Water Resources Planning Coord

County of Thurston•Olympia, WA

About The Position

The salary for this position is: $7,640 - $10,050 monthly. The Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) department is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Water Resources Planning Coordinator to join our Community Planning Division. Under the guidance of the Community Planning Manager, the Water Resources Planning Coordinator is responsible leading and coordinating complex stormwater and water resource planning programs across multiple departments and agencies. This position plays a critical role in ensuring compliance with Municipal Stormwater Permit and Underground Injection Control Program requirements while advancing watershed protection, shoreline management, and natural resource planning efforts. The Coordinator provides strategic leadership, technical oversight, and policy guidance for long-range planning, regulatory compliance, and intergovernmental coordination. This role requires strong facilitation skills, independent judgment, and the ability to collaborate effectively with staff, regulators, elected officials, and community stakeholders. Essential functions may include, but are not limited to, the following: Facilitates across departments and divisions to coordinate and synchronize complex compliance timelines, programs, projects, polices, and reporting procedures. Develops, coordinates, and monitors work programs and policy documents for several functional planning areas within the Water Resources Programs. Administers and maintains agreements and contacts with public agencies, funding agencies, and private organizations. Leads, coordinates, and facilitates inter-agency staff for the development and implementation of action plans to comply with the County's Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit and Underground Injection Control Program. Conducts internal program reviews for regulatory compliance to ensure records, training, and best management practices comply with regulatory requirements. Prepares and presents reports to hearing bodies, committees, community groups, and private organizations to explain water resource plans and programs as well as the environmental impacts of land use, transportation, and development on water resources. Provides immediate oversight, supervision, decision-making, evaluation, and training for assigned staff and interns relating to the review of water resource-related aspects of plans, programs, and public policy. Establishes goals, budgets, schedules, and criteria for assigned projects. Serves as team lead on major projects, overseeing and assisting staff on technical matters, making team assignments, and reviewing work. Supports the County in reviewing; interpreting; and shaping local, state, and federal stormwater- and water quality-related regulations, policies, and procedures. This includes serving as a liaison with regulators, municipalities, intergovernmental committees, and stakeholder advocacy groups. Represents the County at various public meetings and committees regarding planning, policy, and procedures. Presents, recommends and/or explains planning activities, projects, and programs to elected officials, agencies, other municipalities, stakeholders, and the public. Communicates and interacts with executives and administrators of other organizations. Participates in intergovernmental committees to analyze, evaluate, and resolve public policy and regulatory compliance issues. Oversees and coordinates investigation, analysis, and preparation of documents for public policy issues, planning, and environmental review. Oversees and establishes methodologies for data collection, analysis, and complex studies related to stormwater management; water resource protections; and environmental impacts of land use, transportation, and development. Coordinates data collection and processing across multiple functional areas to facilitate a consistent, accurate, and comprehensive information system. Scopes, reviews, and provides feedback on the technical work of staff, consultants, contracting agencies, and other organizations as appropriate. Prepares and oversees the execution of contracted work carried out by consultants and partnership agreements. Responds to public inquiries with information on the water resource plans, programs, and related public policy. The view the full job classification, click here: Water Resources Planning Coordinator

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in biology, environmental sciences, urban or regional planning, public administration or, a related field.
Or, any combination of education and experience in which the incumbent can successfully perform the essential functions of the position.
Education and/or demonstrated experience in Executive level group coordination and facilitation and conflict resolution.
Six years of experience with an emphasis on review of complex water resource plans, NPDES Stormwater Permit compliance, urban or regional plans, comprehensive plans, environmental review or other facet of environmental planning, at least three years of which are in a supervisory capacity.
Ability to operate a personal computer with applicable software to successfully perform essential job functions of the position.
Current Washington State Driver's License or have requested and obtained an appropriate accommodation.

