What are the responsibilities and job description for the Floodplain Policy Coordinator position at King County?
Are you ready to elevate your career to work in the exciting world of floodplain management? Do you have strong organizational skills and thrive in a fast-paced work environment? Then come join the River and Floodplain Management Section, a nationwide leader in integrated floodplain management and development of innovative flood risk reduction strategies! As a Floodplain Policy Coordinator, you will help shape both safer and more resilient communities, and the future of sustainable floodplain management. You'll join a collaborative, innovative team that values creative problem-solving, continuous learning, and making a real impact. If you're ready to grow your career while safeguarding our environment and communities, this is the role for you!
About the Role:
The primary purpose of the Floodplain Policy Coordinator (Project/Program Manager III) is to be part of a technical team within the Department of Natural Resources and Parks that ensures the sustainable and compliant management of King County’s floodplains through coordination, technical expertise, and collaboration with the Department of Local Services. The role includes reviewing floodplain development permits and setting permit conditions, coordinating the technical review and approval of Floodplain Development Permits and Flood Hazard Certificates, supporting site visits and pre-application meetings, and collaborating with others to enhance permitting processes. The Floodplain Policy Coordinator tracks and evaluates proposed FEMA floodplain map revisions and provides technical assistance to property owners on how map changes affect their properties and potential developments. In addition, the role includes providing clear floodplain information to inform community members, practitioners, and officials about regulatory and risk management practices.
This position performs work remotely and onsite.
About the Team:
The River and Floodplain Management Section (RFMS) is a nationwide leader in integrated floodplain management and development of innovative flood risk reduction strategies. We have an opportunity that offers exciting challenges for two (2) standout candidates to join our dynamic team that is dedicated to innovation, growth and the opportunity to enhance the environment and protect people from flooding.
The River and Floodplain Management Section has a diverse work program to reduce flood risks to the residents of King County in a manner that restores river and floodplain processes, considers equitable outcomes and future conditions related to climate change, promotes flood-resilient communities, and provides a collaborative and engaged professional environment where RFMS staff can grow and thrive. The Policy, Performance, and Strategy Unit informs floodplain policy development and implementation; assists in defining, strategizing, and measuring our actions to promote flood-resilient communities and reduce flood risk; and ensures that RFMS teams are aligned with the goals and policies of King County and the King County Flood Control District.
Specific to this recruitment, the Policy, Performance, and Strategy Unit has a Floodplain Policy Team that collaborates broadly to uphold King County’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and Community Rating System memberships, among other duties.
Floodplain Development Coordination: Oversee the technical review and evaluation of Floodplain Development Permit applications and Flood Hazard Certificates, ensure NFIP, state and county development standards are met, and record compliance measures, participate in pre-application meetings and site visits in coordination with permitting staff; maintain records and collaborate with others to enhance processes while upholding regulatory standards.
Map Revisions and FEMA Coordination: Analyze proposed floodplain map amendments and revisions, collaborate with FEMA, coordinate evaluation of applicant requests, provide technical support to property owners, and facilitate applications for FEMA map amendments and revisions to reflect accurate floodplain and flood risk conditions.
Effective Communication: Provide flood map information, risk management practices, and clear floodplain regulatory requirements to community members, practitioners, colleagues, and officials.
Post-Disaster Assessment: Coordinate and conduct damage assessment surveys, evaluating flood damage, documenting losses, and advocating for policies and recovery strategies that enhance floodplain resilience.
King County Code Management: Monitor and contribute to the update of codes to comply with federal and state requirements, interpreting complex regulations, and staying informed on legislative changes that impact floodplain management.
Qualifications You Bring:
Relevant lived experience: The equivalent of a degree from an accredited institution with a major emphasis in floodplain management, land use, environmental or natural resource planning, landscape architecture, geography, or environmental law, public administration with an environmental emphasis, or closely related field AND three (3) years of professional experience in land use, urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, and/or program development.
Technical skills: Proficiency in reading and interpreting construction plans, building codes, and environmental regulations. Basic knowledge of principles of surveying, building construction, hydrology and hydraulics.
Optimizes work processes: Skilled at productively managing multiple complex tasks simultaneously. Efficiently and effectively maintains records and documents that keep the community eligible to participate in the FEMA’s NFIP and Community Rating System (CRS).
Collaborator: Builds partnerships and works collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives. Recognizes the value that different perspectives and cultures bring to an organization. Ability to deal tactfully, explain complex issues, and build understanding among diverse groups and individuals that might include public officials, property owners, developers, and organizational colleagues.
Computer proficiency: Ability to utilize various computer software programs such as Word, Excel, GIS (ArcGIS, etc.). And the ability to learn permit related software.
- Valid Washington State driver's license or the ability to obtain one prior to starting work if selected for this position.
- Communicates Effectively: Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
- Instills Trust: Gaining the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.
- Action Oriented: Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
- Drives Results: Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstances.
- Being Resilient: Rebounding from setbacks and adversity when facing difficult situations.
Relevant professional certifications: Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM), American Institute of Certified Planner (AICP) or other related professional certification is a plus. King County will support the candidate to acquire their CFM from the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) within 1 year of being hired. Annual training budget can support further professional education and accreditation.
NFIP knowledge: Working knowledge of the National Flood Insurance Program, its minimum standards, principles and programs.
Working Conditions:
- Remote and Onsite Work Details: Employees in this role work remotely from a home location, with onsite and/or field visit reporting requirements typically 1-4 times per month. The frequency of onsite work is determined by business needs and may be adjusted accordingly. Onsite reporting locations may be at various King County worksites including the collaboration space at King Street Center (201 S. Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104). This work arrangement promotes work-life-balance and reduces carbon footprint under the department’s vision of Green Where We Work.
- Remote Work Location Requirement: Employees must reside in Washington State and be within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to meet workplace reporting requirements.
- Work Schedule: These full-time positions will work a 40-hour work week. These positions are exempt from the overtime provision of the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) and is not overtime eligible. The typical work schedule is 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday– Friday. Attendance at evening meetings and weekend events may be required from time to time including for staffing of the Flood Warning Center or Flood Patrol during flood emergencies.
- Union Representation: These positions are represented by Teamsters, Local 117-Professional & Technical Bargaining Unit.
- Duration: This recruitment aims to fill two (2) Term-Limited Temporary (TLT) positions with an anticipated duration of 3 years. If the positions are filled by a King County employee who has successfully completed their initial probation, they will be offered the role as a Special Duty Assignment.
- Physical Requirement: These positions will be required to traverse uneven terrain in weather conditions including possible inclement weather.
Application and Selection Process: We welcome applications from all qualified candidates. We value diversity, diverse perspectives and life experience and encourage people of all backgrounds to apply. This posting may be used to create an eligibility list for future vacancies in similar positions over the next six months.
Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness and alignment with the experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skills essential for this role to determine which 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.
To apply, submit a:
- Complete Online Application with response to supplemental questions.
- Resume (not required but will be reviewed if submitted).
- Cover Letter (please be sure to address in your cover letter how your skills and experience meet the minimum qualifications listed in this job posting).
Note: Additional documents won't be considered during minimum qualification screening.
Who to Contact: For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact Isaac Good at (206) 848-0576 origood@kingcounty.gov.
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Forbes recently named King County as one of Washington State's best employers. 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.
Salary : $106,106 - $134,496
