Do you love helping people understand complex issues, encouraging change, and finding creative ways to make a real difference?

Thurston County’s Stormwater Utility is seeking a dynamic, mid-career Communication and Outreach Specialist to assist with designing, developing, and deploying outreach campaigns and educational materials addressing some of the biggest sources of non-point pollution threatening the health of our lakes, streams, groundwater, and Puget Sound. This position works within the Education and Outreach II classification for the Resource Stewardship Water Resources Division.

We provide services, technical assistance, and information about stormwater management and related environmental impacts to a wide variety of stakeholders living and working in the County’s unincorporated areas. We also collaborate regionally with other municipalities, partner organizations, community groups, and volunteers to leverage resources and meet shared goals.

Why you’ll love it here

You’ll enjoy a high quality of life here in Olympia. We are one of the fastest growing areas in Washington State and the nation. Housing is more affordable than Seattle or Portland. Our innovative schools are highly rated. Locals enjoy hiking, kayaking, biking, fishing, as well as great local food, coffee, and microbreweries. You’ll be only an hour or two away from Seattle, Portland, or some of the most breathtaking scenery the Pacific Northwest has to offer–including sandy ocean beaches, powder-filled ski resorts, old growth forests, and alpine meadows.

Our County is home to a unique blend of industries–including state government, health care, retail, military, education, construction, farming, fishing, and logging.

You’ll enjoy great employee benefits, including a retirement plan, pre-tax savings accounts, comprehensive health care and dental/vision care for you, your partner, and children as well as generous leave programs, and union representation.

Why you’ll be a great fit

You’re both creative/analytical, strategic/flexible, and independent/collaborative. You’re a leader and facilitator, comfortable navigating competing stakeholder interests, building consensus, and guiding change in an environment marked by competing priorities. You take proactive ownership of issues as they arise and drive them to resolution. You’re also a great team player who’s willing to follow other’s lead and take on mundane tasks when necessary, who maybe also secretly enjoys correcting minor grammatical errors. While you are passionate about achieving the best solution, you’re also pragmatic in the face of potential gridlock–focused on incremental gains when big wins are currently out of reach without losing sight of the big picture.

You’ll be charged with concurrently designing, developing, and deploying several outreach programs and/or campaigns for technical or non-technical, and internal or external audiences. Your responsibilities will include managing multi-faceted and complex projects, and completing various smaller assignments independently. You’ll become widely recognized within your sphere of influence as being knowledgeable in your program areas.

• Bachelor’s degree in communications (marketing, technical, or environmental), education, public or environmental health, environmental science, psychology or social or behavioral science, instructional design, design/usability, or other closely related field.
• Must have four years experience working in communications (marketing, technical, or environmental), environmental health, public health, or other related field promoting education, outreach, media campaigns, public relations, marketing research and analysis, community based social marketing, adult education, technical communication for non-technical audiences, behavior or organizational change, event planning, facilitation, or other comparable experiences to successfully perform duties and responsibilities of the classification.
• Previous one year experience with budget or project management, grant or proposal writing and administration, and leading or supervising teams or volunteers.
• Must have the ability to utilize a personal computer with related software to perform the essential functions of the position.
• Must possess a valid Washington State Driver’s license, or the ability to obtain a license within 30 days of employment, or otherwise meet the travel requirements of the position.
• May be required to possess a professional certification applicable to area of assignment.

While not required, we are especially interested in candidates who also have one or more of the following:

• Ability to quickly establish rapport with stakeholders from a diverse range of industries or socioeconomic, political, or cultural backgrounds
• Experience working with elected officials, developers, or businesses
• Knowledge of specifics involved with community based social marketing (CBSM), behavior change theory, survey methodology, marketing analysis principles and practices, OR current advancements in the field of science communication
• Knowledge of stormwater management practices, municipal stormwater permit requirements, urban planning/land use, landscape architecture, Low Impact Development (LID) or Green Infrastructure (GI), sustainable design, or other water-related environmental issues
• Proficiency in communicating technical information to both technical and non-technical audiences, both verbally and in writing
• Ability to coordinate and collaborate across multi-disciplinary teams or external partners

Questions about this Position?
The contact person for this recruitment is Amy Correa (360) 786-5492

This position is:
-Represented by a Union
-Eligible for benefits
-Eligible for overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
 
Items required for consideration:
– Application
– Letter of Interest
– Resume