Policy Lead - Habitat Strategic Initiative Lead (HSIL)-Environmental Planner 5-Permanent-2026-08441

Salary : $84,528.00 - $113,736.00 Annually
Location : Thurston County - Olympia, WA
Job Type: Full Time - Permanent
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number:
Department: Dept. of Fish and Wildlife
Opening Date: 10/08/2026
Closing Date: 10/25/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Description
Title - Policy Lead - Habitat Strategic Initiative Lead (HSIL)

Classification - Environmental Planner 5 (EP5)

Job Status - Full-Time/PermanentWDFW Program - Habitat Program - Ecosystem Services Division/Puget Sound SectionDuty Station - Olympia, Washington - Thurston County

Hybrid/Telework - This position offers a hybrid work schedule, with at least one day per week onsite at the Olympia, WA duty station and up to four days of telework. The selected candidate must be available to work onsite for in-person meetings and to meet business needs.

Posting Timeframe - This recruitment is scheduled to be posted until October 25, 2026. First review of applications will take place on October 19, 2026. Application review is ongoing, and applicants are encouraged to submit their materials as soon as possible. Following the first review date, this recruitment may be closed at any time.

Photo Caption: Fir Island Farm Unit - Estuary, Restoration Project- Photo Credit: Alan L. Bauer

What to Expect -
Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Policy Lead will collaborate with HSIL co-leads at partner agencies to:

Lead the Habitat Strategic Initiative Lead (HSIL) team:

• Recruit, select, develop and lead the HSIL team including staff from multiple agencies.
• Supervise WDFW staff comprised of senior planners and grant managers.
• Develop, maintain and update the SIL staffing plans and annual work plans to guide the prioritization of activities and capacity.
• Create a collaborative and coordinated team environment and ensure HSIL staff can be successful in their work.

Oversee HSIL implementation and adaptive management of strategic frameworks for Puget Sound recovery:

• Lead and support coordination and collaboration with Puget Sound Partnership, the Management Conference, other Strategic Initiative Leads (SILs), state agencies, Puget Sound tribes, Local Integrating Organizations, and others to accelerate Puget Sound recovery and advance the strategies and actions in the Puget Sound Action Agenda.
• Facilitate multi-disciplinary teams to advance Action Agenda Topics and Implementation Strategies assigned in the cooperative agreement.

Manage the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Cooperative Agreement:

• Manage a multi-million-dollar budget including making decisions on staffing, allocations to eligible activities, etc.
• Maintain effective working relationships to develop and implement program policies and activities with key WDFW sections and programs including but not limited to the Contracts Office, Cultural Resources Division, Fiscal, Tribal Liaison and Communications and Public Engagement (CAPE).
• Implement the administrative tasks of the EPA Cooperative Agreement.
• Communicate and coordinate regularly with the EPA Project Officer.

Oversee Grant Programs:

• Assign responsibility and oversee implementation of processes to select investment priorities and to award funding.
• Ensure processes have appropriate technical and program oversight, agency awareness, and meet all federal and state requirements.
• Oversee grant program operation implementation including development and implementation of program procedures, risk management, and make programmatic policy decisions

Working Conditions:

Work Setting, including hazards: Work is performed almost exclusively indoors in an office environment.

Schedule: Standard business hours are Monday - Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., may be expected to adjust work schedule to meet business needs and a flexible work schedule may be considered at the incumbent's request and is subject to supervisory approval.

Travel Requirements: Some travel is required, and is typically local or regional, to meet with partners, conduct business, or to attend or provide training.

Customer Interactions: Frequent contact (likely daily) with clients, including some contact with those who may be frustrated.

Qualifications:
Closely related qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-by-year basis.
Required Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in natural resource or environmental science, natural resource or environmental planning, restoration ecology, public administration or public policy or a closely related field.

AND all of the following experience (may be gained concurrently):

• Five (5) years of professional experience in natural resource or environmental policy, planning, management, or program development.
• Two (2) years of the above experience must include professional management or supervisory experience with performance management responsibilities.
• Experience developing and maintaining collaborative working relationships and building partnerships with local, state, and federal governmental agencies, tribes, and the public regarding issues pertaining to habitat protection and restoration.
• Experience leading and facilitating large and diverse work groups including participants from multiple levels of government (local, state, and federal), tribes, Non-Government Organizations, or other industries.
• Experience with Microsoft Office programs, including Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint.

Please Note:

The following education substitutions do not apply to the required supervisory experience:

• A Masters in a relevant field of study may substitute for two (2) years of the required professional experience.
• A PhD. in a relevant field of study may substitute for three (3) years of the required professional experience.

Certifications/Licenses:

Valid Driver's License.

Preferred Qualifications:

In addition to the required qualifications, our ideal applicant will possess one or more of the following:

A Master's degree or above with major emphasis in land use, urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, landscape architecture, geography, land use or environmental law, public administration with an environmental emphasis, or closely related field AND Five (5) years of professional experience in land use, urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, and/or program development.

Experience with the following:

• The Puget Sound Action Agenda and Puget Sound recovery goals including environmental planning principles, techniques, and current trends of resource development and management in Puget Sound.
• Natural resource laws, policies, and programs and how these affect and/or enable fish, wildlife, and habitat conservation in Washington State, and the ability to interpret and apply them in order to achieve expected results.
• Governmental administrative structure, environmental laws, policies, and governmental programs related to natural resource conservation and management at local, state and federal levels.
• Environmental social, political, and economic factors affecting development and implementation of local and state environmental resource programs.

Your application should include the following:

• A completed online application showcasing how your qualifications align with the job requirements.
• An up-to-date resume.
• A cover letter detailing your interest in the position, your relevant skills and experience, and why you are the ideal candidate.
• At least three professional references with current contact information.

Supplemental Information
In addition to and other , there are other that WDFW employees may be eligible for. Click the "Benefits" tab at the top of this announcement to learn more.

More than Just a Paycheck!
Employee benefits are not just about the kind of services you get, they are also about how much you may have to pay out of pocket. Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation.

We understand that your life revolves around more than just your career. Like everyone, your first priority is ensuring that you and your family will maintain health and financial security. That's why choice is a key component of our benefits package. We have a selection of health and retirement plans, paid leave, staff training and other compensation benefits that you can mix and match to meet your current and future needs.

Read about our benefits:
The following information describes typical benefits available for full-time employees who are expected to work more than six months. Actual benefits may vary by appointment type or be prorated for other than full-time work (e.g. part-time); view the job posting for benefits details for job types other than full-time.

Note: If the position offers benefits which differ from the following, the job posting should include the specific benefits.

Insurance Benefits
Employees and their families are covered by medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance. There are multiple medical plans with affordable monthly premiums that offer coverage throughout the state.

Staff are eligible to enroll each year in a medical flexible spending account which enables them to use tax-deferred dollars toward their health care expenses. Employees are also covered by basic life and long-term disability