Waste Compliance Inspection & Enforcement Supervisor

Summary

This posting may be used to establish a list of qualified candidates for Waste Inspection & Enforcement Supervisor for one year.

The King County Solid Waste Division (KCSWD), Recycling and Environmental Services Section (RES), Waste Stream Compliance & Enforcement (WSCE) Unit is recruiting for a Waste Inspections & Enforcement Supervisor (Health & Environmental Investigator IV classification). Are you interested in working for the environment and ensuring equity for all? We are looking for an enthusiastic team player to lead the RES work in our compliance and enforcement unit and to work on other special projects to support healthy, safe, and thriving communities in a waste-free King County.

If you are looking for an exciting position that allows you to work for an organization that supports environmental stewardship and compliance, leads the way, and makes safety first, the Waste Inspections & Enforcement Supervisor position may be your perfect fit! ?This position will lead a core team to effectively carry out municipal solid waste compliance and enforcement functions to protect public health, safety, and welfare. This is an opportunity to support and guide people and teams, tackle important challenges, and ensure high quality customer service and engagement, benefitting our community and creating an equitable, socially just, prosperous, and healthy future. We encourage everyone to apply, even if you don’t meet every qualification.

Waste Compliance Inspection & Enforcement Supervisor

About the Role:

The successful candidate will lead projects and the work of a team of health and environmental investigators. The role covers the following:

• Supervise a team of between 4 and 6 people (approximately 70%): lead and support group of health and environmental investigators, working independently and in teams, to carry out waste stream compliance functions, including load inspections, materials management, disposal services, investigations, enforcement, regulatory reporting, program redevelopment, and other WSCE-related work. The work involves equity and social justice, employee safety, customer risk reduction, operational impact reduction, oversite, and implementation of portions of KCSWD’s landfill permit requirements and working in cross-teams with other parts of the KCSWD organization.
• Innovation and strategic projects delivery and support (approximately 30%): Lead projects to improve/upgrade and maintain processes, procedures, and supporting resources. Build relationships and collaborate across KCSWD and with outside partners, including regulatory agencies, vendors, customer groups, and technical specialists. Collaborate and coordinate with other WSCE, RES and KCSWD leaders and staff.

Waste Compliance Inspection & Enforcement Supervisor

This position performs work remotely and onsite. Onsite work will vary with assigned duties.

About the Team:

The KCSWD is responsible for the public solid waste system that serves the people and communities of unincorporated King County and most cities within King County. It is the lead King County agency for delivering the Zero Waste of Resources (ZWoR) goal for the region, which will reduce valuable materials sent to the landfill by up to 70%. KCSWD operates the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill, ten transfer facilities, nine closed landfills, and many programs to design out waste and pollution, keep products and materials in use, and regenerate natural systems.

Waste Compliance Inspection & Enforcement Supervisor

The RES Section leads the Division’s efforts on waste prevention, reuse, recycling, product stewardship/EPR, policy, market development, environmental stewardship, the circular economy, Re+, green building, household hazardous waste collection, school education, grant program management, resource recovery, waste stream integrity, and several compliance programs including on waste stream compliance & enforcement.

The WSCE Unit within RES facilitates implementation of the Division’s waste acceptance policies and provides unique services to partner cities and residents. Some of the functions within WSCE are Waste Clearance Landfill Disposal Service, waste inspections, compliance investigations and enforcement, management of limited quantities of special and unacceptable wastes received, and services such as Junk Vehicle Affidavit Service for disposition of vehicles without title.

Waste Compliance Inspection & Enforcement Supervisor

Opportunity to Learn More: We invite you to join an MS Teams Meeting Open House to learn more about this position. A current supervisor from the RES section will be available to describe the work culture and job duties and there will be an opportunity for participants to ask questions.

Commitment to Equity, Racial 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 a Waste Compliance Inspection & Enforcement Supervisor, you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. We are looking for candidates that have lived experience working in a professional or personal capacity towards racial justice, anti-racism, or social justice issues impacting BIPOC individuals and communities.

