Environmental Permitting Coordinator

Environmental Permitting Coordinator

Salary

$79,560.00 - $111,384.00 Annually

Location

Thurston County - Olympia, WA

Job Type

Full Time - Permanent

Remote Employment

Flexible/Hybrid

Job Number

2026-05243

Department

Office of the Governor

Division

Office for Regulatory Innovation and Assistance

Opening Date

07/14/2026

Closing Date

7/28/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Description

Please note: The starting salary offer will be determined based on the successful candidates' qualifications within the starting salary range of $79,560 - $111,384 annually. Applications will be reviewed immediately. The hiring authority reserves the right to make a hiring decision at any time. We encourage all to apply as early as possible. Our physical office is located in Olympia, WA. This is a hybrid position with the ability to telework. However, you will need to attend in-person meetings or community events as required by the position.

Why work for the Office of the Governor?

The Office of the Governor of Washington offers a unique opportunity to make a meaningful difference by improving how people and businesses navigate Washingtons environmental and business regulatory systems. At the Governors Office for Regulatory Innovation and Assistance (ORIA), youll be part of a collaborative team dedicated to making government services more accessible, transparent, and effective. ORIA partners with state agencies, local governments, Tribal governments, businesses, and community stakeholders to strengthen regulatory processes, improve customer service, and support economic opportunity throughout the state. Guided by a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and respect, ORIA fosters an inclusive workplace where innovation, collaboration, and public service create meaningful outcomes for all Washingtonians.

The Job Opportunity

Join the Office of the Governor of Washington and help improve Washingtons environmental permitting process. As the Environmental Permitting Coordinator, you will provide senior-level guidance to customers and partners by helping them navigate environmental permitting requirements, coordinating with local, state, federal, and Tribal agencies, and supporting improvements to regulatory tools and processes.

In this role, you will research and interpret environmental regulations, scope customer projects, facilitate collaboration across multiple jurisdictions, and maintain key public-facing permitting resources, including the Joint Aquatic Resources Permit Application (JARPA) and other regulatory information. You will work closely with agency staff, the Governors policy office, the Legislature, customers, and a broad range of public and private stakeholders to promote efficient, transparent, and customer-focused permitting processes.

If you are a collaborative problem-solver with strong communication skills, sound judgment, and the ability to build productive relationships across diverse groups. If you are passionate about environmental policy, public service, and improving government processes, we encourage you to apply.

What you'll work on

Environmental permitting technical assistance

• Researches, interprets, and explains state environmental permitting requirements for businesses, local governments, industry representatives, citizens, and other customers.
• Identifies applicable permits, regulatory pathways, agency roles, application requirements, decision points, and customer next steps.
• Develops written and verbal guidance, including matrices, summaries, guidance documents, and other plain-language resources, to help customers understand permitting requirements and processes.
• Responds to customer inquiries regarding environmental permitting laws, rules, policies, procedures, and regulatory coordination issues.

Customer inquiry resolution and internal support

• Serves as a technical resource to ORIA customer support staff on environmental permitting and regulatory inquiries.
• Reviews complex or escalated customer inquiries to determine appropriate research, coordination, and response actions.
• Researches and analyzes environmental laws, rules, policies, procedures, and agency guidance to support accurate and timely responses.
• Prepares written and verbal responses and communicates inquiry resolution status and outcomes to customer support staff.
• Monitors changes to environmental permitting requirements and shares relevant updates, guidance, and process information with ORIA staff.

Multi-jurisdictional permit coordination

• Serves as ORIA's point of contact for customers and regulatory agencies on projects involving multiple permits, agencies, or jurisdictions.
• Reviews proposed projects to identify likely permits, sequencing considerations, estimated timelines, responsible agencies, and key decision points.
• Coordinates with local, state, federal, and Tribal agencies to clarify permitting requirements and support resolution of process or coordination issues.
• Assists customers in understanding environmental permitting processes, agency expectations, and project next steps.
• Facilitates communication among agencies, project proponents, and stakeholders to support timely and coordinated permit review processes.

Interagency collaboration and regulatory improvement

• Facilitates and participates in interagency environmental permitting workgroups, coordination teams, and process improvement initiatives.
• Identifies recurring customer barriers, process gaps, and coordination challenges affecting environmental permitting processes.
• Researches and analyzes permitting practices, customer feedback, and partner input to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Recommends practical improvements to permitting guidance, coordination practices, customer service tools, and regulatory processes.
• Supports implementation of process improvements and interagency coordination strategies that improve customer understanding and regulatory navigation.

