Civil Rights Officer

Note: Employees for the State of Montana must reside within Montana. All applications and required application documents must be submitted through the MT Careers site at: https://mtstatejobs.taleo.net/careersection/200/jobdetail.ftl?job=26142119&tz=GMT-06:00&tzname=America/Denver

Turn civil-rights requirements into practical systems that expand access, strengthen fairness, and improve public service across Montana. As the Department of Labor & Industry’s Civil Rights Officer, you will help ensure that Montanans can access programs, services, and workforce opportunities without discrimination or unnecessary barriers. This position offers meaningful public-service work, broad collaboration, and the opportunity to build lasting expertise in accessibility, equal opportunity, and compliance.

MISSION STATEMENT:

Empowering all Montanans through work and opportunity.

It's about the people and the impact we make in our communities every day. We are proud of our open, team-based, supportive, and collaborative work environments. Learn more about DLI here.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The Office of Legal Services provides legal guidance and support that helps the Department of Labor & Industry carry out its responsibilities fairly, lawfully, and effectively. The Civil Rights Officer serves as the Department’s public-facing Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator and designated Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Equal Opportunity Officer. This position leads civil-rights compliance activities, including accessibility coordination, complaint oversight, program monitoring, training, and corrective-action processes. The role works closely with program staff, leadership, Human Resources, investigators, service providers, and state and federal partners to strengthen consistent, accessible, and equitable service delivery.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU:

• Meaningful public-service impact — Help ensure that Montanans can access DLI programs, services, and workforce opportunities without discrimination or unnecessary barriers.
• A role you can shape — Lead a newly consolidated civil-rights function and build clear, consistent systems for accessibility, complaints, monitoring, training, and corrective action.
• Complex, practical work — Apply civil-rights requirements to real situations involving public access, workforce programs, service delivery, and federally funded activities.
• Broad collaboration — Work with Legal, Human Resources, program teams, investigators, data professionals, leadership, service providers, and federal and state partners.
• Professional growth — Develop deep expertise in ADA Title II, WIOA Section 188, 29 C.F.R. part 38, language access, effective communication, and public-sector compliance.
• Data-informed results — Use complaint, monitoring, and program data to identify risks, measure progress, and improve how DLI serves the public.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Coordinate accessible services: Addresses public-facing ADA, language-access, assistive-technology, effective-communication, accommodation, and online-accessibility needs across Department programs and services.
• Lead equal-opportunity compliance: Serves as the Department’s designated WIOA Equal Opportunity Officer and oversees required notices, policies, data collection, annual monitoring, trackable training, and the biennial Nondiscrimination Plan.
• Manage complaint processes: Receives concerns, determines jurisdiction, investigates matters when required, makes appropriate referrals, maintains case records, and communicates outcomes to involved parties, including matters involving the State Apprenticeship Agency.
• Strengthen compliance systems: Reviews policies, procedures, and service-delivery practices to identify compliance risks, improve consistency, and support practical, sustainable solutions.
• Monitor programs and providers: Conducts and documents monitoring activities involving Department programs, workforce services, and service providers; tracks corrective actions through completion.
• Analyze trends and risks: Uses complaint, monitoring, and program data to identify patterns, measure progress, report risks, and support audit readiness and continuous improvement.
• Provide training and guidance: Delivers technical assistance, training, and practical guidance to Department staff, leadership, service providers, and partners on civil-rights responsibilities and emerging compliance issues.
• Build collaborative partnerships: Works with Legal Services, Human Resources, program teams, investigators, data professionals, peer equal-opportunity officers, and state and federal partners to resolve issues and strengthen public service.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES:

Candidates must demonstrate the ability to:

• Regulatory analysis and application: Interpret and apply laws, rules, policies, technical standards, and program requirements to complex situations involving civil rights, accessibility, equal opportunity, or public-service delivery.
• Investigation and issue resolution: Assess jurisdiction, gather and evaluate relevant information, identify appropriate next steps, make sound referrals or findings, and handle sensitive matters with neutrality and discretion.
• Service-focused communication: Listen carefully to concerns and explain processes, requirements, referrals, decisions, and outcomes clearly to complainants, staff, partners, leadership, and members of the public.
• Compliance monitoring and improvement: Develop practical compliance processes; conduct, document, and follow up on reviews; identify risks; and support corrective actions that improve services and reduce barriers.
• Program and project management: Organize cyclical reporting, monitoring, training, planning, and complaint-management responsibilities while maintaining reliable records and meeting deadlines.
• Data-informed decision making: Use complaint, monitoring, and program data to identify trends, measure progress, communicate risks, and recommend improvements.
• Training and technical assistance: Translate complex requirements into understandable, practical guidance and deliver effective training or technical assistance to diverse audiences.
• Collaboration and resourcefulness: Build productive working relationships, take ownership of complex work, seek appropriate expertise, and use sound judgment when guidance is limited or evolving.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (Education and Experience)

