The posting
Initial Posting Date:
11/06/2026
Application Deadline:
11/22/2026
Agency:
Department of Environmental Quality
Salary Range:
$7,537 - $11,657
Position Type:
Employee
Position Title:
Central Services Division Policy & Operations Manager (Business Operations Manager 2)
Job Description:
Are you interested in applying your operations leadership skills to protecting and enhancing Oregon’s environment? If so, please consider a career with the State of Oregon at the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality strives to build and sustain an inclusive and equitable environment that embraces and values diversity. Employees at all levels of the agency work together to foster fairness, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We strive to be a workplace where we share our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals, and while collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations. We celebrate and appreciate diversity, champion equity, and treat each other with respect and dignity.
We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, age, or physical or mental disability in the administration of our programs and activities. Visit DEQ’s Civil Rights and Environmental Justice page.
Opportunity:
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has a full-time opportunity available for a Central Services Division Policy & Operations Manager (Business Operations Manager 2). This position is based out of DEQ’s Headquarters in Portland, Oregon.
The Agency:
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is the primary regulatory agency of the government of the U.S. State of Oregon responsible for protecting and enhancing the state's natural resources. At DEQ, employees have the opportunity to work with a dynamic and supportive team of mission-focused individuals tasked with maintaining, restoring, and enhancing the quality of Oregon’s air, land, and water.
The Central Services Division (CSD) is a collaborative, mission driven team that supports every part of the agency. We partner with DEQ programs across Oregon to make sure staff have the tools, systems, and guidance they need to serve communities effectively. Our work spans accounting and budgeting, information systems, human resources, health and safety, training, policy and organizational development, purchasing, and facilities management. Together, we support headquarters, regional offices, the Vehicle Inspection Program, and the Laboratory and Environmental Assessment Division. Our services touch more than 800 positions across the state and help ensure that DEQ can show up for local governments, sovereign Tribal Nations, community partners, and the people of Oregon we serve every day.
For a visual representation of DEQ’s offices and their locations, view our DEQ Offices and Vehicle Inspection Testing Stations map.
What you will do!
You will lead the Operations & Policy section within the Central Services Division. You will guide a team that supports essential agency functions, including data governance, public records management and coordination, facilities operations, fleet services, agency reception, emergency management and continuity of operations, and agency‑wide policy management and development. Your leadership will bring clarity, coordination, and consistency to these services so staff across DEQ have what they need to do their work effectively and to serve communities well.
You will set the vision and direction for Operations & Policy by developing goals and objectives, tracking progress, and helping staff prioritize work. You will coach and empower a diverse team of professional and technical staff, creating a supportive environment where people feel valued and are encouraged to grow. This includes hiring and onboarding, providing regular feedback, and helping staff build confidence and skills in their areas of responsibility. You will also help resolve complex operational or administrative challenges; support the development of clear and responsive statewide rules, procedures, and guidance; and ensure the division’s work is timely, service oriented, and aligned with DEQ’s commitments to equity, accessibility, and high-quality customer service.
As a manager and people-centered leader, you will be expected to demonstrate, and model for others, the following competencies: proactive communication, innovation, intentional engagement, mentoring and developing others, stewardship, and business acumen. These competencies show up in your day-to-day work through:
- Supporting staff with the tools, resources, and information they need to succeed.
- Coaching, mentoring, and motivating staff through regular check-ins, thoughtful guidance, and opportunities for skill development and career growth.
- Setting clear work objectives, goals, and expectations, and addressing performance with timeliness, care, and accountability.
- Creating belonging by fostering team cohesion, encouraging collaboration, and helping ensure staff understand each other’s roles and can step in to support one another when needed.
Your leadership will help strengthen CSD’s culture of service, collaboration, and continuous improvement, and ensure that our internal operations reflect the values of our Strategic Plan and DEI Plan: fairness, transparency, accessibility, trust, and a commitment to serving all communities in Oregon.
Desired Attributes/Skills:
If you have these qualities, let us know and ensure they are clearly identified in your application materials. We cannot assume experience that is not described in your submitted materials. For the purposes of the Desired Attributes/Skills, direct supervision experience includes responsibility for hiring, performance management, coaching, employee development, and other personnel decisions. Project management experience is considered valuable, but is not considered equivalent to direct supervisory experience.
Candidates who are most competitive will reflect the following:
- Demonstrated ability to apply equity and inclusion principles to policy, operations, supervision, and personnel management.
- Proven skill in developing employees and building healthy team culture through coaching, mentorship, accountability, conflict navigation, and empowerment of others as their supervisory manager.
- Demonstrated ability to lead diverse operational functions through direct supervision of staff by guiding subject-matter experts, making informed decisions without being the technical expert, and ensuring coordinated, customer-focused service delivery.
- Experience leading policy development, overseeing policy implementation and change management, and advising executives on operational or organizational impacts.
- Ability to manage complex operational functions including direct management of staff, workloads, and performance with a focus on outcomes, metrics, and continuous improvement.
