401 Water Quality Certification Branch Manager

401 Water Quality Certification Branch Manager

Salary

$67,558.63 - $126,788.64 Annually

Location

25 - HINDS COUNTY, MS

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

9385-0471-20260728hinds

Department

0471 - ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

Opening Date

07/28/2026

Closing Date

8/4/2026 11:59 PM Central

Agency Minimum Salary

$67,558.63

Agency Maximum Salary

$126,788.64

About the Agency

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality is responsible for protecting the state's air, land, and water. Our mission is to safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of present and future generations of Mississippians by conserving and improving our environment and fostering wise economic growth through focused research and responsible regulation. For more information contact Anna Godfrey at agodfrey@mdeq.ms.gov.

About the Position

• Manage all Water Quality Certification (401) permitting and compliance activities for the branch. • Review project impacts to waters of the state, evaluate WQC requests, and ensure compliance with state and federal water quality requirements. • Review, interpret, and apply relevant laws, regulations, policies, and procedures related to Section 401 Water Quality Certification. • Coordinate project reviews and certification activities with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, EPA, and other state and federal partners to ensure consistent regulatory outcomes. • Participate in the Mitigation Bank Interagency Review Team and evaluate mitigation proposals, monitoring plans, and related documentation. • Communicate certification requirements, determinations, and timelines in a clear, timely, and professional manner to applicants, consultants, other agencies, and internal leadership. • Direct daily branch operations, including staff supervision, workload planning, and process oversight. • Manage contractor tasks, work orders, and invoicing to support branch needs. • Identify and implement program improvements to support consistency, efficiency, and timely reviews.

What youll need to be Successful

• Highly organized and able to manage complex, time-sensitive project reviews. • Strong technical judgment, with the ability to evaluate impacts, mitigation proposals, and project documentation clearly and accurately. • Strong communicator who can work effectively with applicants, consultants, USACE, MDMR, EPA, and state partners. • Professional and diplomatic, especially when working on sensitive, high-profile, or controversial projects. • Responsive and dependable, capable of making timely, defensible decisions. • Comfortable supervising staff and managing daily branch operations, including contractor oversight and invoicing. • Practical problem-solver with a focus on consistent, defensible regulatory outcomes. • Committed to supporting staff, improving processes, and advancing the agency's mission to protect water quality.

Preferred Qualifications

Typically requires a Bachelor's Degree, a valid certificate of registration as a Professional Engineer from the Mississippi State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, and 6+ years of engineering experience. Agency Preferred Qualifications: Environmental Engineer Team Lead: Typically requires a Bachelor's Degree, a valid certificate of registration as a Professional Engineer from the Mississippi State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, and 6+ years of engineering experience. Environmental/Natural Resources Specialist Supervisor: Typically requires a Bachelor's Degree and 6+ years of experience.

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

No available description

Health/Prescription Insurance

Eligible employees have the opportunity to participate in the state's health and prescription insurance program. Employees may select either single or family coverage with affordable co-payments. More detail can be found at Know Your Benefits.

Wellness Benefits

Employees are eligible for a wellness and health promotion program. This plan provides annual benefits for certain services with first-dollar coverage with no deductible.

Life Insurance

All eligible employees receive an actual term life insurance policy upon employment. The policy coverage is two times the employee's annual salary to a maximum of $100,000. More detail can be found at Life Insurance Choices.

Optional Insurances

Many agencies offer discounted premiums for dental, vision, and cancer insurance.

Flexible Spending Accounts

Many state agencies provide opportunity for employees to participate in pre-tax spending accounts. These accounts allow employees to withhold childcare expenses and unreimbursed medical expenses prior to application of state and federal taxes.

Paid Personal Leave and Sick Leave

Full-time employees receive paid time off for personal needs and for sick leave. Leave begins accruing after one month of employment and may be used as it is accrued. Employees earn approximately 18 days of personal leave annually and 12 days of sick leave annually.

Military Leave

In accordance with federal law, all employees serving in the armed forces or the military reserves are entitled to 15 days per year for military training.

Holidays

Employees receive up to 10 paid holidays to enjoy many of our nation's celebrations with family and friends.

Retirement Programs

The State of Mississippi provides all its employees a Defined Benefit/Defined Contribution Retirement Program. Employees become vested in the State's retirement system after 8 years of employment. Both you and your employing agency contribute toward your retirement. More detailed information regarding the State's retirement program can be found at http://www.pers.state.ms.us

Deferred Compensation

State agencies offer several opportunities for their employees to participate in a deferred compensation voluntary retirement savings plan. More information can be found at Deferred Compensation.

State Credit Union

All state employees are eligible to participate in the Mississippi Public Employees' Credit Union. This organization offers state employees special savings and borrowing plans. For more information about this program, call 601.948.8191.

Tuition Reimbursement

Many state agencies provide opportunities for their employees to achieve higher education through tuition reimbursement. Common programs include medical and nursing fields, accounting, and business/administrative fields.

Career Development and Training

The Mississippi State Personnel Board offers several management and administrative certification programs, as well as professional development courses to enhance employee value to the agency. Individual agencies also offer technical training and allow membership in professional organizations to employees in their specific fields of employment.

Promotional Opportunities

Employees who have completed 6 or more months of service are eligible for promotional opportunities within state government employment. Minimum qualifications must be met.

Career Ladders

Many job classifications provide career-ladder opportunities based upon attainment of competencies. These career ladders can increase an individual's salary, provided funds are available within the agency.

01

How many years of engineering experience do you have?

• No experience
• 1 year of experience
• 2 years of experience
• 3 years of experience
• 4 years of experience
• 5 years of experience
• 6 years of experience
• 7 years of experience
• 8 years of experience
• 9 years of experience
• 10 years of experience
• More than 10 years

02

What is the highest level of education (or semester hours of college) you have completed?

• 8th grade
• GED or High School Equivalency Diploma / High School Diploma
• 30 semester hours
• Associates Degree / 60 semester hours
• 90 semester hours
• Bachelors Degree
• Masters Degree
• Specialist Degree
• Doctorate Degree
• 9th grade
• 10th grade
• 11th grade

03

Do you possess a valid certificate of registration as a Professional Engineer from the Mississippi State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors?

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer State of Mississippi

Address 210 East Capitol Street

Suite 800

Jackson, Mississippi, 39201

Phone 601-359-1406

601-359-1406

Website https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/mississippi