Grant Strategist (Project/Program Manager III)
King County, WA
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Job summary
King County's Road Services Division is seeking a highly organized grants professional to manage a diverse portfolio of pre- and post-award activities, collaborating with engineers, planners, and finance staff to secure funding and keep projects on track.
You will lead grant development, support writing, ensure timely submittals and reporting, and provide technical editing and analytics to leadership while fostering equity and collaborative problem solving.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in public administration, transportation planning, engineering, or business administration; graduate degree preferred.
- Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience with grants, contracts, planning, finance, and/or program management, preferably in transportation.
- Expert technical editing skills; persuasive technical writing in public sector/transportation.
Responsibilities
- Independently research local, state, and federal grant opportunities to identify potential funding sources.
- Provide technical analysis and review of grant program guidance to advise leadership.
- Coordinate grant development, including drafting and reviewing applications; develop internal guidelines and deadlines.
- Manage multiple local, state, and federal grant processes with cross-functional teams.
- Manage complex grant proposals and submittals: editing, responding to sections, transferring information into forms.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
The Road Services Division (Roads) of the King County Department of Local Services is seeking a highly organized, team-oriented, results-driven grants professional to join a collaborative team. Roads manages transportation infrastructure throughout unincorporated King County, including 1,466 miles of roads, 275 miles of sidewalks, and 201 bridges. Roads’ grants team submits dozens of applications per year, and is currently managing $107.8m in awarded grant funding.
The Grant Strategist position will manage a diverse portfolio of pre- and post-award responsibilities, including providing information and support to leadership and project teams about available funding sources consistent with Roads’ strategic goals, coordinating grant development, supporting grant writing, and managing grant submittal processes; and grant award kick-off, tracking, and reporting.
This position requires superior facilitation, planning, technical editing, and project management skills. Our ideal candidate will enjoy research, data analysis, and technical editing; possess exceptional written and verbal communication skills; embrace technology; embody a plan/do/check/adjust mindset; and remain calm in the face of emerging issues or shifting priorities.
The position will be located in Roads’ Grants, Planning, and Strategy Unit. The unit works across the agency with engineers, environmental scientists, maintenance professionals, finance team members, and many other subject matter experts. Additionally, team members collaborate with partners from other King County agencies, regional authorities, and other governmental and non-governmental entities. You will be joining a team of problem solvers and analysts who enjoy collaborating with a diverse array of colleagues within and outside of King County government.
If you are an innovative grants professional with superior project management and technical editing skills, who enjoys working in a highly collaborative setting, and makes use of equity in your daily work, we want to hear from you!
The Road Services Division of King County’s Department of Local Services designs, builds, operates, and maintains roads and bridges in unincorporated areas of King County. The Division is committed to ensuring the county's transportation system is safe and efficient for all uses and modes of travel.
To learn more about the Road Services Division, visit us at: About the Road Services Division - King County, Washington
The Department of Local Services is deeply dedicated to fostering Equity, Racial and Social Justice in every aspect of our work. Our pledge is to cultivate, embrace, and celebrate the distinct experiences, viewpoints, and perspectives of our people, partners, and the communities we serve. Through this work, we dismantle systemic barriers, address inequities, and actively confront prejudices and biases. We acknowledge this journey is ongoing, and we remain steadfast in our efforts to create a positive impact for our employees and communities alike.
- Independently research local, state, and federal grant opportunities to identify potential grant funding sources for Roads.
- Provide technical analysis and review of grant program guidance to advise leadership in identifying projects that match the requirements for available grant programs.
- Coordinate application development, including drafting and reviewing applications; develop internal guidelines, methodology, and deadlines for department staff to meet grant program schedules; identify potential partners; negotiate partnering agreements and letters of support.
- Manage multiple local, state, and federal grant processes simultaneously and in coordination with planning, engineering, finance, and other subject matter experts.
- Manage complex grant proposals and support document submittals: provide technical editing; respond to administrative and programmatic sections of grant proposals; transfer project information into grant opportunity-specific forms, templates, and databases.
- Prepare, review, and assist with submittals, amendments, budget changes/corrections, and revision processes for local, federal, and state grants; perform and review mathematical/financial calculations in support of grants administration.
- Track and provide updates on local, state, and federal grant applications, awards, and administration processes in coordination with planning, engineering, financial team members, and other subject matter experts.
- Represent King County to a variety of internal and external agencies and partners through written reports, meetings, and other forms of communication; facilitate grants-related meetings.
- Know enough about the work of the entire Grants Program to be able to fill in for any team member on a short-term basis.
- Work cooperatively with staff from across the division to administer the Grants Program.
- Perform grant revenue and cash flow forecasting projections.
- Develop, support, and maintain organized and accessible files, reports, and other records related to the Grants Program; maintain clear records in division-wide SharePoint sites, shared drives, and databases; assist in reconciling and auditing all grant-funded projects.
- Support and participate in short-term and long-term capital improvement planning activities as needed.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
- Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in a field such as public administration, transportation planning, engineering, or business administration. Graduate degree preferred.
- Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience with grants, contracts, planning, finance, and/or program management, preferably in the field of transportation.
- Highly skilled in persuasive technical writing, preferably in the public sector and/or transportation.
- Expert technical editing skills.
- Presentation experience, including preparing and delivering presentations for a diverse range of internal and external partners.
- Expert skills in analytical thinking
- Authentic, collaborative, and consultative approach to work; demonstrated understanding of the importance of building effective relationships with team members and partners.
- Superior attention to detail with strong follow-through.
- Culturally aware and comfortable working with people from diverse backgrounds; integrating an equity and justice focus into your work; and participating in a work environment that values diversity, fairness, respect, and inclusiveness.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office products, including Excel, Project, PowerPoint, and SharePoint.
- Ability to remain calm when tackling emergent issues and shifting priorities
- Experience working with federal Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA) tools.
- Working knowledge of GIS (or similar tools) to perform simple geospatial analyses and map production.
- Skilled and comfortable using a variety of technology to gather data and conduct technical analysis, including SharePoint, PowerBI, Airtable, and other internet-based data sharing and project management tools.
- Ability to prepare visual management boards using simple and concise visual approaches.Experience with LEAN principles and continuous improvement.
INTERVIEW SCHEDULE: The first round of interviews for this position is scheduled to take place the week of November 2, 2026.
WHO MAY APPLY: This position is open to all qualified applicants and may be used to fill current and or/future career service, term-limited temporary, short-term temporary, and or/special duty positions over the next six months. First consideration will be given to current PROTEC17 members in the same classification that are eligible for lateral transfer.
The work week is normally Monday through Friday, 8.00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., but may at times require work outside of normal business hours. This position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is not eligible for overtime pay.
This position has been designated as: Non-Mission Critical - Employees who staff county functions or services that may be delayed, suspended, or diverted in an emergency while essential functions are prioritized Mission Critical. Unless otherwise directed by the County Executive, department director or agency head, all employees, regardless of designation, are expected to report to work or request leave during an emergency or inclement weather.
PROTEC17
We will work in the office at least three days a week to foster connection and responsiveness, arrive prepared and on time, and structure meetings with clear goals and next steps. The primary onsite location is at King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson, Seattle, WA 98104. Employees must reside in Washington State and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.
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.
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 Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page.
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.
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