Principal Planner (Project/Program Manager IV)

SUMMARY:

Are you a self-starting leader who works across agency boundaries to solve challenges? Is your focus on customers and do you have a drive for results that provides the maximum benefit for all involved? Do you lead/manage your teams and peers with respect and encourage them to find simple, effective and cost-conscious solutions? If these statements appeal to you then this may be the opportunity for you.

The Department of Local Services is recruiting for a Principal Planner (Project/Program Manager IV) who will lead both the Utilities Technical Review Committee and School Technical Review Committee and support the DLS mission by ensuring that the provision of facilities and services within unincorporated King County adhere to the plans and policies of King County. This role will be responsible for chairing the School Technical Review Committee, which is charged with the annual review of school district capital facilities' plans as required to impose impact fees and preparing legislation for referral to the King County Council. The position will also chair the eight-member Utility Technical Review Committee, which meets monthly. 

JOB DUTIES:

To be considered for this opportunity, you must at a minimum, demonstrate knowledge, skill and ability to:  

Applying equity and social justice principles is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all King County employees. In this role, you will apply equity and social justice principles that exemplify shared values, behaviors, and practices to all aspects of the work.

• Chair the King County School Technical Review Committee (STRC); which is responsible for coordinating the effort to identify school capital projects implementing the King County School Impact Fee Program.
• Serve as the liaison to the school districts throughout the year as they propose school projects within unincorporated King County.
• Chair the Utilities Technical Review Committee (UTRC), which is responsible for overseeing the provision of water and sewer services in unincorporated King County.  This position has multiple responsibilities outlined in the King County Code and the King County Comprehensive Plan including:
• The review and commenting on draft water and sewer plans to ensure consistency with the King County Code and Comprehensive Plan;
• The review and recommendation for adoption of final water and sewer plans to the King County Council;
• The review and recommendation for approval by the Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) for final wastewater plans pursuant to KCC 28.84;
• Provide necessary ordinance packages, letters, reports, or memoranda, related to utility plan recommendations to Council or DNRP Director;
• Represent the UTRC at Council hearings when plans are considered by Council;
• Serve as the appeal body to hear issues related to whether or not sewer service is available in the urban area in a timely and reasonable manner under K.C.C. 13.24.136(B) and produce the UTRC decision;
• Serve as the appeal body to hear issues related timely and reasonable water service appeals under the County's four Coordinated Water System Plans and KCC 13.24 and produce the UTRC decision;
• Represent the UTRC if any water or sewer timely and reasonable decisions are appeal to the Hearing Examiner or Superior Court;
• Provide information to assist in the preparation of future County comprehensive plans;
• Provide information to assist in the review of right-of-way construction permits under KCC 14.28;
• Fulfill the County's responsibilities as set forth in state rules and regulations, including chapters 90.54 (Water Resources Act of 1971), 36.70 (Planning Enabling Act of the State of Washington), 36.70A (GMA), 36.94 (Boundary Review Board), 57.02 (Districts) and 70.116 RCW (Coordination Act) and chapters 173-240 (Ecology rule on wastewater planning) and 246-290 WAC (DOH rule on water system planning);
• Be responsible for providing the notification to Tribal governments for utility plan review/approvals that may affect Tribal interests within their usual and accustomed fishing areas (K.C.C. 13.02.020);
• Approve additions and determents to council-approved sewer and water comprehensive plans without referral to the council to serve developments that have received preliminary approval from the King County Council;
• Approve extensions to utility plans if the requested extension satisfies the UTRC rule;
• Issue the findings required under K.C.C. 13.24.134, relative to sewer expansion in rural and resource areas;
• Approve utility franchise applications under K.C.C. 6.27.050;
• Serve as the contact person for County utility questions;
• Serve as the County liaison to the Boundary Review Board for utility annexation questions;
• Maintain the County's library of approved water and sewer plans, the UTRC web presence and utility paper files;
• Provide testimony and technical assistance to the King County Prosecuting Attorney; provide expert testimony in litigation;
• Provide information to citizens and resolve complaints regarding water and sewer activities;
• Prepare proposed code updates, in coordination with County, State and regional stakeholders as needed to support the program and department interests;
• Develop code and customer education pathways as needed to support the program and department interests;
• Work with the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and County Council staff to help resolve legal issues and questions that arise form legislative proposals;
• Provide professional and technical support on Comprehensive Planning, Subarea Planning, and other local and regional planning projects and programs;
• Prepare and support State Environmental Policy Act review of program and department legislative proposals.
• Other duties as assigned.

