RainScapes Program Manager

RainScapes Program Manager (Program Manager II, Grade N25)
Montgomery County Government
Department of Environmental Protection
2425 Reedie Drive, Wheaton, Maryland 20902

Salary Range: $85,937 to $137,907

WHO WE ARE
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is is a nationally recognized and award-winning agency with the mission to enhance the quality of life in our community by protecting and improving Montgomery County’s air, water, and land in a sustainable, innovative, inclusive, and industry-leading way while fostering smart growth, a thriving more sustainable economy and healthy communities. DEP is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and values diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and cultures. DEP encourages BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color), immigrants, women, LGBTQIA+, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Montgomery County DEP’s Watershed Restoration Division (WRD) advances clean water, resilient communities, and sustainable landscapes. Within WRD, the Stewardship Programs Section leads the County’s RainScapes Program—a green infrastructure initiative that reduces stormwater runoff from private properties, especially in dense urban areas lacking stormwater management. Our flagship RainScapes Rewards Rebate program incentivizes residents and organizations to install conservation landscaping, rain gardens, and other small scale stormwater practices. We also partner with schools and community organizations on demonstration projects, provide contractor trainings, publish public resources and newsletters, offer online and in-person educational programs, and continually work to ensure our program and materials are accessible to a diverse audience.

DEP is seeking a dynamic and highly skilled Program Manager II with professional experience in the design and installation of small-scale stormwater management or green infrastructure to lead the County’s RainScapes program. In addition to technical skills, DEP seeks a thoughtful, collaborative leader who can guide a team, manage a dynamic public‑facing program, and adapt to evolving community and regulatory needs. We welcome applicants who are strategic thinkers, strong communicators, relationship-builders, and enthusiastic about leading a program that blends technical review, public engagement, and long-term planning.

The ideal candidate brings strong technical knowledge of conservation landscaping and environmental site design; skill in program development, delivery, evaluation, and adaptive management; experience with budget and contract administration; strong communication and relationship-building skills; and a commitment to equitable access to cost-share programs. Success in this role also calls for excellent problem-solving, analytical, writing, and presentation skills; ability to thrive under deadlines; outstanding collaboration skills; proficiency with Microsoft applications; familiarity with ESRI GIS; and the ability to build partnerships across County agencies, schools, community groups, and the public.
 
WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING
The RainScapes Program Manager II will lead a team of planning and program specialists and oversee all aspects of the program—from strategy and outreach to technical reviews and reporting. Beyond reviewing projects and managing workflows, the Program Manager II shapes the long‑term direction of the RainScapes program, leads a multidisciplinary team, builds partnerships across agencies and communities, and ensures the program continues to innovate and remain accessible to all residents.

Key duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

• Program Strategy & Delivery – Set the program’s strategic plan and annual goals; adaptively manage the program to respond to community needs, priorities, budget constraints, staffing changes, and evolving technology; oversee public outreach and education, school initiatives, and newsletters to engage residents; develop and offer training for project installation contractors; and     track and analyze program metrics, and present program updates to leadership.
• Rewards Program Management – Review rebate applications based on approved criteria for design and installation of conservation landscaping, rain gardens, environmental site design, and other small-scale practices; guide staff on technical requirements related to project design and implementation criteria; approve completed projects; oversee updates to program criteria to align with Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) permit requirements; and develop annual metrics for the County’s MS4 Permit report.
• Fiscal & Contract Oversight – Manage the RainScapes budget, procurement, purchasing, contracts and task orders, and contractor invoices; and allocate resources to meet program, section, and division goals.
• Staff Supervision & Mentoring – Assign and review work and coordinate work plans for the team; develop annual performance expectations, perform progress reviews and appraisals; manage leave and overtime; ensure employee training requirements are met; foster a collaborative, growth-oriented team culture; and champion the development of staff through clear communication, coaching, and shared problem-solving.
• Technical Support & Partnerships – Serve as a subject matter expert for small scale stormwater management; provide technical and planning guidance to County agencies and community organizations; benchmark with neighboring jurisdictions’ programs and continually update the program as needed; represent DEP on interagency and regional committees; analyze proposed laws and regulations that impact the program; and prepare and deliver public presentations.

Additional Information
Preference will be given to otherwise qualified applicants also possessing registration as a Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (https://cblpro.org/) Level 1 or Level 2 (CBLP1) or (CBLP2).

This position requires possession and maintenance of a valid driver’s license and the ability to drive a County vehicle to attend meetings, visit sites for field investigations, conduct surveys, transport equipment and outreach materials, and/or observe or inspect construction sites, and perform other work at locations throughout Montgomery County that may not be served by public transportation.

Occasional evening or weekend work outside of normal business hours may be required.

As a manager/supervisor of unionized employees, this position has a responsibility for fostering a positive labor relations environment based on mutual trust, respect, and cooperation.

To ensure a positive workplace and to comply with federal, state and County laws, the incumbent is responsible for completing mandatory trainings within the first three to six months or within the specified timeframe. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Experience: Thorough five (5) years of professional experience in a program related to the design and installation of small-scale stormwater management or green infrastructure. Two (2) years of professional supervisory experience in a relevant field is required.
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree.
Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.
License: Possession and maintenance at all times of a valid Class “C” (or equivalent) driver’s license from the applicant’s state of residence.
Medical Exam: Medical History Review – This position requires completion of a pre-employment Medical History Form to assess the candidate’s ability to safely perform the essential duties of the role.
Financial Disclosure Statement:

The selected candidate will be required to complete and submit a Financial Disclosure Statement upon hire and annually thereafter. All statements are publicly available.

PREFERRED CRITERIA, INTERVIEW PREFERENCES
All Applicants will be reviewed by the Office of Human Resources (OHR) for minimum qualifications. Those applicants who meet minimum qualifications will be rated “Qualified,” placed on the Eligible List, and may be considered for an interview.

Preference for interviews will be given to applicants with experience in the following. 

• Experience in the management of programs that design and install small-scale, green infrastructure and local, mid-Atlantic native plant design for stormwater management practices.
• Experience with developing and establishing program goals that achieve watershed protection and restoration objectives, tracking progress toward those goals, analyzing program metrics to determine program efficacy, and reporting on program results.
• Experience with administration of technical programs including developing and managing budgets, developing and managing contracts, experience with the procurement process, and oversight of contract development and administration.
• Experience leading teams to achieve program goals with an eye toward quality control using SOPs, training, and adaptively managing as problems arise.
• Knowledge of equity issues that may pose barriers to one’s participation in cost-share programs such as this one and a strong desire to remove such barriers.
• Experience in managing a diverse work force, supervising professional staff and managing human resources functions, including coordinating work programs, developing performance plans, conducting performance evaluations, recruiting and hiring employees.
• Experience providing oral communication (such as giving presentations and/or speaking to the public or senior management), and written communications (such as reports, budget proposals) to convey information.