Climate Change Officer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Description Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen The Department of Ecology is hiring a Climate Change: Cap-and-Invest Finance Monitoring Team Lead (Financial Examiner 4) within the Climate Pollution Reduction Program (CPRP). Location: Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

Schedule: This position is eligible for telework and flexible schedule options. A minimum of one day per week is required in the office. This position is expected to be in the office for a full workday every Tuesday as well as during up to nine Wednesdays per year when auctions occur (four are guaranteed to occur each year).

Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change. Application Timeline: Apply by July 13, 2026. Applications submitted after the date above may not be reviewed unless additional qualified applicants are needed.

Duties Join a team at the forefront of Washington's climate leadership. The Cap-and-Invest Group works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a dynamic, high-impact market system that funds the state's transition to a cleaner, more resilient future. Within this group, the Auctions and Market Section manages one of the most important environmental markets in the region, overseeing allowance auctions, supporting major policy initiatives, and ensuring the integrity and effectiveness of a rapidly evolving program.

As the Finance Monitoring Team Lead, you will guide a group of two to three market monitors (financial examiners) who apply finance-based insights to monitor trading activity, evaluate complex market behavior, and help safeguard the fairness and stability of the cap-and-invest market. This is an opportunity to play a key role in an innovative program that directly supports Washington's climate goals and long-term economic transformation. If you are motivated to bring your expertise to a mission-driven team making a tangible impact on Washington's future, we encourage you to apply.

What you will do: Lead finance monitoring team-two to three team members along with yourself-responsible for developing and maintaining the market monitoring strategy for Cap-and-Invest entities. Regularly assign and review staff work products and ensure processes exist to create and maintain strong market monitoring strategies. Direct and support finance monitoring staff as they use financial tools to analyze complex companies, including reviewing how staff evaluate whether required corporate disclosures are complete and accurate.

Plan, assign, and supervise business and financial analysis conducted by finance monitoring staff including the development of new techniques and work methods where established procedures do not exist. Provide ongoing mentoring, coaching, and guidance for junior staff-especially those within the Auctions and Market Section and financial market monitoring team. Regularly review, assess, and approve market monitoring analyses and other technical work completed by finance monitoring staff to ensure accuracy, consistency, and compliance with program standards.

Evaluate and review market monitoring work and analyses conducted by others. Lead and/or coordinate staff collaboration with market monitoring, information security, and application development staff to design, develop, and maintain required registration and disclosure forms, and other user and entity interfaces with the program. Collaborate, train, or work to support finance monitoring staff as necessary in participating in cross-cutting work with others within Ecology, and other State agencies such as the Department of Revenue, Department of Financial Institutions, Utilities and Transportation Commission, Department of Commerce, and federal organizations such as the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and Securities and Exchange Commission.

Qualifications For detailed information on how we calculate experience and responses to other frequently asked questions, please visit our Recruitment website. Required Qualifications: Nine years of experience and/or education related to the duties of the position, which includes the following: Leadership & Team Development - demonstrated competence in leading, mentoring, and developing diverse analytical teams to build a collaborative, emotionally intelligent, and high performing finance monitoring unit. Advanced Financial & Market Analysis - ability to conduct and guide complex financial, institutional, and commodity market analyses to detect risks, identify anomalous behavior, and ensure informed regulatory decisions.

Regulatory Interpretation & Compliance Oversight - experience interpreting and applying rules and program requirements to assess applicability, evaluate compliance, and support consistent decisions. Market Surveillance & Risk Identification - skills in deploying financial monitoring techniques, statistical tools, and market intelligence to proactively identify market manipulation, compliance failures, and systemic risks across primary, secondary, and futures markets. Strategic Multi-Party Coordination - ability to collaborate with internal sections, external organizations and others to coordinate work efforts, ensure consistent regulatory responses, and uphold program transparency and reliability.

Analytical Method Development & Continuous Improvement - demonstrated competence in designing, refining, and implementing analytical approaches and work processes to strengthen the team's ability to evaluate complex financial entities and evolving market conditions. Confidential Information Management - skills in applying secure data handling and confidentiality practices to safeguard sensitive information and support responsible program operations. Clear, Plain Language Communication - experience translating complex financial, regulatory, and market risk concepts into clear, accessible verbal and written communication to support decision making by staff, management, leadership, and external partners.

Education involving a major study in fields including-but not limited to-finance, business administration, economics, accounting, policy, data science, and related fields. Examples of how to qualify: 9 years of experience. 8 years of experience AND 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter college credits.

7 years of experience AND 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter college credits (Associate's degree). 6 years of experience AND 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter college credits. 5 years of experience AND a Bachelor's degree.

