Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

This exciting position provides direct supervision of 7-10 professional environmental team members. Solid Waste management grants, local plan review, and litter prevention activities are all coordinated out of this unit. In addition, this unit oversees the 1-800-RECYCLE hotline and database, publications, web pages, program outreach, and general technical assistance/outreach on preventing, reusing, and recycling waste materials.

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.

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. 
• A wellness program that offers education, fitness classes, and an agency-wide fondness for outdoor meetings.
• Opportunities to serve your community and make an impact through meaningful work.

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. 

During Healthy Washington Roadmap to Recovery, employees are working a combination of in-office and/or telework based on position and business need. This position is expected to work in the office up to 1 day a week. Ecology is following current state guidance regarding building occupancy, mask requirements, health screening questions before entry, and social distancing. 

Duties

What makes this role unique? 

In this role, you will perform many duties along with your team that are of critical importance to the Washington State Solid and Hazardous Waste Plan. These activities are very high profile and important to our stakeholders. Examples are the litter prevention campaign, working with our regional partners to ensure grant dollars are distributed equitably and consistently, and that Contaminated Reduction and Outreach Plans (CROPs) are being implemented to reduce recycling contamination across the state.

What you will do: 

• Provide direct supervision of 7-10 professional environmental staff.
• Analyze, interpret, and apply rules and guidelines to the administration of grants and the distribution of grant funds.
• Oversee the Solid Waste Management program’s statewide Litter Prevention Campaign including ongoing prevention activities, monitoring expenses and contract work, coordination with external stakeholders.
• Manage the program’s 1800RECYCLE information hotline and database, ensuring outreach messages are consistent with program policy and direction. 
• Work with the Statewide Resource Section manager and other unit supervisors, to develop and implement overall section direction, strategy, and policy.
• Participate on the extended Solid Waste Management Program Management Team. Bring issues forward for decision, and make policy recommendations.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

A total of Nine (9) years of experience and/or education as described below:

• Professional level Experience: in public administration, environmental, physical, natural science, engineering, planning, project management, team leadership, staff management, or equivalent work experience. 
• Education: involving a major study in public administration, environmental, physical, natural science, engineering, planning or closely related field.

All experience and education combinations that meet the requirements for this position:

Desired Qualifications:

We highly encourage you to apply even if you do not have some (or all) of the desired experience below.

• Five years of experience in grant and/or contract management with a Bachelor’s degree, or three years of experience in grant and/or contract management with a Master’s degree. 
• Knowledge and experience with solid waste/recycling laws and regulations. 
• Familiarity with the State’s Solid and Hazardous Waste Plan.

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 Accommodation in 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 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.  

Application Instructions:

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.
• 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 (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:

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.

Ecology employees may be eligible for the following:

Student debt: how working for Ecology can help

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.

Note: This recruitment may be used to fill other positions of the same job classification across the agency.