Senior Floodplain Planner 3

Pierce County; Remote; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional government body is seeking a Senior Floodplain Planner in Seattle, Washington. This position will be primarily remote with responsibilities including project management and collaboration with various teams to advance floodplain management initiatives. Candidates must have a Bachelor's degree in planning and at least three years of related experience. This role offers opportunities for professional development and working on vital community projects, fostering teamwork and stakeholder engagement.

Benefits

Professional development programs

Collaborative work environment

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in planning or related field required.
• Three years of related planning work experience.
• Experience in local, county, or state planning is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Review and monitor projects for compliance with codes and regulations.
• Develop planning documents and draft amendments.
• Interpret laws and guidelines related to planning responsibilities.
• Conduct research and prepare reports on statistical data.
• Present information and reports to County officials and the public.

Skills

Collaboration

Project Management

Stakeholder Engagement

Planning Skills

Analytical Skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in planning or related field

Job description

Description

This position is primarily remote. Attendance at required in-person meetings and occasional travel to various work sites, businesses, and meeting locations is also expected.

Why It's a Great Opportunity

As a Senior Floodplain Planner in the Surface Water Management division, you will play a key part in advancing the County’s floodplain management initiatives by assisting with the implementation of programmatic recommendations. This may include leading and facilitating workgroups, managing consultants and contracts, and building tools such as dashboards to track progress on flood plan implementation. You will collaborate closely with other County departments and Planning and Public Works divisions to ensure alignment and efficiency. With several capital projects entering early planning stages, you may also provide additional project management support for preliminary capital projects efforts, helping to move forward alternatives analyses and design work. Additionally, you will serve as the primary contact for Surface Water Management Advisory Board (SWAB) members, supporting planning and coordination while ensuring appropriate engagement from division staff.

Why It's a Great Department

Planning and Public Works (PPW) stewards a healthy and vibrant community by collaboratively planning and investing in our people, infrastructure, systems, and policies. PPW’s team has more than 800 members that collaborate, innovate and inspire in performing essential services to the community. The department is responsible for the County road and levee systems, sewer systems, airports, ferries, building permits, environmental review, sustainability, community planning, and code enforcement—just to name a few!

Learn more about Planning and Public Works at www.piercecountywa.gov/ppw.

How To Be Successful In The Role

To thrive in this role, you will build strong collaboration by fostering teamwork, respecting diverse perspectives, and keeping all stakeholders informed as you work toward solutions that benefit everyone working toward a resilient community. Success will also come from your ability to manage projects and programs effectively, integrating ideas from others, gaining stakeholder support, monitoring progress, and addressing challenges proactively to ensure deadlines are met. Strong planning and organizing skills will help you anticipate impacts, prioritize tasks, and adjust strategies based on input and evolving circumstances. Finally, verbal and written skills will be essential for communicating complex concepts in plain language, structuring information logically, and tailoring tone and style to meet the needs of different audiences. By combining these strengths, you will not only advance critical floodplain initiatives but also create an environment of transparency, trust, and shared success.

Your Future In This Role

You will have an opportunity to work alongside a diverse and talented team of PPW professionals, agencies, and community leaders to support planning activities by problem‑solving and developing innovative solutions to ensure the best services possible for the residents of Pierce County. Your contributions will strengthen program tracking and reporting, build institutional knowledge, and maintain compliance with state and federal programs, ensuring continuity for these critical efforts. Additionally, Pierce County is committed to your growth, providing access to robust online learning and professional development programs to help you thrive and advance in your career.

Core Daily Responsibilities

• Review and monitor various programs, projects and applications to ensure compliance with various codes, plans, contracts, agency policies and procedures, and rules and regulations.
• Develop, and prepare planning documents including drafting code amendments, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Interpret local, state and federal laws, regulations and guidelines as they relate to assigned responsibilities and stay abreast of various legislative changes.
• Perform research, prepare special studies, write reports, collect and analyze various statistical and/or technical data to apply to a wide range of planning functions.
• Participate in and lead the preparation and presentation of reports and information and present to County Officials, departments, external entities, and the general public regarding a wide range of planning functions and other related areas.

A classification description with a more detailed list of essential functions can be found here.

Minimum Qualifications

• Any equivalent combination of education and experience
• Bachelor’s degree in planning or related field
• Three years of related planning work
• Please attach a current resume and cover letter with your application. Failure to include these will result in an incomplete application

Preferred Qualifications

• Two or more years of experience in local, county, or state planning is desired

As a condition of employment, the applicant will need to authorize and complete a background check. Information received from the background check is reviewed case‑by‑case and will not necessarily remove an applicant from consideration.

Supplemental Information

To Be Considered For This Opportunity Please

• Complete and submit an online Pierce County Employment Application by selecting 'APPLY' above or go to: www.piercecountywa.gov/jobs.
• If you have a question about this opportunity, please email the Recruitment Team at [e-mail] and specify the Job Number and Title.
• If you do not have internet access, you may visit your local public library or any WorkSource location and use their computers.
• Individuals needing accommodation in the application, testing process, or need this job announcement in an alternative format may call Human Resources at [phone], at least two days prior to the need.

This is a competitive selection process. Your application will be reviewed and evaluated for the quality and quantity of education/experience in the areas listed. Applicants whose qualifications most closely correspond to the County’s needs will be eligible for further consideration. Notification of application status normally occurs 2 to 3 weeks after the closing date. Short notice may be given to applicants to participate in further selection processes which may include assessments, phone screen, and interviews.

At Pierce County, diversity, equity, and inclusion means commitment, not a single step. We strive to foster an inclusive environment that supports equitable access to opportunities throughout your career. We want to recruit, develop, and maintain a talented workforce from various backgrounds, cultures, lifestyles, and perspectives, committed to our vision. Employees of the County have local, direct, and visible impact in our diverse community. Will you join us in keeping Pierce County a place people are proud to call home?

We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.