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SalaryDescription
Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen
The Washington State Department of Ecology has an incredible opportunity for an experienced strategic thinker, inclusive collaborator and community leader who is committed to protecting and preserving Washington’s natural environment. Ecology’s Southwest Region encompasses a diverse physical and community landscape. The region includes pristine coastline, abundant salmon producing streams and rivers, deep water marine ports, vibrant urban centers, many rural communities, and thousands of acres of forests and farmlands.
As the Southwest Region Office Director, you will represent the Director of Ecology with federal, Washington and Oregon State, thirteen Tribal Nations, local and elected officials; residents, environmental and industry groups; and the regulated community. The Southwest Region serves Clallam, Clark, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Mason, Lewis, Pacific, Pierce, Skamania, Thurston, and Wahkiakum counties.
You will play a significant role within the agency’s executive leadership team and play a critical coordination role in agency high-profile work like the protection of oyster and shellfish growing areas, clean energy project proposals, and climate resilience from flooding and sea level rise. In this role, you will interact with most of Ecology’s environmental portfolio such as hazardous waste management, oil spill response, shorelands management, toxic cleanups, environmental justice issues, water availability, and water quality.
This is an exciting and challenging position for a proven business and community leader. It’s an opportunity to become part of a successful community-based, regional leadership team that engages federal, Washington and Oregon States, local, Tribal, elected official and environmental and business group interests to create innovative partnerships to protect, preserve and enhance Washington’s environment for current and future generations.
This position is located at our Southwest Region Office in Lacey, Washington. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.
Agency Mission: Ecology's mission is to protect, preserve and enhance the environment for current and future generations.
Tele-work options for this position: This position will be eligible for up to a 40% tele-work schedule.Applicants with questions about position location options, tele-work, and flexible or compressed schedules are encouraged to reach out to the contact person listed below in “other information.” Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.
Application Timeline: This position will remain open until filled; we will review applications on February 2, 2024. In order to be considered, please apply on or before February 1, 2024. If your application isn't received by this date, it may not be considered. The agency reserves the right to make a Hire any time after the initial screening date.
Ecology employees may be eligible for the following:
Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s), Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), Vacation, Sick, and other Leave*, 11 Paid Holidays per year*, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Long Term Disability & Life Insurance, Deferred Compensation Programs, Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP), Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), Employee Assistance Program, Commute Trip Reduction Incentives(Download PDF reader), Combined Fund Drive, SmartHealth *Click here for more information
About the Department of Ecology
Ecology cares deeply about employee wellness; we go beyond traditional benefits, proudly offering:
- A healthy life/work balance by offering flexible schedules and telework options for most positions.
- An Infants at Work Program that is based on the long-term health values of infant-parent bonding and breastfeeding newborns.
- Continuous growth and development opportunities.
- Opportunities to serve your community and make an impact through meaningful work.
Our commitment to DEIR
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect (DEIR)are core values central to Ecology’s work. We strive to be a workplace where we are esteemed for sharing our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals and collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations.
We believe that DEIR is both a goal and an action. We are on a journey, honoring our shared humanity and taking steps to demonstrate our commitment to a vision where each of us is heard, seen, and valued.
Duties
As the Southwest Region Office Director, you will be responsible for eleven staff, including three direct reports: Regional Business Administrator, Regional Director's Assistant and Vancouver Field Office Manager. In this role, you will manage the Region Office facility located in Lacey, WA and oversee the Vancouver Field Office. You will:
- Make purchasing decisions up to $50,000 and interagency agreement contract decisions up to $100,000.
- Manage region and field office operations with regard to office equipment, supplies, and office support staff.
- Negotiate for and have direct control over a biennial operating budget of approximately $2 million.
The Executive Leader of the Southwest Region Management Team
You will plan, direct, and organize Department operations within the Southwest Region through coordination of significant activities and service delivery priorities. You will lead the Southwest Region Office Management Team, which consists of ten Environmental Section Managers to promote cross-program cooperation, coordinate service delivery, share information on agency direction, resolve regional challenges, and develop consistent region operating procedures. You will motivate, persuade, promote, negotiate, coach and connect people to resources. As the Executive member of the Southwest Region Office Management team, you will:
- Identify region policy and procedure needs and take the initiative to ensure their development.
- Direct agency responses to issues that would be considered controversial including media relations and public speaking.
- Serve as the delegated State Environmental Policy Act lead official on actions requiring an environmental impact statement involving multiple department programs.
- Review cross-program actions proposed by region and program staff, such as enforcement orders, permits, and variances for agency and regional impacts.
- Work alongside of Executive Management to ensure appropriate and optimum use of the Department’s resources and work to enhance the effectiveness of agency employees through ongoing performance management, coaching and access to professional development opportunities.
- Support effective Department communication throughout the agency and region.
- Resolve cross-program operational problems with appropriate Section Managers, Unit Supervisors and staff, and provide routine feedback to the Executive Management Team.
- Promote effective working relationships with field office staff, supervisors, managers and other regional staff.
- Promote Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Respect (DEIR) initiatives and improvements across the region.
- Promote effective working relationships with local, state, federal and Tribal government partners.
- Authorize and provide oversight to significant personnel actions occurring in the Southwest Region.
A Key Member of Ecology’s Executive Management Team
In this role, you will report directly to the Director of Ecology and serve as principal spokesperson and advisor in coordinating significant activities and service delivery priorities in the Southwest Region. It is critical that you maintain the highest standards of personal, professional and ethical conduct to support Ecology’s mission and the state’s commitment to efficient, effective and accountable government. As a key member of our Agency’s Executive Leadership Team, you will:
- Represent our Agency’s Director with Federal, Washington and Oregon State, local, Tribal and elected officials, the general public, environmental groups, and the business community.
