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Waste Management Section Manager (WMS Band 2)


Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen
 
Protecting Washington State's environment for current and future generations is what we do every day at Ecology. We have a culture that is invested in making a difference. If you want to join a team that is highly effective, collaborative, has leadership that embraces the value of people, Ecology is a good fit.

The Nuclear Waste Program (NWP) is looking to hire a Nuclear Waste Program Waste Management Section Manager (WMS Band 2). The position will be located in our office in Richland, WA.

The Nuclear Waste Program Waste Management Section Manager position is a senior level supervisor reporting to the NWP program manager. The position supervises 19 staff positions. This position has final authority over work assigned to all section staff members, decisions on the appropriate cleanup for the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, and the determination of compliance with the Hanford Federal Facility Act Compliance Order (Tri-Party Agreement) and the Washington versus Chu Consent Decree. Decisions on cleanup and compliance set precedent for dealing with statewide policy issues. Decisions made by the person in this position affect the long-term safety and viability of the groundwater and the Columbia River, and for human health and the environment for those working on the Hanford site and those living adjacent to or downstream or downwind of Hanford. 
 
We are looking for applicants to have excellent people skills and the ability to build and nurture high performing teams. Strong applicants will have good organizational skills, experience managing a diverse group, a positive attitude and a proven ability to get things done and hold team members accountable.

As an agency, our mission is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington's environment for current and future generations. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism and accountability. 

To learn more about Ecology, please visit our website at www.ecology.wa.gov and follow, like or visit us on LinkedInTwitterFacebookInstagram or our blog.

 
 
Local efforts... Diverse people... Statewide impacts
 
Duties

 
Agency Mission: Ecology's mission is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington's environment and to promote the wise management of our air, land and water for the benefit of current and future generations. 
 
Program Mission: The Nuclear Waste Program's (NWP) mission is to lead the effective and efficient cleanup of the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Site, ensure sound management of mixed hazardous wastes in Washington, and protect the state's air, water, and land at and adjacent to the Hanford site.

Some of the Key Work activities of the Nuclear Waste Program Waste Management Section Manager position include the following: 
  • Leads the activities of the Waste Management Section – managing the work of several projects and making sure the projects have the resources and management support they need to be successful.
  • Participates the Nuclear Waste Program Management Team and help with setting the direction of the Program and implementing the Program's mission.
  • Works with our partners at EPA and the Department of Energy to ensure Tri-Party Agreement commitments and priorities are being lived up to and Ecology is doing its part to move Hanford cleanup forward.
  • This position is expected to successfully manage the Section staff as they work to resolve some of the thorniest cleanup challenges at Hanford, and to be part of resolving highly political disputes with the Department of Energy.
  • This position gets to solve problems that can be high-visibility and political, such as how the State handles, from a regulatory perspective, the partial collapse of a tunnel at Hanford that holds highly radioactive waste, and whether deadlines for significant cleanup milestones should be moved, or whether the State should take enforcement action against the Department of Energy. The problems often require consultation with the Attorney General's Office and the Governor.
  • The job provides an opportunity to participate in, and supervise employees working on, the most challenging cleanup in the country at a critical time in the history of the Hanford cleanup. Because of the high visibility of Hanford, it offers an opportunity to work with the Ecology Director, Governor's Office, and Congressional delegation on a fairly regular basis. It also involves some cutting edge technical challenges, which a successful applicant could be part of solving.

Challenging aspects of the position:
  • The biggest challenge in our jobs is that the successes come slowly, if at all, and we have had a historically contentious relationship with the Department of Energy, which means our regulatory role is not always respected – which can be frustrating.

The culture of the team:                                       
  • We have an office full of people who truly care about one another and the environment we are working to clean up. We are also committed as a Program to continuous improvement when it comes to office culture and our regulatory effectiveness.


This recruitment will remain open until filled. The initial screening will be December 26, 2019. In order to be considered for the initial screening, please submit an application on or before December 25, 2019. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.


