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 an adaptable leader who is passionate about leveraging affordable housing policy and planning to address racial, geographic, and other inequities? Are you a manager skilled at supporting diverse staff in meeting their goals? Are you skilled at bringing order to ambiguity and working in teams across disciplines? King County’s Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) is looking for you! 

The Housing, Homelessness, and Community Development Division (HHCDD) increases housing stability and develops strong communities. We commit to being an anti-racist division and collaborate with our partners to center historically excluded and systemically marginalized people. Our vision is that all King County residents live in healthy, stable, and affordable housing in thriving, connected and inclusive communities. 

HHCDD is seeking a Housing Policy and Special Projects Manager to advance the County’s affordable housing policy and planning efforts and lead equity and social justice-based approaches to housing and community development policy and programs. This career service position will manage the Housing, Homelessness and Community Development Division’s Housing Policy, Planning, and Special Projects section. The Program Manager will direct a team of 10 to 12 with program responsibilities that include local and regional affordable housing policy and planning, supporting jurisdictional collaboration on housing issues, equitable community-driven development, tenant policy and outreach, and division special projects.

WHO MAY APPLY: 

This position is open to all qualified candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. 

REQUIRED MATERIALS: 

Candidates who wish to be considered for this position must submit an online King County application and respond to the supplemental questions. Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the requested and relevant information in the online application and supplemental questionnaire. Applications and/or supplemental questionnaires that state, “see my resume” are considered incomplete and will not be considered to be competitive.

WORK SCHEDULE/CONDITIONS: 

This position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is not eligible for overtime. Typical hours are Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm.

Teleworking Requirement 

The work associated with this position will be performed through a combination of teleworking complemented with onsite work and meetings as needed. Employees will have access to shared workspaces at various King County facilities. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.
  

Employees will be provided with a County issued laptop and must maintain a workspace with an internet connection (access may be supplemented in some situations) where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours. Please note that when an employee conducts work that is likely to bring them in contact with another individual, safety precautions are required, including the wearing of masks in some situations. King County is doing its part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and remains committed to reducing our carbon footprint.
    
 King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will be joining an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment.  

RECRUITER:  Susan Churchill, susan.churchill@kingcounty.gov

• Serve as overall program lead for affordable housing, housing stability, and equitable development policy and planning efforts. This may include leading Executive and Council requested projects and working with local jurisdictions on affordable housing policy.
• Supervise Policy, Planning, and Special Projects team of 10 to 12 and matrix manage interdisciplinary teams addressing complex, politically sensitive projects or policies related to affordable housing and/or community development.
• Incorporate equity and social justice principles and approaches in HHCD’s policy and planning work. 
• Lead DCHS in implementing the recommendations of the Regional Affordable Housing Task Force. This includes overseeing staff support to the Affordable Housing Committee, in coordination with King County councilmembers, local municipal elected officials, community members, and additional affordable housing stakeholders. 
• Oversee production and delivery of affordable housing plans, including the federal Consolidated Plan, federal Fair Housing Plan, the local housing component of comprehensive and sub area plans, and other housing plans as required.
• Coordinate tenant and landlord related policy, planning and outreach efforts, including the establishment of the King County Renters’ Commission.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to support community-driven development and establish the King County Equitable Development Initiative. 
• Coordinate DCHS efforts in support of sub regional affordable housing and community development efforts, including those in both East and South King County; and
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Two or more years' experience working on affordable housing and/ or housing stability issues, with a primary focus on housing policy or planning.
• Supervisory experience, including managing a team simultaneously working on multiple policy and planning projects.  Team matrix management is acceptable. 
• Ability to and interest in leveraging public policy and programs to empower historically marginalized communities.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with multiple stakeholders, including elected officials, diverse community stakeholders, nonprofit partners, and jurisdictional staff to implement affordable housing policies.
• Familiarity with local, state, and federal fund sources for affordable housing and housing stability.
• Knowledge of equity and social justice principles and practices, and understanding of the effects of place-, race-, policy-, and systems-based inequities on marginalized communities. 
• Excellent writing skills and the ability to develop reports for public presentation.
• Excellent communication skills including the ability to tailor presentations to specific audiences and convey politically sensitive messages.
• Demonstrated ability to work with a variety of stakeholders who may have markedly different perspectives, including individuals, teams and agencies.
• Strong facilitation and negotiation skills, and the demonstrated ability to develop partnerships with stakeholders to build consensus and develop solutions to issues and problems.
• Ability to work in a collaborative manner as a team member both internally and externally with staff, elected officials, and members of the public.

Desired Qualifications

• Success working with local elected officials and staff to create and/or implement affordable housing and housing stability strategies.
• Familiarity with King County affordable housing issues and knowledge of subregional differences.
• Experience leveraging government processes and policies to achieve equitable outcomes. 

Forbes recently named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. 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.

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles--we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement

King County Executive Branch employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If you are the successful candidate for the position you applied for, the County will send you a conditional offer letter.

As a condition of employment, prior to a final offer of employment, you will be required to:

• submit proof of vaccination, or
• have an approved request for medical or religious exemption and an approved accommodation. Philosophical, political, scientific, or sociological objections to vaccination will not be considered for an exemption or accommodation.