Community Outreach Team Lead (Community Outreach & Environmental Education Specialist 4)

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Climate Pollution Reduction Program (CPRP) is looking to fill a Greenhouse Gas Inventory & Transportation Section Outreach Team Lead (Community Outreach & Environmental Education Specialist 4) position. This position will be located at our Headquarters Building in Lacey, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

Are you passionate about addressing climate change and ready to contribute your skills and energy to reducing climate pollution? Are you interested in engaging with a diverse group of people ranging from food producers to manufacturers of air conditioners to biofuel companies? Interested in helping us reach out to a wide range of communities across Washington to make sure they are engaged? Do you have an interest in leading a team of professionals to develop enticing presentation and outreach materials? Are you skilled at hosting public meetings? Want to help us develop and implement community outreach and education campaigns? If you answered yes to some or all of these questions, then you might be the communicator we’re looking to join our team!
 
You’ll lead planning and implementation of statewide outreach and education for the Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) and Clean Fuels Standard (CFS) programs across the state – helping shape some of Washington’s cutting-edge environmental work. You’ll design and conduct public outreach campaigns, help coordinate and facilitate training and engagement events across multiple regions, and develop accessible print and electronic media. You’ll lead up to three junior outreach and engagement specialists to implement outreach and training for the HFC Refrigerant Management Program implementation.

The principal department strategic priorities and goals that relate to the Climate Pollution Reduction Program (CPRP) include: reduce and prepare for climate impacts; prevent and reduce toxic threats; and deliver efficient and effective services. The CPRP’s mission is to implement policies and programs to reduce carbon emissions in the state of Washington so that the state meets its statutory greenhouse gas emission limits. The CPRP focuses long term, requiring creative and strategic decision making for implementation to achieve broad statewide and interstate success reducing carbon emissions in the state of Washington so residents have a healthy environment and climate.

 

Please Note: This is a project position that is funded until June 30, 2028. 

Tele-work options for this position: This position will be eligible to telework up to three days per week. Applicants with questions about position location options, tele-work, and flexible or compressed schedules are encouraged to reach out to the contact person listed below in “other information.” Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

Application Timeline: This position will remain open until filled, we will conduct a first review of applications on February 6, 2024. In order to be considered, please submit an application on or before February 5, 2024. If your application isn't received by this date, it may not be considered. The agency reserves the right to make a Hire any time after the initial screening date. 

Ecology employees may be eligible for the following:
Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s), Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), Vacation, Sick, and other Leave*, 11 Paid Holidays per year*, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver,  Long Term Disability & Life Insurance, Deferred Compensation Programs, Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP),  Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), Employee Assistance Program, Commute Trip Reduction Incentives (Download PDF reader), Combined Fund Drive, SmartHealth *Click here for more information 
 

About the Department of Ecology

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

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. 
• Opportunities to serve your community and make an impact through meaningful work.

Our commitment to DEIR
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect (DEIR) are core values central to Ecology’s work. We strive to be a workplace where we are 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. 

 

Duties

As the Greenhouse Gas Inventory & Transportation Section Outreach Team Lead, you will need to remain current on all Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) and Clean Fuels Standard (CFS) program activities to coordinate outreach and engagement team activities across Ecology regions and promote cross-regional consistency. You’ll also monitor stakeholder groups, coordinate development of outreach materials, and recommend strategic improvements to outreach and education activities. Some of your duties will include:
 
 

•  Support stakeholder and Tribal outreach efforts during HFC and CFS program implementation.
• Plan, prioritize, and develop outreach materials for the HFC and CFS teams. 
• Train and assign work to regional HFC outreach and engagement team members to develop graphics and text for presentations, websites, fact sheets, and brochures.
• Explain, and as necessary advocate for, HFC and CFS regulations and the benefits of emissions reductions accrued thru them to the regulated community, stakeholders, tribes, and members of the public.
• Develop and manage community outreach plans, communication plans and activities, and Public Participation grants and plans.
• Conduct meetings and field trips representing the agency to various groups such as local air advisory committees, health districts, regional clean air agencies, etc. 
• Coordinate, implement, and facilitate workshops, conferences, seminars, public meetings, and hearings. Give public presentations. 
• Conduct environmental, economic, demographic, and/or financial research to identify and assess marginalized communities. 

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:
Years of required experience indicated below are full-time equivalent years. Full-time equivalent experience means that any experience where working hours were less than 40 hours per week will be prorated in order to meet the equivalency of full-time. We would calculate this by looking at the total hours worked per week, divide this by 40, and then multiply by the total number of months worked. Examples of the proration calculations are:

 

• 30 hours worked per week for 20 months: (30/40) x 20 months = 15 months full-time equivalent
• 20 hours worked per week for 12 months: (20/40) x 12 months = 6 months full-time equivalent

Experience for both required and desired qualifications can be gained through various combinations of formal professional employment, education, and volunteer experience. See below for how you may qualify.

A total of eight years of experience and/or education as described below:
 

• Experience: Involving environmental analysis or control, environmental planning, environmental education, community outreach, or communications activities. 
• Education: Involving a major study in environmental, physical, or natural science, education, communications, or related field. 

All experience and education combinations that meet the requirements for this position:
 

Possible Combinations

College credit hours or degree - as listed above.

Years of required experience - as listed above.

Combination 1

No college credit hours or degree

8 years of experience

Combination 2

30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter credits.

7 years of experience
 

Combination 3

60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter credits (AA degree).

6 years of experience
 

Combination 4

90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter credits.

5 years of experience
 

Combination 5 

A Bachelor's Degree

4 years of experience
 

Combination 6 

A Master's Degree or higher

3 years of experience
 

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

 

• Experience working for a regulatory agency.
• Knowledge of climate policy.
• Understanding of tools and principles of environmental justice.
• Experience leading teams.
• Experience with public engagement (e.g. IAP2 training, etc.).

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.
• A list of three professional references.

Note: References will only be contacted during the final steps of the recruitment process for candidates selected as finalists. References will not be contacted without the candidate’s formal authorization.

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 (such as 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 Leonard Machut at: Leonard.Machut@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Leonard 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.

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.

Collective Bargaining: This is a position covered by a bargaining unit for which the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) is the exclusive representative.   

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. Once all the position(s) from the recruitment announcement are filled, the recruitment may only be used to fill additional open positions for the next sixty (60) days. 
 

Apply here:  State of Washington Job Opportunities | Work that Matters (governmentjobs.com)