Salary: $67,380.00 – $88,416.00 Annually
Location: Thurston County – Olympia, WA
Job Type: Exempt
Closing Date: 8/29/2023 11:59 PM Pacific
**The funding for this position is scheduled to end in five calendar years beginning from the appointment date of employment and no later than September 2029.**

Who We Are
The Puget Sound Partnership is a non-regulatory state agency leading the region’s collective effort to restore and protect the Puget Sound natural ecosystems. We are also one of the Executive Cabinet agencies under Governor Inslee’s Office. The Partnership brings together hundreds of partners to mobilize action around a common agenda, advance Sound investments, and advance priority actions by supporting partners.

Position Details
This full-time unrepresented position is exempt from civil service law and has an official duty station at our Headquarters building in Olympia, Washington. Within the organizational chart, this position is a member of the External Operations Division, and reports to the Strategic Funding Manager.  
 
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) provides federal funding that supports programs and projects for nature-based and green infrastructure, climate resilience, and equity and environmental justice. As the Restoration and Transportation Funding Strategist, you will support a core outcome of the Strategic Funding Team to acquire additional funding for the implementation of the Action Agenda by matching projects that are local and Tribal priorities with the substantial pools of funds that are becoming available. You will build relationships and lines of communication with tribes, and local, and regional partners, make connections to appropriate funding opportunities, and support the tracking of where funding is being utilized. You will also support the connections of tribes and local partners to available technical resources, assist in the development of collaborative projects that support Puget Sound recovery and provide support in achieving the requirements for transportation funding opportunities.

A little bit about the External Operations Division 
The External Operations Division consists of the Adaptive Systems and Accountability, Boards, Communications, Integrated Planning, Science and Evaluation, and Strategic Funding programs.

Work Location
The Partnership offers a modern hybrid work environment, which includes both remote and office settings in Olympia and Tacoma. Although it’s not an official duty station of the Partnership, the agency currently utilizes a co-work space at a location in Seattle as a drop-in work environment option for staff.

All staff are required to report for in-person work in group settings or for in-person work at an office building at least once a week, including this position. You may be required to work more frequently in an office setting than others if you’re unable to effectively conduct work remotely or as business needs arise. You will be expected to report to the Olympia office on your first day of employment for onboarding.
 
Travel throughout the Puget Sound area on a regular basis will likely be necessary and may not be eligible for mileage reimbursement depending on where you reside and the destination of the meeting. The Partnership offers agency vehicles for all staff when traveling to meetings, conferences, or other work-related events that are not part of the employee’s regular commute. Use of the vehicle and a gasoline card for fueling is at no cost to the employee.

Salary
The annual salary range of compensation for this position is between $67,380 – $88,416 depending upon qualifications, although the expected hiring salary will typically be less than the top of the range to allow for growth and development movement. Bonuses, benefits, and/or additional pay may be available based on recruitment, retention, and incentives approved through legislative acts

Who should apply
We are looking for someone that meets the experience and education requirements listed below, but we also are looking for lived experience. Please consider applying if your lived experience meets the competencies of the requirements.

We encourage applicants from outside of Washington to apply! The successful candidate would be required to relocate to Washington state within 30 days of the appointment date. The expectation of this position’s starting appointment date is in the mid to late fall of 2023.

An additional recruitment for the new Strategic Funding Team is expected to become available in August 2023, so please check back periodically to review new employment opportunities.

• Strategic Funding Coordinator

Duties
Some of duties include:
Supporting Funding Efforts:

• Building and strengthening relationships with tribes, local partners including the Lead Entities (LEs) and Local Integrating Organizations (LIOs), and Strategic Initiative Leads (SILs) to identify funding needs and opportunities aligned with the Action Agenda.
• Regularly meeting with tribes, LEs, LIOs, and SILs to identify funding needs and opportunities aligned with implementing the Action Agenda.
• Regularly meeting with colleagues in the External Operations Division, particularly the Ecosystem Recovery Team, Boards Team, and Planning Team to discuss current and new funding needs and identify proposal opportunities.
• Connecting tribes, LEs, LIOs, and other local partners with available funding opportunities that match their priorities and lines of work that are implementing the Action Agenda.
• Providing tribes, LIOs, LEs, and other local partners assistance in understanding and addressing the requirements of funding opportunities, particularly those with applying for transportation funding opportunities.
• Supporting the Grant Writer and Coordinator with the design and development of competitive grant proposals to appropriate funding opportunities through collaboration and coordination with tribes, Lead Entities (LEs), Local Integrating Organizations (LIOs), and other local partners.