 
Qualifications
 
Required Qualifications:

A Bachelor's degree in a technical field such as science, engineering, project management, public administration or closely allied field

AND

A minimum of Five (5) years of management or supervisory experience.

Advanced knowledge of agency and program policies, principles of management and personnel practices, budget development and expenditure tracking, state and federal hazardous/dangerous waste management, permitting laws and statutes, and organizational functions and roles.

The following skills and abilities are required:
  • Communicate effectively with a wide range of technical, professional, and managerial staff within the agency and program, the public, stakeholders, tribal nations, and local, state and federal governments.
  • Understand and apply complex regulations and adapt existing policies to special environmental conditions that exist at Hanford.
  • Develop, implement, and oversee program policies and procedures.
  • Coordinate activities and functions with other sections and programs within Ecology and other state and federal agencies.
  • Negotiate complex regulatory, strategic, compliance, and management issues with USDOE and EPA.
  • Conduct detailed workload analysis, determine priorities, set goals and objectives, and develop detailed program plans.
  • Train, mentor, and evaluate supervisory, professional, paraprofessional, and administrative staff.
  • Understanding of legal and enforcement actions, including administrative Orders and penalties applied to ensure adequacy of environmental cleanup.
  • Negotiate settlement of enforcement actions and regulatory compliance issues.
  • Understanding of RCRA, CERCLA, and State Dangerous Waste and MTCA regulations as applied on the Hanford site.
  • Understanding of the Hanford Federal Facility agreement (TPA) and consent Order, and its procedures and requirements.
 
Desired Qualifications:
  • An advanced degree in a technical field such as science, engineering, project management, public administration or closely allied field.
  • Five (5) or more years of experience supervising a work unit. 
  • Knowledge of hazardous and mixed radioactive waste laws and issues.
  • Possession and maintenance of a valid driver's license is preferred.
 
Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:
  • The ability to obtain a U.S. Department of Energy Hanford site security badge.
 

Why work for Ecology?
Joining Ecology means becoming a part of a team committed to protecting and restoring Washington State's environment.

A career in public service allows you to help solve some of the most challenging problems facing our state, while keeping the health and financial security of you and your family a priority. We combine one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation with a strong commitment to work/life balance.

Ecology employees may be eligible for the following:
 
Student debt and how working for Ecology can help
Employees may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program, which forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. See https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service for more details.
 
*See the Benefits tab in this announcement for more information
 
 
Supplemental Information
 
Application Instructions:
 
In order to be considered, applicants MUST include the following documents as an attachment to their application:
  • A cover letter describing how your experience, skills and abilities meet the required qualifications of this position.
  • A resume outlining your professional experience.

Please complete the applicant profile when applying for this position. Or, you may paste the text of your resume within the profile's resume text field.

Please read the supplemental questions carefully and answer completely. Incomplete responses, including "please see resume" may disqualify you from further consideration.

Department of Ecology employees, please make sure to answer the agency-wide questions regarding permanent status as a classified employee within the Washington General Service or Washington Management Service. Do not forget to select Department of Ecology as a response to question 2, and type your personnel ID number for question 3. If you are not sure of your status or do not know your personnel ID number, please contact Human Resources at (360) 407-6186.

If you are reading this announcement in print format, please visit www.careers.wa.gov to access the online recruitment system. Click on "Look for Jobs" and select Dept. of Ecology under the "Department" search list. Click "Apply Search."



Other Information:
 
If you need assistance applying for this job, please call Human Resources at (360) 407-6186 or e-mail careers@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not call this number or send an email to this address to follow-up the status of your application. You can view the latest status of your application on your profile's main page.

If you have specific questions about the position, please email Alex Smith at: alex.smith@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Alex to inquire about the status of your application.

The act of submitting application materials electronically is considered affirmation that the information is complete and truthful. The state may verify this information and any untruthful or misleading answers are cause for rejection of your application or dismissal if employed.

The Washington State Department of Ecology is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons needing accommodation in the application/testing process or this job announcement in an alternative format may call (360) 407-6186. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.