Health and Environmental Investigator IV - Water Pollution Prevention Supervisor
- Summary
- Public Health – Seattle and King County values diverse perspectives and life experiences. The Department encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, and veterans.
"Please note the advertised salary reflects 2018 rates. The salary range for this position is anticipated to be adjusted upwards in 2019 pending labor contract ratification. If you have any questions about this, please contact the human resource representative listed in this posting."
We are seeking a skilled, enthusiastic and dedicated Water Pollution Prevention Supervisor (Health and Environmental Investigator IV) in the Community Environmental Health Section of the Environmental Health Services Division of Seattle & King County Public Health. The incumbent serves in a key leadership position supporting a team of four professional staff who implement King County's on-site sewage system (OSS) management program and advance multiple water pollution prevention and identification projects. This position oversees Puget Sound recovery efforts related to the shellfish initiative including grant applications and management, the implementation of OSS operation and maintenance (O&M) inspections, certification of OSS professionals, tracking of OSS data and GIS information, management of the marine recovery areas, and implementation of water pollution identification and correction projects. The position will advance interagency collaborations on water quality pollution, lead community and stakeholder engagement related to OSS O&M and pollution identification and correction. The responsibilities include overall program management, advancing racial equity and social justice, recruiting, developing, and supervising program staff, developing and maintaining strong working relationships with agency partners and regulated entities, and resolving conflict with a combination of negotiation, diplomacy, and tact. A successful candidate has strong interpersonal, communication, and cultural competency skills and demonstrates creative and analytical skills to achieve compliance with public health and on-site sewage system regulations to protect the community.
ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES DIVISION:
Through the work of over 150 dedicated employees, the Environmental Health Services Division identifies and sustains environmental conditions that promote health equity and healthy people and communities in Seattle and King County. Our vision is healthy, safe, and vibrant communities that are free of health disparities based on race, gender or economic status. The Division's core values include equity and social justice, integrity, community service, collaboration, a supportive work culture, and learning from each other and the communities we serve. To learn more about EHS, please visit https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/environmental-health.aspx.
COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE:
As the only jurisdiction in the world named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.
We have a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from vulnerable communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.
To learn more, please visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice.aspx.
WHO MAY APPLY: This position is opened to all applicants.
WORK LOCATION: The position may be located in Chinook Building, Downtown Seattle - 401 5th Ave, Seattle or at the Eastgate Public Health facility. One location will be designated as primary work location and the other one as secondary. The Environmental Health Division reserves the right to place staff at worksite locations or transfer staff to new worksite locations that best support the efficient delivery of services
WORK SCHEDULE: This full time position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, and is not eligible for overtime. The normal workweek is Monday – Friday. Evening and weekend work may be required.
CONTACT: If you have questions about the position, please contact Julie Horowitz at jhorowitz@kingcounty.gov or 206-263-0586. If you have questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact Nic Horea, Senior Human Resource Analyst at nicolae.horea@kingcounty.gov or 206-263-8736.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
The following items are required to be considered for this vacancy:
1. NEOGOV/Government Jobs on-line or paper application.
2. Supplemental questions.
3. A current resume .
4. A cover letter that summarizes your interest and qualifications for the position.
You may attach multiple documents if you wish with your application:- Copy and paste one or more documents into the text resume section of the application.
- Attach multiple documents/files in the resume attachment section.
Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application. Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted. - Job Duties
Key Expectations and Essential Duties of the position:
- Provide leadership for all aspects of the water pollution prevention program including setting work priorities, specific goals, and objectives.
- Oversee and daily work of program staff on technical, administrative, and customer service.
- Establish and maintain cooperative, effective working relationships with coworkers, other Division employees, on-site sewage system professionals, and the general public using principles of good customer service and providing equitable services.
- Represent the program, develop strong partnerships and solve challenges with agencies/work groups and community members. Operate strategically in a political context.
- Produce reports for State Department of Health, Ecology, management and other agencies as needed.
- Represent the Director and division's interests while attending state and local meetings.
- Draft and advertise RFPs; and interview/hire sub-contractors; authorize payments and request for expenditures; anticipate needs and develop appropriate resources; seek partnerships and/or funding to complement existing programs or to address specially identified needs of the program.
- Utilize concepts of behavioral change to engage communities with successful outcomes.
- Oversee the Marine Recovery Area program.
- Increase the acres opened for shellfish harvesting. Actions may include: implementing behavioral change surveys, developing communications plans, conducting shoreline water sampling, creating incentives opportunities, and taking enforcement actions as needed.
