Chief Review Judge

Overview

The ideal candidate is a seasoned legal professional with exceptional judgment, integrity, and leadership skills. You are known for your ability to unify independent legal thinkers around a consistent interpretation of law, and for your commitment to fairness and equity in public service. You thrive in complexity, make timely decisions with confidence, and lead with humility and kindness.

You understand that this role is both judicial and relational—balancing legal precision with human-centered leadership. You are a collaborative communicator who builds trust across teams and agencies, and you bring a growth mindset to your work. You value the contributions of your team and know that success depends on fostering a culture of respect, inclusion, and shared purpose.

The Employment Security Department (ESD) is seeking a highly accomplished legal professional to serve as Chief Review Judge, leading the Commissioner's Review Office (CRO)—a quasi-judicial body responsible for issuing final agency decisions in Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) related matters. These decisions carry statewide impact and are binding on administrative law judges and agency personnel. The Chief Review Judge is the sole position in the agency with authority to publish precedential decisions that shape Washington law and policy.

This is a working manager role with full responsibility for legal decision-making, team leadership, budget oversight, and strategic coordination with internal and external stakeholders. The position reports directly to the Commissioner and operates independently, while remaining aligned with the agency's mission, vision, values, and strategic goals.

The Chief Review Judge supports ESD's mission to contribute to healthy communities by providing equitable access to resources that improve economic security. The CRO ensures fair, impartial, and legally sound decisions in appeals involving UI and PFML benefits and tax matters. In addition, this position leads a team of six Review Judges, a Deputy Chief Review Judge, and a Legal Administrative Manager, and manages a $1.8 million annual operating budget.

This role is responsible for :

• Selecting and publishing binding precedential decisions
• Personally deciding the most complex and high-impact cases
• Ensuring consistency and legal integrity across thousands of decisions annually
• Maintaining strong partnerships with the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH), the Attorney General's Office (AGO), and internal ESD teams
• Fostering an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing team culture

Additionally, some of your duties may include :

To request a detailed position description, please refer to the position posting.

Required Education, Experience, and Competencies :

(A) Five years of trial practice, hearings examiner experience, or service on a judicial / administrative tribunal

Required Competencies :

Preferred Competencies :

Additional Requirement of Employment :

Application Instructions and Notes :

Please submit the required documents as noted, and ensure all Personal Identifying Information (PII) is edited out of materials for privacy. Do not include photographs or external links within your documents. Documents uploaded through this platform will be securely transmitted to support application review. Submit your Cover Letter and Resume with your Online Application. A resume will not substitute for the "work experience" section of the application or vice versa. Applications with blank fields or incomplete responses may be considered incomplete.

Agency mission and values drive decisions and guide interactions. We value Access, Love, Belonging, Equity, and Stewardship. Flexible work schedules and teleworking opportunities may be available where appropriate. The Employment Security Department is an equal opportunity employer / program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

If you are needing assistance in the application process or need this job announcement in an alternate format, please contact the Talent Acquisition Team prior to the recruitment closing. Washington Relay Service 711 is available for accessibility support. For technical difficulties with the application, contact careershelp@des.wa.gov or call (360) 664-1960 or toll free (877) 664-1960, Washington Relay 711.

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