Chief of Staff

King County; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

King County seeks a strategic Chief of Staff to guide the Facilities Management Division (FMD). You will oversee Internal Operations and Customer Experience, manage government relations, and drive division-wide business planning to align with county priorities.

This senior role leads policy development, organizational development, staffing strategy and continuous improvement across FMD, with a hybrid work model and in-office requirements at Chinook Building, Seattle.

Qualifications

• Direct supervision of Internal Operations and Customer Experience in FMD.
• Proven success delivering administrative, operational, and strategic leadership in the public sector.
• Ability to align cross‑departmental teams with county priorities.

Responsibilities

• Direct supervision of the Internal Operations and Customer Experience sections within FMD.
• Manage government relations—track engagements, identify opportunities, build relationships with staff and executive offices.
• Oversee FMD’s annual business calendar, budgeting, capital planning, and reporting to ensure timely delivery of director’s requests.
• Convene and coordinate development of policies and processes affecting the division and county stakeholders.
• Lead organizational development efforts, establish a three-year leadership development strategy, and drive staff engagement and equity initiatives.
• Coordinate staffing plans with HR to align resources with priorities and prepare biennial budget requests.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Government relations

Business planning

Policy development

Organizational development

Team leadership

Continuous improvement

Job description

This position is OPEN to King County Employees ONLY

We are seeking a strategic, forward-thinking Chief of Staff to guide key functions within the FacilitiesManagement Division (FMD). In this pivotal leadership role, you will oversee Internal Operations and Customer Experience, ensuring high-quality service delivery and operational excellence across the division. The successful candidate will manage government relations, drive division-wide business planning, and lead the development of policies and processes that strengthen collaboration and support county priorities. You will also champion organizational development, align staffing and resources with strategic goals, and foster a continuous improvement mindset throughout FMD.

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. Click here to learn more about King County's commitment to Equity, Racial & Social Justice

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

• Direct supervision of the Internal Operations and Customer Experience sections within FMD
• Manage government relations – track Council engagements & requests, identify trends, develop effective relationships with department and executive office government relations staff, identify opportunities for council/municipality engagements that advance County priorities and real property interests
• Manage FMD’s annual business calendar – make sure across the division we are doing the right things at the right time (examples include budget development, capital planning activities, code-required annual reporting, performance management activities, etc.); track and ensure that requests/responsibilities of the director are achieved
• Policy/Process development – convene and coordinate development of processes and policies that impact the division and our county stakeholders
• Organizational development – manage annual processes to evaluate organizational performance and identify organizational/leadership development opportunities that improve business results; establish & carry out a three year leadership development strategy for the division based on employee engagement/ESJ surveys and pain points in achieving business outcomes; identify opportunities to improve customer service
• Resource management – work with HR to develop annual staffing plans that align resources with county/department/division priorities; work with leadership team to develop & deliver appropriate FTE requests by section as part of biennial budget development
• Continuous Improvement – champion a continuous improvement mindset; work with CI team and program managers to develop annual work plans that align with County, department and division priorities

We are looking for candidates who have:

• Proven success in delivering administrative, operational, and strategic leadership in the public sector.
• Proven track record of aligning cross-departmental teams, executing strategic goals, and managing day-to-day organizational workflows.
• Ability to interpret and apply County, Department, and Division policies, procedures, administrative directives, and applicable laws.
• Strong leadership skills, including strong interpersonal skills, grasp of group dynamics, and team building. Ability to direct the work of both direct reports and others to ensure organized and well-planned efforts that maintain two-way dialogue while keeping process on target.
• Ability to research, analyze, and evaluate complex administrative and operational issues and to develop and implement responsive solutions.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with elected officials, executive leadership, employees, governmental agencies, community organizations, and the public.
• Ability to efficiently and effectively allocate, track and optimize organizational resources, including FTE and technology.
• Ability to apply racial, social, and economic equity principles to public programs and internal operations.

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.

WORK LOCATION:

The position works in a hybrid model, with days in the office as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. FMD’s current requirement is a minimum of 3 days a week in the office. The primary onsite location is Chinook Building 401 5th Avenue Seattle, Washington, 98104. This position will require occasional travel to various King County Facilities.

WORK SCHEDULE:

This position is Exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and therefore is not overtime eligible. Employees are paid on a bi-weekly schedule, every other Thursday.

UNION REPRESENTATION:

This position is non-represented.

Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department’s hybrid environment. Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.

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.

King County's Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values unite us.

King County serves residents with a relentless sense of urgency, delivering on commitments with transparency and accountability. We are action-oriented, creative problem solvers who collaborate across roles, engage directly with communities, and challenge the status quo to achieve meaningful impact. As a unified team, we uphold high ethical and stewardship standards, embrace change, stay curious, and continuously improve. Across all interactions, we listen first, act quickly, and stay aligned as a team to earn and sustain public trust. Learn more about our Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values here and visit our Why work at King County page here.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on sex, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age except by minimum age and retirement provisions, pregnancy, status as a family caregiver, parental status, marital status, military status or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or who was discharged solely as a result of the person’s sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, citizenship or immigration status, genetic information, or other protected class. However, to the extent that distinction or differential treatment on the basis of citizenship or immigration status is authorized by either federal or state law, regulation, or government contract, it is not an unfair practice.

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.