The Washington State Department of Natural Resources is excited to open recruitment for a Policy Advisor.
Policy Advisor, Housing and Economic Opportunities
Recruitment #2023-8-7930
Full-time, Exempt, Non-represented position
Location: Natural Resources Building- Olympia, WA
Location and Partial telework flexibility may be available and considered
Salary range: $90,298 – $105,319 Annually
To allow for growth and salary progression the full salary range is: $90,298 – $110,861 Annually
***For a complete position description and application instructions please visit the listing at careers.wa.gov. ***
Review of applications is ongoing. The hiring authority reserves the right to make a hiring decision or close this recruitment at any time after 8/22/23. It is in the applicant’s best interest to submit material as soon as possible.
Want to join something GREAT and make a difference?
Work for Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to develop policies that will lift up all Washingtonians. This includes advancing bold, forward-thinking initiatives that boost rural and urban economies, tackling the biggest challenges facing our forests, public lands and waters, and building stronger, healthier, and more equitable communities.
Our public lands provide a wide array of benefits to our state and communities, including hundreds of millions of dollars for schools, hospitals, and libraries; ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration and flood mitigation; and special places to support human health and enjoy the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Under the leadership of Commissioner Franz, the agency is expanding opportunities that protect our lands and benefit our communities.
The successful candidate will be motivated, creative, hardworking, and have a successful track record of solving complex policy issues. Expertise with, urban planning, community engagement, environmental justice, housing development, real estate, economic development, and/or renewable energy technologies as well as excellent verbal, written and graphic communications, researching, systems thinking and project management experience is highly desirable. We’re looking for someone who can thrive in a fast-paced work environment while planning for our state’s future. Experience with policy and plan development is strongly preferred.
As a Policy Advisor, you will contribute to the DNR Policy and Resilience team’s robust portfolio of work. Expect to bring big, ambitious ideas to life, and expect to be challenged, but know you will have a team to support you.
This position will share our vision creating a healthier Washington begins with the perspectives and meaningful engagement of those most impacted by environmental injustice. As a Policy Advisor you will be working at the intersection of many competing interests and will hold accountability to reducing environmental and health disparities at the core of your work product.
If you are an expert in crafting policy solutions with diverse stakeholders, communities, and organizations, and experienced with environmental justice practices you will thrive in this role.
The Policy and Resilience team at DNR supports Commissioner Franz by advancing solutions to complex challenges. Recent successes include:
- Launching our Plan for Climate Resilience in February 2020 and 3-year Report in 2023 to address our climate risks and challenges and lay out achievable steps we can take in every corner of Washington to increase our resilience to lands, communities, waters, and our beneficiaries.
- Incorporating environmental justice into significant agency request legislation, including our landmark Forest Health and Reduction of Wildfire Dangers bill (2SHB 1168), the Evergreen Communities Act update (E2HB 1216), and Cascading Impacts of Wildfire (2SHB 1578).
- Launching and securing critical on-going funding for a 20-year plan to restore the health of 1.25 million acres of forests and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires.
- Advancing 21st century wind and solar energy projects to generate revenue for schools and counties and help Washington transition to a clean energy future.
- Launching our Watershed Resilience Action Plan in support of salmon recovery in the Snohomish Watershed.
- DNR’s updated 2022-2025 Strategic Plan to address the ever-changing challenges of our time and beyond and ensure that our solutions to these challenges equitably serve all Washingtonians.
The Policy Advisor serves at the pleasure of the Commissioner and reports directly to the
Policy Director. They contribute to the agency with expertise and project support on major strategic policy and resilience issues. The Policy Advisor will be responsible for policy, plan development and project support to meet agency goals and to address challenges facing the agency.