Regional Solutions Liaison (Operations and Policy Analyst 4)

State of Oregon • Medford, OR

6d • $7,537 - $11,098 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality strives to build and sustain an inclusive and equitable environment that embraces and values diversity. Employees at all levels of the agency work together to foster fairness, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We strive to be a workplace where we share our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals, and while collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations. We celebrate and appreciate diversity, champion equity, and treat each other with respect and dignity.
We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, age, or physical or mental disability in the administration of our programs and activities. Visit DEQ’s Civil Rights and Environmental Justice page.
Are you passionate about preserving, enhancing, and protecting Oregon’s environment? If so, please consider a career with the State of Oregon at the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). At DEQ, employees have the opportunity to work with a dynamic and supportive team of mission-focused individuals tasked with maintaining, restoring, and enhancing the quality of Oregon’s air, land, and water.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has a full-time opportunity available for a Regional Solutions Liaison (Operations and Policy Analyst 4). This position will be located in Coos Bay or Medford, Oregon (finalist may choose work location).
Please consider joining an innovative team, and work to advance our agency’s mission to protect and improve Oregon’s environmental quality.
About DEQ!
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is the primary regulatory agency of the government of the U.S. State of Oregon responsible for protecting and enhancing the state's natural resources.
The Regional Solutions Center (RSC) Program – consisting of advisory committees, Governor’s coordinators, and interagency state teams – provides a one-stop shop for communities throughout the state. 11 Regional Solutions teams support community and economic development to help attract and expand business and industry, create good jobs, and improve the economy. They bring the right people to the table and coordinate state action to solve problems and streamline government. These state agency teams help integrate and align permitting requirements, remove barriers to business retention and expansion, and quickly respond to issues that address community and economic development priorities in the region.
Established by Governor Kitzhaber’s Executive Order No. 11-12 in 2011 and enacted by Legislation in 2014, the RSC Program recognizes the unique needs of each Oregon region, and the importance of working locally to identify priorities, solve problems, and seize opportunities to get projects done.​​
The RSC emphasizes multi-agency coordination and collaboration on projects of local and statewide significance. In addition to DEQ, the following state agencies are core members of the RSC: Oregon Economic and Community Development Department (OECDD)/Business Oregon, Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD), and Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) Other state agencies may also be part of the RSC as needed.
Regional Solutions Centers are located throughout Oregon. Starting at the local level to identify priorities, each center works from the local level upwards to solve problems and complete projects. These centers integrate state agency work and funding to ensure that projects are finished as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. ​​
This position sits within the Western Region with a primary focus on Southern Oregon.
For a visual representation of DEQ’s offices and their locations, view our DEQ Offices and Vehicle Inspection Testing Stations map.

Requirements

• 8 years of experience performing professional-level evaluative, analytical, and planning work.
• Bachelor’s degree in business or public administration, environmental science, behavioral or social sciences, political science, or a closely related field may substitute for 3 of the required years of experience.
• Master’s degree in business or public administration, environmental science, behavioral or social sciences, political science, or a closely related field may substitute for 4 of the required years of experience.
• Doctorate degree in business or public administration, environmental science, behavioral or social sciences, political science, or a closely related field may substitute for 5 of the required years of experience.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated understanding of environmental justice and the historical impacts for marginalized and underrepresented communities; ability to take personal responsibility for increasing their knowledge of environmental justice and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Commitment to ongoing development on unconscious bias, anti-racism, and diversity, equity, and inclusion; skills in cultural competency.
• Skill and experience in communication and outreach to underrepresented communities; ability to build partnerships across diverse communities and interested parties and their respective interests.
• Experience resolving inter-agency, multi-jurisdictional, and local disagreements concerning community development needs and environmental issues; demonstrated political adroitness.
• Skill in conflict resolution, negotiation, collaboration, and engagement; strong interpersonal skills with an ability to break down traditional barriers that exist between programs, challenging people to take a coordinated rather than independent perspective.
• Demonstrated ability to advise executives and other decision-makers; excellent verbal and written communication skills; skill, tact, and communication abilities necessary to act as a spokesperson for the Western Regional Solutions Center and the Agency.
• Highly motivated; a willingness to take initiative; ability to work creatively to find solutions; innovative; and excellent problem-solving skills involving detailed thinking for solving complex issues.
• Ability to interpret and implement environmental programs, and federal, state, and local regulations and guidance, and the ability to communicate complex technical information to non-expert audiences.
• Experience within the environmental science field, regulatory processes, community engagement, and/or project coordination, with strong familiarity of water quality topics, concerns, and regional-specific attitudes and issues concerning water quality.
• Experience within political or policy-driven environments within Oregon.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a Western Region Liaison to the Southern-Western Regional Solutions Center.
• Partner with businesses, communities, and local, state, and federal government partners to identify barriers, propose solutions, ensure consistent support for resolving environmental issues, improve regulatory coordination, and advance DEQ’s mission across the Western Region.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans for the employee and their qualified family members
• Paid sick leave
• Vacation leave
• Personal leave
• 11 paid holidays a year
• Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)
• Opportunity to potentially receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level