Hybrid Senior Wastewater Utility Planner bei King County, WA

About the Department

About The Role:
This position will serve as a senior planner in the Combined System and Utility Planning group. This group develops short and long-range plans for upgrading the combined system, adapting to climate change, renewing and replacing existing assets, and updating the agency’s comprehensive sewer system plan. This position will focus on developing plans to upgrade the combined system, including controlling combined sewer overflow (CSO) discharges, implementing green stormwater infrastructure, and coordinating with staff at Seattle Public Utilities, other governments, environmental groups, regulators, and the public. This group also implements some combined system management activities and develops conceptual projects that progress into project delivery and drives large capital investments in Wastewater Treatment’s infrastructure. This position will work independently at the senior level under a program manager to develop and lead decision making processes, develop technical information, and develop necessary documentation for decision making and to comply with regulatory requirements for controlling CSOs and managing the combined system. The role requires managing diverse teams of County employees and consultants, accountability for high-quality deliverables, and maintaining strong relationships with regulatory agencies and interested parties. This position will also provide project guidance and work item support to mid-level staff within related programs.

This position performs work remotely and onsite.
 
About The Team:
Wastewater Treatment’s Planning and Project Delivery Section has over 250 employees, is on track to deliver nearly $500M in capital projects this year and is anticipated grow to deliver over $1B per year by the end of the decade. The Combined System and Utility Planning group within this section serves a critical role at the leading edge of the capital delivery pipeline by identifying future projects to be constructed.

The Combined System and Utility Planning Group is committed to Wastewater Treatment’s core values of environmental stewardship, quality of service, and financial accountability. Our team members are empowered to work collaboratively, communicate effectively, learn and grow from each other, and create innovative solutions. Our commitment to equity and social justice, consistent with King County’s values, makes our teams stronger and allows us to serve King County residents more effectively, especially related to environmental determinants of equity.

Commitment to Equity, Racial and Social Justice:
King County, named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is a diverse and vibrant community that represents cultures from around the world. Our True North is to create a welcoming community where everyone can thrive.  We prioritize equity, racial and social justice, making it a foundational and daily expectation for all employees. As a Senior Wastewater Utility Planner, you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity.

Position Duties

What You Will Be Doing:

• Lead or assist in the development of various technical and policy components of Wastewater Treatment’s Combined System Planning program, including updates to Wastewater Treatment's Long-Term Combined Sewer Overflow Control Plan
• Review initiatives, plans, regulations, policies, technical studies, and documents for impacts on the combined system and control of combined sewer overflows
• Coordinate, develop, execute, and/or assist with various types of planning processes, decision making roadmaps, technical, costing, and policy analyses, such as peak flow reduction options, peak flow storage options, peak flow treatment options, conveyance options, benefit/costs analysis, literature reviews, sustainability analyses, and data analyses to evaluate technical concepts, recommend policies and decisions for various planning programs to inform decision making processes
• Coordinate with other units within Wastewater Treatment to consider the nexus and context of other system needs, opportunities, and priorities as they relate to various planning programs
• Incorporate principles of sustainability and equity, as described in the County’s Strategic Climate Action Plan and Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan, into the Combined System Planning program and projects
• Lead and prepare written reports, memos, and other documents necessary to support various planning programs and inform decision making processes
• Negotiate and craft agreements with component agencies, regulators, and other organizations and governments to support planning and project delivery

Minimum Qualifications

Qualifications You Must Bring:   

• Bachelor’s degree in planning, engineering, environmental science, or closely related field OR the equivalent combination of education and experience
• Experience leading planning, environmental review, decision-making processes and/or policy analysis.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for conveying technical information to a wide variety of expert and non-expert audiences, such as the general public, non-governmental organizations, other sewer utilities, agency leadership, and elected representatives.
• Demonstrated experience and knowledge of project management, contract management, team management, and planning techniques, principles, and practices to develop plans and solutions for complex projects.
• Experience working independently with minimal guidance where there may be ambiguity and established procedures and policies may not exist and must be developed to craft solutions and pathways leading to recommendations.

Competencies You Bring:  

• Plans and Aligns - Sets objectives to align with broader organizational goals. Breaks down objectives into appropriate initiatives and actions. Stages activities with relevant milestones and schedules. Anticipates and adjusts effective contingency plans.
• Communicates Effectively - Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
• Collaborates - Works cooperatively with others across the organization to achieve shared objectives. Represents own interests while being fair to others and their areas. Partners with others to get work done. Credits others for their contributions and accomplishments. Gains trust and support of others.
• Strategic Mindset - Anticipates future trends and implications accurately. Readily poses future scenarios. Articulates credible pictures and visions of possibilities that will create sustainable value. Creates competitive and breakthrough strategies that show a clear connection between vision and action.
• Action Oriented - Readily acts on challenges, without unnecessary planning. Identifies and seizes new opportunities. Displays a can-do attitude in good and bad times. Steps up to handle tough issues.
• Manages Ambiguity - Operating effectively, even when things are not certain, or the way forward is not clear.

It Would Be Great If You Also Bring:

• Knowledge of wastewater conveyance and treatment methods and techniques
• Knowledge of King County’s regional wastewater conveyance and treatment system
• Knowledge of environmental regulations, such as federal Clean Water Act and/or National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
• Knowledge of local government processes, public utility issues, and communications
• Experience using decision making criteria, principles and practices, including identifying issues needing management attention/input.

Other Qualifications

Working Conditions:

• Remote and Onsite Work Details: Employees in this role work remotely from a home location, with onsite reporting requirements averaging 1-4 days per month for team collaboration and field visits. The frequency of onsite work is determined by business needs and may be adjusted accordingly. Onsite reporting locations may be at various King County worksites including the collaboration space at King Street Center (201 S. Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104). This work arrangement promotes work-life-balance and reduces carbon footprint under the department’s vision of Green Where We Work.
• Remote Work Location Requirement: Employees must reside in Washington State and be within a reasonable distance to King County worksites to meet onsite reporting requirements.
• Work Location: Remote/Onsite: King Street Center 201 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104 or one of WTD's regional treatment plants
• Work Schedule: This full-time position works a 40-hour work week. This position is exempt from the overtime provision of the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) and is not overtime eligible.
• Union Representation: This position is represented by The Technical Employees’ Association.

 
Application and Selection Process:
We welcome applications from all qualified candidates. We value diverse perspectives, life experience and encourage people of all backgrounds to apply.

Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness and alignment with the experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skills essential for this role to determine which candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews. Applications without the following required materials will not be considered for this position. 

To apply, submit a:

• Complete Application
• Resume
• Cover Letter

Note: Additional documents won't be considered during minimum qualification screening. 

Anticipated Timeline for this recruitment (subject to change):

• Virtual technical interview (20 minutes) - Early September
• Virtual panel interviews (50 minutes) and writing exercise following interviews (60 minutes) - Early to mid-September

Who to Contact: For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact: Angelia Remolana - [email protected]


Discover More about DNRP: Visit our website, explore an interactive map of our recent accomplishments and check us out at Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Keeping King County Green News.

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Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.
Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement

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