Program Planner (Project/Program Manager III)
- Summary
The Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County (Program) is looking for a creative, skilled, and experienced Program Planner. This position will serve several key roles with the opportunity for hands-on engagement leading highly visible work including: 1) structured analysis of complex policy, legal, legislative, and social issues and strategies, 2) development and oversight of interagency agreements among the Program’s partner agencies, 3) development and implementation of operational policies, procedures, methods, and standards for the Program’s policy and planning work, and 4) a broad range of planning and project management support services to advance the Program’s long-range goals.
This position reports to the Program’s Policy and Planning Manager and serves as a key member of the Program’s Planning, Policy, and Government Relations team.
This expert-level position requires skill and experience in public sector project planning and management, systems thinking and planning, data and legal analysis, and the ability to pull together high-functioning interagency teams. The ideal candidate will have public sector experience in strategic planning and analysis, developing systems to coordinate work across teams, and will have exceptional project management skills including scheduling, budgeting, project planning, and progress tracking. Successful candidates will have experience implementing racially equitable practices throughout their work.
ABOUT OUR PROGRAM: The Program is one of the leading local government hazardous waste and toxic reduction programs in the United States. The Program serves King County’s 2.3 million residents and 60,000 businesses, with an annual budget of $21 million and approximately 70 staff. The Program’s mission is to protect and enhance public health and environmental quality by helping residents and businesses reduce the threat posed by the production, use, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials. The Program provides a range of services including collection and disposal, prevention programs, and policy initiatives. For more information visit www.kingcountyhazwastewa.gov.
The Program is a collaborative effort of several participating agencies. This position will be hired by the Water and Land Resources Division (WLRD) of the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, which is one of the participating agencies. WLRD safeguards King County's water and land resources by providing services that protect public health and yield significant environmental benefits. WLRD provides flood control services, storm water management, and other natural resource management services throughout King County. WLRD’s mission is to protect, restore, and manage King County's water and land using the best available science, innovation, and collaborating with partners and the community. For more information about the division, see www.kingcounty.gov/depts/dnrp/wlr.aspx.
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.
Who is Eligible: This position is open to all qualified applicants. However, the first consideration will be given to career service members of the Washington State Council of County and City Employees, Council 2, Local 1652-R.
Teleworking Requirement
The work associated with this position will be performed predominantly by teleworking, complemented with onsite work and meetings as informed by business needs. Employees will have access to shared workspaces at various King County facilities. 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.
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, typically 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday. Evening and weekend work may occasionally be required.- Job Duties
Planning and analysis
- Lead a variety of planning functions for the overall Hazardous Waste Management Program including special projects that vary widely in nature and scope.
- Serve as a technical expert and advisor for planning, research, and analysis. Provide expert advice and project planning support for Program leadership and staff.
- Lead and facilitate participatory decision-making processes. Contribute to and lead in-depth deliberative discussions and problem-solving sessions.
- Conduct research and utilize findings to develop effective strategies.
- Develop, administer, and monitor project plans, schedules, budgets, and reports.
- Develop operating policies and agreements. Negotiate and manage contracts and agreements with multiple agencies.
- Develop and implement operational policies, procedures, methods, and standards for the Program’s policy and planning work.
- Serve as a technical expert and advisor for project management. Provide expert advice and project management support for Program leadership and staff.
- Apply a wide variety of project management tools and approaches to advance the work of the Program.
- Supervise the work of consultants. Manage consultant contracts and develop solicitations (RFPs) for professional services.
- Provide regular briefings to leadership and other key stakeholders.
- Conduct all job duties in a team context. Build and maintain strong working relationships with other program staff. Develop ongoing relationships with Program partners and identify opportunities to leverage each other’s work.
- Embed equity and social justice into planning, analysis, policy initiatives, agreements, and partner engagement.
- Help fulfil the Program’s mission through “upstream” system change to reduce hazardous materials exposure.
- Work strategically and collaboratively with leadership, teams, partners, stakeholders, and the communities we serve.
- Other duties as assigned.
- Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills
The ideal candidate will have the following competencies:
- Functional/Technical Skills - Has the functional and technical knowledge and skills to do the job at a high level of accomplishment.
- Strategic Mindset - Anticipates future trends and consequences accurately; readily poses future scenarios; predicts ripple effects of proposed actions; has broad knowledge and perspective.
