CITRS Communication Specialist II

King County, WA; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Pension plan and retirement benefits

Transit ORCA pass

Paid holidays and vacation

Job summary

King County Metro is seeking a Communication Specialist II to provide real-time rider information and public-facing communications from the Transit Control Center in Seattle. You will gather disruption data, craft concise digital alerts, and coordinate with field teams to ensure timely publication.

The role requires 1–2 years in related fields, strong writing and social media skills, and the ability to work varied shifts on-site with occasional remote locations.

Qualifications

• 1–2 years in customer service, transit, IT, or related fields.
• Excellent attention to detail with analytical, problem-solving, and research skills.
• Ability to translate complex information into clear, high-visibility written material.
• Basic knowledge of Metro’s transit system and public-facing communications tools.
• Proficiency with business communication tools and new technology.
• Flexible to change and able to manage complex tasks under tight timelines.
• Dependability in meeting schedules and deadlines.
• Strong writing style that conforms to journalistic/marketing standards.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Good judgment and creative problem-solving in public sector contexts.
• Monitor social media effectiveness and report trends to management.
• Ability to work varying shifts on-site and at remote locations.

Responsibilities

• Apply equity and social justice principles to all work aspects.
• Maintain regular on-site attendance at the Transit Control Center (TCC) in Seattle.
• Produce and distribute digital transit alerts and rider information.
• Coordinate with multiple teams to gather and organize real-time disruption data for digital delivery.
• Prepare and review transit information for timely publication.
• Respond to public engagement via social media as needed.
• Assist in drafting written responses to government-level inquiries.
• Report to the CITRS Chief or FA IV for duties and assignments.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Attention to detail

Writing & editing

Communication skills

Analytical

Public transportation knowledge

Social media monitoring

Discretion with confidential info

Education

Bachelor’s degree in communications/English/Journalism

Tools

SharePoint

MS Word

MS Excel

Sprout

Salesforce

Arcadis/IBI Transit-Alerts

Job description

Summary

This recruitment is open to King County Metro Employees. Eligible career service employees that have completed their probationary period (or will complete it by the closing date of this posting) in their current career service position may take the assignment as an SDA. Final selection for the SDA is subject to reference checks, record review, and approval from the candidate’s current supervisor. The Customer Information Technological Resources and Solutions (CITRS) team within King County Metro's Mobility Division, Customer Communication and Services (CCS) Section is hiring a Communication Specialist II. We are looking for an innovative, customer-focused professional to join our team, working on-site at the Transit Control Center (TCC) to provide real-time communication for the public. As part of the on-site CS II team, you will play a vital role in enhancing rider experience by quickly gathering, analyzing, distilling, and disseminating transit service information including planned & unplanned service disruptions and emergencies using various information systems, channels, platforms, and applications. In addition, this position will assist the Executive Correspondent Specialist in coordinating the creation of written responses to customer contacts received from executive levels of government, including service requests and complaints. Customer contacts may come from individuals, elected officials, or community organizations. This recruitment will be used to fill 1 Special Duty Assignment (SDA) that is expected to last until December 31, 2028, with the possibility of extending. Any work stoppages that affect fulfillment of the core responsibilities of this position may result in early termination of the SDA. In addition, this recruitment selection process may be used to generate an eligibility pool for future SDA position vacancies that may occur in this classification within this workgroup. The eligibility pool will be retained for 12 months from the date of posting and may be used at the discretion of the hiring authority.

Job Duties

Applying our ACTIVATE values: being Accountable, Collaborative, Timely, and Impactful; how we Value Employees; staying Accessible; building what’s Trusted; and acting Equitably is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all King County employees. As the Communication Specialist II, you will:

• Apply equity and social justice principles to all aspects of the work.
• Maintain regular, reliable attendance to support team collaboration and work on-site at the TCC, in Seattle’s SODO district.
• Produce and distribute digital transit alerts and other rider information as needed.
• Collaborate with the TCC Coordinators, Field/County Ops., and a variety of Bus Operation teams, to collect and organize planned and unplanned real-time transit service disruption information for digital delivery through various channels and platforms to transit riders and the public.
• Compile, research, analyze, prepare, edit, and review transit-related service information and interruptions for timely digital publication.
• Respond to public engagement through social media channels, as needed.
• Assist the Executive Correspondent Specialist in coordinating the creation of written responses to customer contacts received from executive levels of government, including service requests, and complaints. Customer contacts may come from individuals, elected officials, or community organizations.
• Work under the direction of the CITRS Chief or FA IV to perform duties and assignments.
• Other duties as assigned.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

• One to two (1-2) years of related experience in customer service, public transportation, information technology, or related fields.
• Excellent attention to detail, with demonstrated analytical, problem-solving, and research skills.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex information into accessible, accurate, and high visibility written material.
• Basic knowledge and understanding of Metro’s transit system and services, and public-facing customer communications methods and tools.
• Proficiency and ease in using business communication tools and new technology in your everyday work.
• Flexible to change and able to prioritize and work effectively in complex tasks within tight timelines.
• Proven record of dependability and accountability in meeting work schedules and deadlines.
• Skill in writing and editing in a clear, concise, and persuasive manner that conforms to good journalistic, marketing and/or publishing writing styles.
• Skill in working with confidential or proprietary information.
• Good judgment, decision-making, and creative problem-solving skills, including the ability to use discretion in public sector environment that includes politically sensitive issues.
• Ability to monitor and measure the effectiveness of social media communications and relay important information and trends to management.
• Report to work for varying shifts on-site and at remote locations, as necessary.
• Availability weekdays, 5AM to 8PM and possibly weekends, 9AM to 5:30PM.

Desirable Qualifications

• Direct experience working in ATIS, Arcadis/IBI Transit-Alerts, SharePoint and intermediate or higher proficiency with MS Word, Excel, Sprout or Salesforce (CRM).
• Experience in public transportation communication via a variety of channels including social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter) and YouTube, blogs, or other social media tools.
• Experience or knowledge of writing for digital accessibility.
• Experience working with internal and external diverse communities.
• Self-motivated and able to work independently or as part of a team.
• A bachelor's degree in communications, English, Journalism, or a related field.
• Availability of approved leave may be limited due to required training and the body of work. Delays in work completion may result in the cancellation of the Special Duty Assignment.

Necessary Special Requirements

• The ability to report reliably to various work sites and around King County between the hours of 5AM-8PM.

Supplemental Information

This recruitment is open to King County Metro Employees. Eligible career service employees that have completed their probationary period (or will complete it by the closing date of this posting) in their current career service position may take the assignment as an SDA. Final selection for the SDA is subject to reference checks, record review, and approval from the candidate’s current supervisor.

Work Schedule

Multiple shifts covering from 5am to 8pm, Mon-Friday with possible Weekend coverage from 9am to 5:30pm. The position is subject to the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is therefore eligible for overtime pay if scheduled.

Work Location

The primary location of the position Transit Control Center (TCC) in the SODO area of Seattle and other sites as assigned.

Union Representation

Protec 17

Classification

252212

Safety Responsibilities

• Responsible for understanding The Metro Transit Safety Policy and their role in safety.
• Report all safety concerns.
• Follow safety practices and procedures as necessary to maintain a safe work environment and in conformance with applicable regulations, policies, and training.
• Report safety and security concerns and ideas to supervisors or anonymously through data collection system.

Benefits

• 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

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.

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.

For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.