Energy and Environmental Protection Division Director

                                                                   

 

The State of Connecticut, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is charged with conserving, improving and protecting Connecticut’s natural resources and environment as well as making affordable, clean and reliable energy available for the people and businesses of the state. The agency is also committed to playing a positive role in building Connecticut’s green economy and fostering a sustainable and prosperous economic future.

 

DEEP has considerable programmatic scope, from managing state parks and forest lands covering 8% of the state’s land area, to implementing more than 125 permitting and environmental review processes critical to ensuring a sustainable economy, supporting critical infrastructure such as dams and wastewater treatment plants, responding to environmental and public health emergencies involving spills, radiation safety, and forest fires; as well as implementing policy, planning, siting, and procurement processes related to the waste and materials management, clean energy, and energy efficiency.

 

Across this broad scope, the Division Director will advance key DEEP priorities, including prioritizing equity and environmental justice in all aspects of DEEP’s work; advancing transparent, efficient, and predictable approach to the implementation of DEEP’s regulatory responsibilities; managing DEEP’s participation in the CT Siting Council and open space grant management; addressing overarching cross-sector challenges like the threat of climate change in comprehensive, integrated way; and providing effective support and engagement to municipalities, businesses, and stakeholders interacting with DEEP’s mission and programs. 

 

The Division Director will provide strategic leadership by advising the Commissioner and working effectively across the Department’s bureaus and divisions, as well as collaborating with federal, state, and municipal governmental partners, to support the implementation of these priorities.  The Division Director will lead the Division of Central Planning, Operations, and Performance, a team of managers and direct reports working in the three programs that make up the Division: the Office of Environmental Justice, the Office of Planning and Program Development, and the Office of Climate Change Planning.

 

This Division is responsible for coordinating agency-wide strategic planning, succession planning, data-driven program evaluation and process improvement, and environmental justice and inclusion work. The Director will be responsible for providing leadership in these strategic areas and serve as an advisor to the Commissioner on related policies, innovative practices, and performance improvement efforts.

 

This position is full-time, 40 hours per week, Monday – Friday.

 

Applicants must include a cover letter and resume within the "Resume Tab" of their application.

 

Questions about this position should be directed to the hiring agency's human resources office: DEEP Human Resources. DEEP.HumanResources@ct.gov, (860) 424-3006.

This position is competitive. Open to the public.

 

This posting MAY require completion of additional referral questions (RQs) which will be sent to you via email after the closing date. Please regularly check your email for notifications. Please also check your SPAM/Junk folders.  You must reply by the deadline indicated on the notification or you will be automatically disqualified from consideration.  

In the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, this class is accountable for directing the staff and programs of a scientific, regulatory or technical division.

Directs staff and operations of division; develops, implements and evaluates division policies, goals and objectives; coordinates, plans and manages division activities; formulates and ensures implementation of program goals, objectives, new procedures and procedural revisions; recommends appropriate staffing levels; designs and implements performance review standards for division staff; administers state and federal laws and regulations pertaining to division; develops new laws and regulations related to division programs; serves as state liaison with federal programs; prepares or assists in preparation of division budget; maintains contacts and liaison with public and private individuals and organizations and other agency units with the potential to impact program activities; performs related duties as required.

Duties specific to this position include:

• Coordinate agency planning and process improvement initiatives: lead LEAN / process improvement efforts, and coordinate all EPA and other required agency reporting, ensure timely publications of internal reports and data dashboards to monitor program outcomes.
• Lead Environmental Justice and Equity initiatives, including facilitating engagement with vulnerable and environmental justice communities as part of DEEP policy and permitting activities, and developing effective approaches to measure DEEP program and policy outcomes with respect to environmental justice.
• E-governance integration: coordinate with Office of Information Management to identifying IT-solutions to improve the efficient delivery of services.
• Succession planning: work, in concert with Human Resources division, to coordinate succession planning efforts across the agency to prepare for and mitigate anticipated attrition.
• Integration of climate science and policy: work to coordinate inter- and intra-agency planning related to climate change.
• Provide oversight for environmental review processes, including CEPA and Siting Council agency comments.
• Coordinate permit assistance and concierge service: catalyze agency-wide process improvements in permitting processes to support economic development and strong environmental standards.
• Acquire open space, administer grants/contracts/easements for open space, encroachment compliance.

