Duwamish Valley Water Resilience Engagement Lead

Position Description

An online application including response to the supplemental questionnaire must be fully completed for consideration.

Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) has an exciting new job opportunity available for a Duwamish Valley Water Resilience Engagement Lead under the cities job classification (Planning and Development Specialist, Senior–BU). This is an opportunity to innovate, shape hundreds of millions of dollars in capital improvement projects (CIP), and bring about transformational change to improve quality of life and ensure residents and businesses thrive despite a changing climate. The Engagement Lead will be part of a newly created place-based water resilience section in SPU.

Building on the Duwamish Valley Resilience District work, this position will develop and implement on-the-ground inclusive and multilingual outreach and engagement strategies and actions for water management, water quality, and sediment remediation and cleanup work in the Duwamish Valley. This position will ensure alignment and coordination of multiple SPU teams, as well as other City departments (e.g., OSE, SDOT, SPR, etc.) to deliver a comprehensive outreach and engagement strategy and reduce impacts ("community fatigue") on residents and businesses in South Park and Georgetown. This position will have a key role in flood preparedness and emergency response efforts and the implementation of the South Park Readiness & Response Plan. This position reports to the Duwamish Valley Water Resilience Section Manager.

About Seattle Public Utilities: Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) is a Community Centered Utility whose mission is to foster healthy people, environment, and economy by partnering with our community to equitably manage water and waste resources for today and future generations. We deliver high quality, vital services, across four major lines of business: providing water, solid waste, drainage and wastewater services for Seattle residents and businesses. In addition, SPU provides drinking water for 1.5 million regional customers in Seattle and other municipalities. Our customers depend on us to deliver high quality, reliable, and cost-conscious utility services and to achieve the highest benefits possible for every investment we make.

For more information about Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), please visit:

• SPU Workplace Expectations(Download PDF reader)(Download PDF reader)
• Strategic Business Plan
• Shape Our Water Plan
  
  

SPU commits to Our City Values and Race and Social Justice as core principles that guide our work. We actively take steps to dismantle systemic racism and increase service equity. We value diverse life experiences and strive to create a workplace that is welcoming to all. We take steps to be inclusive and equitable in our recruiting, hiring and promotional opportunities.

Why join us?

About

We know work isn’t only about what you do, it’s also about who you work for and with! SPU provides a fun and family-friendly work environment that supports a work life balance, including:

• Hybrid work schedule opportunities.
• Family-friendly and multicultural work environment.
• Generous benefits package.
• Free public transportation options.
• City pension plan with employer/employee contributions.
• Growth potential and advancement opportunities.
  
  

Job Responsibilities

Community Outreach & Engagement

• Organize and host outreach and engagement events (e.g., open houses, public meetings, workshops, etc.). Align, coordinate, and support project leads to communicate information and receive meaningful input regarding CIPs.
• Track, record, and communicate community input to help shape CIP planning, design, and construction.
• Design, implement, and maintain communication (e.g., mailers, factsheets) and web materials (SharePoint, webpage).
• Support multilingual capacity for outreach and engagement strategies and activities (e.g., translation of printed materials, simultaneous interpretation, in-language work, etc.).
  
  

Alignment, Coordination, & Collaboration

• Host/Support regular coordination meetings between SPU and other City department staff working in the Duwamish Valley.
• Track and record community happenings related to SPU infrastructure in community social media channels, listservs, meetings, etc. Communicate information internally and externally to ensure alignment, coordination, and collaboration.
  
  

Flood Preparedness & Emergency Response

• Update the South Park Readiness & Response Plan (SPRRP).
• Serve as the Community Liaison in SPU's Incident Management Team and have formal roles in Incident Command Structure if the SPRRP is activated.
• Develop and send notifications (e.g., email, texting, etc.) to residents and businesses most at risk of flooding.
• Serve as the liaison with community groups working on flood preparedness and other climate change adaptation efforts.
  
  

Environmental Justice

• Lead all community outreach and engagement efforts in ways that ensure participation and prioritization of low-income and environmental justice communities' voices.
• Support SPU, other City departments, and other partners’ projects and investments to minimize unintended impacts on and maximize benefits for Duwamish Valley residents and businesses.
• Apply and environmental justice lens to the work to ensure equitable distribution of benefits from public investments.
  
  

Please note this job posting is not designed to cover or contain the complete listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, activities, and work location may change as conditions require.

Qualifications

Experience:

Requires three years of experience in planning and research related to land use, urban economics, human services, environmental issues, conservation; or other work directly related to City planning and development activities.

Education

Bachelors degree in planning, urban design, environmental studies, public administration or related field.

Or: A combination of education and/or training and/or experience which provides an equivalent background required to perform the work of the class.

Licenses or Certificates: Current Washington State driver's license or evidence of equivalent mobility.

Additional Information

A combination of the following qualifications would be desired, but are not a requirement:

Desired Qualifications

• Proven ability to work effectively with communities facing environmental justice challenges, preferably in an urban and/or industrial setting.
• Experience improving social determinants of health and delivering community co-benefits through public investments and capital projects.
• Working knowledge of utility operations and capital projects delivery processes (e.g., planning, design, construction).
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including proficiency in a non-English language commonly used in the Duwamish Valley (e.g., Spanish, Vietnamese, Khmer, Somali, etc.).
  
  

Additional Information

Workplace Environment/Physical Demands

• This position works in an office location and will require field visits to other facilities and project sites.
• Most work is performed in a normal City work/office environment.
• Field assignments entail exposure to all types of weather, traffic, hazardous/toxic substances and work in or near construction sites.
• May be required to lift over 50 pounds.
• May be required to stand, walk, or bend for extended periods of time.
• Overnight travel may be required.
  
  

This position allows for the flexibility of a hybrid work schedule. Employees will be required to come into the office a minimum of three days per week. Individual schedules will be agreed upon by the employee and their manager.

Application Expectation

• A complete online application must include a cover letter, resume, and responses to the supplemental questionnaire for consideration.
  
  

The full salary range for this position is $56.23 - 65.54 Hourly

Who may apply: The City of Seattle encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experience. This position is open to all qualified candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. The City of Seattle values diverse perspectives and life experiences. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

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.

More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at:https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits/employees-and-covered-family-members/most-employees-plans

For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact: Zachary Brown at zach.brown@seattle.gov

Employer

City of Seattle

Address

Seattle Municipal Tower

700 5th Avenue, Suite 5500

Seattle, Washington, 98104

Website

http://www.seattle.gov/jobs| Learn more about Seattle Public Utilities at www.seattle.gov/util/ and check us out on social media.