Workforce Development Lead

King County; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

King County’s Wastewater Treatment Division seeks an energetic Project/Program Manager IV to lead the Workforce Development Program, guiding recruitment, onboarding, training, and job placement. You will build relationships with planning, engineering, project management, and construction units to drive career pathways and equity-focused outcomes.

You will coach, mentor, and strategically advise across multi-disciplinary teams, leveraging data analytics to measure progress and impact while

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in human resources, social work, public administration, or a related field.
• Five years or more of experience in project management or program management.
• Five years or more of experience providing career coaching, recruitment, training, or social services.
• Five or more years of community outreach and engagement experience, with increasing responsibility.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, conflict resolution, and relationship-building abilities with diverse populations.
• Proven ability to prioritize workload, manage logistics, and work on multiple projects with changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Advanced software skills that support delivery of work products, including Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, and SharePoint.

Responsibilities

• Serve as program lead; coordinate multiple projects to align with organizational goals, translate strategy into initiatives, allocate resources, manage cross-project dependencies, mitigate risks, drive continuous program improvement, and address sensitive topics.
• Provide strategic planning and labor market analysis; determine business needs, monitor local employment trends, and design curricula for career pathways.
• Develop and manage stakeholder relationships; build networks with local businesses, community and trade organizations, and academic institutions to develop training, internships, apprenticeships, and job placements.
• Performance tracking; evaluate and track participant and program metrics through data analytics and communicate the business case for pivots to leadership.
• Facilitate programming such as workshops, panels, and presentations; attend community events; provide career counseling and individualized training plans.
• Manage program communication strategy; identify stakeholder needs, draft memos, develop messaging; manage SharePoint.

Skills

Project management

Career coaching

Community outreach

Public speaking

Communication

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in human resources, social work, public administration, or a related field

Tools

Word

Outlook

PowerPoint

Excel

SharePoint

Job description

The Department of Natural Resources and Parks’ Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) is seeking an energetic and motivated candidate to lead the Workforce Development Program.

The Program provides recruitment, mentorship, training, placement, and retention services for entry‑level candidates who are ready to build their skillset or are new to the wastewater sector. Candidates receive extensive onboarding, participate in tours and site visits, and are provided with challenging assignments allowing exploration and collaboration with many WTD work groups.

The Project/Program Manager IV will support cohort members in determining their professional passion, place in our agency, and plan for continued career growth. They will do the following:

• Lead cohort recruitment, onboarding, training, assignment generation, mentoring, and job placement.
• Build relationships with and coordinate guest speakers from our planning, engineering, project management, project control, construction management units and other units throughout the agency.
• Collaborate with internal partners to provide tours of our treatment plants and other facilities, career development workshops, and lessons learned workshops that lead to continuous improvement.

The Project/Program Manager IV will work independently, take initiative, and serve as a workforce development technical expert, also providing strategic advice to complex and multi‑disciplinary programs throughout agency. Additional responsibilities include analysis, research, planning, policy development, systems development, and technology implementation.

Ideal candidates will have workforce development and community engagement expertise in the built environments fields, as well as proactive communication, passion for people leadership, and strong public speaking skills. Competitive candidates will also be strategic and skillful problem‑solvers who value equity and environmental justice. Additionally, candidates who are proven people leaders with skills to measure, monitor, and communicate processes, progress, and results will be high value to the program.

About the Role

We are stewards of The Clean Water Act and are charged with protecting the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of Puget Sound waterways. Rapid population growth, climate change which includes more severe storms and floods, and a high cost of living put a strain on our already aging regional wastewater treatment system. We need creative staff to help us address project backlogs, find efficiencies, and seek innovative solutions to challenging problems including a changing regulatory environment.

In this position you will also learn about WTD’s commitment to recovering and reusing products and resources from the wastewater treatment process. Recycling the treated water and nutrient‑rich biosolids and recovering energy from heat and waste gases increases the efficiency of our wastewater treatment plants, conserves resources, protects the environment, and saves money.

At WTD, you will be part of a diverse team of talented interdisciplinary professionals and together you will make social and environment changes.

