Equity and Engagement Program Manager

Salary: $122,332.08 - $155,063.38 Annually
Location : Chinook Building 401 5th Avenue Seattle, WA
Job Type: Appointed
Job Number: 2025SWLS24443
Department: EXEC - Executive's Office
Division: Offc of Perf Strategy & Budget
Opening Date: 04/22/2025
Closing Date: 5/7/2025 11:59 PM Pacific
FLSA: Exempt
Bargaining Unit: Z3 : KC Personnel Guidelines
Full- or Part-Time: Full Time
Hours/Week: 40 hours/week

Summary
The Office of Performance, Strategy and Budget ("PSB") is seeking a team-oriented candidate for the full-time position of Equity and Engagement Program Manager who will bring a high level of skill and experience to support King County's long-range planning efforts, including the King County Comprehensive Plan. This position will serve on the Regional Planning Team in PSB and will report to the Director of Regional Planning.

ABOUT THE OFFICE
PSB serves as the hub of county budget and policy development, strategic planning, performance management, and as a key implementation arm of the County Executive. PSB is committed to becoming a diverse, inclusive, and open organization that models the County's values. PSB employees enjoy a flexible work environment and frequent opportunities for collaboration and celebration. For additional information please visit our website:http://www.kingcounty.gov/exec/psb.
The Equity and Engagement Program Manager will be part of the Regional Planning team in PSB, which coordinates King County's long-range planning under the Washington State Growth Management Act. This includes responsibility for the King County Comprehensive Plan, a key policy document that guides how to plan for and accommodate growth and development in unincorporated King County over the next 20 years. The Comprehensive Plan guides:

• where homes, offices, or stores can be built;

• how the built and natural environment contributes to the look and feel of neighborhoods;

• protection of rural areas, working farms, and forests;

• access to clean water, clean air, and a healthy environment; and

• investments in regional services, such as transit, sewers, and parks.

Working with cities, counties, key partners, residents, and communities, the Regional Planning team charts a course for growth in King County to create welcoming communities where every person can thrive.

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 values the traditions of many cultures. King County is changing the way government delivers service and has been recognized nationally as a model of excellence.

King County continues to build on a legacy of shared values: 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 residents, regardless of their race or income. 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 paid time off to volunteer. For details, see: https://www.kingcounty.gov/audience/employees/careers/why-work-here.aspx.

ABOUT THE POSITION
King County seeks a sensitive, authentic leader to transform community engagement around long-range comprehensive planning. Working with the Regional Planning team and the Office of Equity, Racial, and Social Justice, the successful candidate will:

• support community members as they develop policy, program, and process recommendations to present to the County;

• create relationships and build trust between the County and community, resulting in actionable policy initiatives; and

• have the skills and experience to leverage and expand upon the County's current engagement framework.

As part of the 2024 Comprehensive Plan Update, the King Count created an Equity Work Group to center community and to begin repairing harms from past land use planning. Equity Work Group members recommended that the

County make this body permanent to increase opportunities for historically underrepresented communities to help shape the future of unincorporated King County. This new position would build off the 2024 Comprehensive Plan Equity Work Group's experience, partnering with community to:

• create a permanent equity advisory body;

• support capacity building for community members to engage in long-range land use planning; and

• ensure early and continuous participation in the county's comprehensive planning efforts

Job Duties
The Equity and Engagement Program Manager will support equitable comprehensive planning in King County and will:

• Create, manage, and support a new equity advisory body that centers underrepresented communities in unincorporated King County for the purpose of advising the County on long range comprehensive planning.

• Effectively facilitate, document, and communicate the equity advisory body's discussions and recommendations.

• Create and manage schedules, meeting agendas, timelines, budgets, and other deliverables necessary for the administration of the new equity advisory body.

• Create, manage, and implement a public engagement plan that ensures early and continuous public participation and that centers and authentically engages underrepresented communities.

• Schedule, plan, organize, facilitate, and attend virtual and in-person meetings, including on evenings and weekends.

• Present data, reports, and planning proposals, breaking down concepts in understandable ways for residents, community organizations, and key partners.

• Assist in managing consultant contracts including reviewing consultant analysis and recommendations.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

• Experience organizing and facilitating discussions of focus groups, workshops, collaborative governance processes, or community-driven policy development

• Experience with cross-sector collaboration and capacity building,

• Ability to support and guide county staff in engaging with community.

• Degree in communications, urban planning, public administration, or any combination of education and experience that clearly demonstrates the ability to successfully perform the job duties listed above.

• Strong project management skills and experience leading or working on complex projects with multiple interested parties.

• Knowledge and understanding of the disparate impacts that planning, housing, and development practices have had on Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and other underrepresented communities.

• Ability to apply and use the County's Equity and Social Justice tools and resources, including the ability to successfully contribute to an Equity Impact Review.

• Knowledge of and experience with public engagement and outreach techniques, including use of social media and online / virtual meeting platforms.

• Knowledge of and facility with the use of computer hardware and software programs and Internet applications.

• Strong and emotionally intelligent interpersonal skills to support building and maintaining relationships with community, and with other county staff.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including a demonstrated ability to develop and deliver effective, culturally relevant, multi-mode communications tailored to the unique needs of different audiences.

• Ability to work collaboratively and effectively with a broad range of internal and external partners, elected officials, community advocates, and the public.

Supplemental Information
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.
APPLICATION PROCESS: This recruitment opportunity is open to all qualified applicants. To apply for this opportunity, you must provide three application components: 1) your resume, 2) a cover letter, and 3) a completed King County application form.
For further inquiries regarding this recruitment, please contact Seth Watson: seth.watson@kingcounty.gov or 206-477-5330.

SELECTION PROCESS:?Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness, and qualifications. Competitive candidates will be invited for an interview. Reference checks will be conducted for final candidates.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: A valid state driver's license or the ability to travel throughout King County in a timely manner as needed.
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
• 12 paid holidays each year plus two personal 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 programs

For additional information about employee benefits, visit our

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.
01

Have you submitted a complete application package (resume, letter, and complete application)?

• Yes
• No

02

I am an internal employee of King County government.

• Yes
• No

Required Question