Sustainability Program Manager

King County Water and Land Resources Division -WA; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

King County is seeking a Sustainability Program Manager to advance green building, resource recovery, climate preparedness, and equity goals within the Solid Waste Division. The role focuses on integrating sustainability into capital projects, aligning with strategic climate action planning and social justice initiatives.

The position requires coordinating with engineers, project managers, and other disciplines, overseeing reporting, and ensuring compliance with green building standards across

Qualifications

• 2 years preferred applying research methods and performing technical analyses.
• 2 years preferred with project management principles and capital project delivery.
• Experience collaborating with diverse partners, stakeholders, and agencies.
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills for various audiences.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities simultaneously.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical expertise on sustainability and green building strategies for complex capital projects within the Solid Waste Division.
• Recommend and refine project scope, designs, and deliverables to align with green building and sustainability requirements.
• Manage data collection and reporting, including use of PRISM database.
• Prepare analytical reports and program evaluations to guide project managers and engineers.
• Develop program and policy recommendations to accelerate sustainable practices in capital projects.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Skills

Research methods

Technical analyses

Project management

Stakeholder collaboration

Written communication

Public speaking

Team collaboration

Multitasking

Data reporting

Tools

PRISM database

Job description

Sustainability Program Manager

Salary
$110,087.54 - $139,542.21 Annually

Location
King Street Center - 201 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA

Job Type
Career Service (Exec)

Job Number
2026SS27500

Department
DNRP-Natural Resources & Parks

Division
SWD -Solid Waste

FLSA
Exempt

Bargaining Unit
F3A : L117-P&T

Full- or Part-Time
Full Time

Hours/Week
40 hours/week

Summary

This opportunity is open to current King County employees. We are not accepting external applications at this time.

Summary

We are searching for an incredibly passionate Sustainability Program Manager to join our Recycling & Environmental Services team. This position would contribute to implementing innovative and creative efforts that will advance construction and demolition, green building, sustainability, climate action and equity and social justice within the Solid Waste Division portfolio of projects.

These efforts will support meeting our Green Building Ordinance, Strategic Climate Action Plan, and Zero Waste of Resources goals and overall climate reduction goals for the County. This is an opportunity to be part of improving institutional changes to better serve the public and provide greater benefits to our community regarding an equitable, socially just, prosperous, and healthy future.

We are filling one Career Service position and may use this recruitment to create a list of candidates for any potential vacancies in similar positions in the following 6 months. The classification of this position is Project/Program Manager III.

We also have a new County Executive with dynamic and progressive priorities including:

Breaking the Cycle:Addressing homelessness, addiction, and incarceration.
Building More:Expanding housing, child care, transit, and infrastructure.
Be in Community:Making King County government more visible, connected, and community-driven.
Better Government:Delivering a government that is more transparent, efficient, and accountable.
Our program has the ability to connect with each of these areas that provides opportunities for creative and innovative projects.

About this Role:

This position will help maximize sustainability efforts in our division’s capital project portfolio that will implement green building, resource recovery, climate preparedness and equity and social justice priorities that will have long lasting benefits for our community as sound investments from our ratepayers. In addition, we are looking for someone who has experience working with a dynamic project team structure and can collaborate with multiple sections and disciplines. The Solid Waste Division has a capital portfolio of over $500 million that range from small renovations to large complex new construction recycling and transfer stations. This position will work closely with capital project managers, engineers, construction managers, and other team members to design, renovate and construct capital projects with the latest sustainability requirements. The successful candidate will serve as the Sustainability Subject Matter Expertise on Solid Waste Division project teams to assist in achieving sustainability requirements, complete necessary green building reporting, and highlighting achievements.

The Solid Waste Division has resource recovery central to all of the work and services moving forward. This position will be responsible for reviewing project development and approve advancement during gate milestones during the life of the project. This individual will have a role in advising strategies for high performance in resource recovery, C&D material diversion, energy and water savings, stormwater and site management, sustainable material selection, renewable energy projection, and other sustainable features. The individual will also take part in maintaining standard operation procedures for implementing green building and sustainability measures. Other tasks include being part of reviewing and developing RFPs, contracts and project specifications, design packages, and construction reports. They will be a member of the division’s Capital Project Review Board where they will keep staff appraised of the latest green building and sustainability requirements. Some technical assistance duties include but not limited to organizing and facilitating project ecocharrettes, guidance on green building rating systems, provide tutorials on sustainability best practices, and research appropriate green building strategies that are applicable to project.

About the Team:

The candidate will be joining a team of staff that work on additional aspects of green building internally at the county and externally communitywide, along with subject matter experts on equity and social justice and construction and demolition. Together they are members of the Recycling and Environmental Services Section of the Solid Waste Division that collectively is working on a suitable future for King County and consists of units working on climate and sustainability, Re+ in community programs, resource recovery, material collection program management and innovation. The King County Solid Waste Division (KCSWD) is responsible for the public solid waste system that serves the people and communities of unincorporated King County and most cities within King County. KCSWD is the lead King County Agency for delivering Zero Waste of Resources (ZWoR) goal for the region, which will reduce valuable materials sent to the landfill by up to 70%. KCSWD operates the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill, ten transfer facilities, nine closed landfills, and many programs to design out waste and pollution, keep products and materials in use and regenerate natural systems.

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. Our True North is to create a welcoming community where everyone can thrive. We prioritize equity, racial and social justice, making it a foundational and daily expectation for all employees. In this Performance Analyst position, you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity.

Job Duties

What You Will De Doing:

• Provide technical expertise on sustainability and green building strategies for complex capital projects within the Solid Waste Division.
• Recommend and refine project scope, specifications, designs, and deliverables to ensure alignment with King County’s green building, climate, and sustainability requirements.
• Manage data collection and reporting, including overseeing use of the County’s PRISM database, which tracks capital portfolio information and required green building metrics.
• Prepare comprehensive analytical reports and program evaluations to guide capital project managers and engineers in understanding and implementing sustainability expectations.
• Develop program and policy recommendations, including issue papers, to accelerate the integration of sustainable practices in capital projects. Assess current program resources and identify future needs.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills
Qualifications You Bring:

• Demonstrated experience (2 years preferred) applying research methods, performing technical analyses, and supporting complex project work.
• Demonstrated experience (2 years preferred) with project management principles and capital project delivery, including contracting, design, construction, operations, standard operating procedures, planning, development, and implementation.
• Demonstrated experience (2 years preferred) working successfully with a variety of partners, stakeholders, and interest groups, including, but not limited to, various county, city, and/or state agencies, organizations, and associations.
• Strong and demonstrated written, verbal, and presentation skills for both small groups and large audiences.
• Experience collaborating effectively as a team member to coordinate and complete shared goals and tasks.
• Experience managing multiple tasks and priorities simultaneously.

Competencies You Bring:

• Manages Complexity: Making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems
• Ensures Accountability: Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments.
• Collaborates:Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
• Racially Just:Identify and replace racists systems and structures with anti-racists and pro-equity approaches.
• Manages Ambiguity:Operating effectively, even when things are not certain, or the way forward is not clear.

It Would be Great if You Also Bring:

• Experience (3 years preferred) in green building rating systems and sustainability efforts.
• Experience (3 years preferred) working with capital projects or facility operations.
• Experience (3 years preferred) with public agency, government or public administration.

Supplemental Information

Working Conditions:

Work Location: The Recycling and Environmental Services (RES) Section 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 King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson, Seattle, Washington 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.

Work Schedule: This full-time position works a 40-hour work week; Mon – Fri, core hours from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 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 Teamsters 117 Professional and Technical.

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.