Water Agency Senior Environmental Specialist - Tribal Liaison

Position Information

The Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) seeks a Water Agency Senior Environmental Specialist to join our team as a Tribal Liaison!

Starting salary up to $67.07/hour ($139,983/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*

Sonoma Water is seeking a Water Agency Senior Environmental Specialist to serve as the Agency’s Tribal Liaison. This position will be responsible for establishing and fostering positive and constructive relationships with Tribes regarding Sonoma Water's water supply, flood control, sanitation, climate adaptation, and regional watershed management activities in the Russian River watershed. In this liaison role, you will work to build trust, enhance understanding, and support advancement of these activities.

Other duties of this position include:

• Preparing and reviewing documents in compliance with state, federal, and local environmental laws and regulations; land use planning projects; grant applications; and right-of-way activities
• Planning and reviewing work related to evaluation and consideration of cultural and tribal resources
• Communicating and delivering project information to Tribal representatives and governments as needed to engage Tribal participation or consultation on Sonoma Water projects and initiatives
• Coordinating with Tribal representatives and governments in their review of Sonoma Water projects and environmental documents to facilitate receipt of and responses to Tribal comments
• Managing agreements with consultant archeologists and drafting and managing Tribal monitoring agreements
• Attending meetings (in the office, virtual, or in the field) with staff and managers from other Sonoma Water divisions
• Regularly updating and working with the Environmental Resources Division Manager and Executive Team to develop and implement strategic positions supporting tribal consultations

The ideal candidate will possess experience in natural resources, water resources planning, and/or community liaison experience, and many of the following:

• Experience negotiating with Tribal communities and governments, regulatory agencies, and other project stakeholders
• Excellent understanding and in-depth knowledge of Native American culture, history, tradition, perspectives and experiences
• An understanding of tribal communities and governance in the Russian River watershed and/or San Francisco Bay region
• Demonstrated knowledge of government-to-government sovereignty protocols
• Demonstrated knowledge of AB 52 and the CEQA environmental review process for Tribal stakeholders
• Strong stakeholder relationships with Native American Tribal governments and Tribal communities, demonstrated experience with Tribes, and knowledge and experience with industry best practices.
• Experience organizing and facilitating public and stakeholder meetings, responding to concerns and issues from stakeholders, and gaining consensus on projects

Note:
This position typically works Monday-Friday during regular business hours but may be required to work evening or weekend shifts to attend public meetings and community events. Work includes in-office (in-person) meetings, video conferencing (telework), travel to regional meetings, conferences and visits to project sites in terrestrial and aquatic environments during variable (sometimes inclement) weather conditions.

Sonoma Water is a special district formed by the California State Legislature in 1949 and is responsible for providing a safe and reliable water supply to its customers in Sonoma and Marin counties. Sonoma Water also maintains 75 miles of flood control channels and provides sanitation services. Employing approximately 250 employees, Sonoma Water consists of four divisions, including Engineering & Resource…