River and Floodplain Maintenance Unit Supervisor

Job Description:

River and Floodplain Maintenance Unit Supervisor

Description

Summary

Are you ready to dive into the exciting world of floodplain management and make a splash in your career? Do you have strong organizational and leadership skills, thrive in a fast-paced work environment, enjoy a mix of desk and field work, and excel at collaboration? If so, look no further than the River and Floodplain Maintenance Unit Supervisor located in the River and Floodplain Management Section (RFMS), a nationwide leader in integrated floodplain management and development of innovative flood risk reduction strategies.

About the Role :

The River and Floodplain Maintenance Unit Supervisor (Environmental Scientist IV) leads a staff who steward publicly owned levees, revetments, and flood buyout properties across King County, supervising three full-time employees and a seasonal field crew. The Unit Supervisor is responsible for planning and implementation of asset management for the Rivers and Floodplain Management Section, including developing and updating asset management policies and procedures; supporting site management plan production; and overseeing facility maintenance and property inspection, restoration planning and implementation, and removal of at-risk residential and commercial structures. The Supervisor collaborates with partners in the Water and Land Resources Division, the Parks and Recreation Division, and the Road Services Division for the efficient maintenance and management of natural and built assets across the County. The Unit Supervisor serves as the Flood Patrol Coordinator responsible for Flood Patrol program development and continuous improvement, staff technical and safety training, and team deployment and direction during flood events.

As the River and Floodplain Maintenance Unit Supervisor, you will be at the heart of the work that maintains vital levees, revetments and properties that keep people safe during floods. No day will be the same. You could be at your desk writing a policy one day and on the river making a repair the next. You will oversee highly motivated and skilled staff, manage a diverse portfolio of properties, and tackle complex challenges. Through support for river restoration projects, you will help improve conditions for salmon and the environment. You will leave a literal mark on the landscape in this job.
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, development of innovative flood risk reduction strategies, and improved river and environmental conditions and solutions across King County’s six major river systems (White, Green, Cedar, Sammamish, Snoqualmie, Skykomish) as well other tributaries and floodplains. RFMS leads 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, and provides a collaborative and engaged professional environment where RFMS staff can grow and thrive. The Maintenance Unit plays an integral role in the Section’s success by maintaining and repairing the County’s flood protection levees, revetments and flood buyout properties to ensure their ongoing structural integrity and the long-term success of multi-benefit flood risk reduction and floodplain restoration projects.

Commitment To Equity and Social Justice: King County, named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is a diverse and vibrant community that represents cultures from around the world. Our True North is to create a welcoming community where everyone can thrive. We prioritize equity, racial and social justice, making it a foundational and daily expectation for all employees. As the River and Floodplain Maintenance Unit Supervisor , you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity .

Apply now for a rewarding career at the Water and Land Resource Division of King County Department of Natural Resources & Parks (DNRP). Join our talented workforce in protecting and restoring the natural environment and promoting more resilient, sustainable, and equitable communities. Enjoy training, comprehensive benefits , and growth opportunities.

Job Duties

What You Will Be Doing:

• Lead a staff of three full-time employees and a seasonal field crew who, along with contractors, carry out natural and built asset management, including routine inspections, addressing emerging issues such as encampments and removal of at-risk structures, developing site management plans, making hands-on repairs, and managing vegetation. Serve on the RFMS Leadership Team, contributing to decision-making for the Section.
• Undertake maintenance activities to preserve the function and longevity of river levees, revetments, and associated features, such as culverts and flap gates.
• Help to plan and implement long-term asset management of levees, revetments, and undeveloped properties by contributing to plans and procedures, developing staffing recommendations, and securing resources needed to ensure high quality service delivery for the growing program.
• Collaborate with County agencies and external partners to manage and maintain the County’s flood risk reduction facilities and related properties.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives, including developing procedures and protocols in collaboration with internal and external partners.
• Serve as Flood Patrol Coordinator responsible for program development and enhancement, staff technical and safety training, and team deployment and direction during flood events as part of the King County Flood Warning Program.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

