Watershed Planning Unit Supervisor (WMS1)

State of Washington; Lacey (WA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

State of Washington’s Department of Ecology seeks a Watershed Planning Unit Supervisor to lead a seven-member team, directing policy development for nonpoint and TMDL programs and supporting statewide water quality decisions.

You will engage in broad program coordination, oversee compliance with deadlines, and drive strategic planning and staffing actions to ensure efficient, high-quality work across the state.

Qualifications

• Nine years of experience and/or education related to the duties, including environmental policy and program experience.
• Experience planning and tracking program work to meet commitments.
• Experience collaborating with external partners to align efforts and outcomes.
• Ability to guide and support staff to build a high-performing team.
• Experience in recruiting, developing, and evaluating employees.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and manage budgets and resources.
• Ability to explain complex environmental and policy issues clearly to staff and partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead a headquarters unit of seven staff providing environmental and policy support for water quality decisions.
• Oversee nonpoint and TMDL/water clean plans programs statewide.
• Coordinate with inter-program and inter-agency groups and external partners.
• Ensure compliance with laws, deadlines, and reporting requirements.
• Manage recruitment, hiring, and personnel actions under union and civil service rules.
• Foster effective agency communications and diverse staffing practices.
• Plan workload, set priorities, monitor progress, and ensure timely delivery.
• Oversee unit budget, approvals, travel, and purchasing requests.

Skills

Environmental policy

Strategic planning

Interagency coordination

Leadership

HR management

Workload management

Technical communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree or higher

Job description

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Department of Ecology is hiring a Watershed Planning Unit Supervisor (WMS1) within the Water Quality Program.

Location:

• Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA.
• Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

Schedule:

• This position is eligible for telework and flexible schedule options.
• A minimum of two days per week is required in the office.
• Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

Application Timeline:

• Apply by July 22, 2026
• Applications submitted after the date above may not be reviewed unless additional qualified applicants are needed.

Are you interested in leading a fantastic team of professionals working to protect and restore water quality? Can you see yourself developing strategies and policies that support our state’s development of water clean-up plans and implementation of water quality improvement actions to address nonpoint sources of pollution? If so, this position could be a great fit for you!

In this position, you will supervise a headquarters unit made up of seven staff that provide environmental and policy services and support regulatory decisions to protect water quality across the state. You will be responsible for the effective and efficient management of the unit, which provides policy direction, technical support, coordination and oversight for the nonpoint and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL/water clean plans) programs statewide.

What you will do:

As the Watershed Planning Unit Supervisor, you will work with your team to protect and restore water quality in streams, rivers, and lakes across the state. As a working supervisor you will be able to engage in a wide range of activities including:

• Serve as program resource for policy and program development for the state nonpoint and TMDL programs; serve as a program liaison on inter-program and inter-agency work groups; and coordinate with relevant governmental, professional, and industry officials.
• Provide oversight and recommendations associated with nonpoint enforcement and penalties.
• Serve as liaison with the Environmental Protection Agency for issues related to the nonpoint and TMDL programs.
• Assure that all work performed by the unit is consistent with existing law and regulation. Meet deadlines established by the Environmental Protection Agency for production of state nonpoint plans and for submission of nonpoint program annual reports. Meet deadlines and reporting requirements in the TMDL settlement agreement and the performance partnership agreement.
• Manage recruiting and hiring of staff in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement by and between the State of Washington and Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) in addition to civil service rules.
• Support effective communications throughout the agency. Maintain the highest standards of personal/professional and ethical conduct and support the state's goals for a diverse workforce.
• Plan and schedule unit workload, coordinate annual planning, establish priorities, assign tasks, facilitate intra- and inter-program project teams, monitor status of unit tasks and commitments, and ensure timeliness of employee assignments.
• Manage unit budget and monitor expenditures, approve leave, timesheets, training requests, travel expenses vouchers, and purchasing requests.
• Evaluate unit staffing needs, initiate personnel actions, prepare position descriptions and essential functions analyses, interview and recommend staff hires, arrange training and professional development opportunities, evaluate staff performance, and initiate or recommend corrective actions.
• Assure the timely completion of required or appropriate report submissions, plans, publications, recommendations, and other required products. Provide detailed review of documents to ensure that staff documents and recommendations are consistent with state and federal laws, regulations, policies, and guidelines.

