Enforcement Supervisor

About the role

The City of Seattle is a leader on wage, labor and workforce practices that enhance equity, address wage gaps, and create a fair and vibrant economy for workers, businesses, and residents. The Office of Labor Standards (OLS) seeks to improve workers’ lives through thoughtful community and business engagement, and the development and implementation of innovative policy and laws that create fair and equitable workplaces.

We’re looking for an innovative, equity-focused leader passionate about labor rights and equipped with strong investigation and enforcement skills. This role involves supervising a dedicated team that enforces labor laws and ensures workplace equity throughout Seattle. If you’re ready to make a significant impact and promote fair labor standards, apply today to join OLS!

What You’ll Do

Supervise and Mentor Enforcement Staff: Lead and support a team of investigators, senior investigators, and paralegals. Assign and direct work to ensure high-quality, timely case completion while providing training, mentorship, performance management, and opportunities for professional growth.

Develop and Implement Forward-Thinking Policies: Partner with the Enforcement Director to develop, refine, recommend and implement policies, practices, and procedures that strengthen enforcement efforts and advance compliance with existing labor standards laws. Guide the team in executing work plans and achieving organizational goals.

Build Collaborative Partnerships: Coordinate with internal and external partners to share information, resources, and labor standards updates, enhancing the effectiveness of labor law enforcement and driving greater compliance across Seattle.

You’ll Thrive in This Role If You

• Are dedicated to creating inclusive, equitable environments and achieving fair outcomes.
• Value collaboration and build respectful relationships with community leaders, organizations, and partners.
• Bring a strong understanding of labor standards, including Seattle’s laws as well as state and federal regulations, with a willingness to continuously learn and deepen your expertise.
• Can navigate complex investigations, lead negotiations, and run multiple projects in a fast-paced setting.
• Can develop and support your team through coaching, mentoring, and leadership, while fostering their professional growth.
• Think strategically to shape big picture labor standards enforcement and compliance goals into clear, actionable steps for day-to-day work.

You’ll Be Successful If You Have

• Knowledge of Labor Standards: Solid foundation of labor laws, legal analysis, and experience with policy drafting.
• Commitment to Racial Equity and Social Justice: Familiarity with race and social justice principles, integrating them into professional practice.
• Project Management Skills: Strong organizational skills, an eye for detail, and adaptability in handling deliverables and shifting priorities.
• Leadership and People Management Skills: Strong listening and communication abilities, openness to diverse viewpoints, and a proven capacity for problem-solving and decisive action with conscientiousness. Experience in fostering staff development, promoting a positive team dynamic, and providing supportive leadership even in complex or uncertain circumstances.
• Cultural Competency: Proven ability and willingness to engage effectively with Seattle’s diverse communities, businesses, and advocacy groups.

You’ll Stand Out If You Bring

• Investigation Expertise: Prior experience with workplace investigations, particularly in wage and hour or EEOC discrimination cases, and familiarity with employment litigation or regulatory agencies is beneficial.
• Legal Insight: A solid understanding of complex labor standards and legal processes.
• Process Optimization: Ability to identify inefficiencies and build processes or systems to manage high-volume requests while maximizing capacity and available resources.
• Technical Proficiency: Skilled in Microsoft Office (especially Excel for data-driven tasks), with a willingness to learn and adapt to databases like Dynamics and platforms like SharePoint.
• Language Skills: Bilingual abilities in Cantonese, Mandarin, or Spanish are a plus, enhancing engagement with diverse communities.

Additional information

Please note this job advertisement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

In addition to the ability to complete the tasks mentioned above, you will need to possess the below required qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration, Political Science, Social Science, Human Relations, or a closely related field.
• AND
• Two years of professional experience in enforcement or compliance investigation and two years supervisory or lead experience (may be concurrent).
• AND
• License: A valid Washington State Driver’s License or evidence of equivalent mobility.
• OR
• A combination of education, training and/or experience which provides an equivalent background required to perform the work of the class which will be evaluated on an individual basis for comparability.

Pay and benefits

This full-time, civil service position is overtime-eligible and is classified as a Civil Rights Analyst, Supervising in the City payroll system, and is governed by a collective bargaining agreement between the City and the union, PROTEC17. The full pay range for this step-progression position is $59.61 - $69.23 per hour. New employees begin at Step 1 of the pay progression, which is $59.61 hourly, with current City employees’ starting rates based on Personnel Rules regarding promotions. This role reports to the Enforcement Director.

Benefits

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents.

Why Work at the City? At the City of Seattle, public service is more than a job; it’s a chance to shape the future and make a meaningful difference in the lives of everyone who works, lives, or plays in our city. With 12,000 employees across 40+ departments and 1,100 job titles, we are united by a common purpose: to create a Seattle that is vibrant and welcoming for all.

Whatever your role, you’ll help power a forward-looking city that leads by example — inclusive, innovative, equitable, and community-focused — while joining a diverse team committed to solving challenges and making a lasting impact together. Join us in building a Seattle where everyone thrives!

Hybrid Work / Work Environment: This position offers the flexibility of a hybrid work schedule, with arrangements based on an agreement between the employee and their manager. May be required to work nights, evenings, weekends and/or holidays; or attend meetings at locations outside of the office.

Application Process: Here is a resource for Application and Interviewing tips (Download PDF reader) with the City of Seattle.

To be considered for this position, please attach

• A cover letter explaining your interest and capability to perform this job.
• A PDF resume illustrating related experiences, skills, and abilities.

Who May Apply: This position is open to all applicants who meet the minimum qualifications. The City of Seattle values diverse perspectives and life experiences. The City encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ individuals, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experiences.

Hiring Timeline: We anticipate conducting the first and second rounds of interviews and a skills assessment between December 7–18, 2026. Our goal is for the selected hire to start in January 2027.