The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality strives to build and sustain an inclusive environment that embraces and values diversity. Employees at all levels of the agency work together to foster fairness, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, veteran, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, or physical or mental disability. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may not meet every one of our listed preferred qualifications. Lived experience may count towards the preferred qualification. If you are excited about this position, we encourage you to apply. If you are unsure as to whether or not you meet the qualifications of this position, please contact us to discuss your application.

Are you passionate about preserving, enhancing, and protecting Oregon’s environment? If so, please consider a career with the State of Oregon at the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). 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. Here is a video about DEQ: https://youtu.be/E-Cs6M9AAlU

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has a full-time opportunity for a Senior Loan Specialist, Clean Water State Revolving Fund (Loan Specialist 3) in Eugene, Portland, or Salem, Oregon (finalist may choose work location).

Oregon’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund is a federal-state partnership  with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that provides low-cost financing for a wide range of water quality infrastructure projects, including municipal wastewater facilities, nonpoint source pollution control, decentralized wastewater treatment systems, stormwater runoff mitigation, green infrastructure, estuary protection, and more. The EPA’s website provides more information about the federal Clean Water State Revolving Fund and regulatory requirements for the program.

DEQ’s Water Quality Division has a critical role in achieving the Department’s mission by developing policy, implementation tools, and implementation priorities for improving and protecting the quality of water in Oregon’s waterways. The Water Quality Division works cooperatively with the Department’s three regional offices and the Laboratory to deliver programs and services that protect and enhance the quality of the waters of the state to protect public health and the environment.

This position is in the Community and Program Assistance section which provides overall leadership and program guidance for the state’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan program and other water quality grants and financial aid programs. The loans involved in this program include complex debt or equity structures and require a high degree of expertise in financial analysis and negotiation, as well as working under a broad framework of federal and state requirements.

Please consider joining an innovative team, and work to advance our agency’s mission to protect and improve Oregon’s environmental quality. Click here to view a map of all of the DEQ offices.

What you will do!

As the Senior Loan Specialist, you will work with the Community and Program Assistance Manager, the Program Coordinator, and a small finance team of loan specialists and accounting staff in providing financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and loan management for the Oregon Clean Water State Revolving Fund Program. The Program actively manages approximately $600 million in loans and is funded by a combination of annual federal grants as well as principal, interest, and fees from state revolved funds.

You will be responsible for applying best business and fund management practices to interpret and comply with the requirements and guidelines under the Clean Water Act, Oregon Revised Statutes, and Oregon Administrative Rules. You will represent the program on financial and loan management activities including, but not limited to: monthly and year-end reconciliation, federal and state reporting, reviewing and notating of financial statements, technical advising in relevant rulemakings, participation in reporting and forecasting for the program’s Intended Use Plan, internal and external audits, future forecasting and cash flow modeling, and consultation with the Department of Justice.

In addition to processing and servicing loans, loan specialists support Program staff by providing guidance, developing process improvements, and tracking and reporting status of loans. Loan specialists also work closely with communities throughout Oregon by providing information about the Program, assisting borrowers with the application process, and issuing loan agreements and amendments. You will also work closely with external partners including the U.S. Environmental Protection agency and co-funders, including other state and federal agencies, to implement this program.

What’s in it for you!

The opportunity to work in a productive and creative environment where no two days are ever the same! We offer a competitive benefits package that offers comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans for the employee and their qualified family members, as well as paid sick leave, vacation leave, personal leave, and 11 paid holidays a year. In addition, we offer membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), and you have the opportunity to potentially receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). If you are passionate about Oregon's environment, apply today!

This is a full-time, AFSCME represented position.

This recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies.

What are we looking for?

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, economics, finance, accounting, or a related field, AND 3 years of experience analyzing and underwriting residential, commercial, or public sector loans; OR
• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, economics, finance, accounting, or a related field, AND 3 years of experience as a business finance officer or in economic or community development or project development; OR
• Bachelor’s degree in any field with an MBA, MPA, or MA in management that included an emphasis in general accounting, cost accounting, financial accounting, financial reporting, financial intermediation, finance, or marketing, AND 2 years of experience at the level of a business finance officer or senior loan officer

Candidates who are most competitive will also reflect the following:

• Experience developing and negotiating loan terms, conditions, and covenants.
• Experience working with state and federal loan policies and regulations; general understanding of State tax exempt bonding process, including market conditions and pricing, issuance, premium vs. discount, and repayment terms.
• Experience analyzing data on loan disbursements, repayments, federal transfers, state match, interest earnings, and administrative expenditures and other related sources and uses of cash; experience preparing internal documents for loan disbursement requests for review, approval, and processing by agency financial services.
• Experience calculating eligible expenditures on grant supported projects in accordance with federal program requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to manage funds in accordance with best practices and accounting principles, the financial markets, and analysis and reporting of financial data.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to provide clear, concise, and compelling communication of policy and technical information tailored to the needs of diverse audiences; skill in writing and presenting clear and concise reports that include qualitative and quantitative analyses, recommendations, and conclusions to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated experience building and fostering relationships with a diverse group of partners including colleagues, interested parties, communities, organizations, and businesses.
• Demonstrated understanding of environmental justice and the historical impacts for marginalized and underrepresented communities; ability to take personal responsibility for increasing their knowledge of environmental justice and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Demonstrated emotional intelligence and capacity to work well in a team environment and with diverse interest parties.

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 Eugene, Portland, or Salem 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.

There will be occasional in-state and out-of-state travel for project visits, meetings, seminars, public hearings and meetings, conferences, and trainings, some of which may involve evening work, overnight stays, and/or weekend work.

How to Apply: (complete the application in full)

• External Applicants Click on the “Apply” button and submit your application. Click this link for the External Candidate job aid, and view this video for additional information.
• Internal Applicants (current State of Oregon employees): Apply through your employee Workday account.  View this knowledge article for assistance.

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Please Note: 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 material.

Veterans Information:

DEQ provides veterans’ preference points to all eligible veterans. For more information on veterans’ preference, please visit Veterans Resources, or call the Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs at: 1-800-692-9666. For privacy reasons, please do not attach veterans’ preference documents when initially applying. You will be asked to submit those at a later time.

Pay Equity:

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. Please visit http://www.oregon.gov/das/hr/pages/equity.aspx for more information. 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, please contact Maddy Ouye, Human Resources Analyst, at maddy.ouye@deq.oregon.gov or (503) 347-5759. TTY users: please use the Oregon Telecommunications Relay Service at 1-800-735-2900.