Director's Office Goals and Objectives

The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Director's Office carries out the department's mission and statutory responsibilities by administering, managing, planning and evaluating total agency performance.

The director oversees the development of appropriate policies and procedures throughout all organizational units of the agency and makes sure the structure supports optimum efficiency, consistency and capability for planning, consultation and decision making.

The Director's Office includes the director's staff, a centralized Legal Services Unit and a centralized Personnel Office. The Centralized Services Division is an extension of the director's responsibility and ability to provide budgeting, accounting, procurement, contract management and information services support to the agency divisions.

DEQ Director’s Office Goals and Objectives for 2009 biennium

  • Increase the efficiency of internal and external Department processes to enhance quality, timeliness and/or volume of work produced.
    • Implement improvements to four major business processes and several additional minor processes and procedures.
    • Measure impact of these improvements in terms of quality, timeliness and/or volume.
    • Develop and implement at least two new web-based applications to facilitate public interaction and customer service.
    • Develop in-house expertise among Department managers to identify and effect improvements to business processes.
  • Improve relations with Department customers, including the general public and the regulated community.
    • Improve the tone of DEQ correspondence to ensure documents are clear and direct but not unnecessarily insulting or demanding.
    • Publicly recognize good customer service among DEQ employees.
    • Conduct pre- and post- interviews with members of the regulated community to determine how DEQ can improve its efficient delivery of products such as permits, and to determine effectiveness of our efforts to improve.
  • Enhance recruitment and retention of Department staff.
    • Develop, implement and maintain a pay system competitive with relevant markets, including other state agencies.
    • Development and implement performance and competency components within the pay system.
    • Develop and implement career ladder progressions within at least four high priority areas with specific recruitment and retention challenges.
    • Develop education, training and other workforce development policies and implement within at least four high priority areas with specific recruitment and retention challenges.
    • Continue to develop and implement non-monetary work environment enhancements such as flexible work schedules, telework opportunities and employee recognition.