About the Team

The Workforce Development Program allows participants to create real value for our WTD’s projects, programs, and agency while acquiring on‑the‑job experience, networking opportunities, and learning about wastewater systems. The program uses a cohort model where participants are placed in a group of their peers to complete training, tour job sites, develop job skills, and discuss their projects.

WTD has a strong commitment to equity and social justice. The program meets our goals by serving underrepresented populations, providing targeted outreach, aligning with in‑demand jobs, and creating career pathway to combat occupational segregation.

Candidates can gain exposure to careers and opportunities they may not have imagined for themselves previously. Participants have used this experience to obtain permanent positions and promotions within WTD.

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. As a Workforce Development Lead, 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

• Serve as program lead; coordinate multiple projects to ensure alignment with organizational goals, including translating strategy into actionable initiatives, allocating resources, managing cross‑project dependencies, mitigating risks, driving continuous program improvement, and addressing sensitive topics.
• Provide strategic planning and labor market analysis; determine business needs, monitor local employment trends, and design curricula for career pathways that bridge skill gaps and adjust to changing business needs.
• Develop and manage stakeholder relationships; build networks and partnerships with local businesses, community and trade organizations, and academic institutions to develop training, internships, apprenticeships, and job placements.
• Performance tracking; evaluate and track participant and program metrics through data analytics while effectively communicating the business case of potential program pivots to leadership.
• Facilitate programming such as workshops, panels, and presentations; attend community events; provide career counseling and individualized training and employment plans.
• Manage program communication strategy; identify stakeholder needs, collaborate with internal communications, write issue papers and memos, develop messaging; manage SharePoint.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications You Bring

• A bachelor’s degree in human resources, social work, public administration, or a related field.
• Five years or more of experience in project management or program management role.
• Five years or more of experience providing career coaching, recruitment, training, or social services.
• Five or more years of community outreach and engagement experience, with increasing responsibility.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, conflict resolution, and relationship‑building abilities to work with diverse populations and community partners.
• Proven ability to prioritize workload, manage logistics, and work on multiple projects with changing priorities and/or conflicting deadlines in a fast‑paced environment.
• Advanced software skills that support the delivery of work products as well as gathering, manipulating and using data, such as Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, and SharePoint.

Competencies You Bring

• Cultivates Innovation: Creating new and better ways for the organization to be successful.
• Action Oriented: Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
• Builds Networks: Effectively building formal and informal relationship networks inside and outside the organization.
• Develops Talent: Developing people to meet both their career goals and the organization’s goals.
• Drives Results: Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstances.

It Would Be Great If You Also Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in construction management or related field.
• Five to ten years of experience that demonstrates a high level of workforce development knowledge as well as knowledge of planning, design, engineering, project management, project control, and/or construction management principles.
• Certified Workforce Development Professional (CWDP) credential through the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals.

Workplace Exposure

• Wastewater treatment plant visits, meetings, or tours.

Working Conditions

• Work Location: The Workforce Development team 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. 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).

Application and Selection Process

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

Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness and alignment with the experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skills essential for this role to determine which candidates may be invited to participate in a technical assessment and one or more panel interviews.

Anticipated Timeline for this recruitment (dates subject to change)

• Technical Assessment (virtual) - mid-August 2026
• Panel Interview (virtual) - late August 2026

To apply, submit a:

• Complete Application
• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Responses to the supplemental questions

Note: Additional documents won't be considered during minimum qualification screening.

Who to Contact

For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact Rodney Dungo, HR Analyst at [e-mail].

Discover More About the Wastewater Treatment Division

Visit our website and check us out at Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, and the WTD Blog.

Discover More About DNRP

Visit our DNRP website, explore an interactive map of our recent accomplishments and check us out at Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Keeping King County Green News.

Sign up for Job Alerts

To be notified of additional career opportunities with King County. Select the Natural Resources category for DNRP opportunities and explore other categories of interest.

Are you ready to make a difference?

Application Process

If you are interested in pursuing this position and supporting King County’s vision for unified, equitable, and high‑performing government, please follow the application instructions carefully. Provide us with your work history as applicable, ensuring that you provide details that highlight your ability to fulfill the requirements for this position.

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 Rodney Dungo 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.