Chief of Staff
King County, WA
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
King County seeks a Chief of Staff to lead Internal Operations and Customer Experience within the Facilities Management Division. The role will oversee government relations, business planning, and policy development to strengthen collaboration and align resources with county priorities.
The position emphasizes organizational development, staffing alignment, and a culture of continuous improvement to enhance performance and customer service for employees and residents of King County.
Qualifications
- Experience delivering administrative, operational, and strategic leadership in the public sector.
- Ability to interpret and apply county policies, procedures, and applicable laws.
- Strong leadership, interpersonal and team-building skills with two-way dialogue focus.
Responsibilities
- Direct supervision of Internal Operations and Customer Experience within FMD.
- Manage government relations and track engagements with Council and requests.
- Lead annual business calendar, budgeting, capital planning, and reporting.
- Develop processes and policies impacting the division and county stakeholders.
- Guide organizational development and leadership development strategy for the division.
Skills
Education
Tools
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 Facilities Management 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. This role is essential in advancing performance, enhancing customer service, and supporting both our employees and the communities we serve.
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.
- 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
- 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.
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.
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.
This position is non-represented.
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.
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.
- 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
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