Stormwater & Toxics Policy Manager | Washington Environmental Council | Seattle, WA

[Julie Gonzales-Corbin]

Position Summary

The Stormwater and Toxics Policy Manager is part of Washington Environmental Council’s Puget Sound Program and is responsible for managing overall approaches to reducing stormwater and toxics impacts on water, wildlife, and people. The vibrant and enthusiastic Puget Sound Program team works toward clean water and healthy habitat that support iconic species like salmon and orcas and the communities that rely on Puget Sound economically and culturally. Our work builds grassroots and legislative support for a healthy Puget Sound, connects communities across the Sound on recovery efforts, advocates for better policy and enforcement, and demands increased financial investments where needed. The Stormwater and Toxics Policy Manager will refine and implement creative solutions to reduce impacts from stormwater and other sources of toxics, from incentive-based approaches to regulatory processes that protect clean water. The full-time position is based in Seattle, WA, and reports to the Puget Sound Program Director.

 

Washington Environmental Council (WEC) is a nonprofit, statewide advocacy organization that drives positive change to solve our state's most pressing environmental challenges. For 50 years, we have been at the forefront of environmental protection in the state, securing laws and policies that safeguard the health of our families and our environment. From bedrock laws like the State Environmental Policy Act, to free electronic waste recycling, to finding solutions that reduce our climate emissions and build our clean energy economy, WEC ensures a healthy future for our state so it remains a great place to live and work.

WEC works closely with our partner organization Washington Conservation Voters, the statewide political voice for the environment. By effectively combining the policy know-how of WEC with the political savvy of WCV, we have reshaped how environmental protection is achieved in Washington state. Combined, we have a staff of 35 and work in a LEED-certified building in downtown Seattle with a view of Elliott Bay. We offer competitive salaries, good benefits, and the opportunity to make a difference. We are committed to a diverse, socially just, and welcoming work environment and people of color, people with varying abilities, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are especially encouraged to apply. We seek to apply a social and racial justice lens to all of our work.

Responsibilities

The Stormwater and Toxics Policy Manager will be responsible for implementing and expanding on WEC’s portfolio of approaches for reducing impacts from stormwater and toxics. Working with state agencies, local governments, partner organizations and coalitions is critical to succeed. The successful candidate must be able to identify strategic opportunities to effect durable environmental changes.

• Strengthen stormwater policies and regulations to accelerate adoption of green stormwater infrastructure using a range of tools from incentives to regulatory based. 
• Work in collaboration with partners on programs such as the recently released Nature’s Scorecard (www.naturesscorecard.com), completed as an accountability measure to increase compliance with stormwater municipal permit requirements under the Clean Water Act. 
• Seek creative solutions to advance municipal and industrial stormwater, including tracking administrative processes through the Department of Ecology.
• Grow and institutionalize the Orcas Love Raingardens program in Tacoma and beyond, in collaboration with community leaders and partner organizations. Identify how to structure the program for long-term success centered in the local community.
• Advance racial equity in Puget Sound advocacy. 
• Develop authentic relationships with tribes and communities of color to better understand the cultural significance of Puget Sound, the Salish Sea, and the lands and waters that surround them, and work together to protect these values for all.
• Work with partner organizations to increase the effectiveness of the Model Toxics Control Act, which will face three rounds of formal rulemaking in coming years at the Department of Ecology.
• Identify and implement strategic opportunities to keep toxic chemicals out of the environment and out of humans by reducing toxics at the source.

 Required Skills

•        Commitment to applying a racial equity lens to all of our work, including what policy areas we engage in, who we partner with, and how we achieve durable transformational change
•        Knowledge of Puget Sound region, including laws, policies, regulations, legislative process, rulemaking
•       Able to evaluate highly complex policy and technical issues to find the root causes of problems or policy triggers to effectively advocate for positive change
•       At least five years of experience in environmental policy, science, law, or a related field that builds analytical skills
•       Bachelor’s degree in public policy, law, urban planning, sustainability, science, engineering
•       Expertise in stormwater policy and experience developing and implementing strategies for accelerating the adoption of green stormwater infrastructure
•        Effectively communicate Puget Sound team efforts and advocacy positions to a range of audiences, including newsletters to members, media, comment letters to government officials, and multi-media tools that reach new audiences in creative ways.
•        Experience in leadership roles, negotiation, facilitation, and convening groups to seek shared solutions
•        Flexible, creative, and able to thrive in a dynamic non-profit environment that requires prioritizing across multiple topics and simultaneous demands
•        Work effectively independently, as a critical member of the Puget Sound team, and in coalitions with partner organizations while maintaining a professional and respectful approach
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• Desirable Skills
•       Familiar with federal laws such as the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and Model Toxics Control Act, Shoreline Management Act, Growth Management Act, and State Environmental Policy Act
•       Experience with environmental economics and financial marketplaces, including creative financing for Puget Sound protection and recovery elements
•        Experience applying a diversity, equity and inclusion lens to previous work riting grants and reports to funders, including developing measurable outcomes.
•       Familiarity with state and federal laws such as the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and Model Toxics Control Act, Shoreline Management Act, Growth Management Act, and State Environmental Policy Act
•       Experience with environmental economics and financial marketplaces, including creative financing for Puget Sound protection and recovery elements
•       Experience applying a diversity, equity and inclusion lens to previous work

 

Compensation and Benefits

This is a full time, exempt position with a salary range of $53,000 to $60,000 depending on experience. We also offer a generous benefits package including medical and dental insurance, 401k plan and organizational match of up to 3% of your annual salary, a flexible spending account, paid vacation and sick leave, ten paid holidays per year, an unlimited ORCA transit pass, and if you work for seven consecutive years you are eligible for a two-month paid sabbatical. We welcome new and diverse people to a great team who together shape environmental protection in Washington.

To Apply

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and brief writing sample (no more than 500 words that explain a complicated environmental subject to a general public audience) here.  No phone calls or mailed applications please. First review of applications will begin on August 15, 2019; the position will be open until filled.

Washington Environmental Council is an equal opportunity employer committed to dismantling structural racism and creating a welcoming work environment. WEC does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, creed, gender, religion, marital status, veteran’s status, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation. People of color, people with disabilities, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are especially encouraged to apply.