Regulatory Project Manager (Analyst III)

About the Division

The Portland Water Bureau is looking for a talented regulatory project manager to join the Environmental Compliance Division of the Bureau’s Resource Protection and Planning Group. The Environmental Compliance Division is charged with directing the City’s efforts, on behalf of the Portland Water Bureau and the Bureau of Hydropower, to renew a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license for existing hydroelectric facilities in the Bull Run Watershed in collaboration with other resource protection, engineering, operations, and hydropower staff. The Environmental Compliance Division also manages implementation of the Bureau’s Bull Run Water Supply Habitat Conservation Plan for endangered and threatened salmonids in the Bull Run River.

The Bureau’s Resource Protection and Planning Group includes science, technical, policy, and regulatory compliance staff working to ensure that the natural conditions contributing to Portland’s outstanding drinking water sources are protected and maintained, the environmental regulations governing endangered species, aquatic habitat, and cultural resources are met and exceeded, and adequate quantities of high-quality source water will remain available to the Portland region for the foreseeable future.

About the Position

This Analyst Ill position will manage the City's FERC hydroelectric project relicensing process on behalf of the Portland Water Bureau and the Bureau of Hydroelectric Power. The position will coordinate the City's interdisciplinary relicensing team of internal staff and consultants to achieve regulatory milestones necessary to obtain a new operating license and allow the City to continue hydropower production in the Bull Run Watershed. A major component of this work involves directing development of several key regulatory documents and supporting the Water Bureau and the Bureau of Hydroelectric Power to negotiate with state and federal regulatory agencies responsible for environmental protection, including the National Marine Fisheries Service, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.

Alignment of new license terms with the City's water supply responsibilities and associated regulatory compliance agreements is a key aspect of successfully obtaining a new license. You'll be working within a dedicated interdisciplinary team that puts into daily practice the Water Bureau's commitment to careful stewardship of the natural resources entrusted to our care, the financial resources of our community, and the commitment to meet the rule and the spirit of applicable regulations.

Duties and responsibilities include:

• Lead all aspects of project management for the FERC relicensing process to meet regulatory requirements and deadlines, including process planning; managing workflow prioritization and assignments; coordinating numerous time-sensitive meetings, field tours, and workshops; recordkeeping; and ensuring timely submission of all deliverables.
• Manage consulting contract(s) to support regulatory process and to prepare and submit highly complex and comprehensive regulatory documents. Monitor contract terms and conditions and manage related invoice payments. Ensure scope, schedule, and budget performance. Documents may include but are not limited to a formal study plan, environmental analyses and natural resource studies and reports, environmental and cultural resource plans and permits, engineering reports, and mitigation plans.
• Lead interdisciplinary teams to plan and implement project strategy, prepare regulatory documents, plan and implement studies, and plan and implement outreach to diverse stakeholders.
• Provide strategic and technical review of all project deliverables and manage external review process. 
• Manage effective communications across City staff, consultants, FERC, regulatory agencies and other interested parties. Prepare clear memos, presentations, and reports for a variety of audiences.
• Support Environmental Compliance Division Manager and other City staff in negotiations with FERC staff, regulatory agencies, and tribal representatives.
• Maintain a detailed project record to meet FERC requirements.
• Oversee internal project tracking and status reporting. 

As a person, you are: 

• Organized: Have exceptional project management skills with demonstrated experience delivering complex projects on schedule and within budget, and are skilled in managing large contracts with multiple deliverables, tasks and large consultant teams
• Collaborative: Have strong relationship building skills, able to exercise tact and diplomacy to build agreement with a variety of people on complex and politically sensitive topics in a variety of settings, and able to engage with and support interdisciplinary teams to deliver results 
• Knowledgeable: Are familiar with major federal environmental laws (NEPA, CWA, ESA), environmental regulatory agencies, and environmental permitting, preferably as related to hydropower licensing in the Pacific Northwest.
• Experienced: Have demonstrated ability to conduct and navigate agency consultation, public processes, issue scoping, and regulations to develop successful strategies addressing project issues 
• Detail Oriented: Have exceptional attention to detail and ability to identify and meet complex process and legal recordkeeping requirements 
• Adaptable: Able to work both independently and collaboratively, and manage your time effectively to meet deadlines under demanding project schedules 
• Equity Focused: Have experience with concepts of environmental justice and able to sustain effective two-way dialogue with underrepresented communities, including Tribal governments 

 
About the Water Bureau:

The Portland Water Bureau is a rate-financed municipal utility whose 600 employees work together to serve almost a million people in the Portland area. The bureau values a diverse workforce and seeks ways to promote equity and inclusion within the organization and with the public. Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and people with disabilities, are encouraged to apply for this position.

Our mission: We serve excellent water every minute of every day.
Our vision: The water our community loves is safe and abundant for generations to come.
Our equity commitment: We work to uproot systemic inequities and their impacts on our employees and the people we serve. We commit to the difficult—and essential—work of transforming Water Bureau policies, practices, and culture to better serve historically and currently oppressed communities.
 
More Information about the bureau: www.portlandoregon.gov/water