Joint Aquatic Resources Permit Application (JARPA) coordination

• Coordinates with local, state, and federal agencies to maintain and update the (JARPA).
• Organizes partner agency review processes and tracks proposed revisions and feedback.
• Researches, evaluates, and reconciles agency comments and recommended changes to the JARPA.
• Prepares updated forms, instructions, and supporting materials to maintain accuracy, usability, and consistency with participating agency requirements.
• Coordinates with agency representatives and subject matter experts to resolve issues related to JARPA content and implementation.

Regulatory resource development and maintenance

• Develops, updates, and maintains public-facing regulatory resources, including the Regulatory Handbook, ORIA website content, guidance documents, and related tools.
• Review regulatory content for accuracy, consistency, accessibility, plain language, and customer usefulness.
• Identify outdated, incomplete, or inaccurate regulatory information and coordinates updates with agency subject matter experts.
• Stays abreast of new or updated environmental state and federal laws and regulations and how they will affect permitting.
• Research environmental permitting requirements and regulatory changes to support development of current and accurate customer resources.
• Recommend and implement improvements to regulatory guidance materials and online customer resources.

What we need you to bring

• Experience in regulatory analysis, environmental permitting, project coordination, public-sector customer assistance, natural resource management, public policy, or a closely related field; or professional regulatory analysis experience in Washington state government.
• Experience must show a progressive increase in responsibility, independence, or authority.
• Working knowledge of Washington environmental permitting processes, regulatory roles, and common state, local, federal, and Tribal coordination issues.
• Experience facilitating meetings, workgroups, customer discussions, or stakeholder feedback processes.
• Strong writing skills, including the ability to prepare clear emails, guidance, summaries, matrices, and other customer-facing or partner-facing materials.
• Demonstrated customer service judgment, professionalism, integrity, follow-through, strong work ethic, and ability to work with people who have competing interests or priorities.
• Proven teamwork skills. Success at navigating within a team with varying perspectives and diverse priorities.
• Ability to research, interpret, synthesize, and explain statutes, rules, policies, permit requirements, guidance, and agency procedures.
• Ability to communicate complex regulatory information in plain language to customers, agency partners, and stakeholders with varying levels of technical knowledge.
• Ability to coordinate across jurisdictional boundaries, gather information from multiple sources, identify points of disagreement or uncertainty, and support practical issue resolution.
• Ability to work independently under general direction, plan and prioritize assignments, and elevate issues when policy, legal, or executive-level decisions are needed.
• Proficiency using Microsoft Office products, Teams, SharePoint, spreadsheets, document formatting tools, and virtual meeting platforms.
• Commitment to continuous improvement and to principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and respect.

Desired Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in environmental studies, natural resources, public administration, planning, public policy, law, or a related field. Additional qualifying professional experience may substitute for education on a year-for-year basis.
• Seven years of professional experience in regulatory research, environmental permitting, regulatory analysis, project coordination, or a closely related field; or five years of professional regulatory analysis experience in Washington state government.
• Professional-level experience with government environmental permitting programs or multi-jurisdictional permit coordination.
• Experience maintaining public-facing regulatory guidance, application forms, web content, or permit assistance tools.
• Certification or formal training in project management, facilitation, mediation, conflict resolution, or process improvement.

We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one from a less traditional background. Don't let doubts stop you from applying for this position. If you have transferable experience, please tell us about it or contact us with questions about the required qualifications and how your experience relates to them.

Supplemental Information

What we offer

At ORIA, we foster a culture of integrity, innovation, inclusion, and belonging. We value both learned and lived experiences, believing that diversity makes us stronger. To support your health and well-being, we offer a variety of benefit programs for our employees.

Please visit our Recruitment site for a full list of employee benefits. Here's a quick glance at some of the unique benefits that ORIA offers:

• A culture that values and strives to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance
• 12 paid holidays, 14 paid vacation days (minimum), and 12 days of sick leave per year
• State retirement programs

Application Process: Once you've decided to apply for a state government job, you'll complete an online application to showcase your qualifications. Keep in mind that once you submit the application, a real person will read it. We do not use AI or other technology to screen your application. Please ensure you provide clear, detailed information about your work history so your qualifications can be accurately assessed. We will contact the top candidates directly to schedule interviews. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application process, please call 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.

When completing your application, please attach all of the following required documents:

• Cover letter: describing your qualifications for this specific position
• Resume: that details your applicable experience and education.
• References: at least three professional references and their current contact information.

