Senior Manager- Environmental Compliance and Land Resources

The Senior Manager of Environmental Compliance and Land Resources leads the strategic oversight and execution of Grant PUD's property management, land rights, and environmental permitting and license compliance functions. This role is responsible for enabling the successful development and operation of utility infrastructure by managing land acquisition, leasing, rights-of-way, and permitting across capital and operational projects.

The role collaborates with cross-functional teams and external stakeholders, including regulatory agencies and tribal partners, to support legally compliant and strategically aligned land-use outcomes. The position also directs geospatial data efforts to enhance planning and operational decision-making.

- Develop and execute long-term property strategies that align with Grant PUD's organizational objectives, capital investment plans, and operational requirements. This includes identifying and securing strategic land acquisitions, optimizing existing property assets, and ensuring land use aligns with regulatory, environmental, and community considerations to support sustainable growth and infrastructure development.

- Direct the acquisition, sale, and leasing of property assets. Secure all necessary easements, rights -of-way, and regulatory clearances for construction and maintenance of Grant PUD's current and future generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure.

- Manage and optimize the organization's real estate portfolio, including site selection, easement, lease, and purchase negotiations, and execution of property transactions.

- Oversee the negotiation of contracts and leases, ensuring adherence to Grant PUD's procurement laws and aligned with its strategic plan. Collaborate closely with legal, finance, and operations teams to facilitate seamless property transactions, mitigate risk, and ensure that all agreements support long term organizational goals and operational efficiency.

- Lead complex negotiations with private landowners, government entities, and third-party partners. Ensure all agreements adhere to procurement laws, regulatory obligations, and internal policies and objectives.

- Serve as a strategic liaison between real estate, engineering, construction, and environmental teams across all phases of project development and execution. Facilitate cross-functional coordination to ensure land use planning, permitting, and property acquisition efforts are fully integrated with technical design, construction timelines, and environmental compliance requirements.

- Oversee Grant PUD's internal Natural and Cultural Resources Review Process (NCRRP) and partner closely with the Cultural Resources Department and the Wanapum People, ensuring Grant PUD projects, programs, workflows, and coordination activities are compliant with National Historic Preservation Act requirements, and are also in alignment with Grant PUD's commitment to protect, preserve and perpetuate cultural resources and traditional cultural practices.

- Ensure compliance with a broad range of environmental regulations and permitting regulations, including SEPA, NEPA, ESA, FERC Licensing, 401 Water Quality Certifications, and water quality standards. Provide strategic guidance on environmental risk management, coordinate with regulatory agencies, and support internal teams in integrating environmental considerations into project planning, permitting, and execution.

Represent Grant PUD before regulatory bodies as needed.

- Direct GIS initiatives to support accurate land-use data and geospatial intelligence across all departmental programs.

- Mentor and manage a high-performing technical team. Guide departmental recruitment, training, and talent development with a focus on professionalism, innovation, and continuous improvement.

- Administer capital and O&M budgets. Align resources and process efficiencies to deliver value -driven real estate and permitting outcomes.

- Reporting any unsafe incidents or close calls within 24 hours to your supervisor; and

- Be viewed as a safety champion by demonstrating through words and actions, that safety is our paramount value by actively:

- Supporting the presence of safety in your Operating Unit (e.g. include safety messages in business conversations; begin meetings as appropriate with a safety minute).

- Acknowledging compliant safety behaviors and good safety performance from members of your team(s).

- Ensuring that middle managers are actively supporting their teams in safety efforts such as continuous improvement teams, Safety & Health Improvement Plan (SHIP)

responsibilities, hazard identification, metric reporting and compliance, etc.

Required Qualifications (Education, Experience, Licenses & Certifications)

- Bachelor's Degree in Real Estate, Business, Finance, Urban Planning, or related discipline OR 2 additional years of relevant experience (see below) in lieu of degree.

- Eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in land-use planning, real estate development, or utility-based property management.

Preferred Qualifications (Education, Experience, Licenses & Certifications)

- Demonstrated success in complex negotiations involving landowners, government agencies, or tribal entities.

- Experience in environmental permitting and regulatory compliance, especially in utility or infrastructure contexts.

- Familiarity with FERC licensing, implementation, or compliance programs.

- Knowledge of real estate appraisal and land valuation practices.

- Strong negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills in multi-agency or public environments.

- Deep knowledge of real estate and land rights management, permitting regulations, and land-use policy.

- Familiarity with federal, state, and local permitting frameworks, including SEPA, NEPA, ESA, and FERC.

- Understanding of utility operations and infrastructure development processes.

- Ability to interpret and apply collective bargaining agreements, contracts, and procurement rules.

- Proficiency with GIS tools, data integration, and spatial analysis for land management.

- Strong leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills.

- Skilled in technical writing, documentation, and the use of standard business software (e.g., MS Office).

- Position may be eligible for hybrid work arrangement: ☒Yes ☐No