Careers

Description:

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Department of Ecology is hiring a Program Manager (Exempt Management Service Band 4) within the Toxics Cleanup Program (TCP).

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.
• A minimum of three days per week is required in the office.
• Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

Application Timeline:

• Apply by April 06, 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 April 06, 2025, may not be considered.

Duties

We are looking for a transformational leader with a passion toward cleaning up legacy pollution, restoring, and enhancing the environment for all communities across the state, especially for communities that have borne a disproportionate amount of environmental pollution. As the Toxics Cleanup Program (TCP) Manager, you will lead a team of experts that have a passion for cleaning up contaminated sites, restoring the environment, and making our built environment healthier for all who live and work in Washington.

In this role, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with diverse partners, including Tribal governments and industry leaders to achieve environmental clean ups through scientific, financial, and regulatory assistance. You will also lead and support a team of approximately 250 full-time employees (FTEs). The position has 11 direct reports, which includes seven second-level managers, located in four regional offices and at our Headquarters Building in Lacey.

 Responsibilities include:
 

• Plan, lead, organize, and prioritize the work performed by the Toxics Cleanup Program. Assure appropriate and optimum use of the organization’s resources and enhance the effectiveness of employees through timely appraisal and professional development opportunities. Support effective communications throughout the organization. Maintain the highest standards of personal/professional and ethical conduct and support the state’s goals for a diverse workforce.
• Establish the direction of the Toxics Cleanup Program as authorized by state and federal statutes and direct staff to implement accordingly.
• Represent the agency on complex negotiations with diverse interests to determine the cost-effective and otherwise appropriate approaches to meeting the program’s objectives, resolutions of disputes, project-specific concerns, and policy issues affecting toxics cleanup and Underground Storage Tank (UST) program implementation.
• Represent the agency before the legislature on toxics cleanup and UST issues.
• Ensure staff implement UST regulations, including provisions for financial responsibility at the approximately 9,000 regulated tanks in Washington.
• Serve as the determiner for sites that could score high enough to be considered federal Superfund sites. The state maintains the lead role wherever feasible.
• Establish program/section priorities through an inclusive process involving affected staff throughout the state.
• Develop biennial strategic plan and budget, including significant participation in development of the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) specific appropriations request.

Who are we looking for?
We are looking for an experienced leader who is ready to team with a large group of dedicated professionals. You will need to have the ability to:
 

• Problem solve and adjust strategies to capture emerging opportunities or unexpected challenges.
• Communicate effectively with diverse entities including local governments, community-based organizations, community residents, legislators, federal and Tribal partners, businesses and the regulated community.
• Have a clear understanding of larger state and federal clean up policies which impact the work and direction of the Toxics Cleanup Program, as well as an ability to translate those larger imperatives into appropriate actions.
• See and understand the opportunities and challenges of how the work impacts people and what is needed to ensure durable outcomes to restore and protect the environment.

A Key Member of Ecology’s Executive Leadership Team
 
It is critical that this important position maintains the highest standards of personal, professional, and ethical conduct to support the state’s commitment to efficient, effective, and accountable government.
 
This is a highly visible role for the cleanup and restoration of the State’s land and water resources that have been impacted by contamination. This position represents Ecology’s cleanup interests to Tribes, advocacy groups and residents from communities with environmental justice concerns, local government, the Legislature, business, industry and agriculture interests. It requires constant use of advanced management principles to address various and often-conflicting views of these groups in carrying out national and statewide toxics cleanup requirements. The position must be able to conceptualize, initiate, develop and implement strategic components of the state’s cleanup and underground storage tank goals under federal and state law. This position requires the use of effective communication skills to carry out the responsibilities inherent in the position.

As a key member of our Department’s Executive Leadership Team, the successful candidate will:
 

• Represent the Director with federal, state, local, Tribal and elected officials, the general public, environmental groups, environmental justice advocacy groups and the business community.
• Develop credibility as a problem solver and a source of land use and water quality information for decision-makers and the public.
• 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.
• Foster a diverse, equitable, inclusive and respectful workplace.

Why join the team?
 
This is an opportunity to make an impact! You will have the opportunity to help solve complex environmental issues, clean-up contaminated sites, restore communities for more healthy living, work collaboratively with diverse partners, and build an extensive statewide network to make durable and meaningful changes across our state. 

This position is an Exempt Management Service (EMS) Band IV position. The minimum and maximum salary for EMS Band IV positions is $95,832 - $165,120.