Salary: $3,821.00 – $5,136.00 Monthly
Location: Thurston County – Olympia, WA
Job Type: Full Time – Permanent
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Department: Dept. of Fish and Wildlife
Job Number: 2023-03651
Closing: 3/26/2023 11:59 PM Pacific

Become a program level subject matter expert on WDFW records, electronic search, retrieval solutions, and public records exemptions. 

Formulate and implement optimal search methods to mitigate legal risk and improve compliance efficiency for complex public records requests and discovery.

Foster public confidence through transparency and ensure that the public has timely access to relevant information.

If you are a motivated and driven public records requests/discovery professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and enjoy a challenge, this is the opportunity for you!

Picture yourself as a program level expert for public records requests while implementing agency standardized best practices.

This is an opportunity to receive/interpret public records requests made by the public and private citizens, identify risks, and prepare accordingly to mitigate those risks.

The optimal applicant is adaptable, able to solve complex issues/problems, consider different perspectives, analyze the productivity of current processes/procedures, and find new, creative ways to accomplish work and achieve successful solutions and results.

We are seeking a candidate who respects and values the opinions of others, creating an inclusive team environment where every member feels they contribute value to the project and WDFW.

Duties
Our Public Records Coordinator will,

• Assign public records requests to program staff. Independently prioritize work to meet deadlines and designate time to each request appropriately to ensure that consistent progress is being made on all public records requests.
• Track and monitor the ongoing status and details of public records requests to ensure that staff are responsive in order to complete public records requests within the legally required timeframe.
• Review records provided from program staff for relevancy to each item of a request, sensitive information, consistency, and evaluate the quality of search conducted by staff.
• Prepare records productions by sorting records by relevance and sensitivity and converting records to formats that are accessible by the public.
• Analyze and interpret case law, statutes, and administrative rules for the act of marking potential sensitive information with exemptions for redaction.
• Serve as a conduit between Public Records Unit and program staff to best serve the public and staff in response to public records requests.
• Consult with the Public Records Officer, Agency Public Records Analysts, management, and program staff in management of public records requests.
• Help build and improve searches and custodian lists to mitigate legal risk.
• Interpret language of public records requests and collaborates with program staff to determine search terms for agency-wide or program wide email and electronic records search.
• Review, export and prepare records from a search for records productions, including converting to accessible formats and marking sensitive information for redaction.

WORKING CONDITIONS: (telework)

• Work Setting, including hazards:
  1. Working environment is a busy office setting. Varying degrees of activity occur in the common areas during working hours. Tasks will involve standing or sitting for long periods of time and working on a computer.
  2. Incumbent must be able to work amid distraction.
  3. This position is exposed to graphic photographs of wildlife and other field activities.
• Schedule:
  1. This position normally works 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday – Friday, but may be required to work occasional weekends and evenings depending on workload.
  2. Some overtime may be required on short notice.
• Travel Requirements:
  1. Will require statewide travel.
• Tools and Equipment:
  1. Computer hardware and software; general office equipment.
• Customer Interactions:
  1. Quality customer service is integral to success in this position.
  2. Frequent interaction with members of the public and with WDFW staff.

Qualifications
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Or 

License:

• Valid driver’s license.

Certification:

• Ability to obtain Criminal Justice Information Systems (CJIS) Level 2 certification per policy.

Experience: 

• Minimum of two (2) years’ experience providing excellent written and oral communication skills including clear and professional memorandums, emails, letters, and other correspondence to the public, stakeholders, staff, and legal counsel.
• Minimum of two (2) years’ experience maintaining confidentiality working with sensitive and personal information.
• Minimum of three (3) years’ experience with search and collection of records within Microsoft software programs, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Access, Outlook.
• Minimum two (2) years of proven ability to multi-task in a busy work setting to ensure daily job duties are completed and strict deadlines are met

Understanding of:

• Washington State Public Records Act (RCW 42.56).
• Washington State Preservation and Destruction of Public Records (RCW 40.14).

Ability to:

• Be highly organized, make quick decisions, and provide guidance to staff statewide using expertise in the interpretation of statutes and regulations.
• Pay attention to detail, with the ability to review high volumes of documents for possible redactions and records retention without errors using Adobe Pro or equivalent redaction software tools.
• Be adaptable and flexible to solve complex issues/problems, consider different perspectives, analyze the productivity of current process and procedures, and find new, creative ways to accomplish work and achieve successful solutions and results.
• Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills in order to work effectively with staff, stakeholders, team members, and the public and maintain positive working relationships

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Associate’s degree and two years of experience with public records requests or discovery, OR a high school diploma and three years of experience managing public records requests for a governmental agency OR equivalent education/experience.
• Proven ability to conduct defensible electronic record searches using Boolean search parameters.
• Experience conducting search and collection of records within Microsoft O365.

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT:
WDFW requires all employees to be fully vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine as a condition of employment.   You will be required to provide proof of vaccination as part of the hiring process.  Please do not upload your vaccination documentation with your application materials – your vaccination status will be verified by your supervisor before you will be allowed to work.  Exemptions may be granted for religious or medical purposes.

To Apply
Please note: Failure to follow the instructions below may lead to disqualification.

In order to successfully apply for this position, you MUST complete your profile at www.careers.wa.gov and attach the following to your profile before completing the online application:

• A cover letter describing how you meet the qualifications of this position (Generic cover letter will not be accepted).
• A current resume. 
• Three professional references. 

For more information and to apply: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/washington/jobs/3955997/public-records-coordinator-forms-records-analyst-3-permanent-03651-23

IMPORTANT NOTES: All new employees must complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9 Form) on their first day of work. If hired for this or any position at WDFW, you will be required to provide documentation proving you are eligible to work in the United States. For a list of acceptable documents, please use the following link:  https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents

JOIN THE WDFW TEAM: Learn about our agency and the perks of working for WDFW!

VETERAN PREFERENCE NOTICE:
To take advantage of veteran preference, please do the following:

• Email a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22 or USDVA signed verification of service letter to RecruitmentTeam@dfw.wa.gov.
• Subject line should include recruitment number, position, and Vet (for example: #10155 Biologist 1 – Veteran).
• Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov. 

MILITARY SPOUSE PREFERENCE NOTICE: 

To take advantage of military spouse preference, please do the following:

• Notify us of your military spouse status by email at RecruitmentTeam@dfw.wa.gov.  
• Subject line should include recruitment number, position, and MS (for example: #10155 Biologist 1 – MS).
• Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov..

Note: Please blackout any PII (personally identifiable information) data such as social security numbers. For further information, please contact us at RecruitmentTeam@dfw.wa.gov.

As part of WDFW’s efforts to advance respectful and inclusive work environments, the Agency expects inclusivity as part of our professional interactions and communications.   Therefore, we want to ensure that all individuals feel welcome, are treated fairly and respectfully.  All staff are empowered to fully contribute to serving their work unit, Agency, and the citizens of Washington.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife is an equal opportunity employer.  We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity.  Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, disabled and Vietnam era veterans and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.

Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may call (360) 902-2276 or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at (800) 833-6388.

If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or support@neogov.com.

For more information and to apply: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/washington/jobs/3955997/public-records-coordinator-forms-records-analyst-3-permanent-03651-23