The Parks and Recreation Division has an opportunity for an experienced Program Manager to join our highly productive, customer-focused team that provides excellent service to all King County residents and park users. This position will assist the Parks director’s office with a variety of special projects and initiatives. The position requires analytical, leadership, project management, public engagement, strategic planning and written, presentation, and oral communication skills. This position is intended to help with high-level projects for the division, with the expectation that the individual will work independently and think strategically across a number of different focus areas.  This candidate will have high attention to detail, be a flexible team player with a high degree of initiative and a willingness to pitch in and learn as needed for the organization.  

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 opportunity 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.

• Lead, manage and support various special projects for the Parks Director’s office/division; such as
  • Salmon Safe Certification
  • CIP standardization and prioritization process
  • Homeless encampment protocols
  • Agreements/ILAs with cities
  • Updating guidance for re-opening parks during COVID
  • Legislation transmittals
  • Regional Aquatics Report
• Oversee development and implementation of countywide, department or division initiatives with a focus on quality and process improvement
• Make complex programmatic recommendations involving policy, legal, financial, and public involvement considerations, coordination of diverse agencies and interest groups, resource allocation, staffing strategies, and project development and direction.
• Provide leadership in an effort to solve complex problems in a way that best serves the division, department and the county.
• Identify coordinate and assist with process and program improvements for the division.
• Work program may include policy and work program coordination, intergovernmental coordination, financial planning, budget development and monitoring, data management and collection.
• Inform division and department leadership on project or program status.
• Facilitate in-person or virtual conversations with a range of audiences, highlighting the strengths and common goals of multiple perspectives for projects or initiatives that are politically sensitive or have significant political implications.

Required Qualifications:

• Experience with a Parks and Recreation agency
• 5 or more years’ experience:
  • Presenting operational, program, budget, and financial information to a variety of audiences, including management, elected officials, staff and the public.
  • Negotiating and managing inter-local agreements.
  • Managing governmental or large and complex organizational projects and procedures.
  • Implementing policies and initiatives across an organization.
  • Managing multiple and often competing priorities.
  • Managing projects with multi-faceted components including policy implications, capital funding, community impacts and politically sensitive projects or programs.
  • Performing strategic planning in support of organizational priorities and mission delivery.

The Successful Candidate Will Have the Following Competencies:

• Organizational savvy – maneuvering comfortably through complex policy, process and people-related organizational dynamics.
• Action oriented – taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
• Communicates effectively – developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
• Builds networks – effectively building formal and informal relationship networks inside and outside the organization.
• Collaborates – building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to mees shared objectives.
• Situational adaptability – adapting approach and demeanor in real time to match the shifting demands of different situations
• Manages ambiguity – operating effectively, even when things are not certain or the way forward is not clear.
• Instills trust – gaining the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity and authenticity.
• Strategic mindset – seeing ahead to future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies.

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.