Environmental Program Consultant

About the role

The primary mission of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is to provide science-based environmental stewardship for the health and prosperity of all North Carolinians. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is the lead stewardship agency for the protection of North Carolina's environmental resources. The organization, which has offices from the mountains to the coast, administers regulatory programs designed to protect air quality, water quality, and the public's health, and works to advance in all-of-the-above energy strategy that fits North Carolina's needs. DEQ also offers technical assistance to businesses, farmers, local governments, and the public and encourages responsible behavior with respect to the environment through education programs provided at DEQ facilities and through the state's school system. DEQ touches the lives of all North Carolinians in many ways to enhance and ensure our quality of life. Description of Work This position is an active member of the Division Mitigation Services (DMS) leadership team. The primary purpose of this position is to develop and manage the division's new Evaluation and Adaptation Program, manage and coordinate the development and updates of division policies and procedures, and serve as the director's Environmental Program Consultant in charge of unique and complex projects. DMS is actively managing $300,000,000-$500,000,000 in credits each year. It manages hundreds of projects with a limited staff. To maximize program efficiency, it is necessary to address trends as early as possible in the project development cycle. DMS also has an obligation to the state to ensure projects deliver the maximum functional benefit possible to improve water quality, mitigate flooding, and enhance habitat. The Evaluation and Adaptation Program will help ensure those goals are met. The Evaluation and Adaptation Program outcomes include: 1) consistent technical and management approaches across the division in all phases of project development and implementation; 2) project problems being addressed much earlier in the project implementation phase to save the division time and money and improve the success of the project; 3) improved project design and implementation; 4) reduced credit volatility; 5) reduced division costs; 6) improved project functional (e.g. hydrology, flood mitigation, habitat, and water quality) outcomes. The Evaluation and Adaptation Program entails: 1) evaluating a randomly selected subset of projects to provide a division level view of technical and nontechnical consistency trends; 2) ensuring technical guidance developed through research and analysis is being consistently applied to new projects; 3) ensuring compensatory watershed planning requirements are fully integrated throughout the project development and implementation process; and 4) working with internal and external staff, vendors, and academics to ensure continuous program and project improvement. The policies and procedures responsibilities include evaluating the division's written policies and procedures and working with team leaders, internal and external staff, and contractors to update existing policies and procedures and developing new policies and procedures as necessary. The position will also be responsible for providing ongoing management of the division's policies and procedures. As the consultant serving Division leadership additional duties will include: 1) conducting initial research and analysis on external technical or policy changes that may impact the division; 2) coordinating, tracking, analyzing, and providing recommendations to the DMS director on internal management projects; 3) tracking, coordinating, and updating the department goals the division is responsible for under the department's Strategic Plan; 4) representing the division's leadership in meetings, conferences, and other engagement opportunities; and 5) tracking and coordinating grant opportunities.