Homeless Services Program Manager (PPM II)

King County; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

King County's Department of Community and Human Services seeks a skilled Project/Program Manager II to support homelessness services, including outreach, shelter, transitional housing, and rapid re-housing. The role emphasizes equity, collaboration with providers, and contract management across regional initiatives.

You will develop contracts, coordinate with funders, analyze housing data, and guide RFP processes while aligning with Housing First and Harm Reduction principles.

Qualifications

• Minimum track record in managing Federal, State or Local grants or contracts.
• Experience in contract management and program oversight.
• Ability to write and manage RFP documents and guidelines.

Responsibilities

• Develop, manage and monitor service contracts with not-for-profit agencies to ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local standards.
• Provide technical assistance to contracting agencies on project implementation and meeting contractual responsibilities.
• Apply equity and social justice approaches in all work and partnerships.
• Coordinate with funders and service providers to ensure project integration across efforts.
• Gather and analyze data on housing and services to inform process improvements and RFPs.
• Draft RFP documents and evaluation tools; manage proposal evaluations.
• Collaborate with evaluation teams to inform larger initiatives.
• Represent the team in planning processes and workgroups.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Contract management

Grant writing

Data analysis

Equity & social justice

Team collaboration

RFP processes

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Public Administration or Social Services or Business

Tools

MS Word

Excel

Outlook

Job description

The Department of Community and Human Services values diverse perspectives and life experiences. The Department encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with lived experiences.

King County's Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) provides equitable opportunities for people to be healthy, happy, and connected to community.

Are you a skilled program manager who is passionate about supporting solutions for people in our region experiencing homelessness and working through real world systems challenges to help shelter and housing projects succeed? Are you committed to centering equity and social justice in your work? Can you move quickly between big picture vision and project-level details? King County's Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) is looking for you!

The King County Department of Community and Human Services Housing and Community Development (HCD) Division plays a central role in addressing homelessness throughout the region with stakeholder partners, including developing and maintaining a continuum of services to obtain housing stability.

The Project/Program Manager II position reports to the Homeless Services Programs Manager of HCD and is responsible for assisting in negotiating and managing services and operating contracts and coordinating with other funders and providers to implement projects for people experiencing homelessness in King County. The PPM II role will focus on outreach, shelter, transitional housing, and rapid re-housing and will include a blend of projects.

WHO MAY APPLY:

This position is open to all qualified candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. Interviews for this selection process will take place on or around November 30, 2026.

WORK SCHEDULE/CONDITIONS:

Typical hours are Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm. This position is scheduled to work 40 hours per week, Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm. This position meets the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is overtime eligible with supervisory pre-approval. This position is represented by Protec17.

MISSION CRITICAL POSITION STATUS:

This position has been designated Non-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. For more detailed information, please visit HR Policy County Operations During Emergency Situations and the King County Guidelines for Workforce Management in an Emergency.

TELEWORKING REQUIREMENT:

DCHS 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. The primary onsite location is the Chinook Building at 401 Fifth Avenue 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 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.

• Develop, manage and monitor service contracts with not-for-profit agencies to ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local compliance standards.
• Provide technical assistance to contracting agencies and prospective contracting agencies on project implementation and meeting contractual responsibilities.
• Work to apply an equity and social justice approach to all aspects of the work in partnership with team members and other division and department staff.
• Assist with coordination with other funders and service providers to ensure integration of funded projects with related regional efforts.
• Gather and analyze data related to housing and services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness in order to help continuous system improvement and to inform Request for Proposal(s) (RFP) processes.
• Write RFP documents, including guidelines, application forms and rating tools, and implement RFP processes.
• Coordinate and collaborate with the division's evaluation team to give input on evaluation efforts related to funded projects and larger initiatives.
• Represent team in departmental, inter-jurisdictional and multi-agency planning processes and workgroups.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Demonstrated record of excellence in implementing and managing Federal, State or Local grants and/or related contract management experience.
• Two years of experience in contract management.
• Demonstrated skills or track record of creative problem solving and consistent communication.
• Experience in negotiating, preparing, monitoring and/or managing services and/or housing contracts.
• Demonstrated skills or track record of adhering to policies and procedures.
• Demonstrated understanding of equity and social justice concepts and the effects of place, race and systems-based inequities and ability to apply an equity and social justice approach to all areas of the work, including communication and RFP processes.
• Demonstrated understanding of foundational frameworks and best practices including Housing First, Trauma-Informed Care, and Harm Reduction.
• Demonstrated ability to work as a team member both internally and externally with other jurisdictions and service providers.
• Ability to work under deadlines, work on a number of tasks simultaneously and organize and prioritize work quickly in response to changing needs.
• Demonstrated clear and professional-level writing ability for such tasks as correspondence, grant proposals, and contracts.
• Proficiency using MS Word, Excel, and Outlook or another e-mail.

Desired:

• Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Social Services or Business and three years of experience in planning and/or implementing social services, homelessness service programs; or equivalent combination of education and experience, plus a solid understanding of homeless housing and services systems.
• Individuals with lived experience of homelessness are highly encouraged to apply.
• Knowledge of local social service continuum.
• Passion for system reform, racial justice, and helping people access resources to lead healthy and meaningful lives.
• Experience with RFP processes including development and management of review process.

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.