Special Projects Manager I
2 days ago
Seattle
Salary $123,947.20 - $157,110.10 Annually Location King Street Center - 201 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA Job Type Career Service (Exec) Job Number 2026JA27275 Department DLS - Dept. of Local Services Division DLS-Directors Office Opening Date 05/15/2026 Closing Date 5/31/2026 11:59 PM Pacific FLSA Exempt Bargaining Unit Z3 : KC Personnel Guidelines Full- or Part-Time Full Time Hours/Week 40 hours/week The Department of Local Services (DLS) is recruiting an experienced procurement, contracting, and special projects manager. This position will act as lead for special projects in the Director's Office requiring procured and contracted services, including consultant contracts, for varied projects and services, such as removing barriers to affordable housing and battery energy storage system siting analysis and toolkit, and other long range planning policies. This position may complete research projects and write proviso responses, and may provide direct or indirect supervision, mentoring, and coaching for Project Program Managers. This position will report to the Chief of Staff and will work collaboratively with the Chief Administrative Officer and their planning and code writing teams, as well as the Chief Financial Officer and their fiscal team. • Serve as the lead for special projects within the Director's Office, overseeing initiatives that require contracted services, including consultant contracts, scopes of work, procurement processes, and vendor management., • Manage and coordinate complex, cross departmental projects such as initiatives that remove barriers to affordable housing and development of a battery energy storage system siting analysis and toolkit., • Conduct research on special initiatives and draft budget proviso responses to the Executive's Office and King County Council., • Oversee development, implementation, and compliance for contracts supporting a variety of policy, planning, and operational initiatives, ensuring all deliverables meet project objectives, timelines, and county requirements., • Identify, recommend, and implement continuous quality improvement opportunities for procurement and contracting processes and procedures., • Provide direct or indirect supervision, mentoring, and coaching to at least one Project Program Manager, guiding procurement development, implementation, and contracting activities., • Collaborate closely with the Chief of Staff to align special projects with department priorities and strategic direction., • Work in partnership with the Chief Administrative Officer and associated planning and code-writing teams to coordinate analytical, policy, and legislative elements of projects., • Coordinate with the Chief Financial Officer and fiscal teams to ensure accurate budgeting, financial planning, and fiscal oversight for all projects and contracts under the role's purview., • Lead internal and external stakeholder engagement activities, including facilitation of meetings, presentations, and consultations with community partners, consultants, and county leadership., • Develop reports, recommendations, and briefing materials for department leadership, elected officials, and external partners to support decision-making and project advancement., • Identify risks, develop mitigation strategies, and maintain high standards of project quality and accountability throughout project lifecycles., • Perform other duties as assigned. Required Qualifications • Bachelor's degree in public administration, business administration, land use planning, project or program management, or a closely related field; or equivalent education and experience., • Five or more years of progressively responsible experience managing complex projects, contracts, and cross departmental initiatives in a government, nonprofit, or similar organizational setting., • Five or more years' experience with public sector procurement, contract development, vendor selection, and contract compliance monitoring., • Experience supervising or leading staff, including providing coaching, performance support, and professional development., • Experience working on policy, planning, or technical projects, including coordinating with administrative, financial, and code writing or planning teams., • Demonstrated ability to engage with stakeholders, facilitate meetings, and build effective relationships with community partners, consultants, and leadership teams., • Experience developing reports, recommendations, and briefing materials for executives, elected officials, or other decision-makers., • Experience implementing process improvements or continuous quality improvement initiatives related to procurement, contracting, or project workflows., • Knowledge of public sector budgeting, fiscal oversight, and project financial management., • Experience identifying project risks, developing mitigation strategies, and ensuring high quality project execution.Desired Qualifications, • Experience with building and land use policy and regulation in an agency or agencies with complex rural and urban issues, sophisticated regional initiatives, and diverse inter-jurisdictional relationships. Applicants who pass the initial screening will be invited for first interviews the week of June 8, 2026 and f inal interviews will be in-person on the week of June 15, 2026. This recruitment will be used to fill one (1) career service position and to create an eligibility pool to fill additional vacancies in the same classification that may occur within the next six months . Who May Apply: This position is open to all qualified applicants. Forms and Materials: A completed King County Application is required . A resume a nd cover letter detailing your interest in the position, your background and describing how you meet or exceed the required qualifications, knowledge, skills, and experience listed in this job announcement is also required. Selection Process: Applicants will be screened for clarity, completeness, and competitiveness. Minimum qualifications and answers to supplemental questions must be demonstrated in your application materials. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more interviews. Reference checks and file reviews will be conducted. For interviewing tips, please see the STAR-LA method : star-la_interview_method.pdf Work Schedule: The work week is normally Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., but may at times require work on the weekends. This position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is not eligible for overtime pay. Emergency Designation Status: This position has been designated as : Non-Mission Critical in an Emergency: Employees who staff county functions or services that may be delayed, suspended, or diverted in an emergency while essential functions are prioritized Unless otherwise directed by the County Executive, department director or agency head, all employees, regardless of designation, are expected to report to work or request leave during an emergency or inclement weather. Union Membership: This position is not represented. Teleworking Requirement: We will work in the office at least three days a week to foster connection and responsiveness, arrive prepared and on time, and structure meetings with clear goals and next steps. Work Location: Employees will have access to shared workspaces at various King County facilities. The employee will report to work at King Street Center (201 S. Jackson, Seattle, WA 98104) Employees must reside in Washington 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 where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours. 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 that is redefining how we work in a hybrid environment. 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. If you have any questions regarding this recruitment, please contact Janice Antonio, HR Analyst, by email at , or by phone at (206) 263-2003. 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: • Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage options: King County provides eligible employees with options, so they can decide what's best for themselves and their eligible dependents, • 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: eligible King County employees may 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, • 12paid holidays each year plus twopersonal holidays, • Generous vacation and paid sick leave, • Paid parental,family and medical, and volunteer leaves, • Flexible Spending Account, • Wellness programs, • Onsite activity centers, • Employee Giving Program, • Employee assistance programs, • Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position, • Training and career development programsFor additional information about employee benefits, visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page . 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. 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. recblid za7fxcx4wmf7nvx8ur1py7ntrug2jy