Public Disclosure Officer - (CPRA)

The City of Seattle is seeking candidates for our Citywide Public Records Act Program (CPRA), Public Disclosure Officer with Seattle Information Technology (IT). 

The Citywide Public Records Act Program Public Disclosure Officer performs a wide range of duties that support accurate and timely responses to public disclosure requests fulfilled by city departments in compliance with the Washington State Public Records Act, or PRA (RCW 42.56)

The City of Seattle believes in the diversity of our people, ideas, and experiences and is committed to building an inclusive culture that is representative of the community we serve. Seattle Information Technology (IT) plays a crucial role in enabling smart, equitable, and responsive services for City employees, Seattle residents, and local businesses. We work to unleash our people and community through technology solutions, infrastructure, and well-executed projects that are secure and resilient. We invest in open access to City information, privacy and responsible technology use, digital access, collaboration, customer service, and strategic planning. We are a leader in local government progress towards responsible AI adoption. These are Seattle’s values in action.

The Citywide Public Records Act Program Public Disclosure Officer provides guidance and technical expertise to support public disclosure officers (PDOs) across all city departments. The role develops and maintains public disclosure resources, delivers training and consultation for departmental PDOs, and helps standardize practices citywide. It also administers core disclosure systems such as Nuix, Microsoft eDiscovery, and GovQA, and provides advanced technical support and troubleshooting.

In this role you will:

• Develop and maintain written resources outlining City public disclosure procedures and best practices.
• Create and update communication templates for request responses, clarifications, and third-party notifications.
• Host weekly office hours to support PDOs, answer questions, troubleshoot software issues, and build cross-department expertise.
• Coordinate multi-department responses to complex or citywide public disclosure requests.
• Monitor GovQA for five-day compliance, issue required acknowledgments when needed and provide coverage during PDO absences.
• Contribute to CPRA-led monthly meetings to provide updates on legal developments, procedural changes, and disclosure trends across the City.
• Update technical documentation and training materials, including software guides and video content.
• Administer disclosure-related software platforms (Nuix, Microsoft eDiscovery, GovQA), including configuration, user permissions, and case-lifecycle management.
• Conduct or advise on complex electronic searches in Microsoft eDiscovery to support departmental records retrieval. 
• Provide Nuix training, support, and troubleshooting, including guidance on search strategies, case management, and optimal use of Nuix tools.
• Collaborate with vendors and Information Technology staff to test new features, troubleshoot issues, and develop improvements, automation, and standardized procedures.
• Evaluate platform functionality and contribute to the development of consistent, efficient workflows used across all departments.

Your effectiveness in this role will depend on your ability to:

• Work efficiently both independently and in a collaborative environment.
• Prioritize effectively and manage a high volume of tasks and projects with shifting deadlines and minimal guidance.
• Respond with appropriate urgency to situations and events that require a quick response or turnaround. 
• Think critically, creatively and proactively to identify and solve problems.
• Maintain strong attention to detail while consistently meeting tight deadlines.
• Work with a high level of professionalism, integrity, and discretion in handling confidential information.
• Communicate clearly and effectively on sensitive matters and possess strong interpersonal skills.
• Use technology tools adequately to effectively manage and process workload.

You will be prepared for this role if you have the following knowledge and skills:

• Current knowledge of the Washington State Public Records Act and other statutes, caselaw, rules and regulations related to public records requests.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, Adobe Acrobat Pro, SharePoint and GovQA or other public records request management tools.
• Proficiency and strong working knowledge of all software or electronic management systems, e-discovery platforms, used for collection, redaction, production of public records.

You will be most successful in this role if you have experience in the following areas:

• Experience and knowledge of principles and best practices of public disclosure in a public-sector environment.
• Electronic record search and retrieval in various digital media such as Core or Advanced eDiscovery.
• Municipal records management.
• Experience with electronic review tools such as NUIX, Relativity, Disco, Sightline, etc. 
• Current Washington State Certified Public Records Officer (WaPRO) or the ability to obtain certification within 12 months of hire.

• 3 years of experience working in a public disclosure position. 
• The work of this position requires strong knowledge of the statutes, case law, rules, and regulations governing public records requests. 
• Experience conducting legal research, performing electronic records searches and retrieval, and mining data across various digital media is essential. 
• Knowledge of public record-keeping practices and familiarity with the operations of municipal government are also required.
• The successful candidate demonstrates strong critical thinking and analytical abilities, as well as exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail, including the ability to independently set priorities. 
• Must possess excellent verbal and written communication skills, along with strong analytic, research, problem-solving, and project-management capabilities. 
• Professional experience must reflect an ability to manage multiple priorities and respond quickly to emerging issues. 

• Ability to work as a collaborative partner who exercises tact, good judgment, discretion, diplomacy, and the ability to build cooperative working relationships with diverse groups. 

Additional Information

Salary The full salary range for this classification is $56.57 - $84.88 per hour. 

Benefits

The City 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. More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at: https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits  Additionally, we provide free public transportation options.

Telework Expectations

This position offers flexibility of a hybrid work schedule. Hybrid telework schedules have a minimum requirement of three days onsite per week, which is subject to change at any time at the Mayor’s discretion. Individual schedules are based on operational needs and agreement between the employee and their supervisor.

Application & Selection Process

• A complete online application updated with accurate contact information and relevant work history going back at least 10 years (or more, if necessary) with all job duties, dates of employment, and reasons for leaving explained clearly.
• Completed supplemental questions.
• A current resume that clearly demonstrates your professional and educational experience.

• Please submit your application and resume to https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/seattle/.

Please provide a complete application. Incomplete applications may not be considered. Applicants will be screened for competitiveness, completeness, and written communication skills. The most competitive candidates will be invited to participate in one or more interviews.

Who May Apply

This position is open to all qualified candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. The City of Seattle values diverse perspectives and life experiences. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The City encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experience.

Background Check

This hiring process involves a background check of conviction and arrest records in compliance with Seattle's Fair Chance Employment Ordinance, SMC 14.17. Applicants will be provided with an opportunity to explain or correct background information. 

In addition, the Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) comprehensive background investigation, which includes fingerprinting, is required for this body of work.

Why Join the City of Seattle

The City of Seattle recognizes that every City employee must play a role in ending institutional and structural racism. Our culture is the result of our behavior, our personal commitments, and the ways that we courageously share our views and encourage others to do the same. To cultivate an antiracist culture, we seek employees who will engage in the Race and Social Justice Initiative by working to dismantle racist policies and procedures, unlearn the way things have always been done, and provide equitable processes and services. 

Accommodation

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.

For questions regarding this recruitment or if you require an accommodation, please contact Alfreda Wilson at [email protected].  

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