Project/Program Manager III - Equity and Social Justice Lead

King County   Auburn, WA   Full-time
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Summary

Posting extended to 8/9/2020
Who May Apply: The special duty assignment is open to eligible King County career service employees. 

King County and the Parks and Recreation Division values diverse perspectives and life experience and encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, women, LGBTQ, immigrants, refugees, people with disabilities, and veterans.

Job Overview: The Director’s Office in the Parks and Recreation Division is seeking a Project/Program Manager III – Equity and Social Justice Lead for a special duty assignment (SDA).  In this new position, you will have the opportunity to lead the division’s efforts in becoming both a more equitable, racially diverse and inclusive work environment and help our division deliver services consistent with King County’s Fair and Just principles. You will plan, coordinate and lead numerous multi-faceted projects and programs that advance equity and social justice within the division.  This is an opportunity to work with staff, management and the Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) to influence the decisions that are made within the division.

About King County Parks
King County Parks has evolved from 150 acres in 1938 to more than 28,000 acres. Today, our system consists of more than 200 parks, 175 miles of regional trails, and 215 miles of backcountry trails. Our mission is to steward, enhance and acquire parks to inspire healthy communities. We seek to cultivate strong relationships with community partners to enhance park amenities for all King County residents to enjoy today and for generations to come. Learn more at www.kingcounty.gov/parks.
And check us out on the socials at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Flickr.

Duration:  This special duty assignment is estimated to last six months with the possibility of extension. 

Apply on-line at: www.kingcounty.gov/jobs.

Required Forms and Materials: (1) a completed online King County application form and (2) resume, and (3) cover letter detailing your background and what you can bring to this position.

Work Location: This position will work remotely.  There will be an expectation to travel to various worksites throughout King County as needed for your work.  A laptop will be supplied by King County.

Work Schedule: This position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is not overtime eligible. The workweek is normally Monday through Friday, with occasional evenings and weekends required to support events and community meetings.

Our ideal candidate will have the following competencies:
 
  • Communicates effectively by developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of the different audiences.
  • Manages complexity by making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information, ability to manage and communicate on complex projects and to effectively solve problems.
  • Cultivates innovation and has a passion for identifying better ways for the organization to be successful.
  • Action oriented and takes the initiative on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy and enthusiasm
  • Plans and prioritizes work to meet commitments and align with organizational goals.
  • Works collaboratively with others and builds partnerships to meet shared objectives.

Essential Functions of Position:
 
  • Lead division-wide Equity and Social Justice (ESJ) work, including ESJ Strategic Plan implementation and regularly engaging with the Office of Equity and Social Justice in this effort, and represent Parks on DNRP’s ESJ team.
  • Prepare performance dashboards, other regular performance reports, and summarize results and interpretations of findings for a wide range of audiences including policy makers, agency leadership, employees, and/or community representatives
  • Build and strengthen trust and relationships within Parks, employees, community partners, and other key stakeholders, especially those who need the greatest support
  • Lead and participate in programs, committees, strategic initiatives and longer-term plans, and/or projects and serve as the Parks representative on assigned DNRP initiatives in coordination with other Divisions.
  • Conduct and apply racial equity data evaluation and analysis, using both qualitative and quantitative data, internal and community-facing, to guide strategic thinking and decision-making
  • Build internal capacity in understanding the principles of institutional and structural racism, and the disparities and barriers created. Highlight opportunities to utilize ESJ competencies to examine and remove the impacts of institutionalized and structural racism.
  • Facilitate the development of the Parks leadership and staff in understanding how racism and other oppressions are unconsciously internalized by individuals and the institution, and how this affects intergroup relations and organizational behavior.
  • Assist the division in developing and implementing strategies that increase the accessibility for small MBE, WBE and community-based organizations serving communities of color, immigrants and refugees, low-income populations, and limited English-proficient communities.
  • Gather, assemble, analyze, and evaluate evidence, data and other information to highlight relevant inequities or challenges within the County. Move others toward a course of action and implement values-driven, data-supported decisions and strategies for the Division.
  • Participate in the development of the DNRP calendar of ESJ events, as well as the training curriculum. Co-facilitate events as needed. Provide technical, logistical and other support to internal and external event facilitators. Provide hands-on training to new facilitators. Handle event promotion, registration, evaluation, and attendance tracking.
  • Actively participate in the coordination of Parks EEO/AA reporting and assist managers and supervisors in collecting and analyzing employment data, identifying problem areas, setting goals and timetables and develop programs to achieve goals in collaboration with human resources.
 
