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Hazardous Waste & Toxics Reduction Program Manager

Washington State Department of Ecology
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Per Governor Inslee’s Proclamation 21-14.1 (Download PDF reader), Washington State employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 18th, 2021. As a condition of employment, the successful candidate will be required to provide proof of their COVID-19 Vaccination as part of the hire process. Requests for medical and religious exemptions will be considered. If you have questions, please contact Careers@ecy.wa.gov with “COVID-19 Vaccination” in the subject line.  


Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen


The Department of Ecology is looking to fill the Hazardous Waste & Toxics Reduction Program Manager (EMS Band 3) position. This position is located in our Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA. 

Lead one of the nation’s premier programs that is responsible for administering and managing Washington state’s hazardous waste management program under state and delegated federal law. Help assure protection of public health and the environment while preserving the state’s natural and economic resources.

The mission of the HWTR Program is to protect Washington’s residents and environment by reducing the use of toxic chemicals, safely managing dangerous waste, preventing new contaminated sites, and cleaning up contamination. The HWTR vision is to be national leaders in minimizing and eliminating the impacts of toxic chemicals and hazardous waste. 

Protecting Washington State's environment for current and future generations is what we do every day at Ecology. We are a culture invested in making a difference. Join a team that is highly effective and collaborative, with leadership that embraces the value of people.

Ecology cares deeply about employee wellness; we go beyond traditional benefits, proudly offering:

  • A healthy life/work balance by offering flexible schedules and telework options for most positions.
  • An Infants at Work Program that is based on the long-term health values of infant-parent bonding and breastfeeding newborns.
  • Continuous growth and development opportunities. 
  • A wellness program that offers education, fitness classes, and an agency-wide fondness for outdoor meetings.
  • Opportunities to serve your community and make an impact through meaningful work.


Diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect (DEIR) are core values central to Ecology’s work. We strive to be a workplace esteemed for sharing our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals and collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations.
 
Diversity: We celebrate and appreciate diversity; our unique perspectives and abilities enrich us all and lead to innovative approaches and solutions.
 
Equity: We champion equity, recognizing that each of us need different things to thrive.
 
Inclusion: We intentionally create and hold space so that we all have meaningful opportunities to participate and contribute to Ecology’s work.
 
Respect: We treat each other with respect and dignity, acknowledging the inherent worth of our diverse perspectives and lived experiences, even in times of uncertainty and disagreement.
 
We believe that DEIR is both a goal and an action. We are on a journey, honoring our shared humanity and taking steps to demonstrate our commitment to a vision where each of us is heard, seen, and valued. 

During Healthy Washington Roadmap to Recovery, employees are working a combination of in-office and/or telework based on position and business need. Ecology is following current state guidance regarding building occupancy, mask requirements, health screening questions before entry, and social distancing. 
 
Application Timeline: This position will remain open until filled, with an initial screening date of October 21, 2021. In order to be considered for initial screening, please submit an application on or before October 20, 2021. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.
 

Duties



Who are we looking for?
  • A leader who can organize, inspire, and is passionate about protecting our state’s beautiful environmental resources from the damage and danger of hazardous materials and dangerous waste.
  • A team player that will work across the agency to initiate, develop, and implement processes, procedures, and protocols to support corrective action cleanups, safe hazardous waste management, and toxics reduction efforts 
  • A manager that creates and nurtures a performance-based culture of continuous improvement, and is passionate about data informed decision-making, scientific problem solving, customer responsiveness and satisfaction, and maximizing resources across the organization. 
  • A passionate and committed public servant committed to eliminating barriers to increase equity and deliver on government’s promises.
  • Someone who demonstrates a clear commitment to public service and builds shared responsibility and ownership for advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion.

A Key Member of Ecology's Executive Leadership Team  
It is critical that this important position maintains the highest standards of personal, professional, and ethical conduct to support the state's commitment to efficient, effective, and accountable government.
 