- Planning - Accurately scopes out length and difficulty of tasks and projects, sets objectives and goals, breaks down work in the process steps, develops schedules and task/people assignments, anticipates and adjusts for problems and roadblocks, measures performance against goals, evaluates results.
- Dealing with Ambiguity - Can effectively cope with change, can shift gears comfortably, can decide and act without having the total picture, isn't upset when things are up in the air, doesn't have to finish things before moving on, can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty.
- Interpersonal/Organizational Savvy - Relates openly and comfortably with diverse groups of people; communicates clearly and concisely; encourages the open expression of diverse ideas and opinions; maneuvers comfortably through complex policy, process, and people-related organizational dynamics.
- Building Collaborative Relationships - Builds partnerships and works collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives; relates openly and comfortably with diverse groups of people; effectively builds formal and informal relationship networks inside and outside the organization.
- A bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of training and work experience in planning, public policy, public administration, law, or a related field.
- At least five years of progressive experience in public sector planning, policy, program management, project management, or a related field.
- Strong planning skills, with demonstrated experience developing complex, public sector, multi-agency plans. Knowledge and experience developing a wide range of plan types for varied purposes.
- Strong project management skills, with demonstrated experience managing projects of various scopes and scales using a variety of project management tools and techniques.
- Experience developing, negotiating, and implementing agreements between agencies and organizations.
- Knowledge and experience embedding equity and social justice principles and practices in planning and policy activities, as well as team and project management.
- Strong research and analytical skills, and experience managing complex analysis and research projects.
- Demonstrated ability to clearly and logically frame problems and proposals to support management decisions.
- Exemplary oral and written communications skill.
- Experience managing consultants, contracts, and budgets.
- Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with leadership, agency and community partners and project teams.
- Skill and experience managing multiple tasks and projects simultaneously.
- Proficient in the use of MS Office Suite including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and SharePoint.
- Experience managing large-scale or multi-phase projects.
- Experience solving problems and managing projects characterized by uncertainty, ambiguity, lack of data, resistance to change, contradictory solutions, and unpredictable consequences.
- Experience developing logic models, theories of change, and similar tools to describe and model complex systems, inform actions, and forecast outcomes.
- Supplemental Information
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
For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact:
Pamela Johnson, Human Resources Manager
pamela.johnson@kingcounty.gov
206-477-4717
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.
Covid-19 Vaccination Requirement King County Executive Branch employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If you are the successful candidate for the position you applied for, the County will send you a conditional offer letter.
As a condition of employment, prior to a final offer of employment, you will be required to:- submit proof of vaccination, or
- have an approved request for medical or religious exemption and an approved accommodation. Philosophical, political, scientific, or sociological objections to vaccination will not be considered for an exemption or accommodation.
The Executive Branch includes employees in the Executive branch, the Assessor's Office, Elections, the King County Sheriff's Office, and the Executive Office.
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.
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.
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01Are you applying to this position as an eligible current or previous King County Employee Priority Placement Program Participant? Is this position the same or lower percentage of full-time when compared to the position held at the point of the notification of layoff? Do you possess the skills and abilities to qualify for this position?
- Yes, I was given a layoff notice from my role at King County and I am within two years of the effective date of my layoff. Additionally, the position I was laid off from was the same or a higher percentage of FT status when compared to this one.
- No.
02If you answered yes to the question above and you are applying for this position as a Priority Placement Participant, to be considered, you must provide the following three pieces of information in the space provided: 1. The title you held when you received your layoff notice 2. The department you worked in 3. The effective date of your layoff03Do you have at least five years progressive experience leading public sector planning, program management, or project management?- Yes
- No
04If yes to question 3, please summarize your experience including types of plans and/or projects and your specific role(s). If no, then type N/A.05Do you have experience using equity and social justice tools in planning and policy work?- Yes
- No
06If yes to question 5, please summarize your experience including types of plans and/or projects and your specific role(s). If no, then type N/A.07Do you have experience 1) conducting research and analysis for the purpose of informing policy development, 2) developing recommendations for executive leadership or decision-making bodies, or 3) leading and facilitating participatory decision-making processes?- Yes
- No
08If yes to question 7, please summarize your experience providing specific examples and describing your specific role(s). If no, then type N/A.Required Question