Description
The Employment Security Department (ESD) is seeking an experienced, solutions-oriented leader to serve as the IT Application Development Supervisor (Workforce Portfolio). The ideal candidate is a steady, thoughtful decision-maker - someone who brings clarity to complex software engineering practices, communicates with confidence, and leads with integrity. They are collaborative, inclusive, and committed to equity. They excel at mentoring technical teams, navigating the ambiguity of high-risk development initiatives, and translating technical requirements into secure, high-quality application solutions. They are skilled at balancing system compliance, risk mitigation, and operational needs while fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and service. Duties As the IT Application Development Supervisor, the successful candidate will guide a project team of professionals - including dev-ops, application, and data engineers - responsible for the development, operations, and project planning of the Workforce portfolio. This position reports to the IT Application Development Manager and provides senior-level technical leadership within the Information and Technology Services Division (ITSD). The supervisor's work directly supports ESD’s mission by ensuring that critical applications, systems, and services like WorkSource effectively serve job seekers, employers, and partners statewide. They will ensure that staff have the tools, training, and support needed to build high-quality code, responsibly manage public platforms, and comply with state and federal standards. The Information and Technology Services Division provides essential internal services that keep ESD operating effectively - from computer systems and web technologies to network, data communications, and data warehouse maintenance. Within ITSD, the Workforce Technical Team plays a critical role in protecting agency information, reducing system risk, and ensuring that development practices are consistent, secure, and aligned with state priorities. This position influences technical workflow, oversees compliance with complex regulations, and serves as a key liaison to internal business units, project management frameworks, and statewide partners. This is a leadership role that requires strong judgment, excellent communication skills, and the ability to guide staff and programs through evolving software engineering landscapes.
Additionally, some of your duties include:
- Supervise, coach, and mentor technical staff, managing workloads, tracking timekeeping, writing performance expectations, and conducting evaluations to optimize team performance.
- Establish and enforce standards for code quality, source control, secure coding principles, and automated unit testing across development staff and vendors.
- Lead the analysis, design, and hands-on development of complex solutions using Salesforce Lightning Web Components (LWC), Apex Classes, triggers, and configurations.
- Drive technical direction and collaborate with architects to determine the overall design, structure, interface, and performance metrics of portfolio solutions.
- Lead and collaborate in Agile project environments, managing backlog grooming, defining scope, creating detailed work plans, and monitoring task progress to meet due dates.
- Identify project risks and mitigate issues, conducting cost-benefit analyses for proposed modifications and escalating timeline threats to business sponsors and product owners.
- Manage the change process through implementation, acting as a direct contributor and supporter of the ESD Change Management Processes to protect production environments.
- Maintain, upgrade, and configure complex systems, managing data constructs, database schemas, responsive user interfaces, and custom development tools.
- Provide Tier 3 technical support and serve as an escalation point to troubleshoot complex application errors in coordination with operations teams.
- Produce and maintain clear technical documentation independently, breaking down extremely complex technical processes into language easily understood by non-technical stakeholders.
To request a detailed position description, click here.
Qualifications
Option 1:
11 years of experience in IT experience in business analysis, testing, or system development.
Option 2:
Bachelor’s degree in computer science or closely related field and 7 years of IT experience in business analysis, testing or system development.
Option 3:
Or a combination of 11 years of education and/or relevant IT experience. AND
- Five years of experience in Salesforce Lighting Web Components, Apex Classes, service-oriented design and development using C#, ASP.NET, MVC, JavaScript, Typescript, .NET Core, and T-SQL.
- Three years of experience in software management and work item management using Team Foundation Server, Azure DevOps, and GIT strategies.
- Three years of experience in REST/SOAP API design, development. Design and maintain integrations between Salesforce system and external systems.
- Three years of experience performing the full application life cycle activities of the standard Application Life Cycle Methodology (Scrum, Kanban, Waterfall, etc.)
Preferred/Desired Qualifications:
- Two years of experience managing in the Washington State authorizing environment related to technology oversight
- Three years of experience managing system development and implementation projects in a government environment
Required equity competencies:
- The ability to take action to learn and grow.
- The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.
Required Competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors):
Technical Problem-Solving Skills:
- Ability to analyze and solve extremely complex problems through a methodical process. Fixes application errors or failures on extremely complex applications or processes.
- Seeks opportunities to resolve problems and submits findings to supervisor for review.
- Works independently to analyze extremely complex problems, communicating findings and recommendations
Systems Analysis:
- Ability to understand business processes or portions of large and extremely complex projects and propose technical solutions that can improve those processes; design information systems to automate business processes.
- Understand portions of business processes of extreme complexity by reviewing the documentation of others
- The methods used to perform the analysis are often innovative in nature. Process Analysis –
- Ability to read and develop diagrams to illustrate business and/or technical (application) processes.
- Understand extremely complex processes.
- Ability to conceptualize and communicate processing alternatives to improve efficiencies or solve business problems.
Programming:
- Ability to configure and code using agency and custom development tools
- Ability to plan, document, and code components of extremely complex systems
- Able to maintain applications and processes (fixes application errors or failures and completes service request enhancements)
- Ability to write unit test plans and perform unit testing
- Ability to think in non-linear terms, comfortable with event driven processes, object-oriented designs, service-oriented designs, and applications that consist of code running on multiple platforms.
Data Management:
- Understanding of data management constructs, tools and practices for managing data.
- Understanding of database management system features during the design and development of systems or system enhancements. For example, changing tables, data types, enforcing constraints, etc.
- Understanding of data model syntax and terminology.
- Understand customer business rules to evaluate data on reports and determine reasonableness/accuracy.
Technical Writing/Documentation:
- Documenting technical processes and writing technical material in a way that non-technical people can understand.
- Ability to document extremely complex technical processes using prescribed methods
- Ability to maintain technical documentation written by others and keep it up to date
- Documentation is typically done independently with the review of a supervisor.
Additional Requirements of Employment:
- Must be able to pass Unemployment Insurance (UI) & Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) claim and fraud check.
Please submit only the required documents as noted below and ensure all Personal Identifying Information (PII) such as Social Security numbers etc. are edited out of your materials for privacy. Additionally, we ask that you not include photographs or external links within your documents. Any documents uploaded through this platform will be securely transmitted electronically to support application review. Please submit your Resume and Cover Letter with your Online Application through the "Add Attachments" field. A resume will not substitute for the "work experience" section of the application or vice versa. Applications with blank fields, or supplemental question responses with comments such as "see attachments" may be considered incomplete. Supplemental Information Our agency's mission and values drive every decision that we make, determine how we interact with others and are at the core of who we are. We value Access, Love, Belonging, Equity, and Stewardship. We understand that a work environment that respects your work/life balance is key; that's why many of our positions are eligible for flexible work schedules and teleworking opportunities. Through support, value, and trust, our employees are empowered to grow and develop into their best self.
Opportunity for All We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, ethnic, racial, religious, sexual orientation, and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, people over 40 years of age, people with religious beliefs, veterans or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.
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 a person needing assistance in the application process, if you need this job announcement in an alternate format, or if you have general questions about this opportunity, please contact Katie Swanson, 360-742-8208 or the Talent Acquisition Team, or Washington Relay Service 711 prior to the recruitment closing. If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please contact careershelp@des.wa.gov or (360) 664-1960 or toll free (877) 664-1960, Washington Relay 711.
**This Organization Participates in E-Verify**
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