Providing Technical Assistance:

• Providing technical assistance to tribes, LEs, LIOs and other local partners that are applying for funding opportunities, particularly for restoration projects applying for transportation funding.
• Coordinating with federal and state partners on the infrastructure improvements schedules to determine if restoration projects can be done in tandem.
• Analyzing, evaluating, and preparing reports and specific recommendations on the nexus of restoration and transportation projects.
• Supporting the development of collective and cross-jurisdictional/geography concepts into projects and proposals for submission to available funding opportunities.
• Tracking grant seeking efforts and creating reports on grant submission and results.
• Connecting tribes and local partners to technical resources related to fund-seeking.

Qualifications

Required Education, Experience, and Competencies:

• Master’s degree or higher focused on transportation, environmental or urban, regional or land use planning, environmental management, natural resources, public policy, public administration or related field.

OR

• Bachelor’s degree with a major study in transportation, environmental or urban, regional or land use planning, environmental management, natural resources, public policy, public administration or related field, AND two (2) years of experience managing and leading projects and initiatives.

OR 

• Six (6) years or more of education and experience combined that demonstrates the candidate meets all competency requirements for this position.

AND

• Professional transportation experience involving analysis and evaluation of transportation issues or analysis of environmental issues and problems that involve transportation issues.
• At least two years of interdisciplinary program/complex project management.
• Ability to work cooperatively and effectively with a diverse group of agencies, governments, and stakeholders.
• Demonstrates proficiency as a facilitator to motivate, energize, and connect the right people, partnerships, and resources to compile grant proposals.
• Ability to demonstrate strong interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to work on a team and make complex decisions with a high level of initiative and judgment in a variety of situations.
• At least one year of experience in grant writing, including researching and submitting grant proposals to state, federal, and private entities.
• Commitment to advancing justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

**Note: The professional experience requirements above could be gained concurrently.

Conditions of the Working Environment:
   With or without accommodations, I am willing and able to:

• Work indoors, at a desk/workstation the majority of a workday, 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, which may include overnight stays, as required, while performing the duties of this position
• Work in a fast-paced 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 partners and staff in a positive, friendly, and supportive manner that meets the needs and standards of the office and the agency.
• Permanently reside in Washington state throughout employment and available to report in person at Puget Sound agency offices and meetings on a weekly basis. If the successful candidate is currently living outside of Washington, relocation must occur within 30 days of the appointment date. 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with state or federal transportation agencies.
• Familiarity with Puget Sound recovery and salmon recovery policy issues.
• Knowledge of the Puget Sound Action Agenda.
• Knowledge of the Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Plan.
• Knowledge of green and nature-based infrastructure and climate resilience.
• One year of experience working in conflict situations and demonstrating sensitivity in navigating and maintaining relationships.
• Experience in monitoring and tracking project progress.
• Knowledge of federal, state and local grant funding sources including application processes and requirements.

To Apply

Please attach the following documents in order to be considered; failure to do so may result in you not being considered for the position:

• A letter of interest that describes why you are a compelling candidate and how you meet the specific qualifications for this position. If you’d like lived experience to be considered in lieu of any education or professional experience, please include how that lived experience is equivalent to any of the educational or professional experience requirements. You are welcome to include the name and pronouns you would like to be referred to in your materials and we will honor this as you interact with our organization. 
• Current resume, detailing experience, education, and relevant skills or talents

** You will want to ensure you have a current list of at least three (3) professional references with current contact information attached or available to provide at the time of the interview. For lived experience, a personal reference may be accepted in addition to the professional references.

For more information and to apply: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/washington/jobs/4139837/restoration-and-transportation-funding-strategist-exempt