- Seek, author, negotiate and manage program contracts and grants including writing scopes of work, conducting performance monitoring, and preparing invoices and reports.
- Manage program finances including budget development, expense monitoring, inventory control, and financial reporting.
- Develop and maintain a positive, supportive, and high performing team culture using a combination of individual coaching, team development, recognition, and performance feedback.
- Participate on the Division's Leadership Team of senior managers and supervisors, and ensure the Division's strategic goals and values are reflected in program operations.
- Advance the principles of equity and social justice in all aspects of program operations and services, and participates in creating a racially just workplace.
- Serve as the Department and Division's primary point of contact for resolving complex compliance and customer service issues related to OSS management and water pollution.
- Develop and lead long-range goals for program in collaboration with Division leadership.
- Represent the Department and Division with elected officials, boards, and committees.
- Lead the development and revision of King County Board of Health code, and ensure appropriate policies and procedures are in place and maintained.
- Perform Health and Environmental Investigator III duties in addition to the above when workload requires.
- Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills
- Working knowledge of and experience in environmental health – On-site sewage systems and water quality technical, regulatory, administrative, and policy issues and operation and maintenance practices of on-site sewage systems or a closely related field.
- Knowledge of state and local OSS management regulations.
- Well-developed supervisory and managerial skills related to personnel and conflict resolution. Strong understanding of personnel dynamics regarding inclusiveness, transparency, employee recognition and team building.
- Skills in engaging community and agency partners in strong collaborations.
- Skills in operating in a political environment and managing policy and customer services in this context.
- Demonstrated successful project management and program development skills.
- Strong listening skills harness staff talent, build program resiliency, efficiency and staff excellence.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with multiple competing workload demands.
- Proficiency in conducting presentations in different settings, including elected officials, public community meetings, and small groups.
- Ability to apply equity and social justice principles and practices.
- Skill synthesizing a variety of information and assessing organizational and political impacts.
- Ability to develop performance metrics, analyze performance data and apply data to decision-making.
- Excellent oral and written communications skills, including public speaking and communicating with people and groups from different cultural, ethnic, and language backgrounds.
- Ability to use Microsoft Office 365 suite including Outlook, Word, Excel, OneDrive, and SharePoint.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:- Knowledge of occupational and environmental hazards and worker safety practices and procedures.
- Ability to apply continuous improvement practices.
- Well-developed supervisory and managerial skills related to personnel and conflict resolution.
- Experience developing program fees and rates.
LICENSING / CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:- Valid Washington State driver's license.
- Registered Sanitarian (Washington State Board of Registered Sanitarians) or Registered Environmental Health Specialist / Registered Sanitarian (National Environmental Health Association), or ability to obtain certification within six months of hire.
1. The REHS/RS exam is offered annually at the NEHA Annual Education Conference (AEC) & Exhibition.
2. State Affiliate and Regional Meeting periodically offer the REHS/RS exam at their meeting/conferences. An up to date listing of these meeting/conference offerings can be found at the NEHA website:
http://www.neha.org/pdf/cred/State_Affiliate_and%20_Regional_Meeting_Test_Dates.pdf
3. Candidates can choose to take the exam on computer through Pearson VUE. By choosing this option candidates can schedule the examination at their convenience at one of Pearson VUE's testing locations nationwide. To find a Pearson VUE testing center near you please visit: http://pearsonvue.com/neha. Taking the exam at Pearson VUE not only offers the candidate flexibility in scheduling the exam, but also allows the candidate to receive his/her unofficial scores immediately following the conclusion of the exam.
(All required licenses and certifications must be maintained in active status without suspension or revocation throughout employment)- Supplemental Information
- The selection process may include but is not limited to: evaluation of application materials and supplemental questions, interviewing, and testing. For more information on our selection process, please refer to www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/jobs/hiring
- Public Health relies on office automation (Microsoft Office) and web-based enabled tools, therefore candidates must be proficient and comfortable with computer use to perform functions associated with on-going work.
- Regular and reliable attendance, effective communication skills, and development of effective working relationships are requirements of all Public Health positions.
- Staff may be required to play an active role in the event of a public health emergency, which may include changes in responsibilities and working hours.
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:- The selected candidate is required to pass a pre-employment physical.
- The selected candidate will be required to pass a thorough background investigation.
- Employees are required to protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal Law.
- Employees are required to adhere to OSHA/WISHA guidelines including but not limited to completing their mandatory trainings on time.
