PPM IV – O&M Strategic Planning

King County; Renton (WA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

King County's Wastewater Treatment Division seeks a seasoned Project Program Manager IV to drive strategic programs across operations and environmental planning. You will lead cross-functional teams, advise senior leaders, and shape long-term operational strategies to ensure regulatory compliance and water quality excellence.

The role requires managing high‑profile projects, coordinating with plant operations, asset management, and communications, while advancing equity and organizational

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications and marketing or related field or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of progressive project or program management experience.
• Experience developing strategic plans, policies, or operational improvements.
• Experience translating complex information for leadership and staff.
• Experience within wastewater treatment, water quality management, or utility operations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; proficiency with digital tools.
• Ability to work with senior leaders and cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic planning and organizational priorities for the O&M section and translate priorities into actionable milestones.
• Serve as senior advisor on complex operational matters; prepare briefings and recommendations.
• Coordinate cross-functional initiatives; resolve issues and drive decisions.
• Develop executive presentations and strategic communications for leadership forums.
• Support leadership team effectiveness through planning, retreats, and follow-through.
• Oversee complex projects from planning through implementation with defined success measures.

Skills

Strategic planning

Strategic communications

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional leadership

Communication skills

Digital communication tools

Experience with senior leaders

Wastewater knowledge

Education

Bachelors in communications or related

Job description

This opportunity is open to current King County employees. External applicants are not being considered.

Are you an experienced program manager and strategic communicator who thrives at the intersection of operations, organizational strategy, and executive leadership? The Wastewater Treatment Division’s (WTD) Operations and Maintenance section is seeking a Project Program Manager IV to lead complex operational, regulatory, and strategic initiatives that support one of the largest wastewater treatment systems in the Pacific Northwest.

This position offers the opportunity to work with senior leadership, operations and maintenance staff, engineers, planning teams, communications staff, and external stakeholders to develop and implement programs that ensure reliable wastewater treatment, regulatory compliance, environmental stewardship, and continuous improvement. The successful candidate will play a key role in shaping long-term operational strategies while managing high-profile projects and programs that directly impact water quality and the communities we serve.

About the Role:

The Project Program Manager IV serves as a senior-level program manager within the Operations and Maintenance Section and is responsible for leading multiple complex projects and programs that support wastewater treatment operations, operational excellence, and strategic business objectives.

This position provides leadership and oversight for cross-functional initiatives involving treatment plant operations, maintenance, environmental planning, asset management, workforce development, emergency preparedness, and continuous improvement efforts. The position works closely with Section leadership to establish priorities, develop implementation strategies, monitor performance, and ensure programs align with organizational goals and regulatory requirements. The role also serves as a key strategic and communications resource to the O&M Section Manager and leadership team, translating complex operational and organizational priorities into clear strategies, communications, and actionable work.

Key areas of responsibility include:

• Strategic program and project management
• Operational performance improvement initiatives
• Stakeholder and regulatory agency coordination
• Workforce and organizational development initiatives
• Capital project coordination and operational readiness
• Performance measurement and reporting
• Executive advisory support and strategic communications

This position follows a hybrid work model, blending remote and in-person work.

About the Team:

The Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Section of the Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) is tasked with ensuring safe and reliable treatment of the region’s wastewater; serving 34 wholesale customers and approximately 2.3 million residents. The Section includes five treatment facilities, 48 pump stations, 400 miles of conveyance piping and treats an average of 185MGD of wastewater. With a commitment to sustainability, innovation, and reliability, we play a vital role in supporting communities and businesses across the region.

WTD is committed to the principles of equity and social justice. We value diverse perspectives and life experiences in our workforce and are committed to building a culturally diverse and inclusive environment. WTD strives to provide equitable services to residents and businesses across King County.

Join our team dedicated to ensuring clean water for generations to come! With over 1000 employees engaged in planning, designing, building, and operating treatment facilities, our agency is at the forefront of environmental stewardship. Success for us means upholding our legacy while promising future generations a pristine environment.

We partner with regulatory agencies to reduce harmful waste discharge and actively educate the public and businesses on water quality protection. We prioritize accountability to our ratepayers and operate a well-managed agency that services over 2.3 million King County residents. Our regional wastewater treatment system not only sustains a healthy environment but also fuels economic development, fostering prosperity in our region. If you're passionate about making a difference and thrive in a collaborative environment, join us in our mission to safeguard our precious water resources.

