Division Director, Road Services Division
- Summary
King County's Department of Local Services is seeking candidates for the Road Services Division Director position. The most competitive applicants will bring seasoned experience in delivering excellence in public service, a reputation for strategic leadership, a proven commitment to equity and social justice and authentic, engaging people skills.
ABOUT KING COUNTY
As the only county in the United States 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 community with residents who represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the artistic and social traditions of many cultures. King County is changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence.
The County continues to build on an enduring legacy of shared values of equity and social justice, employee engagement, innovative thinking, and continuous improvement. King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda aimed at advancing regional change and is developing the systems and standards necessary to achieve better outcomes for all of our residents, regardless of their race or income. All of these qualities make King County one of the nation's best places to live, work, and play.
King County provides a generous employee benefits package, including comprehensive health benefits, paid parental leave, and time to volunteer. For details, see: https://www.kingcounty.gov/audience/employees/careers/why-work-here.aspx
ABOUT THE POSITION
King County is home to some of the most beautiful areas in the world. Getting to some of those sites is possible thanks to the King County Road Services Division which designs, builds, operates and maintains the roads and bridges in unincorporated King County.
Reporting to the Director of the Department of Local Services, this position leads the day-to-day functions of the Roads Division. Working closely with County leadership and interacting regularly with agency staff, county stakeholders, elected officials, inter-jurisdictional partners, and members of the communities we serve, this person will:- Lead the Roads Services Division.
- Work with department leadership to develop innovative strategies to secure additional Roads funding.
- Provide strategic leadership, support, and guidance and ensure the achievement of critical outcomes.
- Commit to building a diverse and inclusive workforce where every person can thrive.
- Be skilled at operating in political and operational environments.
- Be organized, results-oriented, customer focused, and a creative problem-solver.
- Be a strong visionary leader during a challenging transitional period bringing the change management skills to maintain and build a culture of performance and continuous improvement.
- Develop, implement, and monitor policies, procedures, strategic plans, capital projects, roads maintenance programs and budgets.
- Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills
Key duties and responsibilities include:
- Provide collaborative leadership and a clearly articulated vision for a division that includes road maintenance and traffic operations; roadway design and construction; emergency storm and flood response; right-of-way acquisitions; bridge design and inspection; intergovernmental and community relations; roads legislation; traffic and pedestrian safety programs; administrative services; and service contracts with suburban cities, non-profits and other county agencies.
- Direct daily operations and a capital improvement program while staying within an appropriated biennium budget.
- Oversee management of approximately 400 employees in a highly unionized environment.
- Supervise a senior level leadership team.
- As part of the Department of Local Services management team, update department leadership, King County Executive's Office, and Elected Officials on key matters of political and financial consequence to the division.
- Cultivate strong relationships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
- Effectively manage competing community-based and political interests.
- Serve as an advisor and consultant to county and state elected officials on road-related transportation policy issues and represent the county in multi-jurisdictional forums.
- Support the advancement of the county's Equity and Social Justice (ESJ) Strategic Plan and ensure principles of ESJ are reflected in all aspects of the Division's operations.
- A Bachelor's degree in public administration, business, public policy, planning, or a related field, and seven years of progressively responsible work experience directly related to the duties of this position including at least five years in a management capacity or equivalent combination of experience and education leading to the ability to perform the key duties. A master's degree in Public Administration or Engineering, and/or licensure as a Professional Engineer (P.E.) is a plus.
- Extensive leadership and management experience in a large public sector, non-profit, or highly matrixed organization operating within a complex political, regulatory, and financial environment.
- Progressively responsible experience in strategic planning and strategic financial planning as a leader in an operating organization.
- Experience building a culture of employee engagement and supporting the development, coaching, and team building necessary to build the workforce of the future.
- Experience and skill in overseeing leadership teams in a governmental or large complex organization with a highly unionized environment.
- Managerial Courage, building and sustaining trust-based relationships with people from different cultures and backgrounds. Interact effectively with employees and leadership at all levels of the organization including elected officials and the public.
- Ability to write, edit and review a wide range of documents and correspondence including legislation, reports, and community outreach information.
- Working knowledge of and ability to oversee management of road transportation systems, modern project and program management tools, cost/risk assessments, emergency preparedness and response.
- Knowledge of national, state, and regional transportation trends that may affect King County and the Road Services Division.
- Experience working with and presenting to elected officials and the leadership of local government organizations.
- Demonstrated experience and acumen in applying an equity analysis to strategic and capital planning, and roads maintenance.
- Knowledge and experience using Lean continuous improvement concepts and methodologies.
- Experience working with communities to develop and implement programs and capital projects that respond to community needs and concerns.
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please attach a resume and cover letter that clearly convey your ability to excel in this role, as defined in this announcement.
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 Jamie Robinson at jamie.robinson@kingcounty.gov.
This position will remain open until filled. Applicants who apply by Tuesday, June 30th will receive first consideration in the process. The hiring manager reserves the right to make a hiring decision at any point during the recruitment process. It is in the best interest of the candidate to submit their application as soon as possible.
- Supplemental Information
ABOUT THE DIVISION
Unincorporated King County is home to roughly a quarter million people. Collectively, these communities would be the second-largest city in the state. Millions more use the roads to access jobs and recreational activities in urban and rural King County. The Roads Services Division is committed to ensuring the county's road system is safe and efficient for all uses and modes of travel.
The division is faced with a long-term structural funding problem, yet is responsible for 1,500 miles of roads and 182 bridges, 5.7 million feet of drainage ditches, over 44,000 traffic control signs, 78 traffic signals, and 50 traffic cameras in unincorporated King County.
The Division is part of the Department of Local Services, which also includes a Director's Office and the Permitting Division. Together, this department provides a single executive point of accountability for delivery of local services to all of the unincorporated areas. The Roads Services Division works most closely with the US Department of Transportation, the Washington State Department of Transportation, King County's Department of Natural Resources, Metro Transit, and the Permitting Division to meet its objectives.
To learn more about the Road Services Division, visit:
https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/local-services/roads.aspx
https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/local-services.aspx
https://www.instagram.com/kingcountylocalservices/
https://kingcountylocalblog.com/
https://www.facebook.com/kingcountylocalservices/
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.
King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage: King County pays 100% of the premiums for eligible employees and family members
- Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
- Retirement: King County employees are eligible to participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
- Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
- 10 paid holidays each year (plus 2 personal holidays)
- Generous vacation and paid sick leave
- Paid parental leave, family and medical leaves, and volunteer leave
- Flexible Spending Account
- Wellness programs
- Onsite gyms and activity centers
- Employee giving program
- Employee assistance programs
- Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
- Training and career development programs
This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails. Also, in the event of any incorrect information in this document, applicable laws, policies, rules, CBAs, or official plan documents will prevail.
NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position. Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.
For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.