Region 1 Environmental Program Manager

The State of Colorado is hiring a Region 1 Environmental Program Manager, a supervisory role focused on environmental project management, compliance, and consultant management. This position requires interaction with various stakeholders and is responsible for ensuring environmental regulations are met for construction projects. The job is only open to Colorado residents and emphasizes a commitment to diversity and employee support within the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).
This position is only open to Colorado state residents
• New employees to the State will be paid biweekly. There are 26 biweekly pay periods in a year.

About CDOT

Do you want to make a difference in Coloradans’ lives? Do you have a passion for helping people and keeping them safe? At the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), you will have the opportunity to do just that. The work our people do contributes to keeping Coloradans and visitors safe and provides freedom, connection, and experience through travel. Please visit our careers page to learn about CDOT and how we are making Colorado a great place to live, work and play, now and for the future! Also, check out our excellent benefits package!

CDOT for All

CDOT’s strength is our people, and our commitment to our people is to shape, support, and sustain the employee experience, and ultimately, create a supportive workplace where everyone, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status, education, disability, socio-economic status, or any other identity, has the opportunity to thrive.

Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more information, go to https://studentaid.gov/pslf/

The eligible list created from this announcement may be used to fill current and future vacancies for a period of up to 6 months.

Description of the Job

This is a supervisory position within the Region 1 Environmental Unit. This position performs in four key areas: environmental project management, supervision and leadership, consultant management, and Categorical Exclusion staffing and management. This position ensures that federal, state, and local environmental compliance is being met on CDOT and Local Agency projects, while providing excellent service to the engineering programs within Region 1. This position will work directly with executive management, business managers, and project staff in project management. This position also has frequent contact with Region 1 management, Environmental Programs Branch personnel at headquarters, appointed officials, government regulators, and elected officials. This position is responsible for working with and assisting the Region 1 Environmental Manager with developing the overall unit's work plan and goals.

This position will be responsible for providing expertise in the environmental management of various construction and maintenance programs. This will include coordinating environmental clearances (i.e., noise, air quality, history, hazardous materials, archeology, paleontology, Section 4(f), Section 6(f), wetlands, and threatened and endangered species) with Region specialists and the Environmental Programs Branch. This position will work with various federal, state, and local entities to ensure all required environmental permits are obtained for various construction and maintenance projects. This position also reviews engineering and construction plans, andthe position ensures that all requirement mitigation measures are appropriately addressed in plans and specifications, and the position tracks environmental mitigation during construction activities. This position manages environmental consultants and will be responsible for developing scopes of work, schedules, and budgets, reviewing and approving documents or other related work, and reviewing and approving invoices for payment. This position has a major role, acting as environmental project manager, in projects adhering to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The position ensures that project clearance schedules for Categorical Exclusion projects are met. This position will supervise and mentor 3 and 5 staff persons. This position will also attend and participate on Statewide Environmental Committees and activities through the Environmental Programs Branch, providing Regional input.

Major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
• Manage tasks on simple to complex transportation projects and ensure compliance with all related federal, state, and local environmental regulations;
• Manage simple to complex Categorical Exclusions
• Manage Environmental Assessments (EA), Environmental Impact Statements (EIS), Planning & Environmental Linkage (PEL) studies, NEPA Decision Documents, engineering feasibility, and environmental overview studies;
• Oversee environmental mitigation commitments to ensure NEPA and environmental permit compliance for projects;
• Engage with and solicit feedback from technical resource experts on critical path items and collaborate to determine avoidance, impacts, and mitigation strategies for projects in a timely manner;
• Lead and conduct critical discussions related to environmental impacts of projects with engineering personnel and upper management;
• Diligently work to resolve differences among federal, state, regional, and local agencies/organizations particularly as they relate to federal transportation legislation, NEPA, numerous environmental laws, and/or CDOT's Environmental Stewardship Guide and CDOT's NEPA Manual;
• Serve as a project representative at public meetings. Attend and present at public meetings to explain proposed improvement projects, environmental impact and mitigation options, and solicit or exchange input with the public and outside agencies;
• Lead and supervise a team of 3-5 staff members; perform workload assessment and assignment; approve leave requests, timesheets, and work hours; assist in resolving grievances; provide support for employee training and development;
• Develop performance management plans for staff persons and conduct performance management reviews; provide feedback and documentation to staff regularly for both positive and areas needing improvement; set performance goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time phased; ensure employees have realistic job goals and are equipped to perform their duties;
• Mentor and coach staff to elevate their base knowledge levels to progress to the next classification or to achieve other career objectives; actively work with staff to identify and recommend training and professional development opportunities;
• Ensure employees follow CDOT's policies and procedures; be familiar with and enforce policies and procedures such as sick time, personal leave, overtime, etc.;
• Review a variety of environmental documentation from consultants, such as Initial Site Assessments (ISA), cultural reports, environmental permit applications, noise survey reports, wetland reports, social and environmental justice reports, NEPA re-evaluations, and NEPA and PEL documents;
• Work with the Regional Environmental Manager to determine the type and amount of work that is conducted by a consultant and when Region 1 should use a blended team approach;
• Oversee the preparation of multiple scopes of work, perform work hour estimations, review and negotiate work hours or schedules, and approve the work product of consultants; develop consultant contracts and/or task order budgets and schedules; participate on consultant selection panels;
• Complete quality assurance and quality control checks on all consultant products; work with technical staff to ensure that there is consistency between technical reports and other deliverables; ensure that deliverables are legally defensible;
• Complete invoice and progress report review; actively manage consultant contracts; ensure that task order expiration dates and amounts are not exceeded; advise and give approval to consultant contract managers regarding contract billings and final acceptance prior to payment;
• Manage the Categorical Exclusion process (the majority of Region 1 projects); engage with engineering and Local Agency staff to define scope of environmental analysis required to clear programmatic and non-programmatic Categorical Exclusion projects for construction;
• Work on, manage, or oversee 50-100 Categorical Exclusion projects at any given time; work with technical specialists and Environmental Programs Branch staff specialists to obtain clearances without causing a delay to project advertisement; review and analyze construction plans to determine consistency with federal, state, and local environmental regulations and feasibility with project budget;
• Have final signature authority for the advertisement of Categorical Exclusions; this position's review and signature concurrence establishes that all environmental compliance requirements have been achieved prior to any right-of-way acquisitions or engineering plans being accepted by FHWA;
• Other job duties as assigned.

