Floodplains Design Lead Planner; Environmental Planner

Floodplains By Design Lead Planner

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Department of Ecology is hiring a Floodplains by Design Lead Planner (Environmental Planner
4) within the Shorelands & Environmental Assistance (SEA) program.

Location:

Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

Schedule:

This position is eligible for telework and flexible schedule options. Regular attendance at an Ecology office, including time spent at the HQ building in Lacey, for team meetings and similar activities is expected. Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

Application Timeline:

Apply by June 7, 2026. Applications submitted after the date above may be reviewed only if additional qualified applicants are needed.

This is a project position with funding through 12/31/2027, with the potential for further extension based on legislative appropriation.

Duties:

Ecology's statewide Floodplain Management Team is growing, and we are excited to invite candidates to apply for the new Floodplains by Design Lead Planner position. This is a unique opportunity to lead planning, policy coordination, and day-to-day administration of our award winning Floodplains by Design (FbD) grant program, a major component of the umbrella FbD initiative that is shaping the future direction of integrated floodplain management in Washington.

You will have significant internal responsibilities for FbD grant program operations and for ensuring we deliver outstanding service to our partners and customers.

You will work at the intersection of state, Tribal, federal, local, and nongovernmental partners, coordinating closely with Ecology's nongovernmental (NGO) backbone partner, Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF), to ensure the FbD grant program remains effective, responsive, and aligned with the goals of the FbD initiative.

Within Ecology, you will provide authoritative recommendations on FbD grant program operations, including developing tools and processes that support program consistency, adaptive management, and informed executive decision-making. You will help guide the work of regional staff who serve as project managers for individual FbD grants; track and report on FbD grant program spending and accomplishments; and work with senior staff and leaders to develop and advance funding strategies and major policy initiatives.

Qualifications:

For detailed information on how we calculate experience, please visit our Recruitment website.

Required Qualifications:

Nine (9) years of experience and/or education as described below:

Experience:

Professional experience in managing multi-partner environmental or community-based grant programs; coordinating with diverse governmental and nongovernmental partners; developing and implementing program processes; leading policy-related planning efforts; and preparing or reviewing program-related recommendations, analyses, or documentation.

Experience described above must include demonstrated ability in the following skill sets:

Program & Policy Implementation Ability to carry out complex environmental or planning program responsibilities, align operations with defined policy direction, and ensure consistent and effective program delivery.

Grant Administration & Process Management Skill in updating, developing, and applying established grant program processes and procedures; coordinating grant program operations; reviewing agreements for accuracy and consistency; and using tracking tools to support reporting, evaluation, and adaptive program management.

Partnership Coordination & Partner Engagement Ability to work collaboratively and constructively with Tribes, local governments, federal and state agencies, NGOs, and technical partners to exchange information; coordinate activities and assist with developing, implementing, and evaluating progress made towards achieving shared planning and/or policy goals.

Communication & Facilitation Skill in clearly conveying technical information, facilitating discussions to gather input or guide decisions, and presenting well-reasoned recommendations verbally and in writing.

Analytical…