Environmental Compliance Manager

Overview

We are the Metropolitan Council, the regional government for the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. We plan 30 years ahead for the future of the metropolitan area and provide regional transportation, wastewater, and housing services. We are committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

Environmental Services (ES) operates and maintains the wastewater collection and treatment system in the Twin Cities metropolitan region. It also provides coordinated long‑range water resources and supply planning and air and water quality monitoring to meet future needs. ES treatment plants consistently earn state and national awards for full compliance with environmental permits.

The Environmental Compliance Manager leads the environmental compliance system within Environmental Services, a division of the Metropolitan Council. Working closely with the Director of Environmental Compliance & Safety, this role shapes environmental compliance strategies across a complex regional utility. The Manager partners with operations, planning, engineering, legal and capital functions to develop practical, forward‑looking approaches that balance regulatory requirements, operational realities, long‑term sustainability and organizational priorities.

• Lead efforts to establish, maintain, and update ES compliance strategies, including but not limited to water quality and air quality strategies.
• Work closely with the Director of Environmental Compliance & Safety to evaluate emerging environmental issues, changing regulations, and long‑term compliance strategies for Environmental Services.
• Develop practical, forward‑looking environmental compliance strategies that anticipate changing regulatory requirements and support long‑term organizational resilience.
• Work with planning, treatment services, capital, and process engineering to evaluate options and establish strategies.
• Work closely with the Council’s Office of General Counsel on legal issues.
• Coordinate work among departments within ES to ensure internal clarity and transparency of business processes, roles, and responsibilities to achieve divisional desired outcomes.
• Strengthen partnerships with operations and internal stakeholders to integrate environmental compliance into daily work, improve field support, and align priorities across functions.
• Serve as subject matter expert on ES’s Environmental Compliance requirements.
• Track, evaluate, and communicate changing environmental regulatory requirements, mandates, and goals that affect Environmental Services.
• Partner with planning system leads to coordinate work integration among environmental compliance and planning systems.
• Support development of practical, principle‑based approaches to complex environmental challenges, including emerging contaminants, changing regulations, and issues requiring cross‑functional coordination.
• Identify improvement opportunities and coordinate continuous improvement efforts to support ES’s ongoing success in achieving environmental compliance and maintaining trust with stakeholders and regulators.
• Promote data‑informed decision‑making and strengthen environmental compliance systems, communication, and organizational understanding.
• Ensure accurate, consistent, and transparent environmental compliance reporting (internally and externally).
• Maintain working relationships with regulators and partners, connecting with ES staff as appropriate.
• Collaborate with Environmental Compliance department staff to set department priorities and support professional growth and development.
• Manage and support the success of staff in the department as subject matter experts leading coordination of cross‑functional business processes.

Education/

Experience:

• High school diploma/GED with eleven (11) years of experience, including three (3) years in management or supervision.
• Associate degree with nine (9) years of experience, including three (3) years in management or supervision.
• Bachelor’s degree or higher with seven (7) years of experience, including three (3) years supervising employees and teams.