Program Specialist 4 / Internal Only

About the Department

~This posting is open to internal ARTSWA employees only~

Schedule:  Standard business hours are Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but the incumbent may be expected to adjust the work schedule to meet business needs. A flexible work schedule may be considered, subject to supervisory approval.

Travel:  Some travel is required, and is typically within the state, to meet with tribes, tribal communities, conduct business, or to attend tribal events or provide training.

Who we are:

ArtsWA is the Washington State Arts Commission. Our mission is to be a catalyst for the arts, advancing the role of the arts and the creative economy in the lives of individuals and communities throughout the state. We are a vibrant, busy agency with a friendly, knowledgeable staff, serving diverse populations and striving to increase equity and access in the arts for all Washingtonians.

We encourage you to visit www.arts.wa.gov to gain insight into our mission and strategic plan.

What you will be doing:

You will support the Tribal Cultural Affairs (TCA) to expand arts learning opportunities for Washington State Tribes to support the creative economy and the unique role of Indigenous arts, artists, and culture. You’ll have organization-wide responsibility and will work in service of both agency and program-specific strategic plan goals and strategies. While you work directly with both TCA and ArtsWA Operations staff, you’ll work most closely with the TCA Manager to develop program-wide systems and resolve project timeline and capacity challenges. 

This position independently leads key elements of the AIE program including:

Position Duties

What you will enjoy doing includes:

• Coordinates the design, administration, and technical implementation of all TCA grant program activities.
• Develops relationships with Tribal Governments, Tribal communities, and Tribal staff to facilitate coordination of grant funding, cultural events, and community building opportunities.
• Manages systems and delegate tasks related to application design, communications, panel review, award notifications, invoicing, supporting grantee responsibilities, and final report processes. 
• Creates and refines systems to track applicant and grant recipient data in alignment with state agency record-keeping policies and to correspond with evolving agency tools and systems.
• Ensures that all documentation is culturally appropriate and reflects ArtsWA’s commitment to collaborating with Washington Tribes.
• Designs online grant systems. 
• Serves as the primary contact and support for grant applicants and grant recipients and/or members of the public with support from the TCA Program Manager as needed.  
• Identifies and tracks program expenses in alignment with agency spending plans, anticipated program expenses, payments, and fiscal reports.        
• Independently collaborates with other (non TCA) grant programs to refine cross-program practices to increase tribal access and ease of agency-wide user experiences. 
• Records all anticipated and paid expenses with related expenditure coding into the TCA budget tracking document; reconcile fiscal reports and agency spending plan(s).
• Anticipates, recommends, and enacts resolution for potential conflicts related to task delegation, competing timelines, and cross-program/project workflow. 
• Develops technical and systems design solutions for each TCA project with a specialized focus on increasing accessibility for tribal governments, communities and staff.
• Writes and edit publications, reports, pamphlets, or newsletters for internal and external distribution ensuring cultural appropriateness and sensitivity.
• Refines the TCA communications and outreach plan including updating TCA communications timeline, drafting website changes, newsletter articles, social media posts and/or eblast messages.
• Develops project management systems to support the collective impact team across state agencies and organizations.

Minimum Qualifications

REQUIRED:

Two (2) years of experience working directly with federally recognized Tribes and Tribal communities on policy development, regulations, government relations, matters of Tribal law or Tribal affairs 

OR 

Two (2) years of Tribal community outreach/development experience

AND

PREFERRED:

Equity Competencies 

State of Washington Employees contribute to ensuring services, programs, workplaces, and interactions are responsive, respectful, accessible, and effective to the people and communities we serve. Employees are expected to: 

• Take action to learn and Grow: Demonstrate a willingness to learn from new experiences, seek feedback, consider different perspectives, and continuously improve knowledge, skills, communication, and approaches to work.  

• Take action to meet the needs of others: Seek to understand the needs and experiences of customers, coworkers, and communities. Identify barriers to access and participation and address them before they become obstacles for the people we serve, providing support that is respectful, timely, and effective. 

Other Qualifications

How to Apply:
Interested? We would love to hear from you! Click “Apply” at the top of this page to start your application. You can save the application and come back to it, if needed. Be sure to complete the application fully to include a full work history and responses to the supplemental questions. 
 
Please provide the following documents in order to be considered; failure to do so may result in you not being considered for the position:

• A cover letter that addresses how you meet the qualifications for this position as outlined in the job posting.
• A current resume, detailing experience and education; and 
• A current list of at least three (3) professional references with current contact information (attached or available to provide at the time of interview)

NOTE:  By submitting these materials, you are indicating that all information is true and correct. The state may verify information. Any untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from the applicant pool or dismissal if employed.  A resume will not substitute for completing the “duties summary” section or supplemental questions of the application.  Please do not “refer to resume” for detail, or your application may be disqualified. 

Opportunity for All:
The Washington State Arts Commission  celebrates our differences and we are committed to a workplace that supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, marital status, families with children (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as an individual with the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with disabilities or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We will also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws.
 
You are welcome to include the name and pronoun you would like to be referred to in your materials and we will honor this as you interact with our organization.
 
Contact Information:
Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.
 
For questions about this recruitment or to request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact Angie Anderson at email: [email protected]. 

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

Supplemental Questions

Required Question

Agency Information

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