Questions: OFMs Staff ASL interpreter is available to all deaf and hard-of-hearing applicants. For questions about this recruitment or to request a reasonable accommodation in the application or interview process, please email us at TalentAcquisition@ofm.wa.gov.

The Governor's Office for Regulatory Innovation and Improvement is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, persons over 40 years of age, and disabled and Vietnam-era veterans are encouraged to apply.

This position is exempt from civil service rules.

For more information, please see WAC 357-19-195

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. Thats 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 insurance, with the option to purchase additional coverage amounts.

To view premium rates, coverage choice in your area and how to enroll, please visit the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) website. The Washington Wellness program from the Health Care Authority works with PEBB to support our workplace wellness programs.

Dependent care assistance allows the employee to save pre-tax dollars for a child or elder care expenses.

Other insurance coverage for auto, boat, home, and renter insurance is available through payroll deduction.

The Washington State Employee Assistance Program promotes the health and well-being of employees.

Retirement and Deferred Compensation

State Employees are members of the Washington Public Employees Retirement System (PERS). New employees have the option of two employer contributed retirement programs. For additional information, check out the Department of Retirement Systems web site.

Employees also have the ability to participate in the Deferred Compensation Program (DCP). This is a supplemental retirement savings program (similar to an IRA) that allows you control over the amount of pre-tax salary dollars you defer as well as the flexibility to choose between multiple investment options.

Social Security

All state employees are covered by the federal Social Security and Medicare systems. The state and the employee pay an equal amount into the system.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

If you are employed by a government or not-for-profit organization, and meet the qualifying criteria, you may be eligible to receive student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Holidays

Full-time and part-time employees are entitled to paid holidays and one paid personal holiday per calendar year.

Note: Employees who are members of certain Unions may be entitled to additional personal leave day(s), please refer to position specific Collective Bargaining Agreements for more information.

Full-time employees who work full monthly schedules qualify for holiday compensation if they are employed before the holiday and are in pay status for at least 80 nonovertime hours during the month of the holiday; or for the entire work shift preceding the holiday.

Part-time employees who are in pay status during the month of the holiday qualify for the holiday on a pro-rata basis. Compensation for holidays (including personal holiday) will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status in the month to that required for full-time employment, excluding all holiday hours. Pay status includes hours worked and time on paid leave.

Sick Leave

Full-time employees earn eight hours of sick leave per month. Overtime eligible employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month, earn a monthly proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Overtime exempt employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month do not earn a monthly accrual of sick leave.

Sick leave accruals for part-time employees will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.

Vacation (Annual Leave)

Full-time employees accrue vacation leave at the rates specified in WAC 357-31-165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Full-time employees who are in pay status for less than 80 nonovertime hours in a month do not earn a monthly accrual of vacation leave.

Part-time employees accrue vacation leave hours in accordance with WAC 357-31-165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on a pro rata basis. Vacation leave accrual will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment.

Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.

As provided in WAC 357-58-175, an employer may authorize a lump-sum accrual of vacation leave or accelerate the vacation leave accrual rate to support the recruitment and/or retention of a candidate or employee for a Washington Management Service position. Vacation leave accrual rates may only be accelerated using the rates established WAC 357-31-165.

Note: Most agencies follow the civil service rules covering leave and holidays for exempt employees even though there is no requirement for them to do so. However, agencies are required to adhere to the applicable RCWs pertaining holidays and leave.

Military Leave

Washington State supports members of the armed forces with 21 days paid military leave per year.

Bereavement Leave

Most employees whose family member or household member dies, or for loss of pregnancy, are entitled to five (5) days of paid bereavement leave. In addition, the employer may approve other available leave types for the purpose of bereavement leave.

Additional Leave

Leave Sharing

Parental Leave

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Leave Without Pay

Please visit the State HR Website for more detailed information regarding benefits.

Updated 01-07-2026

01

The application process requires that you attach a cover letter detailing how you meet the qualifications of this position and a resume. Please check your attachments and click below to indicate you have attached the required documentation.

• Yes, I have attached a cover letter and a resume.
• No, I have not attached a cover letter and a resume.

02

Describe your experience in regulatory analysis, environmental permitting, project coordination, public-sector customer assistance, natural resource management, public policy, or a closely related field. If applicable, describe your experience performing regulatory analysis for Washington State government.

Required Question

Employer State of Washington

Address View Job Posting for Agency Information

View Job Posting for Location, Washington, 98504

Website http://www.careers.wa.gov