Nice To Haves

Ability to facilitate across departments and divisions in which the individual does not have supervisory authority to coordinate, and synchronize complex compliance timelines, programs, projects, polices and reporting procedures.
Ability to apply policy development and administrative principles and legal requirements to complex issues.
Ability to interpret and apply environmental protection laws and regulations to ensure that development, projects, activities, and codes are in compliance with requirements.
Ability to communicate effectively with individuals and groups regarding complex or controversial public policy issues or services.
Ability to develop, manage, and motivate teams working on complex issues, including promoting a culture of shared ownership, accountability, and transparency.
Ability to establish and maintain effective internal and external working relations with elected officials, staff, municipal governments, regulators, stakeholders, and the community.
Ability to quickly assess problems and act to positively resolve conflicts and coordinate efforts to the satisfaction of County staff, consultants, contractors, regulators, stakeholders, and the public.
Ability to apply critical thinking, systems thinking, and independent judgment across multiple program areas to inform decisions and develop pragmatic solutions.
Ability to communicate effectively both in writing and orally, including ability to make public or staff presentations.
Ability to prepare and analyze technical and administrative reports, statements, and correspondence.
Ability to negotiate and articulate clear contract terms, scopes of work, project schedules, deliverables, and budgets.
Knowledge of the Federal Clean Water Act’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Stormwater Permit programs and Total Maximum Daily Loads as well as the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act’s Underground Injection Control regulations.
Knowledge of the provisions of the State Water Pollution Control Law, Underground Injection Control Program, Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), and Shoreline Master Program regulations and other pertinent local, state and federal laws and requirements.
Knowledge of budgeting procedures/techniques and grant administration.

Responsibilities

Facilitates across departments and divisions to coordinate and synchronize complex compliance timelines, programs, projects, polices, and reporting procedures.
Develops, coordinates, and monitors work programs and policy documents for several functional planning areas within the Water Resources Programs.
Administers and maintains agreements and contacts with public agencies, funding agencies, and private organizations.
Leads, coordinates, and facilitates inter-agency staff for the development and implementation of action plans to comply with the County's Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit and Underground Injection Control Program.
Conducts internal program reviews for regulatory compliance to ensure records, training, and best management practices comply with regulatory requirements.
Prepares and presents reports to hearing bodies, committees, community groups, and private organizations to explain water resource plans and programs as well as the environmental impacts of land use, transportation, and development on water resources.
Provides immediate oversight, supervision, decision-making, evaluation, and training for assigned staff and interns relating to the review of water resource-related aspects of plans, programs, and public policy.
Establishes goals, budgets, schedules, and criteria for assigned projects.
Serves as team lead on major projects, overseeing and assisting staff on technical matters, making team assignments, and reviewing work.
Supports the County in reviewing; interpreting; and shaping local, state, and federal stormwater- and water quality-related regulations, policies, and procedures. This includes serving as a liaison with regulators, municipalities, intergovernmental committees, and stakeholder advocacy groups.
Represents the County at various public meetings and committees regarding planning, policy, and procedures.
Presents, recommends and/or explains planning activities, projects, and programs to elected officials, agencies, other municipalities, stakeholders, and the public.
Communicates and interacts with executives and administrators of other organizations.
Participates in intergovernmental committees to analyze, evaluate, and resolve public policy and regulatory compliance issues.
Oversees and coordinates investigation, analysis, and preparation of documents for public policy issues, planning, and environmental review.
Oversees and establishes methodologies for data collection, analysis, and complex studies related to stormwater management; water resource protections; and environmental impacts of land use, transportation, and development.
Coordinates data collection and processing across multiple functional areas to facilitate a consistent, accurate, and comprehensive information system.
Scopes, reviews, and provides feedback on the technical work of staff, consultants, contracting agencies, and other organizations as appropriate.
Prepares and oversees the execution of contracted work carried out by consultants and partnership agreements.
Responds to public inquiries with information on the water resource plans, programs, and related public policy.