For detailed information on how we calculate experience and responses to other frequently asked questions, please visit our Recruitment website.

Required Qualifications:

Nine (9) years of experience and/or education related to the duties of the position, which includes the following:

• Environmental Program & Regulatory Expertise -Experience in applying environmental laws and policies to ensure organizational decisions and deliverables meet federal and state requirements.
• Strategic Planning & Performance Management -Experience in planning and tracking program work to meet commitments and demonstrate measurable progress.
• Interagency & Partner Coordination -Experience in collaborating with external partners to align efforts and achieve consistent environmental outcomes.
• Leadership & Team Development -Ability to guide and support staff to build a high-performing, collaborative team.
• Human Resource Management -Experience in recruiting, developing, and evaluating employees to maintain a capable and effective workforce.
• Workload, Project, and Resource Management -Ability to prioritize tasks and manage budgets and resources to ensure timely, efficient completion of work.
• Technical Communication -Ability to clearly explain complex environmental and policy issues to support informed decisions by staff, leadership, and partners.

Educationinvolving a major study in environmental, physical, or natural science, engineering, planning, geography, land use or environmental law, public administration with an environmental emphasis, or closely related field.

Examples of how to qualify:

• 9 years of experience.
• 8 years of experience AND 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter college credits.
• 7 years of experience AND 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter college credits (Associate’s degree).
• 6 years of experience AND 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter college credits.
• 5 years of experience AND a Bachelor’s degree.
• 3 years of experience AND a Master’s degree or above.

Desired Qualifications:

• Education or experience in management and supervision.
• Clean Water Act regulatory experience.
• Experience planning and executing large complex projects.

If you are excited about this role and meet the required qualifications, we encourage you to apply. Desired qualifications reflect additional knowledge, skills, or experience that are nice to have but not required. Studies have shown that some applicants, especially women and people of color, are less likely to apply unless they meet every listed qualification. At the Department of Ecology, we are dedicated to building a diverse and authentic workplace centered in belonging, and we welcome applicants with varied backgrounds and unique perspectives.

Ecology does not use the E-Verify system; therefore, we are not eligible to extend STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information, please visit www.uscis.gov.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect (DEIR)

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect (DEIR) are core values central to Ecology's work. We strive to be a workplace where we are esteemed for sharing our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals and collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations.

Diversity: We celebrate and appreciate diversity; our unique perspectives and abilities enrich us all and lead to innovative approaches and solutions.

Equity: We champion equity, recognizing that each of us need different things to thrive.

Inclusion: We intentionally create and hold space so that we all have meaningful opportunities to participate and contribute to Ecology’s work.

Respect: We treat each other with respect and dignity, acknowledging the inherent worth of our diverse perspectives and lived experiences, even in times of uncertainty and disagreement.

We believe that DEIR is both a goal and an action. We are on a journey, honoring our shared humanity and taking steps to demonstrate our commitment to a vision where each of us is heard, seen, and valued.

Application Process

Ecology seeks diverse applicants: We view diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect through a broad lens including race, ethnicity, class, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, military background, language, education, life experience, physical disability, neurodiversity, and intersectional identities. Qualified job seekers from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

About the Department of Ecology

As the State of Washington’s environmental protection agency, we are deeply committed to protecting, preserving, and enhancing Washington’s environment for current and future generations. Joining Ecology means becoming part of a team dedicated to protecting and sustaining healthy land, air, water, and climate in harmony with a strong economy. A career in public service at Ecology allows you to help solve some of the most challenging problems facing our state, while keeping your health and financial security a priority. We combine one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation with a strong commitment to life/work balance. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability.

Ecology employees may be eligible for the following:

• Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s)
• Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)
• Vacation, Sick, and other Leave*
• 11 Paid Holidays per year*
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness
• Tuition Waiver
• Long Term Disability
• Life Insurance
• Deferred Compensation Programs
• Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP)
• Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Commute Trip Reduction Incentive
• Combined Fund Drive
• SmartHealth

To learn more about Ecology, please visit our website, explore Working at Ecology, check out our Strategic Plan, and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or our blog.

Equal Opportunity Employer: The Washington State Department of Ecology is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans, military spouses or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.

Note: This recruitment may be used to fill other positions of the same job classification across the agency.