EXPERIENCE, QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS:

The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications:

• Ability to chair and facilitate a multi-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional team.
• Ability to draft utility plan review letters, ordinance transmittal letters, ordinances, and detailed written reports on how school district plans or water/sewer plans comport with King County Code and the Comprehensive Plan.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including ability to effectively interpret statues, rules, and technical information for non-technical audiences simply, clearly and concisely, communicate with tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and meet established project deadlines.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a diverse group of individuals including elected officials, school district officials, business, utility, environmental, regulatory and community leaders, general public, and team members.
• Ability to provide recommendations and/or decisions with minimal guidance on issues that may not have established or clearly defined guidelines, policies or directives.
• Thorough understanding of how utility organizations (districts, cities, for-profit public water systems, homeowners’ associations, mutual etc.) operate, public utility development and management issues.
• Knowledge of water supply management and planning, policy, and law at the local and state level in such areas as water utility planning, water supply options, Growth Management Act, ground water management, and resource management, demand forecasting, water conservation, and integrated water resource management.
• Thorough understanding of how school districts prepare capital facilities plans and prepare for future student populations.
• Thorough understanding of the King County Comprehensive Plan and King County Code (K.C.C.) related to franchises (K.C.C. 6.27); ground water (K.C.C. 9); water and sewer comprehensive planning (K.C.C. 13.24 and 13.28); right of way construction permits (K.C.C. 14.28) and the school technical review committee (K.C.C. 21A.28.154.)
• Thorough understanding of the Washington State Growth Management Act as it relates to the provision of facilities and services in both designated urban and rural areas.    

Most competitive candidate will have the following: 

• Have an exceptional record of successfully managing, developing, and implementing projects, strategic initiatives, policies, and systems.
• Understand how to build key relationships, trust, and regional partnerships necessary to deliver projects in a timely and efficient manner.
• Be comfortable advising, partnering, and communicating with senior and executive-level management about complex initiatives, policies, and issues.
• Demonstrated ability in facilitating committees comprised of individuals from various backgrounds and levels of expertise.
• Be extremely organized and comfortable maintaining a vast array of files and plans.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: 

Those applicants who pass the initial screening will be invited to interview the week of September 26, 2022.

If you are selected as a finalist, you will be asked to come back the week of October 3, 2022, for a second interview.

WHO MAY APPLY: This position is open to all qualified applicants. 
 
WORK SCHEDULE: The typical workweek is 40 hours per week, Monday - Friday. This position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is not overtime eligible. Must be willing to work extended hours, nights and weekends with minimal notice and carry a mobile phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

FORMS AND MATERIALS: A completed King County Application and writing sample from your past work that demonstrates your analytical abilities and for which you were the lead author is required. It could be a staff report, policy analysis/recommendation, briefing memo, etc. We highly recommend that you also provide a resume and cover letter (no more than 2 pages) summarizing how you meet the experience, qualifications, knowledge and skills for the position.

SELECTION PROCESS: Applicants will be screened for clarity, completeness, and competitiveness. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more interviews.  Interviews will be conducted via Teams.  Reference checks and file reviews will be conducted.

For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact:
   Vivienne Swai
   Human Resources Analyst
   206-477-1538
   vswai@kingcounty.gov

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.

People are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 two weeks after receiving the final dose of a vaccination approved by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
 
The Executive Branch includes employees in the Executive branch, the Assessor’s Office, Elections, the King County Sheriff’s Office, and the Executive Office.

Teleworking Requirement 
The work associated with this position will be performed by teleworking; complemented with onsite work and meetings as needed. Employees will have access to shared workspaces at various King County facilities. 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 (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, including the wearing of masks in some situations. 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 that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

King County is the local service provider for the roughly quarter-million people who live in the unincorporated areas of the county. Taken together, the population in unincorporated King County would be the second-largest city in the state. The Department of Local Services includes a Director's Office and the Road Services and Permitting Divisions. The Director’s Office includes a robust Community Service Area group focused on identifying and responding to the needs of urban and rural unincorporated King County residents and businesses. The department provides a single executive point of accountability for delivery of local services to all the unincorporated areas.

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.