3 years of experience AND a Master's degree. 2 years of experience AND a Ph.D. Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment: A background check will be conducted, which may include criminal record history, fingerprinting, and credit history

Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment, but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position. Desired Qualifications: Professional Financial Credentialing & Training -relevant FINRA licenses (e.g., Series 7, Series 66) or other finance-related certifications (CFA, CPA, PMP, financial analysis, statistics, or market analysis) to bring validated technical expertise to complex market-monitoring activities. Applied Finance & Commodity Market Experience - experience in conducting financial analysis or working within commodity markets (such as greenhouse gas, electricity, fuels, metals, or agricultural markets) to evaluate firm behavior and understand cross-market dynamics, such as those affecting Cap-and-Invest entities

Climate & Greenhouse Gas Market Expertise - experience working on climate-change mitigation or participating in greenhouse gas markets to apply domain-specific insights to allowance market behavior and regulatory oversight. Quantitative, Statistical & Modeling Skills - ability to apply quantitative methods, statistical analysis, mathematics, programming, or modeling to analyze market data, detect anomalies, and support advanced financial monitoring techniques. Leadership & Complex Project Management Experience - previous experience supervising staff or leading matrixed teams and managing multifaceted work products or projects incorporating contributions from others, to ensure high-quality, timely, and coordinated analytical outcomes.

If you are excited about this role and meet the required qualifications, we encourage you to apply. Desired qualifications reflect additional knowledge, skills, or experience that are nice to have but not required. Studies have shown that some applicants, especially women and people of color, are less likely to apply unless they meet every listed qualification.

At the Department of Ecology, we are dedicated to building a diverse and authentic workplace centered in belonging, and we welcome applicants with varied backgrounds and unique perspectives. Supplemental Information Ecology does not use the E-Verify system; therefore, we are not eligible to extend STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information, please visit www.uscis.gov

Our Commitment to DEIR Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect (DEIR) are core values central to Ecology's work. We strive to be a workplace where we are esteemed for sharing our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals and collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations. Diversity: We celebrate and appreciate diversity; our unique perspectives and abilities enrich us all and lead to innovative approaches and solutions.

Equity: We champion equity, recognizing that each of us need different things to thrive. Inclusion: We intentionally create and hold space so that we all have meaningful opportunities to participate and contribute to Ecology's work. Respect: We treat each other with respect and dignity, acknowledging the inherent worth of our diverse perspectives and lived experiences, even in times of uncertainty and disagreement.

We believe that DEIR is both a goal and an action. We are on a journey, honoring our shared humanity and taking steps to demonstrate our commitment to a vision where each of us is heard, seen, and valued. Application Process Ecology seeks diverse applicants: We view diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect through a broad lens including race, ethnicity, class, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, military background, language, education, life experience, physical disability, neurodiversity, and intersectional identities.

Qualified job seekers from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. How to Apply Click "Apply" at the top of this page. Complete the entire application, including full work history and responses to all supplemental questions, and attach: Cover letter, describing your interest in and qualifications for this position Resume Because we base our selection on the information you provide, it is in your best interest to complete the application thoroughly.

A resume will not substitute for the "work experience" section of the application or vice versa. Applications with blank fields or supplemental question responses with comments such as "see resume" may be considered incomplete. For detailed application information, please visit our Recruitment website.

Application Attestation: By submitting an application, you are affirming that the information contained in your application and on all attachments is complete and truthful. The state may verify this information, and any false or misleading answers may result in rejection of your application or dismissal if employed. Need an Accommodation.

If you need reasonable accommodation during the application and/or screening process, including this job announcement in an alternate format: Please contact us at 360-407-6186 or careers@ecy.wa.gov If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 711 or 1-800-833-6384. Questions. For specific questions about the position location options, schedule, or duties, please contact Derek Nixon at Derek.Nixon@ecy.wa.gov

If you need assistance applying for this job, are inquiring about the status of your application, would like to request the full position description, or have any other questions, please contact the Recruitment Team at careers@ecy.wa.gov About the Climate Pollution Reduction Program The Climate Pollution Reduction Program's (CPRP's) mission is to implement policies and programs to reduce carbon emissions in the state of Washington so that the state meets its statutory greenhouse gas (GHG) emission limits. The CPRP focuses long-term, requiring creative and strategic decision-making for implementation to achieve broad statewide and interstate success reducing carbon emissions in the state of Washington so residents have a healthy environment and climate. The Cap and Invest Group (CIG) is responsible for the implementation and operation of Washington's Cap-and-Invest Program, which employs a market mechanism to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a cost-effective manner

As part of the Cap-and-Invest Program, businesses and entities are required to obtain and retire compliance instruments equivalent to their emissions. These compliance instruments, which include emissions allowances, offset credits, can be bought, sold, and traded. The market for these commodities began in January 2023, the first allowance auction was held in February of that year, and the proceeds of the auctions are invested by the state in projects to decarbonize transportation and other sectors of the economy, promote clean energy, and advance equity and environmental justice.

The allowance auctions that the Auctions and Market Section have generated over $5 billion dollars to date, and provide a critical and necessary funding stream to support the achievement of Washington's ambitious state-wide greenhouse gas reduction mandates. About the Department of Ecology As the State of Washington's environmental protection agency, we are deeply committed to protecting, preserving, and enhancing Washington's environment for current and future generations. Joining Ecology means becoming part of a team dedicated to protecting and sustaining healthy land, air, water, and climate in harmony with a strong economy.

A career in public service at Ecology allows you to help solve some of the most challenging problems facing our state, while keeping your health and financial security a priority. We combine one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation with a strong commitment to life/work balance. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, pr...