LIVE, WORK AND PLAY!
Chelan County PUD is located in central Washington State at the confluence of the Columbia and Wenatchee Rivers. As a public power leader, we embrace the challenges and opportunities of our dynamic operations.
Powered by the Columbia River, we generate hydropower while prioritizing environmental stewardship. Each year, we invest millions of dollars and countless hours to protect fish, wildlife, and plant ecosystems. Our efforts also include creating 14 parks, welcoming over 3 million visitors annually.
Wenatchee, home to Chelan PUD, is a recreational paradise, recognized by Forbes as a top place to retire. The Wenatchee Valley offers scenic beauty, a thriving economy, and a high quality of life with over 200 days of sunshine each year. Here, small-town charm meets big-city amenities, with abundant outdoor activities like water sports, hiking, biking, skiing, and golfing. The region is also known for its excellent wines.
Consider Chelan PUD for your next career move and join a welcoming community with an exceptional lifestyle.
APPLICATION MATERIALS
Applicants are required to submit a combined cover letter and resume in one PDF document. Please provide a cover letter that succinctly speaks to how your experience lines up with this position and how you would lead efforts to – in partnership with stakeholders throughout the region – make Chelan PUD a model for wildfire mitigation and preparedness. Incomplete materials will not be considered.
To expedite the application process, combine your cover letter and resume into one PDF document before applying and upload electronically when requested in the online application process.
This position is OPEN UNTIL FILLED and applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. The first review date for application materials is scheduled for April 6.
Interested parties are also invited to contact Human Resources at [email protected] to discuss the position.
SALARY RANGE
The hiring range for the Program Manager - Wildfire is $114,400 - $143,000, with a maximum opportunity of up to $171,600 with tenure and strong performance.
Introductory Period: New employees holding regular positions must complete an introductory period of twelve months.
BENEFITS EPOA
In addition to competitive wages Chelan PUD employees also enjoy outstanding benefits which include zero cost employer funded medical, dental, and vision healthcare benefits, access to the employee assistance program, a VEBA health reimbursement account, and long-term care.
Washington state retirement PERS participation and optional 457 plan participation with an employer matching 401(a) plan.
Leave, life & disability benefits including paid leave starting at 21 days per calendar year up to 35 with tenure, 11 paid holidays per calendar year, paid jury duty, short-term disability & long-term disability, and basic life, AD&D, and optional voluntary life.
The work life benefits include optional flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care, educational assistance, various rewards and recognition programs and position specific stipends.
For more explanation of the district benefits please visit our benefits website www.mychelanpudbenefits.org.
JOB POSTING
Program Manager - Wildfire
Overview
The Program Manager - Wildfire will oversee and coordinate Chelan PUD's wildfire program, focusing on fire safety operations and key initiatives like Fire Safety Outage Management (FSOM) and Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) activities. This public-facing role is essential to advancing wildfire mitigation efforts, ensuring compliance with the state-mandated wildfire mitigation plan, and enhancing system reliability and public safety.
The Program Manager will lead internal and external communications, stakeholder engagement, and outreach to communities in higher-risk areas. This position will collaborate across multiple business units—including, but not limited to, public information, utility outreach, enterprise risk management, system operations, transmission, distribution, and legal—to ensure alignment of wildfire mitigation strategies and initiatives.
Responsibilities
Program Coordination & Management: Manage and coordinate the Wildfire Mitigation Program, overseeing planning, strategy development, and implementation to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and alignment with the District’s operational goals. Provide strategic guidance on wildfire risk reduction, support FSOM/PSPS initiatives, and develop mitigation strategies to minimize risks. Ensure the state-mandated wildfire mitigation plan(s) adhere to regulatory requirements from NERC, FERC, and state agencies. Assess and mitigate customer and reputational risks, analyze data to inform decision-making, and monitor the effectiveness of risk reduction efforts.
Key Stakeholder Engagement: Lead stakeholder engagement efforts for wildfire initiatives, such as conducting public meetings, community outreach, and cross-organizational collaboration to align mitigation efforts. Administer outreach in accordance with the District's standards, fostering communication with communities and key stakeholders. Build and maintain relationships with government agencies, utilities, firefighting organizations, and industry experts while staying informed on best practices and emerging trends through participation in forums, working groups, and conferences.
General Communication Planning & Execution: Serve as the primary contact for wildfire communication efforts, developing and executing outreach plans in coordination with corporate communications to ensure accurate and timely messaging. Educate the public on wildfire prevention and utility safety, identify and address communication and reputational risks, and collaborate with stakeholders for clear and consistent messaging. Serve on the Incident Command System (ICS) team during wildfire or FSOM/PSPS events, coordinating with internal teams and external agencies. Develop wildfire preparedness training and simulations for District staff to enhance response readiness.