Commitment to Equity, Racial and Social Justice:

King County, named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is a diverse and vibrant community that represents cultures from around the world. We prioritize equity, racial and social justice, making it a foundational and daily expectation for all employees. As a Project Program Manager IV, you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity.

What You Will Be Doing

• Strategic Planning & Organizational Priorities – Lead and coordinate development and implementation of O&M Section strategic priorities, annual work plans, organizational initiatives, and longer-term planning efforts. Translate Section Manager priorities into actionable strategies, milestones, deliverables, and measures of success.
• Executive Advisory & Decision Support – Serve as a senior advisor to the O&M Section Manager on complex organizational and operational matters. Research and analyze issues, develop alternatives and recommendations, identify risks and dependencies, and prepare executive briefings and decision materials.
• Cross-Section Coordination & Special Initiatives – Lead high-priority initiatives involving multiple O&M work units. Facilitate work among plant and functional managers, resolve cross-functional issues, coordinate assignments, and drive implementation of Section Manager and leadership-team decisions.
• Executive Presentations & Strategic Communications – Develop presentations, briefing packages, talking points, reports, and other materials for O&M leadership, WTD leadership, employee meetings, executive presentations, and other high-level forums. Synthesize complex information into clear narratives appropriate for different audiences.
• Leadership Team Effectiveness – Support the effectiveness of the O&M leadership team by developing agendas around strategic issues, facilitating planning sessions and retreats, documenting decisions and commitments, monitoring follow-through, and identifying matters requiring Section Manager intervention.
• Program & Project Management – Lead and manage complex projects and programs from planning through implementation. Establish scope, objectives, schedules, milestones, roles, and measures of success; monitor progress, risks, dependencies, and deliverables; coordinate resources and stakeholders; and ensure work remains aligned with O&M priorities and business needs.

Qualifications You Bring:

• A bachelor’s degree in communications and marketing or a related discipline, or the equivalent combination of education and experience
• 5 years of increasingly responsible project or program management and work experience
• Experience developing strategic plans, business processes, policies, or operational improvement initiatives or operational improvements
• Experience developing strategic communications and translating complex information for leadership, employees, and other audience
• Experience working within wastewater treatment, water quality management, or utility operations
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proficiency in digital communication tools and platforms.
• Demonstrated experience working with senior leaders and cross-functional teams, including the ability to build relationships, navigate competing priorities, and influence outcomes without direct authority

Competencies You Bring

• Business Insight: Applying knowledge of business and the marketplace to advance the organization’s goals.
• Manages Complexity: Making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems.
• Strategic Mindset: Seeing ahead to future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies.
• Plans and Aligns: Planning and prioritizing work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals.
• Ensures Accountability: Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments.
• Drives Results: Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstances.
• Collaborates: Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
• Communicates Effectively: Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
• Instills Trust: Gaining the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.
• Racially Just: Identify and replace racists systems and structures with anti-racists and pro-equity approaches.

It Would Be Great if You Also Bring:

• Knowledge of wastewater treatment processes, NPDES permit requirements, Clean Water Act requirements, environmental permitting, or utility regulatory frameworks.
• Experience leading cross-functional organizational improvement initiatives.
• Experience supporting executive leadership through strategic planning, policy development, or business operations management.
• Experience managing consultant contracts, scopes of work, budgets, and project performance.
• Project Management Professional (PMP), Lean, Continuous Improvement, Asset Management, or related professional certification.
• Proven experience in marketing and internal communications, preferably in an industrial or utility environment.
• Creative thinking and the ability to develop engaging content.
• Experience with employee engagement programs is a plus.
• Familiarity with industrial utility industry trends is an advantage.

Working Conditions:

Work Location: The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. The primary onsite location is South Treatment Plant - 1200 Monster Road SW, Renton WA, 98057. This position may require regular travel to other WTD facilities and King County worksites based on business needs. 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.

Work Schedule:

This full-time position works a 40-hour work week. This position is exempt from the overtime provision of the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) and is not overtime eligible.

Union Representation:

This position is represented by Technical Employees’ Association (TEA) - Wastewater Treatment Division

We welcome applications from all qualified King County applicants. We value diversity, diverse perspectives and life experience and encourage people of all backgrounds to apply.

If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, or you would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process, please contact Mark Workinger at [e-mail]

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.