Administrative Law Judge

WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION
Respect. Professionalism. Integrity. Accountability.
Help protect the consumers of Washington state!
Administrative Law Judge
This position is exempt from civil service rules. The starting salary offer will be determined based on the successful candidates' qualifications within the budgeted salary range of $92,400 - $115,008 annually. However, there is an ability for growth and development in this salary for the individual once employed.
This recruitment will be used to fill multiple positions within the Administrative Law Division, to include an opportunity for an interim appointment to last twelve (12) months with an opportunity to be long-term.
This recruitment is open until October 3, 2024, at 11:59pm, with an initial review date of applications on October 4, 2024. We encourage you to submit your application prior to the initial review date to be considered within this review.
UTC reserves the right to render a hiring decision and/or choose to close or extend this recruitment at any given time.
The Opportunity:
The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) is seeking to fill multiple Administrative Law Judge positions within the Administrative Law Division. These are full-time exempt roles that manage a variety of legal proceedings relating to the regulation of utility and transportation companies. Responsible to resolve legal, policy, and factual disputes as the presiding officer or mediator in adjudications and as part of a team of Commission Staff in rulemakings.
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:
Some travel will be required for in-person activities at or around the commission building, this may occur during and/or outside normal work hours throughout the state to meet business needs.
Who We Are:
Our mission is to protect the people of Washington by ensuring that investor-owned utility and transportation services are safe, equitable, 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. For more information about our benefits or working at UTC, please visit our website.
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.
* Throughout a calendar year, employees receive a minimum of 14 days of vacation leave per year and 11 paid holidays and 1 personal holiday in addition to accruing sick leave.
The Position:
Reporting to the Assistant Director of Administrative Law, Administrative Law Judges resolve legal, policy, and factual disputes as the presiding officer or mediator in adjudications and as part of a team of commission staff in rulemakings.
What you'll do:
Independently manage and conduct simple and complex adjudicative proceedings that often involve multiple issues, many parties of record, and development or application of novel or unique issues of law and policy. Ensure commission orders reflect sound, lawful principles and manage rulemaking proceedings in conjunction with professional staff assuring all legal requirements are met. In doing so, you may administer oaths, receive testimony and/or evidence, and examine witnesses in adjudicative proceedings before the commission. May issue subpoenas, enter orders directing persons to produce records for the commission, issue penalty assessments, or find probable cause to issue complaints on behalf of the commission. Mediates disputes as opportunities arise and maintains personal, professional, and ethical standards at the highest level.
Responsible for demonstrating excellent legal analysis and writing, as well as creative and strategic thinking, applied in matters having significant long-range impacts in constantly evolving regulatory frameworks. The ALJ also advises the Commissioners on procedural, legal, and policy matters and works with the Commissioners to prepare final orders.
Additional duties include, but aren't limited to the following:
* Exercise independent thought while preparing initial orders in cases over which the position presides without the Commissioners. Prepares other orders, manages the case record, and makes recommendations for the Commissioners' ultimate decision on matters that are the subject of final orders.
* Responsible for drafting language to implement law and policy in orders resolving contested cases, either independently or under the direction of the Commissioners and in consultation with policy advisors.
* Direct statewide impact on residential and business consumers of utility and transportation services and work on decisions that can have multi-million-dollar impacts on regulated companies.
Required Qualifications:
* A juris doctorate degree from an accredited law school OR successful completion of a law clerk program pursuant to Washington Admission to Practice Rule (APR) 6.
* Experience serving as an administrative law judge, commissioner, attorney, advisor, or other equivalent role in matters involving utility or other regulation, administrative law, or comparable legal issues requiring legal analysis and the application of law to fact.
Knowledge, skills, and abilities in the following:
* Excellent analytical, oral and written communication skills.
* Judicial temperament, including the ability to be objective, balance competing interests, manage an administrative hearing, and develop and implement policies consistent with applicable law and record evidence.
* Working knowledge of rules governing the admissibility of evidence and procedural issues consistent with pertinent law.
* Ability to work effectively as part of a team with commissioners, advisors, staff, parties, and interested persons.
Demonstration of UTC Values (expected of all employees)
* Respect: We treat every person and interaction with consideration and goodwill.
* Professionalism: We are committed to excellence in our work and conduct.
* Integrity: We do the right things for the right reasons- trusting others to do the same.
Demonstration of EDI Competencies and Core Competencies (expected of all employees)
* Accountability - With courage, we hold ourselves and each other accountable for exhibiting respect, professionalism, and integrity.
* DEI Knowledge, Understanding, & Commitment - Ability to be exposed to, know, and understand the language and concepts of DEI and be committed to being part of creating, maintaining, and improving a diverse, equitable, respectful, and inclusive workplace.
* Self-Awareness and Commitment to Growth - Engages in self-reflection, lifelong learning, and growth.
* Cultivating Mutually Beneficial and Trusting Strategic Partnerships - Conducts themselves in a manner that builds trust, enhances work relationships, and meaningfully partner and engage with those they serve and serve with.
* Inclusive Excellence & Allyship - Ability to demonstrate that all people are valued and engaged as members of the group, team, organization, or community through equitable, inclusive, and respectful behavior.
* Measuring Success and Improvement - Ability to develop, implement, evaluate, and continually improve strategies that promote equity and inclusion in their organization and with the communities they serve.
* Customer Focus - Responsive to both internal and external customers. Works with customers to identify needs; assumes responsibility for own role in meeting those needs. Ensures commitments to customers are met. Receptive to customer feedback.
* Results Focus - Accepts personal accountability for individual results or share of team results. Manages workload and interpersonal relationships to achieve results: prioritizes tasks appropriately, overcomes obstacles, works with others as necessary, and meets deadlines and quality standards.
* Communication Skills - Demonstrates communication skills (reading comprehension, writing, listening, speaking) appropriate to the position. Shows respect and courtesy in interpersonal communications.
* Adaptability/Flexibility - Open to new ideas. Responds constructively to change and stressful situations. In consultation with supervisor, adjusts plans to meet changing needs.
* Self-Development - Demonstrates proactive learning. Keeps knowledge and skills up to date. Solicits and accepts constru