Wastewater Environmental and Community Services Programs Section Manager

King County seeks a Wastewater Environmental and Community Services Programs Section Manager in Seattle, WA. The role involves managing daily operations, guiding a team of over 110 employees, and participating in strategic leadership. Responsibilities include overseeing industrial waste, regulatory compliance, environmental planning, community services, and education programs. The position emphasizes public health, environmental protection, and equity. This is a full-time, on-site position with a salary range of $174,628.48 - $222,464.94 annually.
Salary

$174,628.48 - $222,464.94 Annually

Location

Seattle, WA

Job Type

Career Service, Full Time, 40 hrs/week

Job Number

2025-24499

Department

DNRP-Natural Resources & Parks

Division

Wastewater Treatment

Opening Date

05/21/2025

Closing Date

6/9/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

FLSA

Exempt

Bargaining Unit

F9 : L117-WTD Section &Assist Mgr

Full- or Part-Time

Full Time

Hours/Week

40 hours/week

Summary

The Department of Natural Resources and Parks is seeking an energetic and motivated candidate to provide high level guidance and manage the daily operations of the Wastewater Environmental and Community Services (WECS) Section within the King County Wastewater Treatment Division. The WECS Section manager is a member and active participant of the Division Leadership Team which sets organizational vision and strategy, supports the success of our workforce, and champions strategic execution of critical operations and functions. This position reports to the division director.

The WECS Section has over 110 employees supporting King County's largest capital program, education and engagement, and managing the King County pretreatment program. The Section is organized into five units: Industrial Waste, Regulatory Compliance and Land Acquisition, Environmental Planning, Community Services, and Education and Engagement.
Industrial Waste
Ensures the quality of influent in our system through our industrial waste permitting and inspection programs
Regulatory Compliance and Land Acquisition
Provides property negotiations and acquisition and other real estate services to WTD and completes all construction permitting and land use approvals for our capital projects.
Environmental Planning
Initiates SEPA/NEPA and EIS work, coordinates WTD's NPDES permits and other regulatory responsibilities across the division, provides environmental monitoring and maintenance activities for mitigation sites and other real property assets.
Community Services
Provides critical public relations and community outreach services for capital projects and during emergency response. Provides strategic guidance for community relations and represents King County at community events.
Education and Engagement
Provides outreach on our wastewater services and benefits to the region of clean water and conducts public education programs at our treatment plant facilities and throughout our service area. Oversees an environmental grant program that distributes over $2 million annually.

The Section also coordinates King County's participation in the CERCLA (Superfund) cleanups of contaminated sediments in the Lower Duwamish and East Waterways with external partners and oversight agencies. The WECS section advances the values of King County and the Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) by protecting public health and the environment and providing equitable, inclusive services to residents and businesses across King County. To our agency, success means providing clean water safely and reliably to the next generation. It also means being accountable to our ratepayers and operating a well-managed agency. We are committed to the principles of equity and social justice. We value diverse perspectives and life experiences in our workforce and are committed to building a culturally diverse and inclusive environment.

About the Role:
In this position, you will have the opportunity to bolster our region's public health and environment protection every day. You will ensure strong service and coordination among ECSS work units in support of WTD's Capital Improvement Program. You will also manage the work group's efforts to support WTD Operations staff in their work running one of our region's most complex and important infrastructure systems. This position requires cooperation and collaboration with many different work units, and external partners and regulatory agencies. To be successful, you must be able to facilitate open dialog with a wide variety of contributors, sometimes balancing conflicting interests or opinions.
As a key leader in the organization, you will be responsible for effectively managing and communicating with staff, with fellow division leadership members, and with department and Executive leadership. You will lead the way through active engagement with staff to foster an anti-racist, pro-equity workplace where everyone can thrive, and work with division leadership to ensure services are equitably provided to the residents of King County. You will foster relationships, collaboration, and teamwork across the division so the division functions as "One King County."

About the Team:
Our regional wastewater treatment system has a big job to do. Not only does it operate around the clock to sustain a healthy environment, but this vital infrastructure also supports economic development that enables our region to thrive. You will have the unique opportunity to work with across all wastewater workgroups and lines of business to help shape how we as a utility adapt and respond to changing regulations and build infrastructure for future generations. You will be a key part of one of King County's largest, most complex capital programs with a variety of interesting, challenging, and critical projects. You will be supporting the growth and strategic development of the largest capital program in King County with projects and programs stretching across 2200 square miles.