- Develop credibility as a reliable and accurate problem solver and source of information for local, state, and Tribal leaders.
- Make recommendations to the Executive Leadership Team on how to implement programs and develop policies including agency direction for work procedures to ensure responsive service delivery and consistency.
- As appropriate, coordinate Southwest Region activities related to high-profile projects and initiatives, with the Governor’s Policy Office.
- Support the efforts of the Office of Chehalis Basin Director to provide flood and habitat restoration solutions for the region.
- Serve as the responsible regional signature official in making cross-program agency determinations that comply with the State Environmental Policy Act.
- Participate in agency-wide budget development and management as a member of the Executive Leadership Team. Provide input, as appropriate, to funding priorities and decisions for grant and loan proposals in the region.
- Coordinate with other Region Directors throughout the state to ensure consistency, share information, and to identify opportunities for improvement to service delivery.
- At the Director of Ecology’s request, you will serve as the agency’s lead on multi-program issues of broad significance to the state and region.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
All relevant experience including lived, volunteer, professional, or a combination of experience and education that demonstrates the ability to perform the work will be considered.
Your application, cover letter, and resume will be used to determine if you have the demonstrated expertise and professional level management experience listed in the required qualifications. Please ensure your application materials describe how you meet the required qualifications.
We are looking for applicants to have demonstrated expertise in environmental, physical or natural science, environmental studies, engineering, public administration, planning public policy, political science, law, or other related qualifying discipline.
AND
We are looking for demonstrated professional level management experience which includes:
- Experience engaging with Tribal Governments on natural resource management issues.
- Strategic planning experience, including development of annual and biannual business plans with demonstrated ability to conceptualize and articulate the future direction of the business.
- Experience with policy development or program implementation related to natural resources.
- Experience managing relationships with high-level, influential, elected, and appointed officials with a proven track record of consensus building, collaboration and negotiations that reflect a strong understanding of legislative processes and inter-government relations.
- A successful track record working with state agencies, city, county, and federal governments, and Tribal and public entities.
Desired Qualifications:
We highly encourage you to apply even if you do not have some (or all) of the desired experience below.
- Demonstrated experience in managing budgets.
- Demonstrated experience in managing or leading community outreach efforts.
- Familiarity with the Southwest Region of Washington State, especially through living and/or working in the region.
- Working knowledge of the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and environmental permitting for complex projects.
Note: Having some (or all) of this desired experience may make your application more competitive in a highly competitive applicant pool.
Supplemental Information
Ecology seeks diverse applicants:We view diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect through a broad lens including race, ethnicity, class, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, military background, language, education, life experience, physical disability, neurodiversity, and intersectional identities. Qualified candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Need an Accommodationin the application and/or screening process or this job announcement in an alternative format?
- Please call: (360) 407-6186 or email: careers@ecy.wa.gov and we will be happy to assist.
- If you are deaf or hard of hearing you can reach the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.
- If you need assistance applying for this job, please e-mail careers@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not send an email to this address to follow-up on the status of your application. You can view the latest status of your application on your profile's main page.
- If you are reading this announcement in print format, please enter the following URL to your search engine to apply: https://ecology.wa.gov/About-us/Get-to-know-us/Jobs-at-Ecology.
It's in the applicant's best interest to submit all of the documents listed below. Applications without these documents may be declined.
- A cover letter describing why you are interested in this position.
- A resume outlining your experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to the minimum qualifications of this position.
- A list of three professional references.
Please do NOT include your salary history.Wage/salary depends on qualifications or rules of promotion, if applicable.
For Your Privacy:
When attaching documents to your application (such as Resume, Cover Letter, Transcripts, DD-214, etc.):
- Please be sure to remove private information such as your social security number, date of birth, etc.
- Do not attach documents that are password-protected, as these documents may not be reviewed and may cause errors within your application when downloaded.
Additional Application Instructions for Current Ecology Employees:
Please make sure to answer the agency-wide questions regarding permanent status as a classified employee within the Washington General Service or Washington Management Service. Do not forget to select Department of Ecology as a response to question 2, and type your personnel ID number for question 3. If you are not sure of your status or do not know your personnel ID number, please contact Human Resources.
Application Attestation:
The act of submitting application materials electronically is considered affirmation that the information is complete and truthful. The state may verify this information and any untruthful or misleading answers are cause for rejection of your application or dismissal if employed.
Other Information:
If you have specific questions about the position, please email Laura Watson at: Laura.Watson@ecy.wa.gov Please do not contact Laura to inquire about the status of your application.
To request the full position description: email careers@ecy.wa.gov
Why work for Ecology?
As an agency, our mission is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington's environment for current and future generations. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability.
Joining Ecology means becoming a part of a team committed to protecting and restoring Washington State's environment. A career in public service allows you to help solve some of the most challenging problems facing our state, while keeping your health and financial security a priority. We combine one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation with a strong commitment to life/work balance.
To learn more about The Department of Ecology, please visit our website at www.ecology.wa.gov and follow, like or visit us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or our blog.
Equal Opportunity Employer:The Washington State Department of Ecology is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans, military spouses or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons needing accommodation in the application/testing process or this job announcement in an alternative format may call (360) 407-6186. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.