• Demonstrated experience in civil-rights compliance, accessibility, regulatory compliance, complaint resolution, investigations, policy development, program monitoring, workforce programs, public administration, legal operations, or closely related work.
• Experience interpreting and applying laws, rules, policies, contracts, technical standards, grant requirements, or program requirements in a manner that balances compliance obligations with practical customer or public-service needs.
• Experience communicating complex information clearly and respectfully to diverse audiences, including customers, members of the public, employees, program partners, service providers, or leadership.
• Experience managing confidential records, sensitive concerns, complaints, investigations, or other matters requiring sound judgment, neutrality, discretion, and appropriate privacy practices.
• Demonstrated ability to organize multiple priorities, maintain accurate documentation, use office and electronic-records systems, and follow projects, monitoring activities, or corrective actions through completion.
• Ability to obtain and maintain any designation or authorization required to perform the WIOA Equal Opportunity Officer function.

Experience with ADA Title II, WIOA Section 188, workforce services, apprenticeship programs, federally funded programs, civil-rights investigations, accessibility, language access, or compliance training is beneficial but not required when a candidate demonstrates transferable skills and the ability to learn the governing framework. A degree in public administration, business administration, law, human resources, social services, education, disability studies, compliance, or a related field may supplement directly related professional experience but is not a substitute for demonstrated skills and competencies in the areas noted above. Equivalent combinations of education, training, and directly related experience will be considered.

HOW TO APPLY FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY:

A complete state application is not required; however, you will need to initiate the application and attach the resume, cover letter or other required documents at time of application to be considered for this position. Resume will auto fill the application, but the application will not be scored or reviewed.

Failure to attach the cover letter and resume will result in your application being considered incomplete and will not be considered further. Materials submitted but not requested will not be considered in the selection process.

Tip: When attaching your resume, cover letter or other required documents you must mark the attachments as “RELEVANT” or we will be unable to view your documents.

Required application materials:

• Cover Letter - Your Cover Letter should explain how your experience and education meet the identified required skills and competencies, with examples that demonstrate your qualifications.
• Resume - include all work experience you have held that would help you qualify for this position, including duties, dates of employment.

Only online applications will be accepted. By applying online, you can receive updates and monitor the status of your application.

All documents for Veteran or Disability preference must be received or date stamped by the closing date. You will receive an application confirmation email with instructions on acceptable preference documents and how to submit such documents.

If you need an accommodation with the application process, please contact the HR office.

BENEFITS:

Being able to enjoy the quality of life in the beautiful state of Montana is one of the benefits you will love about this opportunity! Our mountains, waterways and open spaces provide not only beautiful scenery but year-round recreational opportunities including hiking, camping, biking, fishing, boating, hunting, skiing and snowmobiling. Montana boasts a high-quality education system and a variety of entertainment including fairs, rodeos, and theaters. Read more about our great state here.

See our other incredible benefits here. These are some of our benefits just to name a few:

• Work/life balance with hybrid schedules or partial telework may be available within the state of Montana.
• 38 paid days off a year including vacation, sick leave and holidays.
• Military leave: You’ll get up to 15 days of military leave with full pay.
• Longevity raises with continuous service, as well as any negotiated market increases and state statutory raises.
• Health, dental, vision, life insurance coverage, flexible spending accounts, EAP - click here to learn more.
• Free telehealth and access to free employee medical clinics through our medical plan - click here to learn more.
• Choice between two retirement plans with an employer contribution between 8.73%25 - 9.07%25 of your annual salary.  A third optional 457(b) deferred compensation plan is also available. – Click here to learn more.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness- Employment with the State of Montana may qualify you to receive loan forgiveness- click here to learn more!
• Career progression, training opportunities and room for professional growth.
• State employee discounts at various businesses across the state.

*This position may be covered by a Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA)

E-Verify: This agency is participating in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. After accepting a job offer and completing Form I-9, your information will be submitted to the Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration for verification. For more information about E-Verify, please visit the E-Verify website found here, https://www.e-verify.gov/