To our agency, success means providing clean water safely and reliably to the next generation. It also means being accountable to our ratepayers and operating a well-managed agency. We are committed to the principles of equity and social justice. We value diverse perspectives and life experiences in our workforce and are committed to building a culturally diverse and inclusive environment.

Our primary mission is to provide high-quality treatment to wastewater collected from local sewer agencies. With a workforce of over 1000 employees and multiple facilities, we serve a population of 2.3 million people. Our goal is to ensure clean water for the present and future generations, preserving the natural beauty of our environment. We are committed to accountability, both to our ratepayers and to operating as a well-managed agency.

We partner with regulatory agencies to reduce harmful waste discharge and actively educate the public and businesses on water quality protection. We prioritize accountability to our ratepayers and operate a well-managed agency that services over 2.3 million King County residents . Our regional wastewater treatment system not only sustains a healthy environment but also fuels economic development, fostering prosperity in our region. If you're passionate about making a difference and thrive in a collaborative environment, join us in our mission to safeguard our precious water resources.

Commitment to Equity, Racial and Social Justice:
King County, named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is a diverse and vibrant community that represents cultures from around the world. Our True North is to create a welcoming community where everyone can thrive. We prioritize equity, racial and social justice, making it a foundational and daily expectation for all employees. As a Wastewater Environmental and Community Services Programs Section Manager you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity .

Apply now for a rewarding career at the Wastewater Treatment Division of King County Department of Natural Resources & Parks (DNRP). Join our talented workforce in protecting and restoring the natural environment and promoting more resilient, sustainable, and equitable communities. Enjoy training, comprehensive benefits , and growth opportunities.

Job Duties

What You Will Be Doing:
• Manage the daily operations of section programs, providing technical assistance to staff and internal and external clients.
• Lead business teams in developing and fulfilling annual business plans. Assure that programs within the section are integrated in their delivery of services to both capital projects and operations and are aligned with division and department business plans and priorities.
• Oversee and coordinate analyses and implementation of new and expanding regulatory mandates. Work collaboratively with other government and regulatory agencies or King County departments to address environmental policies and issues. Represent King County on technical issues to other agencies, including regulatory agencies.
• Provide high-level technical expertise. Manage applicable operations and processes, ensuring methodologies and technical systems meet regulatory requirements and industry standards.
• Conduct complex negotiations and manage environmental cleanup work programs in partnership with public and private entities and with federal oversight.
• Manage grantmaking programs and associated budget development; manage public education programs and the Christie True Environmental Education Center and City Soil Farm.
• Manage unit managers and program supervisors within the section. Manage section staff, including hiring, performance, job progression, training, coaching, and discipline. Assure regular and timely communication of program issues to section staff.
• Provide management support, problem-solving, and conflict resolution to collective bargaining and labor relations processes. Administer collective bargaining agreements.
• Provide leadership in strategic planning processes and decision-making that have the potential to significantly impact wastewater operations or capital investments. Develop a strategic vision and long-range planning for water quality improvements and site-specific treatment.
• Develop and monitor program policies and procedures and recommend changes to division/department leadership.
Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

