Local Agency Environmental Permits Lead TPS4 In-Training

$69,396 - $103,008/Yr

State of Washington - Olympia, WA

Full-time - Mid Level

Remote - Olympia, WA

Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support

About the position

The Local Agency Environmental Permits Lead at WSDOT is a critical role responsible for leading statewide programmatic permitting and streamlining efforts. This position serves as a senior permitting strategist and subject matter expert, focusing on the acquisition of environmental permits and approvals necessary for transportation projects. The role emphasizes collaboration with various state and local agencies, ensuring compliance with environmental laws and regulations, and supporting workforce development related to environmental permitting.

Responsibilities

• Serve as statewide senior permit strategist and subject matter expert (SME) to support and streamline state and local agency environmental permits and approvals.
• Identify opportunities and initiate actions to expedite local agency environmental permits and approvals necessary for WSDOT projects.
• Lead and manage WSDOT's negotiation, acquisition, and implementation of Agreements with state and local agencies.
• Coordinate regularly with the Washington Department of Ecology, Washington Department of Commerce, Washington Department of Natural Resources, local agencies, and WSDOT Environmental Offices.
• Prepare annual report to Legislature on local governments taking longer than 90 days to issue permits to WSDOT projects.
• Critically evaluate WSDOT's process for collecting and reporting state and local agency environmental permit data and make recommendations to improve accuracy and efficiencies.
• Communicate changes to state and local agency environmental permitting and compliance laws and rule changes to customers.
• Support the development, annual maintenance, and continuous improvement of WSDOT policies related to obtaining local agency environmental permits and approvals.
• Provide permitting strategy support and permit application QA/QC review support for complex projects.

Requirements

• A Bachelor's degree in environmental policy, political science, environmental planning, or a closely related environmental discipline, AND a minimum of three (3) years of work experience negotiating, obtaining or issuing local agency environmental permits.
• A minimum of three (3) years communicating local agency environmental permit information to project team members or customers.
• Ability to develop productive working relationships with customers and coworkers based on trust and mutual understanding.
• Ability to work independently and cooperatively with diverse groups to track and ensure completion of key tasks.
• Ability to interpret written material, including federal and state agency laws, regulations, and policies related to the protection of aquatic resources and habitats.

Nice-to-haves

• Work experience with aquatic resources and fish passage barrier correction in Washington State.
• Advanced knowledge of and experience in design-bid-build and design-build project delivery contracting methods.
• Experience developing environmental permitting policy and/or procedures.
• Experience developing and delivering effective environmental permitting trainings.

Benefits

• Flexible schedule
• Loan forgiveness
• Paid holidays
• Tuition reimbursement