The Water Resources Program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Water Resources Program Planner (Environmental Planner 5) position.

This position is locatedin our Headquarters Office in Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

In this role, you will oversee the implementation of the Water Resources Program’s Strategic Plan by developing annual program plans that set the direction and establish priorities for the entire Water Resources Program each year.

You will also be responsible for the creation and tracking of performance measures to evaluate our success. Representing the Water Resources Program on Ecology’s Performance Management Team, you will make important contributions to the development, implementation, and tracking of the agency’s strategic plan and performance measures.

You will enact key strategic planning priorities around policy development, process improvement, leadership development, and change management.

Agency Mission : Ecology's mission is to protect, preserve and enhance the environment for current and future generations.

Program Mission : The mission of the Water Resources program is to manage water resources to meet the needs of people and the natural environment, in partnership with Washington's communities.

Tele-work options for this position : This position will be eligible for up to a 90% 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 May 16, 2024 . In order to be considered, please submit an application on or before May 15, 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.

Please Note : We will review all applications received before the date above. Additional reviews after this date typically only occur if we have a small applicant pool, or if a successful Hire was not made.

Ecology employees may be eligible for the following :

About the Department of Ecology

Protecting Washington State's environment for current and future generations is what we do every day at Ecology. We are a culture that is invested in making a difference.

Join a team that is highly effective and collaborative, with leadership that embraces the value of people. To learn more, check out our .

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.

Diversity : We celebrate and appreciate diversity; our unique perspectives and abilities enrich us all and lead to innovative approaches and solutions.

Equity : We champion equity, recognizing that each of us need different things to thrive. Inclusion : We intentionally create and hold space so that we all have meaningful opportunities to participate and contribute to Ecology’s work.

Respect : We treat each other with respect and dignity, acknowledging the inherent worth of our diverse perspectives and lived experiences, even in times of uncertainty and disagreement.

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

What makes this role unique?

Ecology manages water resources based on 100-year-old Washington water law that is complex, challenging to understand, and litigious.

In the face of climate change and an evolving modern work environment, you will support our program through significant changes by guiding and directing staff and management in carrying out the strategic plan and evaluating outcomes.

In this position, you will play a critical role in guiding how the Water Resources Program manages water resources.

What you will do :

• Oversee the implementation of the Water Resources Strategic Plan, including identifying and tracking metrics that measure success.
• Prepare position papers, policy analysis, and proposals as requested by program management, senior agency management, or the Governor’s Policy Office.
• Represent the program on Ecology’s Performance Management Team, support the development of the agency’s strategic plan, and evaluate implementation by tracking performance measures.
• Assess data and communicate insights regarding program goals, obstacles, and key steps needed for improvement.
• Lead process improvement efforts for the program.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications :

Years of required experience indicated below are full-time equivalent years. Full-time equivalent experience means that any experience where working hours were less than 40 hours per week will be prorated in order to meet the equivalency of full-time.

We would calculate this by looking at the total hours worked per week, divide this by 40, and then multiply by the total number of months worked.

Examples of the proration calculations are :

• 30 hours worked per week for 20 months : (30 / 40) x 20 months 15 months full-time equivalent
• 20 hours worked per week for 12 months : (20 / 40) x 12 months 6 months full-time equivalent

Experience for both required and desired qualifications can be gained through various combinations of formal professional employment, education, and volunteer experience.

See below for how you may qualify.

Option 1 :

• A Bachelor’s degree with major study in land use, urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, landscape architecture, geography, land use or environmental law, public administration with an environmental emphasis, or closely related field, AND
• Seven (7) years of experience in land use, urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, and / or program development.

Option 2 :

• A Master’s degree or above with major study in land use, urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, landscape architecture, geography, land use or environmental law, public administration with an environmental emphasis, or closely related field, AND
• Five (5) years of experience in land use, urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, and / or program development.

Option 3 :

Two (2) years of experience as an Environmental Planner 4, at the Department of Ecology.

Desired Qualifications :

• Knowledge of environmental management principles including tactical and strategic program planning.
• Negotiation, mediation, and / or facilitation skills.
• Demonstrated successful application of project management principles.

Note : Having some (or all) of this desired experience may make your application more competitive in a highly competitive applicant pool.

Last updated : 2024-05-18