Conservation Futures Program Planner

In addition to the current opening, this recruitment may be used to establish a pool of qualified candidates to fill future vacancies within the Water and Land Resources Division or throughout the Department of Natural Resources & Parks (DNRP) over the next six months. Are you passionate about protecting open space and interested in helping administer one of Washington State's largest and most stable sources of conservation funding?

The King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP), Water and Land Resources Division (WLRD) is seeking a collaborative, highly organized Conservation Futures Program Planner (Project/Program Manager I) to support the Conservation Futures Program.

No two days will look exactly the same. Your work will include supporting the annual grant round, managing and improving program data and workflows, tracking previously awarded grants, working with grant recipients to monitor conservation acquisitions, preparing and editing reports and program materials, and developing presentations and communications for a variety of audiences.

You will also play an important role in supporting the program's volunteer advisory committee, including coordinating and staffing application review meetings and field trips.

Up to approximately 15% of the position's work may support other programs and projects advancing the Land Conservation Initiative. Depending on program needs, this could include strategic planning, environmental market-based programs, natural asset management, community-driven conservation efforts, the Transfer of Development Rights program, or King County's Open Space Equity Cabinet.

The Conservation Futures Program is within the Rural and Regional Services Section (RRS) of the Water and Land Resources Division. Our teams within RRS work to permanently conserve 1,000 acres or more each year in support of the Land Conservation Initiative and King County's broader goals for protecting vital open spaces. In addition to the Conservation Futures Program, the unit conducts real estate transactions and supports environmental market programs.

Our team at RRS provides services to partners throughout the Water and Land Resources Division, Parks and Recreation Division, and external agencies and organizations.

You will join a fast-paced, high-performing three-person Conservation Futures team where collaboration, communication, attention to detail, continuous learning, and process improvement are important to the team's success.

King County, named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is a diverse and vibrant community that represents cultures from around the world. We prioritize equity, racial and social justice, making it a foundational and daily expectation for all employees. As a PPM I you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at http://www.King County.gov/equity.

• Support grant administration: Assist the Conservation Futures team with all aspects of administering the annual grant program, including working with applicants and grant recipients and supporting grant-related processes and activities.
• Manage program information: Maintain complex program data and workflows with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail and help identify opportunities to streamline systems and processes.
• Track conservation investments: Work with grant recipients to monitor progress on Conservation Futures-funded acquisitions and previously awarded grants.
• Prepare communications: Draft, edit, proofread, and organize reports, program materials, presentations, and communications for internal and external audiences.
• Support advisory committee activities: Coordinate logistics and provide support for volunteer advisory committee meetings, application reviews, and field trips.
• Build partnerships: Develop effective working relationships with King County staff, cities, nonprofit organizations, grant applicants, recipients, and other conservation partners.
• Advance the Land Conservation Initiative: Support additional conservation projects and programs as capacity and program needs allow.

This recruitment intentionally will require a skills-based approach rather than unnecessary degree or fixed-years-of-experience requirements and recognizes that relevant skills may be developed through hands-on experience, military service, apprenticeships, self-directed learning,…