Summary

This position manages coordination between the Wastewater Treatment Division's (WTD) Project Planning and Delivery (PPD) Section programs and projects and with the Operations Section to maximize the public's investment in the wastewater system; be responsible for coordinating capital projects with operations and maintenance to ensure new facility improvements and replacements minimize impacts to operating facilities and meet established standards; and plan and implement start-up and turnover of new facilities.

With many assets nearing end of life, a growing population, and increasing regulations, the amount of capital investment that WTD will need to meet levels of service and regulatory requirements is increasing. To deliver effectively and efficiently, it will require efficient decision-making – funding the right projects, at the right time, for the right reasons.

The successful candidate will be instrumental in developing and maintaining relationships across the division to improve the quality of information available to division leadership to effectively choose, fund, resource, and deliver an ambitious capital investment portfolio.

The successful candidate will represent WTD at various regulatory and stakeholder tables where regulatory compliance and collaboration intersect with operations and capital delivery.

Our regional wastewater treatment system has a big job to do. Not only does it operate around the clock to sustain a healthy environment, but this vital infrastructure also supports economic development that enables our region to thrive.

You will have the unique opportunity to work with all wastewater workgroups and lines of business to help shape how we as a utility adapt and respond to changing regulations and build infrastructure for future generations. You will be a key part of one of King County’s largest, most complex capital programs with a variety of interesting, challenging, and critical projects.

You will work with program and project teams across all seven wastewater portfolio categories, including:

• 
  Asset Management – Conveyance
• Asset Management – Plants
• Capacity Improvements
• Operational Enhancements
• Regulatory
• Resource Recovery
• Resiliency

This position requires cooperation and collaboration with many different work units, and external partners and regulatory agencies. To be successful, you must be able to facilitate open dialog with a wide variety of contributors, sometimes balancing conflicting interests or opinions.

• You must navigate achieving results from people who do not report to you while maintaining consistently good working relationships with colleagues.
• Like most public infrastructure today, we must navigate immediate aging system needs, with limited funds while trying to hire new people to help us deliver the projects we must build. Attracting and retaining new people, and coaching, mentoring, and teaching them will be vital to our success.
• Continuous improvement of existing business processes that are responsive to meeting infrastructure needs with limited resources.

Job Duties

• Participate as a project advisor for the planning, design, and construction of the wastewater capital portfolio of programs and projects, focusing on cost and schedule feasibility, operating functionality, regulatory compliance, and operations and maintenance life-cycle costs. Lead business process improvements for these subjects.
• Serve as the expert advisor with unique skills and abilities and knowledge of wastewater treatment and conveyance operations and maintenance. Mentor, teach and collaborate with PPD staff on wastewater system operational nuances for enhanced integration between the PPD and Operations sections in the delivery of capital programs and projects.
• Review and/or direct the review of project plans and specifications for completeness, accuracy and content for meeting operating and maintenance objectives. Provide or participate in constructability reviews.
• Coordinate operations and maintenance participation in the development of new facilities. Identify and resolve issues across units and sections to enhance the operational efficiency of the existing system.
• Provide recommendations and approaches to fully utilize the capabilities of the existing system to convey and treat wastewater.
• Recommend ways to integrate new facility operations toward total system optimization. Plan and provide start-up assistance to capital and operating teams responsible for system start-up and turnover of new facilities.
• Manage prioritization of infrastructure coordination program goals and objectives. Participate in WTD's Portfolio Management planning and prioritization processes and Project Oversight Board as assigned.
• Prepare project status reports, resolutions, and other relevant documentation for assigned projects. Make presentations to management on the status of projects. Represent operating and maintenance interests in project delivery.
• Provide strategic regulatory leadership to capital programs and projects including planning and project delivery to ensure regulatory coordination, compliance, and responsiveness.
• Represent WTD as infrastructure coordinator, providing subject matter expertise (SME) on joint projects with other utilities or partnering agencies. For the current joint Ship Canal Water Quality Project (SCWQP) with Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), duties will include:
  • WTD SME for the SCWQP Tunnel Effluent Pump Station operational control strategy implementation
  • Data sharing efforts to optimize joint agency data collection and system(s) operation Participation on JOIST – Joint Operation Information Sharing Team – of SME's sharing operational information related to each other's system to ensure a working relationship that results in optimized basin operation and reduced combined sewer overflows

