Internal only child welfare dependency discovery manager (wms2) - olympia

Our vision is to ensure that “Washington State’s children and youth grow up safe and healthy— thriving physically, emotionally, and educationally, nurtured by family and community." Attention: INTERNAL ONLY: This position is open to current DCYF employees only.

Job Title: Child Welfare Dependency Discovery Manager (WMS2).

Location: Olympia, WA - This position will have in-office and remote work expectations and will require statewide travel for the purpose of delivering training and engaging with field staff.

Closes: 09/29/2026

Salary: $84,490 - $105,612 Annually.

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is looking for a Child Welfare Dependency Discovery Manager (WMS2) to join our Child Welfare Headquarters Division. This position is the agency’s subject matter expert on the dependency discovery portfolio and leads the statewide process, including all continuous quality improvement efforts. We are looking for someone with experience working with child welfare records, specifically the production of records, an expert in dependency discovery, and a strong understanding of Washington State's TORT environment and legal framework related to child welfare.

Click here to learn more about DCYF.

The Opportunity: This Dependency Discovery Manager is responsible for developing and overseeing a statewide dependency discovery guide and training curriculum for discovery staff and direct service staff. This position ensures dependency discovery work adheres to all laws, precedent, policies, and court expectations. This position is the primary point of contact for all TORT-related discovery and works closely with DCYF’s legal officer and AGO’s TORT division, ensuring all TORT-related materials are produced timely and accurately. This position is expected to understand all relevant laws within this work and to ensure that child welfare complies with these laws. This position is the lead resource to child welfare staff on the topic of dependency discovery and is accountable for building consistency within the entire division. This position is the liaison between child welfare and other divisions within DCYF on the topic of discovery and is tasked with working closely with ASD on developing technology systems to be utilized by all discovery staff. This position partners with agency leadership on questions about dependency discovery and is responsible for identifying agency risk related to this portfolio. This position also makes recommendations for all improvement strategies and is responsible for establishing statewide performance expectations for discovery staff, in collaboration with child welfare leadership.

Some of what you will do:

• Serve as child welfare’s dependency discovery lead and subject matter expert.
• Develop, manage, and update the statewide dependency discovery guide.
• Develop, lead, and deliver training to all discovery staff and direct staff on dependency discovery.
• Serve as primary point of contact for the AGO on systemic barriers and changes within the portfolio.
• Serve as primary point of contact for all TORT discovery and produce discovery to the AGO TORT division and legal office.
• Develop performance standards for dependency discovery staff, engage in quality assurance, and continued quality improvement efforts.
• Identify and prioritize obstacles within this portfolio and provide professional consultation to leadership toward continued improvement.
• Identify and communicate best practices to dependency discovery staff and leadership.
• Serve as primary point of contact for DCYF leaders and risk management staff on the portfolio.
• Collaborate with the AGO and ASD to establish technology to manage dependency discovery work, including production of discovery.
• Engage in ongoing research and knowledge building on the portfolio and provide updated communication and training to dependency discovery and direct service staff.
• Lead QA/CQI workgroups where strategies for improvement are developed; collaborate with other DCYF divisions and with child welfare staff to ensure developed strategies are appropriate and being implemented.

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum of five (5) years of experience working with child welfare records, specifically records production.
• Dependency Discovery expertise and the ability to lead teams toward continuous quality improvement.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to serve as the liaison between Child Welfare, AGO, and other external and internal partners.
• Strong understanding of the legal framework related to child welfare, as required to work within Washington State’s complex and unique tort environment.
• AND The ability to take action to learn and grow.
• The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.

Preferred/Desired Education, Experience, and Competencies:

• Competent in developing quality assurance and continuous quality improvement strategies.
• Competent in developing and delivering training curriculum to adult learners.
• Competent in leading teams toward cohesion.
• Possess excellent communication skills, particularly within adversarial settings.
• Competent in identifying risk, providing consultation, developing strategies, and overseeing complex government processes in a constantly changing legal landscape.

How do I apply? Complete your applicant profile and attach the following: Cover letter

Supplemental Information: The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is committed to Washington’s children and youth growing up safe, healthy, and thriving. We invite all candidates to join us in our goal to create a diverse and equitable workplace that reflects the communities we serve. If you are excited about this role but you believe that your education and/or experience might not align perfectly with every qualification in the job posting, we encourage you to apply anyway. The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability. This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies. Degrees must be obtained from an accredited college or university whose accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or a foreign equivalent verified by a NACES-approved organization at naces.org. Foreign Equivalency certification must be attached to the application for degrees obtained outside the U.S. Benefits eligibility for this position may be different than what’s listed in the benefits tab of this recruitment announcement. For more information on employee benefits eligibility, visit : Public Employee Benefits Board (PEBB). If you would like to request an accommodation throughout the application/interview process, contact DCYF Recruiter. If you're experiencing technical difficulties creating, accessing or completing your application, call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or email support@neogov.com. Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may call the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at 360-664-1960. Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications and wish to claim Veteran's Preference MUST attach a copy of their DD214, NGB Form 22, or Predischarge Certification (issued not more than 120 days prior to End of Term of Service (ETS) by date of submission). If claiming preference based on Predischarge Certification, the individual will be required to provide their official discharge documentation, such as a DD Form 214, NGB Form 22, or equivalent, within 30 days after the date of discharge. Please blackout (redact) the Social Security number before attaching any documents. For additional information on Veterans’ Preference and guidance on how to determine if you are eligible, click here. DCYF participates in the federal E-Verify program. The selected candidate must provide proof of identity and authorization to work in the United States, consistent with E-Verify requirements, on their first day of employment.