The Parks and Recreation Division of King County’s Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) is looking for a dynamic person to lead the division’s the strategic planning, policy development, and implementation of assigned programs to further environmental outcomes, the Parks Levy implementation and other policy objectives that are critical in delivering on the Parks mission. The candidate will lead an interdisciplinary team to plan for strategic acquisitions, policy development and implementation, and will support Parks long-term strategic business planning efforts to deliver the agency’s services, programs, systems, and processes.  Additionally, this position will directly oversee the planning and implementation of division, department and county-wide environmental initiatives and strategic plans such as the Parks & Open Space Plan, the Land Conservation Initiative, and the Clean Water/Healthy Habitat Strategic Plan. The work in support of these initiatives will also help inform future levy planning. The ideal candidate will be forward-thinking with environmental planning knowledge, strong supervisory experience, and excellent communication skills. 

Individuals interested in joining our team must be committed to racial, social, and economic equality for ALL people in King County. We welcome applications from people who will help us consistently demonstrate the values of equity, respect, and partnership.

Who is Eligible: This position is open to current King County Parks’ employees only.  

Telecommuting Requirement

The work associated with this position will be performed remotely on a full-time basis. Employees will also have access to shared workspaces at King Street Center at 201 S. Jackson Street in downtown Seattle. There will be situations where the employee is required to report to a County worksite. Employees must reside in WA state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Employees will be provided with a County issued laptop and must maintain a workspace with an internet connection (access may be supplemented in some situations) where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours. 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. King County is doing its part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and remains committed to reducing our carbon footprint.

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.

Work Location: Primarily teleworking and the King Street Center 201 S. Jackson St., Seattle WA 98104 

Work Schedule: This position is exempt from the overtime provision of the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) and is not overtime eligible. This full-time position works a 40-hour work week.

• Identify and recommend policy direction to division leadership necessary for the planning, development, and implementation of the Parks & Open Space Plan.

• Coordinate the development of policy direction to division leadership necessary for the development and implementation of key environmental and other strategic initiatives such as the Strategic Climate Action Plan, the Land Conservation Initiative, and the Clean Water/Healthy Habitat Strategic Plan.

• Lead projects related to division strategic initiatives and ensure activities undertaken by the division are managed responsibly and comply with relevant laws, regulations, and County policies. Report on the status of initiatives and projects, including schedules, resources, and other issues.

• Participate as a core leadership team member and ensure consistency of activities with agency mission and goals.

• Supervise program staff including hiring, performance management and job progression, training, coaching, and discipline. Prepare and implement work plans; lead program staff fulfilling annual work plans in support of division plans and strategic priorities.

• Ensure the program is integrated with other agency programs in the delivery of services and are aligned with division/department business plans and priorities.

• Develop program policies and procedures and recommend to division/department leadership.

• Implement and evaluate approved policies and procedures.

• Work collaboratively with other government and regulatory agencies or departments within the County to address open space acquisitions, environmental policies, and other issues.

Required Qualifications:

• Experience with principles of planning, environmental and land use regulations, natural resource management principles and concepts, real estate law and project management (including grant and budget management).

• 5 or more years of increasingly responsible management and relevant work experience.

The Successful Candidate Will Have the Following Competencies:

• Action oriented – taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.

• Balances stakeholders – anticipating and balancing the needs of multiple stakeholders

• Strategic mindset – seeing head to future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies.

• Directs work – providing direction, delegating, and removing obstacles to get work done.

• Builds networks – effectively building formal and informal relationship networks inside and outside the organization.

• Builds effective teams – building strong-identity teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals.

• Communicates effectively – developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.

• Organizational savvy – maneuvering comfortably through complex policy, process, and people-oriented dynamics.

• Manages ambiguity – operating effectively, even when things are not certain, or the way forward is not clear.

The Most Competitive Candidates Will Have:

• Ability to effectively communicate general and technical issues both in writing and orally, with varied and diverse audiences.

• Ability to prepare and present briefings to management and elected officials regarding complex planning and policy proposals.
• Skill in synthesizing information and making recommendations within and outside of established policies and procedures.
• Skills in supervising multi-disciplinary staff and working effectively with diverse individuals and populations.
• Skill in making timely and quality decisions.
• Ability to work on several projects/tasks simultaneously.
• Ability to develop a collaborative and highly effective team environment.

• Bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Natural Resources Management, Forestry, Public Administration or a related highly desired.

Application and Selection Process: Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness including online application, cover letter and resume, and responsiveness to the list of qualifications, skills, and abilities. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews. Applications without the following required materials may not be considered for this position.

• King County application

• Resume

• Cover Letter detailing your background and what you can bring to this position

• Responses to supplemental questions

Union Representation: This position is not represented by a union.

For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact: Shawna Ousse at sousse@kingcounty.gov or (206) 263-3536.

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.