We are seeking a skilled, enthusiastic, and dedicated person who will be responsible for maintaining and improving relations with the Hazardous Waste Management Program’s City and Tribal partners and the Sound Cities Association. This position reports directly to the Program Director and advises on how to successfully engage and work with local governments.

The position is the primary contact person for staff members and elected officials from cities, towns, and tribal governments. Duties include coordinating government partner access to Program support, services, and expertise. This position is also the grant manager for Program funding to local cities and tribes as they work to help more residents properly dispose of hazardous waste and to promote using safer alternatives.

Currently, we are recruiting for a six-month Special Duty Assignment with the possibility of extension.

ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES DIVISION:
Through the work of over 150 dedicated employees, the Environmental Health Services Division identifies and sustains environmental conditions that promote health equity and healthy people and communities in Seattle and King County. Our vision is healthy, safe, and vibrant communities that are free of health disparities based on race, gender, or economic status. The Division’s core values include equity and social justice, integrity, community service, collaboration, a supportive work culture, and learning from each other and the communities we serve. To learn more about EHS, please visit https://www.kingcounty.gov/ehs.

ABOUT THE HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM:
The Hazardous Waste Management Program is a coalition of local governments. Partners work in multi-agency teams, drawing on their strengths and expertise to protect public health and the environment. At the Hazardous Waste Management Program, we come to work every day because we want to protect and improve public and environmental quality in King County. Together with our partners, we’re working towards a shared vision: A Puget Sound region that’s the cleanest in the country, free from hazardous chemical exposure. To learn more about the Program, please visit https://www.kingcountyhazwastewa.gov.
 
COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE:
As the only jurisdiction in the world named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation’s history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.
We have a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from vulnerable communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts. To learn more, please visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity.

Job Duties

Liaison between Program and local governments:

• Serve as the liaison with local government contacts such as the Board of Health, staff and elected officials at individual cities and tribes, the Sound Cities Association, and other relevant groups.
• Maintain communications and communication protocols with cities and tribes, and the Sound Cities Association.
• Manage the quarterly city/tribal workgroup.
• Support city and tribal partner engagement in major 2021 initiatives, including the Management Plan Update and a rate adjustment proposal.
• Support communications with the Board of Health.
• Carry out the Program’s Racial Equity Strategic Plan.
• Ensure Program-supported work performed by contracted partners is provided in culturally competent manner.
• Track and support Program contacts with elected officials.

Technical Expert on Intergovernmental Relations:

• Keep the Hazardous Waste Program Director appraised of key issues and concerns with local governments and advise on successful interactions.
• Develop outreach strategies for strategic planning, rates, and other actions with significant impacts on local governments.
• Actively collaborate and coordinate with other managers across the Program.
  
  

Manage grants and contracts with local governments:

• Support local government provision of Hazardous Waste Management-related services and education.
• Negotiate and manage contracts and grants provided to cities and tribes.
• Maintain a list of city and tribal contacts, as well as Program-sponsored events.
• Maintain active communications with cities and tribes regarding program services and activities.
• Host online educational training sessions with local governments.
• Coordinate with Public Health to advise partners on proper management of waste collection events, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic response.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

• Training or experience in equity-focused services or planning.
• Experience promoting intergovernmental collaboration.
• Experience with teams of diverse skills and technical boundaries.
• Experience working with federal, Washington State, and/or local environmental health regulations.
• Skill in effective collaboration and conflict management skills.
• Skill in providing communications/guidance to government partners using plain language.
• Experience with data entry and document management.
• Experience with Microsoft O365 Suite including Excel, Word, SharePoint, and MS Teams.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience working with elected officials and/or political analysis.
• A degree in public or environmental health, public policy, communications, government affairs, or comparable life and professional experience.
• Fluent in one or more non-English languages most commonly spoken in King County (Spanish, Vietnamese, Somali, Russian, Chinese, Korean, Amharic, Arabic, and/or Ukrainian).

Licensing / Certification Requirements

• Valid Washington State driver’s license, or ability to obtain before hire.

Supplemental Information

Forbes recently named King County as one of Washington State’s best employers. 

Together, with leadership and our employees, we’re changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation’s best places to live, work and play. 

Guided by our “True North“, we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles–we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact your recruiter listed on this job announcement.

Who May Apply
This position is only open to current King County career service or appointed employees who have passed their initial probationary period and must get your supervisor’s approval if this assignment is offered to you.

Application Process: 
The following items are required to be considered for this vacancy:

• An electronic application through www.kingcounty.gov/jobs or www.governmentjobs.com (use the “Apply” link) including work history and position duties.
• A cover letter describing your interest in this position and how do you meet the required qualifications for this job.
• A current resume or curriculum vitae.
• Responses to supplemental questions.

Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application. Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state “see my resume” or “see my personnel file” are considered incomplete and will not be accepted.

• The selection process may include but is not limited to: evaluation of application materials and supplemental questions, interviewing, and testing. For more information on our selection process, please refer to www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/jobs/hiring.
• Regular and reliable attendance, effective communication skills, and development of effective working relationships are requirements of all Public Health positions.
• Staff may be required to play an active role in the event of a public health emergency, which may include changes in responsibilities, work location and working hours.

Necessary Special Requirements

• Employees are required to protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal Law.
• Employees are required to adhere to OSHA/WISHA guidelines including but not limited to completing required training on time.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

• This position requires the ability to perform work duties in an office environment
• Exposure to individuals from the public who are upset, angry, agitated, and sometimes hostile, requiring the use of conflict management and de-escalation skills.

Work location
The home base for this position is Chinook Building, 12th floor, Downtown Seattle.

Temporary Telecommuting Requirement
Some of the work associated with this position will be performed remotely, at least through July 5, 2021 in compliance with King County’s telecommuting mandate. Employees will be provided with a County issued laptop and must maintain a workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.  Employees must reside in WA state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.  There will be situations where the employee is required to report to a County worksite.  Please note that when an employee conducts work that is likely to bring them in contact with another individual, safety precautions are required by the department in alignment with the Public Health Directive from the Seattle & King County Public Health Officer.

To support employees during this time King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will be joining an innovative and progressive team. King County is doing its part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and remains committed to reducing our carbon footprint.

Work schedule
This full-time position is non-exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is eligible for overtime. The normal workweek is Monday – Friday. Occasional evening and weekend work is required.

Union affiliation
This position is represented by Protect Local 17 Union.

Contact
If you have questions about the position, please contact Tracee Mayfield at tracee.mayfield@kingcounty.gov. If you have questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact Nic Horea, Senior Human Resource Analyst at nicolae.horea@kingcounty.gov.