Land Use Conservation & Policy; LUCP Section Manager - Environmental Planner - Perm

Working Title: Land Use Conservation & Policy (LUCP) Section Manager

Classification: Environmental Planner 5

Job Status: Full‑Time/Permanent

WDFW Program: Habitat Program – Ecosystem Services Division

Duty Station: Olympia, Washington – Thurston County

* While this position may offer a telework option, the successful candidate must be available to report to the duty station as needed.

Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW!

Are you passionate about conservation efforts and how land use can contribute to conservation and recovery of fish and wildlife?

With sustainability and conservation in mind, this position will help ensure that habitat exists in sufficient quantity and quality.

With your experience, the LUCP Section Manager will serve as the agency’s senior planning consultant and lead the ongoing development and implementation of the LUCP Section responsibilities within the Habitat Program.

The primary responsibilities of this position include:

Manage the Land Use Conservation & Policy (LUCP) Section to promote the fish, wildlife, and habitat conservation priorities of WDFW through development and implementation of strategic and operational planning systems.

• Developing and providing plan- and project-level application resources in support of the land use planning functions of local governments and the engagement of WDFW regional Habitat Program staff in that land use planning work.
• Providing superior customer service to WDFW regional Habitat Program staff, and ancillary programs of WDFW, in support of their land use plan- and project-level technical assistance and oversight functions.
• Overseeing the development and delivery of LUCP land use planning products, services, and training to WDFW regional Habitat Program staff using landscape and project scale expertise and materials to achieve WDFW conservation goals.
• Facilitating the resolution of pertinent management issues arising from planning activities which are complex or sensitive, involve multiple programs, and/or deal with major environmental issues facing the department (e.g., climate resilience).
• Overseeing and supporting existing land use planning efforts in Washington’s prairies, forests, shrub steppe, wetlands, riparian areas, and other priority habitats in partnership with other WDFW programs and with the other Sections within the Ecosystem Services Division.
• Proactively coordinate, collaborate, and communicate with internal and external partners and stakeholders to achieve habitat conservation goals and outcomes.

Provides policy coordination and consultation with other state and federal agencies, tribes, and local governments to identify and resolve major land use policy issues that affect the conservation of fish, wildlife, and habitat including those issues that arise in Growth Management Act (GMA), Shoreline Management Act (SMA), Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP), and federal Habitat Conservation Plans (HCP).

• Serve as the agency’s policy representative in inter‑agency forums that address GMA, SMA, and related land use planning issues to achieve WDFW conservation goals.
• Serve as the agency’s policy representative on inter‑agency forums that address VSP and agricultural land uses to ensure integration of fish, wildlife, and habitat conservation needs.
• Coordinate with other agencies and local governments to build consensus around land use plans, policies, and actions that conserve fish, wildlife, and habitats, particularly when those decisions involve or may lead to appeals.
• Coordinate and consult with other state agencies, local governments, and other partners to respond to legal issues that may affect protection of fish, wildlife, and habitats.
• Serves as the agency’s primary point of contact for local jurisdictions who feel that WDFW is not abiding by the communications goals set forth in the GMA Principles of Correspondence memorandum.
• Work collaboratively with other WDFW programs to support opportunities for improved conservation outcomes with respect to land use planning.

Develop and…