What are the responsibilities and job description for the FASS IT Application Development - Manager position at State of Washington Dept. of Ecology?
Description
Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen
Are you ready to be an advocate for change?
Can you picture yourself steering a team through uncertainty, transition, and growth? Do you get energized by modern application frameworks like MACH? Are you eager to help move an agency from legacy monoliths to nimble microservices that truly meet business needs? Do you perceive the upside of a constantly evolving technical landscape — and want to stay at the front of it?
If you answered yes to these questions, the technology team at the Department of Ecology wants to meet you. We’re changing the way we work: not looking back but embracing the best of today’s modern tools and frameworks. Our mission is bold — to modernize or retire every application in our portfolio within the next four years. Ambitious? Absolutely. Achievable? We think so, with today’s toolsets and the advances AI brings to accelerate learning and delivery.
Make no mistake: this is a journey with real trials — mountains to summit, rivers to cross, and tough decisions along the way. Change isn’t easy. But it is rewarding. And with the right people, it can be exciting and transformative for our teams, our agency, and the public we serve.
If moving quickly, learning constantly, and being willing to “fail fast and learn faster” doesn’t sound like your thing — these might not be the droids you are looking for.
But if you’re intrigued — maybe even a little fired up — then continue on to learn what this role is all about.
The Department of Ecology is hiring an FASS IT Application Development - Manager within the Information Technology Services Office (ITSO).
Location:
- Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA.
- Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.
Schedule:
- This position is eligible for telework and flexible schedule options.
- You may telework most of your work time with occasional in-person meetings and activities.
- Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.
Application Timeline:
- Apply by October 07, 2025
- This position will remain open until filled. The agency reserves the right to make a hire at any time after application review begins. Applications received after the date above may not be considered.
Duties
Take the Captain’s Chair of FASS!
In this role, you’ll be at the helm of the Financial and Administrative Systems Support (FASS) Unit, guiding the crew that keeps Ecology’s critical financial and administrative systems operating smoothly. Your orchestration will help us chart a course through modernization, ensuring our business partners have the tools they need to thrive. You won’t just maintain systems — you’ll pilot change, inspire innovation, and make sure we’re always ready for the challenges ahead.
What you’ll do:
- Lead the Way: Manage, shape, and oversee all things information management for FASS. You’ll shape and deliver a strategic plan, set IT policies, and steer the long-term vision for financial and administrative systems.
- Keep the Engines Humming: Ensure FASS applications are maintained, modernized, and enhanced to meet evolving business needs.
- Crew Collaboration: Work together with Financial Services Managers, guiding developers who support our agency’s enterprise-wide financial systems.
- Modernize the Fleet: Drive adoption of Agile, DevOps, CI/CD pipelines, and other modern development practices that boost collaboration, increase deployment speed, and make our processes leaner.
- Be the Translator: Serve as the go-between for business administrators and application teams, making sure communication is clear, effective, and forward-looking.
- Push for Innovation: Advocate for automation, AI-powered optimization, and self-service analytics to empower smarter, faster, data-focused decisions across the agency.
This role isn’t just about systems — it’s about inspiration, leadership, and helping Ecology move boldly into the future.
Qualifications
For detailed information on how we calculate experience, please visit our Recruitment website.
Required Qualifications:
Nine years of experience and/or education as described below:
-
Experience: Progressively responsible experience in enterprise software, including work in areas like IT consultation, systems development, systems analysis, database management, technical support troubleshooting, project management, or server management.
Experience must include:- Leadership & Delivery: 2 years in a supervisory, management, or team lead role, including leading Agile or hybrid software teams with tools like Azure DevOps or Jira.
- Modernization & Cloud: Hands-on experience modernizing legacy systems (e.g., migrating to web or cloud-native platforms) and building enterprise applications in the cloud, preferably Microsoft Azure.
- Full Lifecycle Development: 3 years across the full application lifecycle—planning, requirements, development/configuration, testing, deployment, and production support.
- Technical Expertise: Knowledge of CI/CD pipelines, DevSecOps, secure coding (OWASP, PII protection, compliance), and modern architectures (API-first, microservices, containers).