Qualifications You Bring:

• Demonstrated ability to supervise staff.
• Knowledge of and demonstrated experience with natural asset or property management.
• Demonstrated experience in responding to emergencies, participating in emergency planning or preparation, or training development.
• Experience working collaboratively with a wide variety of public agencies to resolve problems.
• Ability to address new and emerging needs for which there are no existing policies or procedures.
• Experience responding to questions and complaints from members of the public using an equitable approach.
• Demonstrated commitment to staff and public safety with experience contributing to organizational missions focused on public benefit, safety trainings or other safety focused activities or leadership.

Required Licenses:

• Driver’s License.
  

Competencies You Bring:

• Collaborates: Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
• Communicates Effectively: Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
• Plans and Aligns: The ability to develop and execute strategic plans that align with an organization's goals and objectives, ensuring effective and coordinated efforts across teams and functions.
• Decision Quality: Making good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward.
• Builds Effective Teams: Building strong-identity teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals.
• Action Oriented: Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
• Racially Just: Identify and replace racists systems and structures with anti-racists and pro-equity approaches.

It Would Be Great if You Also Bring:

• Experience writing policies, procedures, or site management plans related to asset management.
• Knowledge of disciplines critical to river and floodplain asset management, including environmental planning, environmental science, permitting, engineering, and public policy.
• Experience with state and local permitting processes for projects or work in designated floodplains or critical areas or environmentally sensitive areas.
• Experience as a working supervisor, working alongside and supervising field staff who initiate and complete both regular and proactive maintenance functions as well as repairs.
• Experience as a leader in emergency planning and response, especially large-scale municipal or governmental disaster scenario planning or response.

Supplemental Information

Working Conditions:

• Remote and Onsite Work Details: Employees in this role work remotely from a home location, with in-office visits 1 time per month and will perform frequent field work in locations around King County. 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: This full-time position will work a 40-hour work week. This position is covered under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is overtime eligible. The typical work schedule is 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday- Friday with some flexibility allowed with supervisor permission. Flood Patrol often requires work at night and on weekends and holidays.
• Union Representation: This position is represented by PROTEC Local 17A bargaining unit.
• Physical Requirement: This position will require the ability to work outdoors in uneven terrain and in rivers and streams (in boats, inflatable kayaks, and/or wading), and to work outdoors safely during flood events.

Application and Selection Process:
We welcome applicationsfrom all qualified candidates , but first consideration will be given to all current King County PROTEC Local 17A bargaining unit employees eligible for a lateral transfer (transferring within the Environmental Scientist IV classification and having passed probation). 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. The selected candidate for this position will be required to pass a pre-employment physical.

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. Please ensure that your application materials clearly detail how your skills and experience meet the minimum qualifications outlined in this posting.

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.
• Cover Letter.

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 or igood@kingcounty.gov .

Discover More About the Water Land & Resources Division: Visit our website .

Discover More About DNRP: Visit our website , explore an interactive map of our recent accomplishments and check us out at Facebook , X (formerly Twitter) , LinkedIn , TikTok , Instagram , YouTube and Keeping King County Green News .

Sign up for Job Alerts to be notified of additional career opportunities with King County. Select the Natural Resources category for DNRP opportunities and explore other categories of interest.

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.

King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:

• Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage options: King County provides eligible employees with options, so they can decide what’s best for themselves and their eligible dependents
• Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
• Retirement: eligible King County employees may participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
• Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
• 12paid holidays each year plus twopersonal holidays
• Generous vacation and paid sick leave
• Paid parental,family and medical, and volunteer leaves
• Flexible Spending Account
• Wellness programs
• Onsite activity centers
• Employee Giving Program
• Employee assistance programs
• Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
• Training and career development programs

For additional information about employee benefits, visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page .

This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails.

NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position.Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.

For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.

Closing Date/Time: 6/29/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

Salary:

$122,332.08 - $155,063.38 Annually