Work Environment:
• Primarily 8:00 am – 5:00 pm work hours, Monday-Friday
• Approximately 10% spent in the field, 90% spent in the office
• Travel required during work hours throughout Metro Denver/Front Range
• Occasional overnight travel 1-3 times a year throughout Colorado
• Required to operate CDOT vehicles
• May work in close proximity to fast-moving traffic; may work outside in various weather conditions

Experience Only:
• At least 9 years of experience with a primary focus in environmental program administration, which included regulatory compliance and permitting experience.

OR

Education and Experience:
• A combination of relevant education and experience equal to at least 9 years.
• Education from an accredited college or university with coursework in environmental science, environmental studies, environmental engineering, natural resources management, natural sciences, or a closely related field of study or another field of study related to the duties of this position will be considered.
• Experience with a primary focus in environmental program administration, which included regulatory compliance and permitting experience and included project management will be considered.

College Transcripts: If you are using education to qualify, a legible copy of your official or unofficial college transcript(s) or an official foreign credential evaluation report must be submitted with your application. Transcripts must show the name of the school, completed credit hours, and (if applicable) that a degree was conferred. Transcripts from colleges or universities outside of the United States must have been assessed for U.S. equivalency by a NACES educational credential evaluation service. The credential evaluation report must be an official report. Failure to provide a transcript or official foreign credential evaluation report may result in your application being rejected and you will not be able to continue in the selection process for this position.

Conditions of Employment
• Must pass a pre-employment screening which may include social security number trace, criminal records check, public court records check, educational records, and driving records checks. More information in the supplemental information section.
• A current valid driver’s license is required for all Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) positions which require operating a state or personal motor vehicle to perform one or more essential functions of the position.

Preferred Qualifications
The exceptional applicant will possess the proven ability or accomplishment in the following:
• Demonstrated success with the duties listed in the Description of the Job section;
• Understanding of CDOT's core values and how they incorporate into daily regimens
• Highest work/personal ethics and integrity;
• Experience and skill in environmental aspects of transportation projects is preferred;
• Familiarity with transportation rules and regulations;
• Comprehensive knowledge of and experience with NEPA;
• Familiarity with the CDOT PEL Handbook, CDOT NEPA Manual, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regulations, etc ;
• Extensive experience incorporating environmental concerns into the project development process, especially pertaining to transportation projects;
• Leadership and vision across multidisciplinary groups;
• Proven ability to manage multiple assignments, priorities, and projects in a demanding environment;
• Ability to work under tight deadlines and be adaptable to changing assignments;
• Ability to take initiative to solve problems in an innovative manner;
• Ability to partner with public and private organizations, special interest groups, elected and appointed officials, in situations which may be politically sensitive;
• Ability to work with general public, professional, consultants, and staff, with sensitivity to their needs, priorities, promises made and commitments;
• Ability to negotiate mutually acceptable solutions and build consensus through give and take;
• Interpersonal and relationship building skills;
• Experience supervising professional and support staff;
• Strong time and project management skills, including prioritization and multi-tasking ability;
• Excellent reasoning, investigative, analytical, and problem solving ability;
• Excellent facilitation, presentation, and communication skills, both written and oral;
• Strong attention to technical detail and accuracy;
• Ability to work effectively in both independent and team situations;
• Fluency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel), Google platforms (Gmail, Google Sheets etc.), and the ability to quickly learn other software systems.

