Climate Operations Team Supervisor (COM 5)

State of Washington•Multiple Locations Statewide, WA

About The Position

The Climate Operations Team Supervisor is part of the Climate & Ecosystem Section within the Local Government Division’s Growth Management Services Unit at the Washington State Department of Commerce. The section implements the climate laws of the Growth Management Act (GMA), and the position leads and oversees the Climate Operations Team’s work. The role manages climate planning grant programs, rulemaking, greenhouse gas subelement decisions, plan review coordination, monitoring of climate plan adoption statewide, and potential appeals of agency decisions. The position oversees program goals, timelines, staffing resources, equity and environmental justice policies, climate regulations, technical assistance, outreach, contracts, and performance reporting. It represents the unit at professional and government meetings and presents technical information to internal and external audiences, including the legislature. The supervisor also manages and develops professional staff, oversees grant and contract operations, supports rulemaking under the Administrative Procedures Act, and coordinates plan-review information and reporting tools with other section staff. The position may be located anywhere in Washington State. Occasional travel to a Commerce office or elsewhere in the state for meetings or events may be required. A selected candidate must travel to pick up equipment and receive instruction. Many Commerce employees work remotely or on a hybrid schedule.

Requirements

Eight years of combined experience and/or qualifying education in community, trade, or economic development focused on local or regional planning.
Experience in two or more of the following areas: knowledge of the Washington State Planning Enabling Act, Growth Management Act, State Environmental Policy Act, and Shoreline Management Act; writing or administering zoning codes or development regulations; coordinating and consulting with public officials and departments; conducting data collection and analysis; or analyzing and reviewing policies, rules, and laws.
At least one year of supervisory or management experience. Supervisory experience may include hiring, training and development, assigning work, evaluating performance, and corrective action. Managerial experience may include project and program leadership, resource and financial management, strategy, and process optimization.
Education in land use planning, urban planning, public administration, public policy, or a related field may substitute year for year for qualifying experience; qualifying education is post-high-school or equivalent.
Intermediate skill with Microsoft Office Suite products, including OneDrive, Teams, SharePoint, Excel, Word, and Outlook.
Ability to review materials consistently against criteria and communicate needed changes clearly and concisely.
Strong problem-solving skills and strong organizational and detail-oriented abilities.
Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to understand and appropriately respond to community, partner, and stakeholder interests and needs.
Sound judgment and discernment, with the ability to understand the big picture.
Strong anticipatory skills to recognize opportunities and needs.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Washington State planning and plan implementation procedures.
Familiarity with local governance structures, including experience working with elected officials and local government staff.
Experience administering state or federal grants.
American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification, or ability to obtain it within two years of appointment.
Specialized training, experience, and knowledge related to climate change.
Demonstrated experience managing complex planning projects.

Responsibilities

Determine and assess Operations Team goals and timelines, and adjust resources for implementing the GMA climate planning law.
Oversee development and implementation of equity and environmental justice policies related to climate planning and local government funding.
Oversee development of climate-regulation rulemaking.
Identify and prioritize strategies to support local governments implementing climate programs.
Represent Growth Management Services at professional, local, state, regional, and national meetings.
Present technical program information to internal audiences, agencies, governments, private entities, and the legislature.
Provide complex technical assistance on the GMA and Climate & Ecosystem program to local governments and stakeholders.
Ensure grant and contract terms, conditions, scopes of work, certifications, and related documents mitigate agency risk and comply with applicable laws, requirements, and policies.
Ensure contracts align with statutes, program rules, agency performance expectations, and authorizing authority.
Oversee technical assistance and outreach for potential applicants.
Promote Commerce programs and identify other Commerce funding opportunities for applicants.
Oversee executive reports and summaries as requested.
Develop administrative procedures and staff resources.
Collect and report program performance data for Climate Commitment Act reporting, the division, the agency, and the Governor’s office.
Supervise professional staff, set expectations, conduct hiring, identify training and mentoring needs, evaluate performance, delegate assignments, and provide feedback and coaching.
Recommend corrective or disciplinary action to the Section Manager and work with Human Resources on remedies.
Oversee grant-program development, including contract templates and resources.
Ensure contract operations follow state and department rules and procedures, and oversee contract negotiation and execution for Climate & Ecosystem Section programs.
Oversee implementation of the Administrative Procedures Act in Climate & Ecosystem Section rulemaking.
Review draft rule amendments for technical completeness and consistency.
Coordinate internally and externally across Growth Management Services on revising, maintaining, and updating law and rule materials.
Coordinate with Regional Planning Section staff on plan review for the Climate & Ecosystem Section.
Develop reports for program analysis and reporting.
Train staff on tools and processes such as review workflows and customer relationship management tools.