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

• A bachelor's degree in planning, engineering, construction, or closely related field or the equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
• Ten years of demonstrated work experience with wastewater, water, or hazardous waste facilities, including experience solving complex wastewater operational system issues, and capital project planning and delivery within a multi-discipline technical work environment. Increasingly responsible experience in leading, supervising or managing wastewater operations or maintenance; wastewater engineering; wastewater system planning, or closely related field is required.
• Analytical and technical abilities are required for project assignments to make recommendations on wastewater treatment and conveyance operating functionality, feasibility, regulatory compliance, and cost/schedule effectiveness of projects.
• Ability to develop, implement, monitor, and report on aspects of an assigned capital project (technical or administrative) which include, but are not limited to project goals and objectives, system operability success factors, scope, schedule, budget, constructability and change control.
• Understanding of project budget and schedule forecasts, reporting metrics, and providing project briefings and updates.
• Understanding of wastewater system operations.
• Ability to manage regulatory needs, timelines, and permit requirements.
• Ability to work with a diverse group of people; cultural, technical backgrounds, personality, etc.
• Advanced team building, conflict resolution and negotiation skills to facilitate effective exchange of information, problem-solving, and ability to use collaborative processes to successfully execute projects involving a diverse group of individuals from a matrixed organization.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and facilitation skills required to provide information, present projects/plans, represent the County's position on a project, and solicit input in the resolution of problems.
• Ability to use software that supports the delivery of required work products including Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and standard databases.

Necessary Special Requirements:

• A valid Washington State Driver's License.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced regulatory strategic ability including regulatory interpretation, compliance risk assessment, negotiation, interaction with regulators and experience crafting and implementing regulatory mechanisms.
• Advanced ability to analyze operational data and make recommendations for optimized operations for conveyance and combined sewer overflows.

The Successful Candidate will have the following Competencies:

• Collaborates – Works cooperatively with others across the organization to achieve shared objectives. Represents own interests while being fair to others and their areas. Partners with others to get work done. Credits others for their contributions and accomplishments. Gains trust and support of others.
• Customer Focus – Gains insight into customer needs. Identifies opportunities that benefit the customer. Builds and delivers solutions that meet customer expectations. Establishes and maintains effective customer relationships.
• Situational Adaptability – Picks up on situational cues and adjusts in the moment. Readily adapts personal, interpersonal, and leadership behavior. Understands that different situations may call for different approaches. Can act differently depending on the circumstances.
• Balances Stakeholders – Understands internal and external stakeholder requirements, expectations, and needs. Balances the interests of multiple stakeholders. Considers cultural and ethical factors in the decision-making process. Acts fairly despite conflicting demands of stakeholders.
• Builds Networks – Builds strong formal and informal networks. Maintains relationships across a variety of functions and locations. Draws upon multiple relationships to exchange ideas, resources, and know-how.

Working Conditions:
Primarily telecommuting. There will be an expectation to travel to various worksites throughout King and South Snohomish County as needed for your work. This position will typically visit a variety of WTD treatment plants and off-site facilities throughout each week, depending on need and project locations. Employees must reside in WA state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite(s) to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Work Location: Primarily telecommuting. This position will typically visit a variety of WTD treatment plants and off-site facilities throughout each week, depending on need and project locations.

Work Schedule: This position is exempt from the overtime provision of the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) and is not overtime eligible. This full-time position works a 40-hour work week, Monday through Friday.

Union Representation: This position is represented by Technical Employee's Association (TEA)

Application Instructions:
This opportunity is open to all qualified candidates. Wastewater Technical Employee's Association (TEA) employees will receive first consideration.

Application and Selection Process: Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness including online application, cover letter and resume, and responsiveness to the list of qualifications, skills, and abilities. The most viable candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews. Applications without the following required materials may not be considered for this position.

• King County application
• Resume
• Cover Letter detailing your background and what you can bring to this position.
• Responses to supplemental questions

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process, if you have questions related to this recruitment process, please contact at Diana Eberly at diana.eberly@kingcounty.gov

Supplemental Information

WHO ARE WE?
WTD is committed to the principles of equity and social justice. We value diverse perspectives and life experiences in our workforce and are committed to building a culturally diverse and inclusive environment. WTD strives to provide equitable services to residents and businesses across King County.

About the Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD): WTD protects water quality and public health in the central Puget Sound region by providing high quality treatment to wastewater collected from local sewer agencies. WTD includes over 700 employees across multiple facilities and serves 1.5 million people. To our agency, success means clean water. It means honoring our legacy while keeping a promise to another generation that our beautiful environment will be there for them to enjoy. It also means being accountable to our ratepayers and operating a well-managed agency.

To learn more about the Wastewater Treatment Division click on the below links:
http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/wtd/About.aspx
http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/wtd/About/Vision.aspx

WHY WORK FOR KING COUNTY?
King County was named "Best-in-State Employer" in the Forbes magazine 2019, ranking 16 on the list of best employers in Washington State, visit Awards given to King County to see more! King County's Investing in YOU initiative to build a workplace where ALL employees can thrive and become the nation's Best Run Government. Enjoy a balanced life with benefits that support you!

WHY IT'S WORTH TAKING A SECOND LOOK AT WORKING FOR KING COUNTY:
http://kingcounty.gov/audience/employees/careers/why-work-here.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

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles-we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.