As the Puget Sound Partnership’s Deputy Director (Deputy), you will support the Executive Director by providing consultation and support for strategic long-term planning and leadership responsibilities. The Deputy will also ensure that all planning, science and evaluation, partner engagement, agency communications, and adaptive systems products and processes are consistent with and advancing adaptive management best practices. The Deputy reports directly to the Executive Director and is a member of the Executive Leadership Team.

The mission of the Puget Sound Partnership is to accelerate and advance the recovery of Puget Sound. The Partnership is the backbone organization for Puget Sound recovery, and as such: leads the collaborative effort to chart the course of recovery, supports and empowers partners to implement the Action Agenda and manages shared measures and accountability.

The Puget Sound Partnership (Partnership) leads the region’s collective effort to restore, protect, and sustain Puget Sound. We align the work of our partners around a shared vision and science-driven, prioritized strategies. We ensure smart investments that help to allocate resources efficiently and effectively. By striving to remove financial, regulatory, and resource barriers for our partners, we serve as a catalyst for success in restoring health to Puget Sound.

More information on the Partnership is available at our website: www.psp.wa.gov.

THE PARTNERSHIP is a great place to work and has implemented several “Employer of Choice” initiatives, including:

  • We are committed to diversity and inclusion. The Partnership fosters an inclusive environment that encourages all employees to bring their authentic selves to work each day. We strive to hire, develop, and retain a competent and diverse workforce that is reflective of the public and partners we serve.
  • We offer transit commuting options from Seattle and Olympia at no cost to the employee, including a generous Reduced Transportation Commute financial incentive and agency-paid ORCA cards to all employees.
  • We foster a healthy work/life balance by offering flexible/alternative work schedules, and mobile and telework options (depending on job duties).
  • We are taking steps toward modernizing our workplace by providing motivating and inspiring workspaces at three locations that promote creative thought, innovation, and collaboration among co-workers.
  • We support an Infant at Work Program that is based on the long-term health values of breastfeeding newborns and infant-parent bonding. Eligible employees who are new mothers, fathers, or legal guardians can bring their infant (six weeks to six months) when returning to work (depending upon job duties).

Our main office is in a LEED Platinum-certified building on the waterfront in Tacoma within a 10 minute walk of downtown (restaurants, shopping, museums, farmer’s market, etc.). The new Deputy Director will have a choice of basing themselves out of either our Tacoma or Olympia offices. Flexible work schedules are typical, including alternate work schedules and working from home or in Seattle two or three days per week with supervisor approval. Staff are issued laptop computers and mobile phones and have access to state vehicles for travel. This position should expect to travel regularly to meetings throughout the region.
DutiesSome of what you will enjoy doing includes:

Leadership: Serving as the model and ambassador for the mission, vision, and Leadership Philosophy of the agency. Setting the direction for implementation of recovery plan for Puget Sound. Empowering, and encouraging, staff to make decisions at the level closest to the issue whenever possible.

Management: Being responsible and accountable for recovery planning (the Action Agenda as well as the local recovery work plans), science products and processes, boards and engagement, communications, and the adaptive management systems. Making decisions that appropriately balance organizational risk and opportunity. Using data to inform decisions and manage business strategy in the near and long term. Fiscal oversight for division, modeling agency fiscal policy and procedures.

Supervision: Providing mentorship and clarity of purpose for the Planning Program Manager, the Science Director, the Boards Program Manager, the Communication Lead, and the Adaptive Systems Manager.

QualificationsThe successful candidate should be a team player, defined as possessing initiative and a driving passion for the work, bringing humility to their job and interactions with others, and having excellent people skills.

Leadership is expected of everyone in the organization, and is defined as follows:

We are committed to achieving our mission of accelerating and advancing the recovery of Puget Sound. To ensure our success, we are equally committed to running our agency in a high-performance manner that focuses on high-quality products and processes and a collaborative approach. We achieve high performance by:

  • Valuing one another, our diversity, and our contribution to the agency and the mission.
  • Embracing shared leadership, and empowering all staff, as critical thinkers, to make timely evidence-based decisions in a collaborative manner.
  • Promoting learning–and implementing what we learn–by using the adaptive management cycle for both programs and internal operations. Optimizing our human and financial resources

Required Experience, Competencies, and Technical Skills:
Education, Experience, and Competencies.

  • Bachelor’s degree or above in management, business administration, public administration, public policy, planning or related field.
  • A minimum of five years of experience in senior leadership in a private or public organization.
  • A minimum of seven years of experience in a supervisory capacity.
  • A minimum of two years of experience in, or working with, the public sector.

Competencies:

  • Manages Conflict: Faces and works through tough situations in an equitable, respectful and in a timely manner while maintaining a clear compass bearing for the business needs.
  • Balances Stakeholders: Understands internal and external stakeholder expectations and concerns; considers cultural and ethical factors in the decision-making process; acts fairly, consistently and equitably despite conflicting demands and expectations.
  • Decision Quality: Makes strong, defensible and timely decisions that keep the organization moving in the right direction, based on the legal framework, strong analysis and good judgment, awareness of the full suite of risks and benefits, and organizational priorities.
  • Directs Work, Plans and Aligns: Provides direction, plans, aligns, delegates, and removes obstacles to enable and empower others to get the right work done. Shows judgment regarding time allocation for self and others.
  • Optimizes Work Processes: Keeping an eye not only on how well each division works, but on the question of how well they are all working together as a system, and then how well they work as a system with external partners, and working continuously to find ways to make those processes, as systems, more effective and efficient.
  • Ensures Accountability: Holds positions accountable for meeting their commitments. Able to identify and document concerns early (whether performance, competencies, etc.) and take productive, responsive actions.
  • Drives Results: Communicates a vision, sets priorities, and leads teams to achieve desired outcomes.

Preferred/Desired Education, Experience, and Competencies.

  • Master’s degree or above in environmental management, public policy, planning or related field
  • Five years professional experience related to natural resources policy, planning, or management
  • Experience and interest in brokering meaningful compromises between polarized constituencies on controversial issues

CONDITIONS OF THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
With or without an accommodation, I am willing and able to:

  • Work indoors, at a desk/workstation the majority of a work day, in an open office environment with possible conversation and other noise distractions.
  • Work in a tobacco-free, drug-free, and alcohol-free environment.
  • Work a 40 hour work week. A flexible work schedule may be considered upon request and supervisory approval, after an initial review period.
  • Occasionally work in excess of 40 hours per week and/or to adjust normally scheduled hours, which may include evenings and weekends, to meet program needs and critical deadlines.
  • Occasionally travel throughout the state and nationwide which may include overnight stays, as required, while performing the duties of this position.
  • Work in a fast-paced/stressful environment with multiple priorities and competing deadlines.
  • Maintain confidentiality regarding information accessed or discussed while performing the duties of the position.
  • Interact and work with customers (some of whom may be frustrated or distressed) in a positive, friendly, and supportive manner that meets the needs and standards of the office and the agency.

Apply here: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/washington/jobs/2447331/deputy-director-exempt