Qualifications You Bring:
• Politically savvy, well equipped with managerial courage, and the ability to incorporate conflict management and collaboration skills based on situational needs.
• Organizationally agile to manage multiple complex programs and projects, get things done and understand the culture of the organization.
• Knowledge of theory and practice of applicable discipline (environmental planning and/or engineering, biology, chemistry and/or microbiology, energy, industrial waste, real property, community relations, etc.).
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements such as environmental compliance regulations (i.e., NEPA/SEPA, DOE, and ESA), safety regulations (OSHA/WISHA), and Washington State Department of Health and Ecology permit and accreditation requirements.
• Knowledge of operating and capital budgeting procedures and processes.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of supervision, leadership, and human resources management.
• Knowledge of general management principles and business needs of the environmental and wastewater industries, including technology and regulatory trends.
• Knowledge of marketing and communications principles and practices.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of public administration, including public finance, development and analysis of public policy, organization, and contract management.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of wastewater operations, capital project delivery, and environmental compliance management.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of customer service and continuous quality improvement.
• Critical thinking and strategic planning skills, including long- and short-term goal-setting.
• Experienced in managing programs, ensuring deliverables, managing tasks, and communicating results.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of management and supervision, budget development, financial management employed in capital improvement and operating programs, policy implementation and governance.
• Knowledge of human resources management techniques and principles, and the ability to utilize collaborative labor negotiation strategies and establish effective labor-management partnerships.
• Skill in dispute resolution, effective decision-making, and team consensus building.
• Skill in working effectively with a diverse workforce and community population (internally and externally).
• Excellent oral and written communications skills.
• Ability to communicate diplomatically on sensitive issues.
• Ability to manage a variety of programs and projects simultaneously.
Competencies You Bring :
• Decision Quality - Making good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward.
• Builds Effective Teams - Building strong-identity teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals.
• Ensures Accountability - Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments.
• Drives Engagement - Creating a climate where people are motivated to do their best to help the organization achieve its objectives.
• Strategic Mindset - Seeing ahead to future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies.
• Drives Vision and Purpose - Painting a compelling picture of the vision and strategy that motivates others to action.

Required Licenses:
• Washington State Driver's License.
It Would Be Great if You Also Bring:
• Advanced Knowledge of supervisory techniques and principles and the application of this knowledge in a highly technical and political environment.
• Advanced knowledge of business management techniques including organization development and change management, financial forecasting, strategy execution, and business value realization.
• Knowledge of strategic planning techniques and principles.
• Knowledge of portfolio, program and project management, construction, project control, asset management and contract administration techniques and principles.
• Knowledge of public utility finance and budgeting techniques and principles.
• Knowledge of wastewater treatment systems and operations.
• Experience that demonstrates the ability to manage down to section staff, collaboratively across division leadership and up to department leadership and the Executive.
Supplemental Information

Working Conditions:
• Remote and Onsite Work Details: Employees in this role work remotely from a home location, with onsite reporting requirements typically weekly. The frequency of onsite work is determined by business needs and may be adjusted accordingly. Onsite reporting locations may be at various King County worksites including the collaboration space at King Street Center (201 S. Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104). This work arrangement promotes work-life-balance and reduces carbon footprint under the department's vision of Green Where We Work .
• Requirement: Employees must reside in Washington State and be within a reasonable distance to King County worksites to meet onsite reporting requirements.
• Work Schedule: This position is exempt from the overtime provision of the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) and is not overtime eligible.
• Union Representation: This position is represented by the Teamster, Local 117. Pursuant to Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Trust $2.00 per hour from the base wage will be submitted to the Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Trust Fund.
Application and Selection Process:
We welcome applications from all qualified applicants. We value diversity, diverse perspectives and life experience and encourage people of all backgrounds to apply. Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness and alignment with the experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skills essential for this role to determine which candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews.
To apply, submit a:
• Complete Application
• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Responses to the supplemental questions
Note: Additional documents won't be considered during minimum qualification screening.

W ho to Contact: For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact Diana Eberly at diana.eberly@kingcounty.gov

Discover More About the Wastewater Treatment Division: Visit our website and check us out at Facebook , X (formerly Twitter) , Instagram , YouTube , and the WTD Blog .

Discover More About DNRP: Visit our DNRP website , explore an interactive map of our recent accomplishments and check us out at Facebook , X (formerly Twitter) , LinkedIn , TikTok , Instagram , YouTube and Keeping King County Green News .

Sign up for Job Alerts to be notified of additional career opportunities with King County. Select the Natural Resources category for DNRP opportunities and explore other categories of interest.

Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.
Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North" , we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions, please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:
• Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage options: King County provides eligible employees with options, so they can decide what's best for themselves and their eligible dependents
• Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
• Retirement: eligible King County employees may participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
• Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
• 12paid holidays each year plus twopersonal holidays
• Generous vacation and paid sick leave
• Paid parental,family and medical, and volunteer leaves
• Flexible Spending Account
• Wellness programs
• Onsite activity centers
• Employee Giving Program
• Employee assistance programs
• Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
• Training and career development programs
For additional information about employee benefits, visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page .

This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails.

NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position.Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.

For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.