Fire Exams Analyst, Senior

Position Description

The Civil Service Department believes that every employee plays a vital role in shaping the future of our city. Our mission is to create an equitable and engaging work environment where employees can thrive while making a real difference in the communities we serve. We provide high-quality services to City employees and departments and work closely with leaders to align policies and programs that promote workforce equity and excellence.

Within this mission, the Public Safety Exams Unit plays a crucial role in ensuring a fair and transparent hiring process for public safety positions. We develop and administer merit-based entry-level and promotional exams for the Seattle Fire and Police Departments under the direction of the Public Safety Civil Service Commission (PSCSC). We aim to ensure that these exams are equitable, legally compliant, and accessible to all qualified candidates.

We are looking for a Senior Fire Exams Analyst to co-lead the entry-level and promotional fire exam processes, managing all aspects of administration and continuous improvement. This role will help shape how the Seattle Fire Department selects future firefighters and fire officers. You will also support Seattle’s police civil service exam processes, collaborate with police and fire leadership, and work with a team of experts to enhance assessment and hiring outcomes.

As one of two lead analysts for our fire exam processes, you will play a key role in ensuring its success and integrity. In this position, you will also contribute to improving public safety assessment processes - helping the Seattle Civil Service Department become the gold standard in public safety assessment and selection. This team includes four Public Safety Senior Analysts and two Public Safety Analysts. We work collaboratively to develop and administer civil service exams for eleven positions in the Seattle Police and Fire Departments.

Job Responsibilities

Your top 3 priorities in this role will be:

• Leading civil service exam development and administration: Applying best practices in personnel assessment to develop effective exams, primarily for Seattle Fire Department positions, and working closely with team members to support other exam processes
• Ensuring compliance and equity: Maintaining the integrity of the exam process by upholding confidentiality, ethical standards, and applicable laws while balancing input from diverse contributors
• Candidate communications and customer service: Maintaining clear, timely, and professional communication with candidates to support transparency, equity, and a positive candidate experience throughout the civil service examination process

Your responsibilities will include:

• Civil Service Exam development and administration:
  • Lead civil service exam development and administration for public safety entry and promotional ranks, with a primary focus on fire service classifications
  • Serve as a primary subject matter expert, applying expertise in personnel assessment, exam design, and validation methods
  • Research, analyze, and evaluate exam administration practices, historical decisions, and industry best practices; develop recommendations and implement updates as needed
  • Standardize, document, and improve systems to ensure consistency, equity, and operational efficiency
  • Support and participate in exam administrations led by other examiners
  • Oversee the security and transport of exam materials
• Project management and administration:
  • Plan, coordinate, and track exam-related tasks to ensure all activities are organized, clearly mapped out, and on schedule
  • Delegate exam development and administration tasks to Fire Exams Analyst, as appropriate
  • Manage exam-related data, documentation, and information throughout the testing lifecycle
  • Oversee and manage budgets, contracts, and invoices associated with exam development and administration
  • Operate effectively within all relevant electronic and data management systems
  • Help coordinate and respond to relevant public disclosure requests in accordance with applicable laws and policies
  • Serve as a backup to other team members for exam events and activities, as needed
• Assessor recruitment and management:
  • Recruit, coordinate, and lead teams of subject matter experts for all phases of exam development and administration
  • Recruit and select assessors to serve as panelists for oral boards/assessment exercises
  • Train, supervise, and direct the work of subject matter experts serving as exam development committee members and assessors
  • Coordinate the transportation of assessors (including driving them) between hotels and exam sites as needed
• Communication:
  • Effectively communicate verbally at onsite or virtual meetings, trainings, and over the phone; and in writing in emails, memos and other documentation
  • Strategically engage with public safety departments, labor unions, and other partners to ensure and promote clarity, neutrality, and compliance with applicable rules and regulations
  • Provide excellent customer service to applicants and candidates while partnering effectively with department staff, consultants and industry subject matter experts
• Compliance and systems management:
  • Ensure that exam processes adhere to federal, state, and local laws and administrative rules and civil service requirements
  • Anticipate, identify, and manage issues and challenges throughout the exam cycle
  • Document and clearly explain decisions as needed for stakeholders
  • Develop, maintain, and operate within standardized systems and workflows
  • Explain and clarify Seattle Public Safety Civil Service rules, laws, regulations, policies, and procedures for departments and other partners, providing guidance and education as needed.
  • Exercise sound judgment by determining when further information, consultation, or training is required and taking appropriate steps to obtain it.
  • Testify and explain examination work before administrative agencies and/or courts of law when required

You will be most successful in this role with a combination of the following:

A passion for:

• Full-cycle project management
• Leading and executing exams that directly impact public safety selection processes
• Being a strong, dependable member of a team, whether leading an exam process or providing essential exam support
• Applying a race and social justice lens to making testing processes more effective and equitable
• Solving complex problems while balancing legal, ethical, and operational requirements
• Communicating technical exam-related concepts in clear, accessible ways
• Learning new things and being informed about emerging practices and developments in the profession
• Maintaining ethics, integrity, and diplomacy, with the ability to remain steady in high-stress environments
• Ensuring fairness, transparency, and accessibility in public safety hiring
• Providing exceptional and welcoming customer service to fire and police candidates?

The ability to:?

• Direct and implement large-scale projects, particularly related to hiring and promotional exams
• Coordinate and be the point person for complex exam events involving up to thousands of candidates with a high rate of accuracy
• Facilitate meetings with team members, subject matter experts, and stakeholders
• Maintain flexibility and readiness to work onsite in the Seattle area during exam-related activities, including extended days and weekend activities
• Strategically manage stakeholder relationships alongside department leadership
• Work effectively with police and fire leadership, civil service and human resources staff, commissioners, and consultants
• Exercise sound judgment when navigating complex problems and questions
• Handle sensitive subjects with professionalism and discretion
• Research, recommend, and implement exam process improvements
• Defend exam processes and decisions in public hearings
• Maintain confidentiality, security, neutrality, professionalism, and fairness for all candidates

Experience in:

• Managing large-scale projects
• Developing, coordinating, and administering employment-related exams—especially for public safety or civil service roles
• Public speaking in small to large group settings
• Training small to large groups
• Facilitating virtual and in-person meetings
• Working with public safety professionals, particularly police and fire departments
• Human resources work related to merit-based selection
• Operating effectively in a matrixed organization
• Applying industrial/organizational psychology principles and personnel selection methods
• Researching and explaining policies, laws, and hiring regulations
• Managing contracts, budgets, and project logistics
• Making sound decisions in high-pressure situations that may be subject to public scrutiny

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in human resource management, business or public administration, social sciences, or another relevant field; AND
• Three years of professional experience in human resources, personnel administration, developing public safety or other civil service exams, or similar work

• Associate degree in human resource management, business or public administration, social sciences, or another relevant field; AND
• Four years of professional experience in human resources, personnel administration, developing public safety or other civil service exams, or similar work

• Five years of professional experience in human resources, personnel administration, developing public safety or other civil service exams, or similar work

• A valid driver’s license
• Ability to pass a criminal background check

Additional Information

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.