Open Positions
Director
New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration (WCA)
Compensation: Apply for more information
Open Until Filled
Job Description:
The New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration (WCA) is seeking a Director to provide executive leadership, strategic direction, and fiscal oversight for the agency. The WCA serves New Mexico's workers and employers by ensuring the timely and efficient delivery of indemnity and medical benefits to injured workers at a reasonable cost to employers. The Director is responsible for ensuring the agency operates efficiently, provides high-quality public service, and maintains a balanced workers' compensation system that supports injured workers, employers, providers, insurers, and other stakeholders across New Mexico.
Purpose:
The WCA Director leads the agency in fulfilling its mission, vision, and statutory responsibilities. This position oversees agency operations, programs, budgets, personnel, stakeholder engagement, policy implementation, and service delivery. The Director promotes a culture grounded in respect, ethics, service, professionalism, excellence, courtesy, and teamwork while advancing the agency's vision of one team and one goal: a better New Mexico for workers and employers.
Duties:
- Provide leadership, direction, and fiscal oversight for the Workers' Compensation Administration.
- Ensure the quick and efficient delivery of indemnity and medical benefits to injured workers at a reasonable cost to employers.
- Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including injured workers, employers, insurers, providers, legal representatives, state partners, and community stakeholders.
- Lead strategic planning, operational improvement, policy implementation, workforce development, and performance accountability across the agency.
- Advise executive leadership and other high-level stakeholders on agency priorities, operational needs, emerging issues, and long-term goals.
- Represent the agency professionally in public meetings, legislative or policy discussions, advisory council matters, and stakeholder communications.
- Promote efficient, transparent, and responsive government service consistent with the WCA's mission, vision, and core values.
- Preside over hearings and administrative proceedings, ensuring matters are handled fairly, efficiently, and in accordance with the Workers' Compensation Act and applicable regulations.
- Oversee agency bureaus and programs, including adjudication, mediation, ombudsman services, employer compliance, enforcement, medical cost containment, safety, return-to-work initiatives, self-insurance and regulatory audit, and the Uninsured Employers' Fund.
- Promote effective dispute resolution through mediation and administrative court processes for contested workers' compensation claims.
- Ensure employers maintain required workers' compensation coverage and support education, compliance, and enforcement efforts.
- Strengthen information and assistance services, including ombudsman support, public education, publications, training, and outreach to workers and employers.
- Perform other duties as assigned or required to support the effective operation of the agency.
Qualifications:
Bachelor's Degree in Business Management or Administration, Public Administration, Human Resources, Social Work, Behavioral Science, Counseling, Public Policy, or a related field and ten years of professional work experience in public administration, workers' compensation, legal services, human resources, business management, social services, regulatory compliance, governmental operations, or another field related to the purpose of the position. A minimum of three years of experience must include management, executive leadership, or senior-level program administration. Any combination of education from an accredited college or university and/or direct experience in this occupation totaling sixteen years may substitute for the required education and experience.
Employment Requirements:
- Must possess/obtain and maintain a valid New Mexico Driver's License.
- Must possess and maintain a current Defensive Driving Course Certificate from the State of New Mexico or must pass and receive Defensive Driving Course Certification as a condition of continued employment.
- Employment is subject to all applicable State of New Mexico requirements, agency policies, and reference checks as required.
Working Conditions:
Work is performed primarily in an office setting with exposure to Visual/Video Display Terminal (VDT), extensive computer and phone usage, meetings, public-facing communications, and occasional travel to WCA field offices, meetings, or stakeholder events. Some sitting, standing, bending, and reaching may be required.
How to Apply:
Apply using the form below, or contact Valerie Martinez at Valerie.Martinez@wca.nm.gov for more information.
Download the full job posting (PDF)
