vacation leave at the rates specified in WAC 357-31-165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Full-time employees who are in pay status for less than 80 nonovertime hours in a month do not earn a monthly accrual of vacation leave.

Part-time employees accrue vacation leave hours in accordance with WAC 357-31-165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on a pro rata basis. Vacation leave accrual will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment.

Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.

As provided in WAC 357-58-175, an employer may authorize a lump-sum accrual of vacation leave or accelerate the vacation leave accrual rate to support the recruitment and/or retention of a candidate or employee for a Washington Management Service position. Vacation leave accrual rates may only be accelerated using the rates established WAC 357-31-165.  

Note: Most agencies follow the civil service rules covering leave and holidays for exempt employees even though there is no requirement for them to do so. However, agencies are required to adhere to the applicable RCWs pertaining holidays and leave.

Military Leave
Washington State supports members of the armed forces with 21 days paid military leave per year.

Bereavement Leave 
Most employees whose family member or household member dies, or for loss of pregnancy, are entitled to five (5) days of paid bereavement leave. In addition, the employer may approve other available leave types for the purpose of bereavement leave.

Additional Leave
Leave Sharing
Parental Leave
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Leave Without Pay

Please visit the State HR Website for more detailed information regarding benefits.

Updated 01-07-2026

Agency Information

EmployerState of WashingtonAddress View Job Posting for Agency Information

View Job Posting for Location, Washington, 98504 Website http://www.careers.wa.gov