Program Evaluation & Reporting: Monitor and evaluate wildfire program initiatives, communications, and stakeholder outreach, preparing and presenting reports on activities, outcomes, and areas for improvement to ensure effectiveness and regulatory compliance. Use data and feedback to drive continuous program enhancements.
Reports To
Director - Strategy & Corporate Affairs
Overtime exemption
Exempt
Qualifications
Education
Equivalent experience (year for year) may substitute for required education.
Bachelor's Degree (B.S., B.A.) in Environmental Science, Emergency Management, Communications, Public Affairs or a closely related field is required.
Equivalent experience (year for year) may substitute for required education.
Experience
5+ years experience in wildfire communications program management or a closely related field is required.
Demonstrated experience in wildfire mitigation strategies, regulatory compliance at the state and/or federal level, stakeholder engagement, community relations, and public affairs is preferred.
Experience in the electric utility industry, performing risk modeling, and GIS mapping is preferred.
Licenses and Certifications
Certified Wildfire Mitigation Specialist (CWMS) obtained through the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is preferred.
Project Management Professional (PMP) ® certification is preferred.
Skills and Abilities
A fully skilled incumbent will have the following knowledge skills & abilities:
Business Acumen – Understands corporate and operational functions to assess the impact of decisions across business units and drive organizational success.
Strategic Thinking – Evaluates priorities beyond self-interest, aligning goals with district-wide objectives while considering the needs of customers, employees, and stakeholders.
Team Alignment & Accountability – Breaks down silos, fosters open discussions, addresses challenges, and ensures clear direction and accountability to achieve established priorities.
Results-Driven Leadership – Demonstrates ownership of outcomes, assesses work scope and priorities, eliminates vulnerabilities, and ensures team capability aligns with business needs.
Collaboration & Relationship Building – Builds trust, listens with empathy, navigates conflict effectively, and fosters partnerships to achieve shared goals.
Change Leadership & Agility – Models a mindset of continual learning, embraces change, mitigates risks, and implements improvements to enhance organizational performance.
Customer Focus – Promotes a customer-centric culture, demonstrating a strong commitment to internal and external stakeholders while inspiring enthusiasm and engagement.
Talent Development & Empowerment – Effectively delegates, develops talent pipelines, manages performance, and prepares employees for future leadership roles.
Resilient & Adaptable Leadership – Leads with fairness and credibility, sets clear goals, anticipates reactions, adapts to challenges, and ensures consistent communication at all levels.
Decisive & Accountable Decision-Making – Balances analysis with action, makes timely and tough decisions, and ensures decisions align with responsibilities and business priorities.
Must be proficient in reading, writing and speaking English.
Physical Demands
Sitting Frequent 34-66%
Standing Frequent 34-66%
Walking Frequent 34-66%
Lifting 1-10 lbs Floor-Waist Occasional 11-33%
Lifting 1-10 lbs Waist-Shoulders Occasional 11-33%
Lifting 1-10 lbs Above Shoulders Occasional 11-33%
Lifting 11-25 lbs Floor-Waist Seldom 0-10%
Lifting 11-25 lbs Waist-Shoulders Seldom 0-10%
Lifting 25 - 50 lbs Floor-Waist (copier paper) Seldom 0-10%
Climb Stairs Occasional 11-33%
Twisting at Waist Occasional 11-33%
Stooping/Bending Occasional 11-33%
Reach Floor to Waist Occasional 11-33%
Reach Waist to Shoulder Occasional 11-33%
Reach Above Shoulder Occasional 11-33%
Wrist/hand/fingers manipulation (keyboarding, mousing, etc.) Frequent 34-66%
Hand Controls (joy stick, controls on equipment, etc.) Occasional 11-33%
Repetitive Motions Frequent 34-66%
Talking Frequent 34-66%
Hearing Regularly 67-100%
Visual - Near Acuity Regularly 67-100%
Visual - Far Acuity Regularly 67-100%
Visual - Depth Perception Regularly 67-100%
Visual - Color Discrimination Regularly 67-100%
Working Conditions
Noise Intensity Level: - Moderate
District Values
Safety - Protect public and employee health and safety
Stewardship - Acting on behalf of customer-owners, protecting public resources entrusted to us
Trustworthy - Competence, integrity, respect
Operational Excellence - High-quality innovative work execution
BACKGROUND SCREENING
Pursuant to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) standards, Chelan County Public Utility District #1 conducts background screening of personnel who have access to the District's critical physical and/or cyber assets.
DISCLAIMER
The statements contained herein reflect general details as necessary to describe the principal functions for this job, the level of knowledge and skill typically required, and the scope of responsibility. This should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned, including work in other functional areas to cover absences or relief, to equalize peak work periods or otherwise to balance the workload.
EEO
Chelan PUD is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.
We value diversity at all levels of the organization. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected classifications as defined by law.
EEO Law Posters can be found on the main Careers page in English and Spanish.
Chelan PUD will not be offering any work visa sponsorship for this role.
Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision
The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-I.35(c)