Considerable knowledge of and ability to apply management principles and techniques; considerable knowledge of relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations; considerable knowledge of energy, environmental or radiation protection principles, techniques, practices and issues; considerable ability to apply relevant agency policies and procedures; considerable interpersonal skills; considerable oral and written communication skills; analytical, organizational and negotiating skills.

Ten (10) years of professional experience in natural resource management, public outdoor recreation, pollution prevention, reduction and management, radiation control, radiological regulatory programs or integration of radiological policies and programs, environmental or energy conservation, environmental or energy regulatory programs, integration of energy and environmental policies and programs, energy research or policy development, strategic operational environmental planning, energy planning, radiological planning, emergency response or other related environmental protection or energy field.

Two (2) years of the General Experience must have been in a supervisory capacity responsible for the supervision of professional and technical support staff performing energy or environmental protection work OR one (1) year of the General Experience must have been in a managerial capacity responsible for the management of professional and technical support staff performing energy or environmental protection work or accountable for establishing and monitoring energy and environmental financial and/or business policies and/or procedures.
NOTES:
1. Supervisory capacity is defined as scheduling, assigning, overseeing work, establishing performance standards for employees and taking corrective measures to implement those standards.
2. For State Employees, the supervisory Special Experience is interpreted at the level of Supervising Sanitary Engineer (Environmental Protection), Environmental Protection Supervising Air Pollution Control Engineer, Environmental Protection Supervising Radiation Control Physicist, Environmental Protection Supervising Civil Engineer, Environmental Protection Supervising Environmental Analyst, Environmental Protection Supervising Forester, Environmental Protection Supervising Fisheries Biologist, Environmental Protection Supervising Wildlife Biologist, Public Utilities Supervisor of Technical Analysis or other comparable supervisory title responsible for the supervision of professional and technical support staff performing energy or environmental protection work.
3. Managerial capacity is defined as formulating program goals and objectives, developing and implementing program procedures, initiating program policies and developing and monitoring the budget.
4. For State Employees, the managerial Special Experience is interpreted at the level of Energy and Environmental Protection Assistant Division Director, Energy and Environmental Protection Office Director or other comparable managerial title responsible for the management of professional and technical support staff performing energy or environmental protection work.

1. College training in a scientific or technical discipline related to the energy or environmental field, including but not limited to the biological, earth, or physical sciences; health physics, physics, nuclear engineering or radiation science; environmental planning; environmental law; economics; leisure services; geographic information systems; geography with a concentration in geographic information systems; natural sciences; natural resources, renewable energy, energy conservation or related field may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
2. A Master's degree in a scientific or technical discipline related to the energy or environmental field as listed above including but not limited to the biological, earth, or physical sciences; health physics, physics, nuclear engineering or radiation science; environmental planning; environmental law; economics; leisure services; geographic information systems; geography with a concentration in geographic information systems; natural sciences; natural resources, renewable energy, energy conservation or related area may be substituted for five (5) years of the General Experience.
3. A law degree with a concentration in energy, natural resources or environmental protection law or a doctorate degree in the biological, earth or physical sciences; health physics, physics, nuclear engineering or radiation science or a field related to renewable energy, energy conservation or environmental protection may be substituted for six (6) years of the General Experience.
*Note: Education may only be substituted for a total of six (6) years.

• Demonstrated leadership and personnel management skills
• Experience in leading strategic planning and organizational change initiatives
• Strong and demonstrated experience in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, with special emphasis on environmental justice
• Experience relevant to DEEP’s mission including experience in environmental protection and/or natural resource management
• Demonstrated effectiveness working collaboratively across and outside organization to catalyze progress
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated proficiency in data analysis and database management
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and to work independently

Radiation Division:
1. Incumbents may be required to travel and respond to radiological emergencies within Connecticut and other New England states.
2. Incumbents in this class may be required to obtain a security clearance.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.