- Strong relationship-building skills amongst teams you have directly supervised and the ability to collaborate effectively across diverse teams, roles, and perspectives.
- Clear, effective communicator with demonstrated skill in written and verbal communication, especially when advising executives or explaining complex information.
Minimum Qualifications:
Minimum Qualifications: 6 years of supervision, management, or progressively related experience or 3 years of related experience and a Bachelor’s degree.
What’s in it for you!
DEQ cares deeply about employee wellness and benefits. You will receive a comprehensive, competitive, and affordable benefits, leave, and wellness package, including:
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- 11 paid holidays
- 10 hours of vacation per month, eligible to be used as accrued
- 8 hours of sick leave per month, eligible to be used as accrued
- 24 hours of personal business leave per fiscal year, eligible to be used after 6 months of service
- Optional life insurance packages
- Flexible spending accounts
- Membership in the Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)
- Optional deferred compensation retirement program
- Opportunity to potentially receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)
- Continuous growth and development opportunities
- Opportunities to serve your community and make an impact through meaningful work
- A healthy work/life balance, including flexible schedules and hybrid work options for many positions
This is a full-time, management service supervisory position.
Working Conditions:
DEQ believes in a diverse and inclusive work environment. All employees are expected to contribute to a work environment that collectively values and benefits from respecting its diversity and promotes a culture of inclusiveness.
This position will be based out of DEQ’s Portland office; however, the successful candidate may be eligible for hybrid work. The logistics of hybrid work will need to be worked out with the Hiring Manager prior to your hire and may be changed at any time given specific job duties and business needs. DEQ will provide necessary hardware (laptop, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and cell phone) for an employee to successfully work from home. At DEQ sites, you will have access to a workspace, however, it may be shared with other employees.
Most work is performed in a professional office setting with multiple demands on time. There is frequent work under tight deadlines with changing priorities. This position requires occasional travel on official State business for meetings, conferences, trainings, and public hearings, some of which may involve evening work, weekend work, and/or overnight stays. There may be extended working hours during Legislative session, inclement weather events, and other emergency situations. This job involves the occasional lifting of up to 25 pounds.
If driving a motor vehicle, you must have a valid driver’s license. If not, you must have an alternate method of transportation. Compliance with ORS 807.020 (1) is required. It is required that drivers of state-owned vehicles complete a defensive driving safety class every two years.
How to Apply: (complete the application in full)
- External Applicants Click on the “Apply” button and submit your application. For resources and support related to applying, view our External Candidate job aid and Workday Recruitment for External Job Applicants video.
- Internal Applicants (current State of Oregon employees): Apply through your employee Workday account. For step-by-step resources on how to apply, review the Jobs, search & apply knowledge article.
Helpful Tips:
- Allow yourself plenty of time to complete and submit the application, resume, and cover letter.
- The State of Oregon does not request or require your age, date of birth, attendance, or graduation dates from an educational institution during the application process.
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- This posting closes at 11:59 PM on the close date listed.
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Help Your Application Rise to the Top!
Your application materials are the perfect opportunity to highlight your interest in the position and showcase your amazing skills and experience. In addition to your related work experience and education, DEQ will use the desired attributes and minimum qualifications above, under the “What are we looking for?” section to determine whom to interview. Please make sure your attributes and minimum qualifications are clearly demonstrated in your application materials.
When responding to the supplemental questions, please make sure that your education and experience that backs up your answer selection is clearly demonstrated in your application materials.
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Veterans Information:
DEQ provides candidate preference points to all eligible veterans and Oregon National Guard servicemembers (current and former). For more information on candidate preference, please visit Veterans Resources. For privacy reasons, please do not attach candidate preference documents when initially applying. Instead, you will be asked to submit those at a later time as part of a future task in Workday.
Equal Pay Analysis:
As an employer, the State of Oregon complies with HB 2005, the Pay Equity Bill. We do not discriminate on the basis of protected class in the payment of wages, and we do not screen applicants on the basis of their current or past compensation. All finalists have an equal pay analysis completed to determine their placement on the salary scale. Please note: the salary listed is the non-PERS qualifying salary range. If the successful candidate is PERS qualifying, the salary range will reflect an additional 6.95% (6% goes to PERS and .95% covers payroll taxes). Please review the Classification and Compensation page for more details.
Work Authorization:
DEQ does not offer visa sponsorships. On the first day of employment, all hires will be required to complete the US Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-9, confirming authorization to work in the United States. In addition, hires will have three business days from their first day of employment to present documents that establish employment authorization and identity. DEQ is an E-Verify employer and will use E-Verify to confirm that hires are authorized to work in the United States.
Questions/Need Help?
If you have questions about the recruitment or need assistance to participate in the application process, including an accommodation request under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please contact DEQ’s Recruitment Team at [email protected] or 503-229-5107. TTY users: please use the Oregon Telecommunications Relay Service at 1-800-735-2900.