Waste Compliance Inspection & Enforcement Supervisor

What You Will Be Doing:

• Supervise the safe daily operations of the waste inspection and enforcement team members.
• Oversee preparation and implementation of work plans and performance goals and manage performance.
• Oversee, develop, or support the creation of standard operating procedures.
• Ensure adequate resources available to accomplish the team’s work objectives.
• Develop and evaluate short and long-range program plans, goals, and objectives.
• Align service delivery with agency, division and department goals and objectives.
• Lead implementation of programmatic changes and manage and support organizational change initiatives.
• Develop and maintain program plans and standard work documents.
• Develop program policies and procedures and make recommendations to leadership.
• Conduct research and analyze data to identify opportunities and inform development of programs and systems.
• Advance the RES section and division’s racial equity values and practices throughout our operations, services, programs, projects, workforce, and partnerships.
• Build capacity, policies, and skills to support the WSCE Unit and RES section in operating as an anti-racist organization.
• Support the hiring, retention, growth, development, and progression of RES employees.
• Promote respect, dignity, inclusion and belonging in the community and in the workplace and provide strategic direction and programs, services, and consultative expertise to attract, develop, engage, and retain a diverse and inclusive workforce and work culture in RES where everyone’s contributions are valued.
• Develop and monitor workgroup budget.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Waste Compliance Inspection & Enforcement Supervisor

Qualifications You Bring:

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in supervision and people leadership ORthe equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Ability to apply equity and social justice and anti-racist practices to work items, in particular familiarity with the King County Equity Impact Review Process
• Expertise in or ability to learn federal, Washington State, and local environmental regulations, including for solid waste and air quality.
• Expertise in or ability to learn oversight and support of regulatory compliance programs, including the ability to work with legal guidance and parameters.
• Skill in developing and maintaining effective, collaborative, and positive staff environment.
• Ability to resolve conflicts as needed with cultural competence, diplomacy, and tact.
• Skill in developing teams and staff using strong personal leadership skills.
• Ability to develop and innovate programs.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to effectively work with leadership and lead project teams.
• Knowledge of human resource management principles and practices.
• Knowledge of public administration principles and techniques.
• Intermediate level of proficiency with business applications, such as Microsoft Office suite and/or Microsoft 365.

Competencies You Bring:

• Builds Effective Teams – Skilled in building strong-identity teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals.
• Action Oriented – Readily acts on challenges without unnecessary planning and steps up to handle tough issues.
• Decision Quality – Skilled in making good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward.
• Communicates Effectively – Able to adapt approach and demeanor in real time to match the shifting demands of different situations.
• Manage Complexity – Asks the right questions to accurately analyze situations and uncovers root causes to difficult problems.
• Manage Conflict – Settles differences and disputes in productive ways with minimum noise.
• Racially Just – Ability to apply anti-racist and Equity, Social and Racial Justice principlesat work.
• Ensures Accountability – Promotes a sense of urgency and establishes and enforces individual accountability in the team.
• Plans and Aligns – Breaks down objectives into appropriate initiatives and actions, and stages activities with relevant milestones and schedules.
• Directs Work – Providing direction, delegating and removing obstacles to get work done.

Waste Compliance Inspection & Enforcement Supervisor

It Would Be Great if You Also Bring:

• More than 3 years of supervisory experience or the equivalent combination of training and experience
• Ability to foster a productive and supportive work environment that attracts and retains quality employees, promotes teamwork and collaboration, and challenges and develops employees.
• A passion for equity, social and racial justice, and experience implementing equity projects, policy updates, and analysis.
• Experience achieving results when applying principles of anti-racism in service-based programs or supervisory capacity, and working with diverse populations including race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status in a culturally competent manner.
• Knowledge of relevant field/office occupational and environmental hazards and worker safety procedures.
• Experience in regulatory compliance and code enforcement and ability to work with legal guidance and parameters.
• Solid waste management experience.
• Demonstrated working knowledge of human resources management, supervisory techniques, and principles including demonstrated ability to lead, coach, and mentor a diverse health and environmental investigator staff, including frontline and office-based team members.
• Ability to marshal data and resources and execute continuous process improvement projects.
• Established ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing to internal and external audiences. High skill in having the appropriate level of detail in communications, based on the audience.
• Demonstrated ability to work and communicate effectively in-person, hybrid, and virtual team environments while maintaining high levels of employee engagement.
• Experience supervising individuals that provide direct customer services in challenging work environments.
• Advanced proficiency with business applications, such as Microsoft Office suite and/or Microsoft 365.

Waste Compliance Inspection & Enforcement Supervisor

Working Conditions:

Remote and Onsite Work Details:

The Waste Inspection and Enforcement Supervisor will work a combination of remotely from a home location and onsite, with onsite reporting requirements typically 2 – 5 days per week. 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 Bow Lake Recycling & Transfer Station, Cedar Hills Regional Landfill, and the collaboration space at King Street Center (201 S. Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104).