Chief Deputy Workers' Compensation Commissioner

Chief Deputy Workers' Compensation Commissioner

Shape the Future of Iowa's Workers' Compensation System

This role is an opportunity to help define the future of how Iowa delivers fair, timely, and consistent workers' compensation decisions.

The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) is seeking a Chief Deputy Workers' Compensation Commissioner (Public Service Manager 2) to serve as a key partner to the Commissioner in leading one of the state's most critical adjudicative systems.

This position offers a rare opportunity to:

• Influence how a division operates and evolves
• Lead a highly skilled judicial team
• Help shape policy, process, and long-term direction
• Play a central role in ensuring due process for Iowans

If you are an experienced attorney looking to expand your impact beyond individual cases, and into leadership, systems, and public service, this role offers that next step.

About DIAL

DIAL protects the health, safety, and well-being of Iowans through education, regulation, and due process. The Workers' Compensation Division plays a vital role in ensuring fair and efficient resolution of claims that impact workers, employers, and communities across the state.

Why This Role Stands Out

Unlike many leadership roles, this position is not confined to a fixed structure.

• This is a newly defined role, offering the ability to help shape responsibilities, priorities, and team direction
• You will serve as a trusted advisor and operational leader, working closely with the Commissioner
• You will have meaningful influence on process improvement, policy development, and system performance
• Your leadership will directly impact timeliness, consistency, and quality of decisions statewide

This is an opportunity for someone who wants to build, lead, and leave a lasting mark.

What You'll Do

Lead the Division's Adjudicative Work

• Oversee hearing operations and ensure timely, high-quality case resolution
• Conduct hearings, rule on motions, evaluate evidence, and issue decisions
• Ensure consistency, clarity, and legal soundness across all decisions

Lead and Develop a High-Performing Team

• Supervise and support a team of Deputy Commissioners, professional staff, and support staff
• Provide coaching, guidance, and quality oversight
• Establish clear expectations and promote consistency in legal reasoning and decision-making

Drive Operational Excellence

• Manage case flow, workload distribution, and performance metrics
• Identify process improvements and implement more efficient systems
• Help modernize and enhance case management and hearing processes

Shape Policy and Strategic Direction

• Partner with the Commissioner to evaluate division performance and future needs
• Contribute to policy development, procedural updates, and training initiatives
• Provide insight based on legal trends, case data, and operational outcomes

Serve as a Key Representative

• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including legal professionals and state partners
• Represent the division in workgroups, committees, and public-facing settings
• Provide expertise on administrative law and adjudicative practices

What We're Looking For

We're looking for a leader who brings:

• Licensed attorney in the State of Iowa
• Experience in administrative law, litigation, or adjudication (workers' compensation experience is a plus, not a requirement)
• Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, or influence others
• Strong legal analysis, writing, and decision-making skills
• Ability to navigate complexity, ambiguity, and evolving priorities
• A mindset focused on public service, fairness, and continuous improvement

Who This Role May Be Perfect For

• An attorney ready to move from individual practice to system-level impact
• A legal professional interested in leadership, policy, and operational strategy
• Someone motivated by public service and shaping how decisions affect real people
• A leader who is energized by building and improving systems, not just maintaining them

What to Know

• This is a non-merit position, serving in a leadership capacity within state government
• The role offers the opportunity to gain high-level leadership experience and influence statewide operations
• You will work closely with executive leadership and play a visible role in the agency's success

Why Join the State of Iowa

• Work That Matters – Impact decisions that affect workers and employers across the state
• Leadership Opportunity – Shape a division and influence long-term direction
• Professional Growth – Expand into executive-level leadership and strategy
• Stability & Purpose – Serve Iowans through meaningful public service

Location: Des Moines, Iowa (Central Office near Valley Junction)

Background check required

E-Verify and Right to Work The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States. The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work laws, which protect employees' rights to work without being required to join a labor organization. For more information, please visit

This is a non-merit position with the Department of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing.

Positions in this class are exempt from the screening and referral requirements of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services - Human Resources Enterprise.