- Integration & Operations: Experience with application/data integrations, cross-functional team collaboration, vendor management, and production support/incident management.
- Quality & Accessibility: Familiarity with WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards, inclusive design, managing technical debt, refactoring code, and shaping long-term modernization roadmaps.
- Education involving a major study in an Information Technology program or closely related field.
Examples of how to qualify:
- 9 years of experience.
- 8 years of experience AND 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter college credits.
- 7 years of experience AND 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter college credits (Associate’s degree).
- 6 years of experience AND 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter college credits.
- 5 years of experience AND a Bachelor’s degree or higher.
Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:
- This position is designated as overtime exempt because of its supervisory functions, the range of critical tasks performed by this technology position, and the impact of the independent actions that the position must administratively perform to directly support technology business operations.
- Must possess a valid driver’s license or provide alternate transportation for occasional travel.
- May be required to work additional hours during system deployments, critical incidents, or platform outages.
- Must maintain the confidentiality of sensitive agency and personnel data accessed through Jira.
- Must comply with the state’s IT security and acceptable use policies, particularly when working with workflow automation and data visibility configurations.
- Must complete all required agency training, including DEIR, cybersecurity, and public records management.
- This position is responsible for maintaining current technical and strategic knowledge across enterprise application development, system integration, modernization practices, and SaaS implementation—particularly within financial and administrative domains. While Ecology provides access to assigned technical, security, and policy trainings, the occupant of this role is expected to proactively pursue additional professional development opportunities to remain effective in a rapidly evolving IT and business environment. Timely completion of all assigned IT, cybersecurity, and policy-related trainings is mandatory.
Desired Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field.
- Agile certifications (e.g., Scrum Master, Product Owner, or similar).
- 3 years of experience using Git for version control.
- Background in accounting or budgeting, with experience supporting financial systems.
- Background in environmental sciences, with experience supporting science-based business areas.
- Professional-level experience in consulting, design, programming, or support for medium to large organizations.
If you are excited about this role but not sure if your experience aligns perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply. Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At the Department of Ecology, we are dedicated to building a diverse and authentic workplace centered in belonging. You may just be the needed candidate for this or other roles.
Supplemental Information
Ecology does not use the E-Verify system; therefore, we are not eligible to extend STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information, please visit www.uscis.gov.
Application Process
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 job seekers from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
How to Apply
Click “Apply” at the top of this page. Complete the entire application, including full work history and responses to all supplemental questions, and attach:
- Cover letter, describing your interest in and qualifications for this position
- Resume
Because we base our selection on the information you provide, it is in your best interest to complete the application thoroughly. A resume will not substitute for the “work experience” section of the application or vice versa. Applications with blank fields or supplemental question responses with comments such as “see resume” may be considered incomplete.
For detailed application information, please visit our Recruitment website.
Application Attestation: By submitting an application, you are affirming that the information contained in your application and on all attachments is complete and truthful. The state may verify this information, and any false or misleading answers may result in rejection of your application or dismissal if employed.
Need an Accommodation?
If you need reasonable accommodation during the application and/or screening process, including this job announcement in an alternate format:
- Please contact us at 360-407-6186 or careers@ecy.wa.gov
- If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 711 or 1-800-833-6384.
Questions?
- For specific questions about the position location options, schedule, or duties, please contact Eric Sabisch at Eric.Sabisch@ecy.wa.gov
- If you need assistance applying for this job, are inquiring about the status of your application, would like to request the full position description, or have any other questions, please contact the Recruitment Team at careers@ecy.wa.gov
About the Information Technology Services Office
About the Department of Ecology
As the State of Washington’s environmental protection agency, we are deeply committed to protecting, preserving, and enhancing Washington’s environment for current and future generations. Joining Ecology means becoming part of a team dedicated to protecting and sustaining healthy land, air, water, and climate in harmony with a strong economy. A career in public service at Ecology 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. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability.
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.
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
To learn more about Ecology, please visit our website, explore Working at Ecology, check out our Strategic Plan, and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, 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.
Note: This recruitment may be used to fill other positions of the same job classification across the agency.
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