Applicant Checklist

Complete Applications must include the following documents:
• A complete CDOT Application for Announced Vacancy (please submit online using the green 'APPLY' button at the top of this announcement)
• A complete Supplemental Questionnaire (The questionnaire is part of the online application. You will be prompted to answer them as you are completing your online application.)
• A cover letter that describes your interest in this position, how your experience aligns with the minimum and preferred qualifications of this position. Cover letters must be uploaded as an attachment to your online application. Cover letters will not be accepted after the closing date and time of the announcement.
• A detailed chronological resume. Resumes must be uploaded as an attachment to your online application.
• If you are using education to qualify, a copy of your official or unofficial transcript showing that your degree has been conferred and the name of your school, or your NACES accreditation. Please submit this as an attachment to your online application.
• If you are a veteran, a copy of your DD214. Please submit this as an attachment to your online application.

Only complete applications submitted by the closing date for this announcement will be given consideration. Every effort must be made to submit all application materials by the announcement close date. Where unusual circumstances prevent timely acquisition of transcripts, they must be submitted within five business days of the announcement close date. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application. Failure to submit properly completed documents by the closing date of this announcement may result in your application being rejected.

Notifications:

All correspondence regarding your status in the selection/examination process will be via email. Include your current working email address on your application and check your email frequently as you could receive time sensitive correspondence regarding this position. We highly recommend that you set up your email to accept messages from "state.co.us" and "info@governmentjobs.com" addresses. It is your responsibility to ensure that your email will accept these notices and/or review your junk mail and spam filtered email. Immediately after you submit your application you should receive an email that confirms that you successfully submitted an application for this position. If you do not, try submitting again until you receive the confirmation email. Be sure to also check your junk folder for email communications from the State of Colorado's website.

The Hiring Process:
• All applications that are received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed against the minimum qualifications in this announcement. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications proceed to the next step.
• Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process.
• Part, or all, of the comparative analysis for this position may be a structured application review, which involves a review of the information you submit in your application materials by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) against the preferred qualifications.
• Be sure your application materials specifically address your qualifications, experience, work products, and accomplishments as they relate to the Major Duties, Minimum Qualifications, and Preferred Qualifications sections as listed above. Failure to include adequate information or follow instructions by the deadline for application may result in your application not being accepted for this position and may affect your inclusion as a qualified candidate in any step of the selection process and placement on the eligible list.
• A top group, up to six candidates, will be invited to schedule an interview with the hiring manager.

Transfer, Non-Disciplinary Demotion or Reinstatement

If you believe that you are eligible to be considered as a transfer, non-disciplinary demotion, or reinstatement to this vacancy, you must submit a completed application following the directions in this job announcement and you will be included in the selection process along with other qualified applicants. If you are the finalist for this position after the selection process, Human Resources will confirm your eligibility to be appointed as a transfer, non-disciplinary demotion, or reinstatement applicant.

Employment Screening

If an applicant reaches the finalist stage of the hiring process, the Colorado Department of Transportation may procure a consumer report and/or investigative consumer report on the applicant in connection with his/her application for employment purposes, as defined under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. These reports may be obtained at any time after receipt of the applicant's authorization. As part of the employment screening an applicant will be requested to disclose any deferred judgments and convictions as well as an explanation of the circumstances around any arrest or conviction. In the event that a screening returns information that the applicant believes is not accurate, he or she will have an opportunity to dispute the information with “Info Cubic.”Info Cubic, a consumer reporting agency, will obtain the report for CDOT. Further information regarding Info Cubic, a Division of Orange Tree, including its privacy policy, may be found online at www.InfoCubic.com and www.OrangeTreeScreening.com. Info Cubic is located at 7275 Ohms Lane, Minneapolis, MN 55439, and can be reached at 877.360.4636 or 888.222.0667. The report may contain information bearing on the applicant's character, general reputation, personal characteristics, and mode of living. The information that may be included in the report includes social security number trace, criminal records check, public court records checks, educational records, and driving records checks. CDOT will only request credit reports insofar as they relate to the position for which the applicant is applying. The information contained in the report will be obtained from private and/or public record sources. The applicant will have the right, upon written request made within a reasonable time after receipt of a notice, to request disclosure of the nature and scope of any investigative consumer report.

Appeal Rights

If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director. An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email (dpa_state.personnelboard@state.co.us), postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver, CO 80203), or faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action. For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board go tospb.colorado.gov; contact the State Personnel Board for assistance at 303.866.3300; or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1,State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, atspb.colorado.gov under Rules.

ADAAA Accommodations

CDOT is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability as defined by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to Priya.kumar@state.co.us

Former State Employees

Former employees of the Colorado Department of Transportation System or any other State of Colorado Department or Agency, who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination, must disclose this information on his/her application.

PK (SAP #50003339/PCR #61461)