In this position, you will be in a highly visible role with other federal and state agencies and local governments involved in managing and cleaning up hazardous waste and preventing impacts from toxic chemicals. You will be authorized to administer approving permits, legal enforcement actions, and contract encumbrances; interpret and/or develop broad departmental policies; and negotiate interagency agreements affecting departmental resources.
 
 As a key member of our Department's Executive Leadership Team, you will:
 
  • Represent the Agency Director with federal, state, local, tribal, and elected officials, the general public, environmental groups, environmental justice advocacy groups, and the business community.
  • Conceptualize, initiate, develop, and implement strategic components of chemical action plans, dangerous waste management, and research on safer chemical alternatives, and inform the public of dangerous waste information under Community Right-to-Know.
  • Make recommendations to the Executive Leadership Team on how to implement programs and develop policies including agency direction for work procedures to ensure responsive service delivery and consistency.
  • Foster a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and respectful workplace by setting the example and modeling the way.

Why join the team? 
This is an opportunity to make an impact! You'll lead one of the nation’s premier programs focused on reducing the use of toxic chemicals, safely managing dangerous waste, and cleaning up contaminated sites. You will lead a team committed to:
  • Keeping toxic chemicals out of everyday consumer products by implementing laws like Safer Products for Washington (SB 5135) and the Children’s Safe Products Act. 
  • Developing and implementing comprehensive chemical action plans for how our state can tackle highly toxic chemicals, such as mercury, lead, PFAS, and phthalates. 
  • Providing financial incentives to help businesses replace potentially polluting products or technologies with newer, safer technologies or chemicals.
  • Working with cities, counties, and local health authorities to help smaller businesses ensure their dangerous wastes do not contaminate soil, air, wastewater, or stormwater.
  • Providing technical assistance, as well as engineering and process design advice, to industry and manufacturers on how facilities can reduce the amount of toxic chemicals they use. 
  • Ensuring businesses and other organizations are properly storing, managing, and disposing of hazardous chemicals and waste through technical assistance, compliance inspections, and enforcement actions. 
  • Ensuring facilities that treat, store, and dispose of large amounts of hazardous waste have the proper permits and financial assurance.
  • Sharing information with communities about businesses and other facilities that store or release toxic chemicals to air, land, or water as a part of their regular activities.
  • Cleaning up contaminated hazardous waste management facilities.

What makes this role unique? 

Toxic chemicals are used in making many of our everyday consumer products. Yet the use of toxic chemicals is what drives the creation of hazardous wastes and the need to clean up those wastes if mismanaged. In this role, you’ll have the opportunity and challenge of finding safer chemical alternatives to toxic chemicals so that we still reap the benefit of everyday consumer products but don’t spend more time, effort, and dollars managing or cleaning up those chemicals later.


What you’ll do
  • Coordinate with other agency program managers on formulating rules and guidance affecting hazardous waste operations and facilities.  
  • Administer approving permits, legal enforcement actions, and contract encumbrances; interpret and/or develop broad departmental policies; and negotiate interagency agreements affecting departmental resources.
  • Formulate policy, procedures, guidelines, and rules related to corrective action cleanups, safe hazardous waste management, and toxics reduction efforts and coordinate with other programs and agencies when formulating policy, procedures, guidelines, and rules. 
  • Develop statewide rules, policy, procedures, and guidance related to all aspects of hazardous waste management and toxics reduction, including reducing the use of toxic chemicals in consumer products, research on safer chemical alternatives, and product testing methodology.
  • Implement the agency and program strategic plans, including integration of environmental justice (EJ) and diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect (DEIR) elements.
  • Work with the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to maintain our status as an authorized program under the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), including updating and implementing the hazardous waste portion of the biennial Ecology/EPA Performance Partnership Agreement (PPA).
  • Ensure consistent implementation of RCRA across Ecology programs that manage hazardous waste.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:
Experience for both required and desired qualifications can be gained through various combinations of formal professional employment, educational, volunteer and lived-experience. There are multiple ways to qualify for this position. See options listed below:

Option 1: 

Eleven (11) years of experience and/ or education:

Education: in public administration, environmental management, public health, natural resources, or other related field.
Experience: in management, which includes the following:
  • Five (5) years of supervisory responsibility, including experience managing supervisors.
  • Providing direction to mid-level managers and supervisors in scientific, engineering and/ or public health fields which included coaching, training, recruitment, evaluation, and performance.
  • Providing oversight of a program's diverse functions combining and directing all aspects to meet overall program objectives.
  • A minimum of five (5) years of budget management experience.
  • A minimum of three (3) years of strategic planning experience (annual or biennial based business plan) including the ability to conceptualize and articulate the future direction of a program.
Please note: Experience in each of the areas may have been gained concurrently.


Option 2:

  • A Bachelor's degree in public administration, environmental management, public health, natural resources, or other related field.
  • Seven (7) years of management experience as described above.
 

Option 3: 

  • A Master’s degree in public administration, environmental management, public health, natural resources, or other related field.
  • Five (5) years of management experience as described above.
 
All experience and education combinations that meet the requirements for this position: 



Desired Qualifications:
We highly encourage you to apply even if you do not have some (or all) of the desired experience below.

  • Experience as a second-level supervisor.
  • Experience working with or applying policy decisions from the Washington Health Disparities Map.
  • Experience leading or managing in a large agency or organization.
  • Working in or collaborating with state government.

Note: Having some (or all) of this desired experience may make your application more competitive in a highly competitive applicant pool.


Supplemental Information

Ecology seeks diverse applicants: We view diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect through a broad lens including race, ethnicity, class, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, military background, language, education, life experience, physical disability, neurodiversity, and intersectional identities. Qualified candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.


Need an accommodation in the application and/or screening process or this job announcement in an alternative format?

  • Please call: (360) 407-6186 or email: careers@ecy.wa.gov and we will be happy to assist.
  • If you are deaf or hard of hearing you can reach the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.
  • If you need assistance applying for this job, please e-mail careers@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not send an email to this address to follow-up on the status of your application. You can view the latest status of your application on your profile's main page.
  • If you are reading this announcement in print format, please enter the following URL to your search engine to apply: https://ecology.wa.gov/About-us/Get-to-know-us/Jobs-at-Ecology.  
Application Instructions:

It's in the applicant's best interest to submit all of the documents listed below. Applications without these documents may be declined.

  • A cover letter describing why you are interested in this position
  • A resume outlining your experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to the minimum qualifications of this position

Please do NOT include your salary history. Wage/salary depends on qualifications or rules of promotion, if applicable. 
 
For Your Privacy:
When attaching documents to your application (Resume, Cover Letter, Transcripts, DD-214, etc.):

  • Please be sure to remove private information such as your Social Security number, date of birth, etc. 
  • Do not attach documents that are password protected, as these documents may not be reviewed and may cause errors within your application when downloaded. 

Additional Application Instructions for Current 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.

Application Attestation: 

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. 

Other Information:
If you have specific questions about the position, please email Heather Bartlett at: Heather.Bartlett@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Heather to inquire about the status of your application.
 
To request the full position description: email careers@ecy.wa.gov

Why work for Ecology?

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.

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 your health and financial security a priority. We combine one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation with a strong commitment to life/work balance.

Ecology employees may be eligible for the following:

Student debt: how working for Ecology can help
The Department of Ecology is a qualifying employer for the Public Service Forgiveness Program (PSLF). See https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service for more details.
To learn more about The Department of Ecology, please visit our website at www.ecology.wa.gov and follow, like or visit us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or our blog.

Equal Opportunity Employer: 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, military spouses 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.

Note: This recruitment may be used to fill other positions of the same job classification across the agency.