UNION AFFILIATION:
This position is represented by Professional and Technical Engineers - Local 17 Union.
King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package to all eligible employees. These benefits include county-wide paid medical, dental and vision coverage for yourself and all eligible dependents (spouse/state-registered domestic partner and children) who you enroll. Benefit eligible positions include -- Career Service, Career Service Exempt, provisional and term-limited temporary (TLT) employees working 20 hours/week or the equivalent of half-time or greater. These benefits become effective on the first calendar day of the month following the month in which the employee is hired; except if the employee's hire date is the first calendar day of the month, benefits begins on the day of hire.
More information about employee benefits is available on the county's website at: http://www.kingcounty.gov/employees/benefits.aspx
County Paid Benefits Include:
- Health Insurance (choice of several plans)
- Dental Plan
- Vision Plan
- Life Insurance -- lump sum equal to annual base salary
- Accidental Death and Dismemberment (basic and enhanced)
- Basic Long Term Disability (LTD) -- replaces 60% of earnings after 180-day waiting period
- Bus pass and other alternative transportation incentives
- Employee Assistance Program
- Making Life Easier Program
Holidays: 10 paid holidays per year plus 2 additional floating holidays administered through the vacation plan.
Vacation with Pay:
first 6 months of employment)- Beginning of year 6: accrual at 15 days per year
- Beginning of year 9: accrual at 16 days per year
- Beginning of year 11: accrual at 20 days per year
- Beginning of year 17: accrual at 21 days per year
- Beginning of year 18: accrual at 22 days per year
- Beginning of year 19: accrual at 23 days per year
- Beginning of year 20: accrual at 24 days per year
- Beginning of year 21: accrual at 25 days per year
- Beginning of year 22: accrual at 26 days per year
- Beginning of year 23: accrual at 27 days per year
- Beginning of year 24: accrual at 28 days per year
- Beginning of year 25: accrual at 29 days per year
- Beginning of year 26: accrual at 30 days per year
Sick Leave is accumulated at the rate of one day per month. There is no restriction on the amount of sick leave that can be accumulated and carried over to subsequent years. At retirement an employee will be paid 35% of their unused, accumulated sick leave. Non-represented employees and employees in certain bargaining units will receive this benefit as a payment to a VEBA account, which pays for post-retirement health benefits on a pre-tax basis.
Other leaves include:- Bereavement Leave (up to 3 days/year)
- Military Leave
- Family Medical Leave
- King County Medical Leave
- Jury Duty Leave
- Organ Donor Leave
- Executive Leave (for eligible FLSA-exempt employees)
Voluntary Benefits -- available at employee option and at employee expense- Deferred Compensation Plan (no employer match) IRS 457 Plan
- Enhanced Long Term Disability -- reduce waiting period/increase monthly
- benefit
- Additional Life Insurance -- 1 to 4 times your base annual salary for yourself and 50% of your enhanced amount for your spouse/domestic partner; and $10,000 for each child
- Additional Accidental Death and Dismemberment coverage for employee and family
- Credit Union membership
- Flexible Spending Accounts – Health and Dependent Care
- HRA Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA) Trust upon retirement
accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails. Also, in the event of any incorrect information in this document, applicable laws, policies, rules, CBAs or official plan documents will prevail.
-
01Are you:
- Currently certified as a Registered Sanitarian (RS) by the Washington State Board of Registered Sanitarians, OR
- Currently certified as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS) by the National Environmental Health Association, OR
- None of the above
02If you answered "none of the above" for question # 1, are you able to obtain one of the certification listed above within six (6) months of hire? If you answered that you possess one of the certifications listed above, check N/A- Yes
- No
- N/A
03Do you have experience engaging with businesses, community groups, and agency leadership on sensitive environmental issues?- Yes
- No
04If you answered "yes" to question #3 please describe your experience and include an example of a difficult issue you managed effectively with a community group. If your answer is no, put N/A05Do you have knowledge of federal, state, and local industry codes, regulations, policies, and procedures relating to on-site sewage system permitting and environmental health and protection?- Yes
- No
06If you answered "yes" to question #5, describe the regulations/policies you have experience with, and your approach to gaining compliance. If your answer is no, put N/A.07Do you have experience with conducting water pollution investigations?- Yes
- No
08If you answered "yes" to question #7, please describe your experience and education that supports this, providing specific examples. If your answer is no, put N/A.09Please describe your understanding of institutional racism and your interest and/or experience addressing institutional racism.Required Question