Infrastructure Protection Program Manager (Project Position)

About the Role

At the Department of Commerce, we're reimagining what's possible in government. We're builders, thinkers, and change-makers, working at the intersection of innovation, community, and impact. From unlocking critical funding to fueling inclusive economic growth, we're turning big ideas into real-world solutions that uplift people and places.

Our agency's strength lies in the diversity of our workforce and the breadth of the lived experiences and perspectives employees bring to the work. We believe equity is not just a value but a practice, which is reflected in how we design programs, engage communities, and deliver outcomes. We foster a workplace culture where curiosity is encouraged, bold thinking is welcomed, and collaboration drives our impact.

Let's build what's next, together.

The Energy Division (Energy) catalyzes the transition to a clean and just energy future.

Position Objective

This position serves as a state resource in energy resilience, emergency management and energy security and is responsible for supporting the administration and refinement of the Washington State Energy Resilience and Emergency Management Office. This position works within the direction of the Energy Resilience and Emergency Management Director to implement and execute RCW 43.21F.045 to ensure proper planning, response, and restoration coordination across government and private sector.

This position provides expert-level energy infrastructure protection, cybersecurity, physical security, response coordination, planning, training, and exercises and is responsible for implementing the Energy Emergency Management Office strategic plan and State Energy Security Plan. This position conducts outreach work with federal partners, neighboring states, state agencies, tribal governments, local jurisdictions, and the private sector to coordinate the assessing, measuring, planning, and reporting of energy infrastructure protection capabilities and additional needed resources. This position will foster collaborative relationships with public and private sector partners to enhance and improve energy security and disaster resiliency statewide.

This position will serve as the alternate ESF 12 Operations Team Lead and will be the back-up connection point with the Operations Section in the state emergency operations center (SEOC). This position will operate as the primary subject matter expert for infrastructure protection including but not limited to cyber and physical security during emergency coordination activities that could impact all energy sectors.

Note: This is a Project Position funded through May 2, 2027.

Duties

Energy Infrastructure Protection, Energy Cyber and Physical Security Planning and Response Coordination

• Subject Matter Expert on Critical Infrastructure Protection, Energy Cyber and Physical Security matters.
• Administers, establishes, and facilitates statewide workgroups to address energy infrastructure protection, cybersecurity, physical security, and critical energy infrastructure information data governance.
• Serves as the primary alternate on behalf of the Energy Emergency Management Director for various roles, including State's Energy Emergency Assurance Coordinator (EEAC) to the Department of Energy.
• Leads work in internal, statewide, and national collaborative energy sector forums.
• Travel is an essential function of this role.
• Coordinates with outside organizations, including FEMA Region 10, CISA Region 10, Department of Energy, and state energy sector owners/operators.
• Develops and maintains trusted relationships with neighboring states, energy sector-specific associations, and federal partners.
• Serves on the Emergency Management Council's Cybersecurity Advisory Committee, DHS Region 10 Critical Infrastructure and Resilience Committee, and supports the Electric Vehicle Coordinating Council.

Planning and Data Governance

• Administers the state's energy cybersecurity and critical infrastructure protection plan.
• Coordinates development, review, and update processes, including community engagement.
• Conducts outreach and education efforts on energy cybersecurity and critical infrastructure protection.
• Administers the state's critical energy infrastructure information (CEII) program, including data handling procedures and training.
• Aligns program materials to industry standards (EMAP, NIMS, ICS, CISA, NIST).

Training, Exercise and Assessments

• Administers the state's energy infrastructure protection and cybersecurity training and exercise program.
• Develops, facilitates, and participates in energy sector exercises.
• Administers the NERC GridEx exercise program for Washington State.
• Develops and maintains the energy critical infrastructure portion of the state Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment process.
• Integrates critical energy infrastructure analysis into the ESF 12 situational awareness platform.

Strategic Planning, Policy Development, and Supervision

• Participates in the Energy Resilience & Emergency Management Office strategic planning process.
• Develops metrics and creates quarterly reports.
• Recommends, develops, and modifies policies, plans, and strategies to align with the state's energy transition strategy.
• Provides direct supervision of the Energy Emergency Operations Program staff.
• Administers the internship program for the Energy Emergency Management Office.

ESF 12 Operational Team Lead for Energy Emergency Response and Restoration Coordination

• Operates as the primary subject matter expert for infrastructure protection during emergency coordination activities.
• Serves as the alternate ESF 12 Operations Team Lead and back-up connection point with the Operations Section in the state emergency operations center (SEOC).
• Implements relevant energy emergency plans to ensure an adequate supply of energy.
• Coordinates State Resource Allocation Requests for energy supply disruptions.

Qualifications

Required Experience and Education

Nine (9) years of combined experience and/or education, or one (1) year of experience as an Emergency Management Program Specialist 3.

Experience must include:

• Completion of IS235.c Emergency Planning Independent Study Course.
• One (1) year of experience supervising professional staff.
• One (1) year of experience performing emergency planning for organizations of 25 or more personnel in the last 5 years.
• One (1) year of experience working with catastrophic, comprehensive emergency management, infrastructure protection, recovery, hazard mitigation, business continuity, or continuity of operations plans.
• One (1) year of experience facilitating an emergency planning process.

Candidates must also have experience in three (3) or more of the following areas: Emergency management, homeland security, disaster/hazard mitigation planning, emergency communications, financial management, training/education, public information, program/project management, scientific environmental analysis, or civil/structural engineering/urban planning.

Required Competencies

• Technical/legal knowledge of emergency management principles, NIMS, and incident command systems.
• Ability to lead, direct, coordinate, monitor, and evaluate projects.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated accountability, customer service, integrity, leadership, teamwork, results focus, and organizational savvy.
• Proficiency in computer skills and adaptability to new technology.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with energy sector stakeholders (electrical utilities, petroleum refiners).
• Knowledge of generation, transmission, and distribution systems.
• Certificates of completion for FEMA courses: IS-100, IS-200, IS-300, IS-400, IS-700, IS-800.
• Experience implementing Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation System.

How to Apply

To be considered, please submit:

• A complete and detailed online application.
• A cover letter (enter online).
• At least three professional references (enter online).

For questions, contact [email protected] and reference the job number.

Additional Information

This position may be located anywhere within Washington State, with occasional travel required. The schedule is Monday-Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm. The Department of Commerce is an equal opportunity employer and offers a competitive benefits package.