Civil Rights Officer (Operations & Policy Analyst 4)

The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care is excited to announce a permanent opening for a Civil Rights Officer (Operations & Policy Analyst 4). Are you ready to drive transformational change? As the Civil Rights Officer, you'll be at the forefront of advancing equity and protecting the rights of children, families, and providers across Oregon. From shaping statewide policy to tackling systemic barriers head-on, this high-impact role is your chance to lead with purpose, champion inclusion, and help build a future where every child thrives—no matter their background.

This position will work a hybrid schedule of working both remotely and in the office. Please note, there will be a few times every month where this position will need to work in the evenings to attend meetings and deliver trainings to community partners. In addition, this position will report to DELC headquarters in Salem as necessary for meetings.

About the Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC):

At DELC, we are dedicated to helping Oregon’s young children and families learn and thrive. As the state agency responsible for early learning programs, child care licensing, and family support services, we play a crucial role in shaping the future of Oregon’s children from birth to kindergarten.

We administer state-funded early learning programs, including home visiting and site-based infant, toddler, and preschool services. We also develop coordinated systems through Early Learning Hubs and collaborate with Child Care Resource and Referral organizations to provide training, coaching, and quality improvement opportunities for early learning providers.

With over 275,000 young children in Oregon, we have a unique opportunity to transform early childhood support systems, creating a brighter future for families across the state. Research shows that investing in early childhood has lifelong benefits, and now is your chance to be part of an agency making a lasting impact for generations to come.

Why Join Our Team? We are passionate about equity in early childhood education. At DELC, we value dedication, integrity, and collective wisdom, fostering a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming workplace where all employees can thrive. We challenge ourselves to lead with courage, refine practices, and drive meaningful change for children and families statewide.

What We Offer:

• Comprehensive Benefits: Low-cost medical, vision, and dental coverage for you and your family, plus optional benefits like life and disability insurance, deferred compensation, and flexible spending accounts.
• Work-Life Balance: 11 paid holidays, 3 personal days, 1 special day, monthly sick leave, and vacation accruals that increase every 5 years.
• Student Loan Forgiveness: Potential federal loan forgiveness after 120 qualifying payments.
• Inclusive Culture: A diverse, welcoming workplace committed to equity and continuous improvement.

Our Commitment to Equity: Equity is at the heart of our mission. We strive to remove barriers, foster inclusiveness, and create meaningful change for underrepresented communities. Our goal is to ensure all DELC employees, child care providers and the children and families we support thrive. If you are ready to make a difference and help shape Oregon’s future, we would love to have you on our team!

What you will do:

The Civil Rights Officer is a visible leadership role responsible for advancing civil rights and ensuring equal opportunity for child care providers, early learning programs, and the families they serve across Oregon. This position will lead the development of civil rights complaint, investigation, and enforcement structures within the Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC).

This position provides consultation and technical assistance on federal and state civil rights laws—including Title VI, Section 504, Title II of the ADA, and state anti-discrimination statutes—to child care providers, families, and regional partners. The role ensures DELC’s work aligns with its equity, diversity, and inclusion goals by applying an equity lens across programs and fostering a culture of respect and transparency.

Additionally, the position serves as DELC’s liaison with the Department of Justice, guiding the agency in legal compliance, risk mitigation, and the analysis of laws and policies, including proposed legislation. This position will establish strong partnerships with DELC’s Tribal Affairs and Social Equity departments and will lead the development and implementation of the agency-wide approach to handling external complaints.

To view a complete job description, click here

What we are looking for (minimum qualifications):

A Bachelor's Degree in Civil Rights, Early Childhood Education, Public Administration, Behavioral or Social Sciences, Political Science or related degree; and five years professional-level evaluative, analytical and planning work related to diversity, equity and inclusion. OR; Any combination of experience and education equivalent to eight years of professional-level evaluative, analytical and planning work related to diversity, equity and inclusion.

In addition, we are looking for applicants that have the following Desired Attributes (requested skills):

• Demonstrated knowledge of Title VI, Section 504, Title II (ADA), and state discrimination laws.
• Proven ability to build the agency’s approach to complaints, and lead or support civil rights complaint investigations, including evidence review, interviews, and reporting. Skilled in writing investigative summaries and applying legal standards.
• Experience tracking and analyzing federal legislative activity, budget and regulatory actions and their impact on state funding or programs.
• Ability to identify legal risks and recommend strategies for compliance and mitigation, especially in a public agency setting. Experience consulting with leadership on regulatory obligations and enforcement risks.
• Experience drafting or advising on administrative rules, policy documents, or legislative implementation related to civil rights and compliance.
• Track record of developing and delivering trainings, workshops, or technical assistance related to civil rights compliance, state and federal civil rights, legal obligations, and dispute resolution.
• Experience working with diverse communities, including government agencies, grantees, families, and community organizations. Strong liaison or partner coordination experience.
• Skilled in preparing clear, concise reports, guidance documents, and presenting complex legal information to non-legal audiences.
• Strong working knowledge of state public records and public meetings laws.
• Knowledge about Tribal sovereignty and statutes.
• A Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree is preferred.

The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care strives to create an inclusive environment that welcomes and values the diversity of the people we serve. We foster fairness, equity, and inclusion to create a workplace environment where everyone is treated with respect and dignity. Candidates of all racial and ethnic backgrounds, as well as bilingual/multicultural individuals, are encouraged to apply.

This position closes on 6/15/2025.