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Multnomah County Drainage District - Emergency Planner & Project Manager (Project Manager II)

Posted: 2/22/2022
Salary​: $72,082 - $115,331
Location: Portland, OR
Closing Date: Open until filled; Submission deadline for first review: March 18th, 2022

Do you have a passion for working with teams to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies? Are you interested in reducing the risk of flooding and helping members of the community understand their flood risk? Are you interested in investing in more equitable outcomes when it comes to the impact of flooding, particularly on low-income and disadvantaged communities?

This is your chance to join a team working to build a more equitable, efficient, and safer future for our community.

Multnomah County Drainage District (MCDD) is looking for a creative and collaborative person to lead our work on emergency planning, preparedness, and response – building from the existing program to support a more prepared and responsive agency. This position will focus approximately half time on emergency planning and half on other project management duties, which will be assigned based on the candidate’s skills and interests and the MCDD needs.

MCDD needs a solutions-oriented leader who enjoys a multi-faceted workload; has experience with emergency planning, hazard mitigation, collaborative process and meeting facilitation, and project management. We’re seeking someone who can work well with our partners in the region, our amazing staff, our community, and our elected and appointed board members. MCDD is a small, agile team environment with a passion for customer service, public safety, and supporting community values.

District Background:
MCDD reduces the risk of flooding along the Columbia River within the greater Portland Metro area. MCDD staff manage a total of four drainage districts, each led by an elected board. We operate and maintain 27 miles of flood protection levees, 12 pump stations, and 45 miles of sloughs, canals, and culverts on behalf of these four districts.

Our flood safety system reduces flood risk for residential communities, thousands of businesses, the Portland International Airport, sections of I-5, I-205, and I-84, Oregon’s second largest supply of drinking water, and critical electricity and natural gas hubs.

In 2019, the Oregon Legislature established the Urban Flood Safety and Water Quality District to consolidate the four existing drainage districts into a single, modern agency. This position will support recommendations to the new district board about the role and resources needed to deliver emergency management services and then build up the program after the new district takes over.

Position Summary:
The Emergency Planner & Project Manager will manage projects and coordinate efforts to prepare for, respond to, and recover from flood emergencies and other regional disasters affecting the Districts’ flood infrastructure and services. The emergency planning and program management role will account for approximately half of this full-time position. The remaining half will focus on project management and support for other projects, aligned with the candidate’s skills and agency needs.

The position plans, prioritizes, and reviews the work of staff and consultants. The selected candidate will be required to serve as a member of the Command and General staff within MCDD’s Incident Command System (ICS) during emergency activations. This position reports to the MCDD Planning Department Manager.

The successful candidate should have experience in project management and a specialized practice area in emergency planning, training, response, recovery, or another closely related field. The successful candidate will have a demonstrated track record of successfully delivering projects, managing collaborative work products, and managing consultants. Established connections in the Portland Metro region are preferred. An understanding of the history of inequity in the United States and how institutional racism, racial disparities, and colonization play out in emergency management is preferred.

Benefits: This is a full-time, exempt position.  Our Benefits Include:

  • Competitive Salary
  • Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage
  • State of Oregon Public Employee Retirement System (PERS)
  • Oregon Savings Growth Plan
  • Paid holidays, flex, vacation, and sick leave
  • Transportation and Wellness Incentives
  • Healthy work-life balance
  • Casual dress code
  • Office Perks:
    - We believe in snacking! Our breakroom is always properly stocked.
    - Frequent visits from our 4-legged team members.
    - Beautiful views of the Columbia Slough Watershed
    - Access to open outdoor spaces
    - Showers and access to bike parking
  • Work-Culture:
    - Open access to leadership
    - Collaborative environment
    - Supportive of families with children
  • • Location: MCDD is located in the Sunderland neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, a city known for its diversity of restaurants, breweries, and easy access to both the coast and mountains. The area offers a variety of neighborhoods, bike-friendly streets, and amenities of a large city.

If you'd like to learn more about how to apply, please visit our website: www.mcdd.org