What makes a candidate ideal?
 
  • A passion for equity, social and racial justice, and experience implementing equity projects, policy updates, and analysis.
  • Has lived experience working in a professional or personal capacity towards racial justice, anti-racism, or social justice issues impacting Native Americans/American Indians/Alaska Natives, Indigenous Peoples, communities of color, and immigrants and refugees.
  • Manages risk to disrupt oppression and racism, including talking explicitly about race in racially mixed groups in ways that normalizes the behavior and draws others in.
  • Effective consultation skills with the ability to work with division staff and management to deliver effective outcomes with demonstrated achievement levels using performance measures.
  • Has assisted in design of and implementation of systems that address and dismantle institutional and structural racism and its impact on marginalized communities.
  • Utilizes project management tools to manage multiple projects, along with excellent organizational skills and strategies to move work forward.
  • Understands how to work with internal teams/committees where employees feel heard and inspired. Effectively engages with a diverse set of employee teams and workplace cultures including those in skilled trades.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to engage with conflict in healthy ways, while working in an environment that at times can be ambiguous and politically sensitive.
  • Engaged in ongoing self-exploration related to race, power and privilege, including performing stakeholder analysis.
  • Ability to assist division leaders in translating business strategy and objectives into attainable goals and plans that are aligned with the County's Equity and Social Justice and the Division’s and Department's equity goals.
  • Understands how to utilize an equity approach (Equity Impact Review or other resources) on operations and capital projects and can teach others.
  • Identifies opportunities to enhance a racially and culturally diverse workforce through innovative recruitment and retention strategies.

The Most Competitive Candidates Will Have:
  • Demonstrated experience applying equity and social justice principles and practices in a government or business setting.
  • Demonstrated ability to communicate and work with diverse populations and interest groups.
  • Ability to apply excellent customer service skills both orally and in writing, including the ability to provide professional and courteous service.
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality and use discretion when handling sensitive information.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 including Word, Excel, Outlook, SharePoint and OneDrive.
  • Strong data analytics skills and knowledge of database structures.

Selection Process: Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness including online application, resume, cover letter, and responsiveness to the list of qualifications, skills, and abilities. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews.

Union Membership:  This position is not represented by a union.

Contact Information: For any questions regarding this recruitment, please contact Shawna Ousse at sousse@kingcounty.gov or (206) 263-3536

King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being.  Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:

  • Medical, dental, and vision coverage: King County pays 100% of the premiums for eligible employees and family members
  • Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
  • Retirement: King County employees are eligible to participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
  • Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
  • 10 paid holidays each year (plus 2 personal holidays)
  • Generous vacation and paid sick leave
  • Paid parental leave, family and medical leaves, and volunteer leave
  • Flexible Spending Account
  • Wellness programs
  • Onsite gyms and activity centers
  • Employee giving program
  • Employee assistance programs
  • Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
  • Training and career development programs
For additional information about employee benefits please visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page.

This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy.  If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails.  Also, in the event of any incorrect information in this document, applicable laws, policies, rules, CBAs, or official plan documents will prevail.
 
NOTE:  Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position. Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.
 
For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.

01
Are you a current King County career service employee?
  • Yes
  • No
02
Please describe your experience in either supporting, organizing, developing and/or implementing programs that address institutional racism, structural racism, and racial equity. If you do not have this experience, please enter N/A.
03
Briefly describe your project management experience. (no more than 200 words)

Required Question

This job is no longer available.

King County

Auburn, WA