Parks Assistant Operations Manager bei King County, WA

About the Department

Step into a leadership role that fuels the heart of King County Parks! As Assistant Operations Manager (AOM), you’ll be the driving force behind the scenes and out in the field. As an AOM you will be a strategic leader in helping a large, unionized workforce and multiple other partners make sure they have the resources, training and processes needed to provide clean, safe and accessible parks to the community. You will orchestrate the management of 277 parks and properties managed, plus 191 miles of regional trails and 311 miles of backcountry trails with a team of approximately 185 employees year round and an average of an additional 113 seasonals during the spring and summer.

About the Role: The Parks Division is hiring two Assistant Operations Managers (AOM’s) to support and help lead the daily operations and strategic oversight of the Parks Operations Section. Our employees and various classifications/trades span virtually all maintenance, repair and restoration needs that occur at our properties, including but not limited to: daily park maintenance, sports field tournaments and events, storm damage response, carpentry, plumbing, painting, electrical and heavy equipment and the administrative staff to help support and analyze the resources that we manage and processes we seek to improve continuously.

Each AOM position will work closely with the Operations Manager to lead and support all staff and specifically the supervisors who oversee each crew or program, with a focus on improving coordination, communication, and overall effectiveness of each team.

• The first AOM will oversee, including but not limited to, Business, Administrative, and programmatic teams such as Asset Management, Archaeology, Vegetation Management, Greenhouse and Restoration, Playground Inspection, and Administration. They will coordinate with other Parks sections—including Finance, Fleet, IT, HR, Safety, and the Director’s Office—to support budgeting and operational processes. Responsibilities may overlap with the second AOM to ensure coverage. Both roles include field visits with staff and may serve as Section Manager or delegate when assigned.
• The second AOM will lead field staff across 13 current locations, potentially others in the future, responsible for maintaining parks, trails, open spaces, buildings and other assets in the system. This role emphasizes strategic coordination, strong leadership, and advocacy for crews working in all conditions. It includes budget oversight, collaboration with the other AOM, and cross-sectional work to support field operations.  Responsibilities may overlap with the second AOM to ensure coverage. The AOM may also serve as Section Manager or delegate when assigned.

About the Team: The Operations team is a powerhouse of mission-driven pros who keep King County parks clean, safe, and ready for all. From ballfield prep and natural restoration to plumbing, electrical, carpentry, and logistics—our crews do it all. United across roles and locations, we collaborate daily to serve the public with pride. We celebrate the diversity that fuels our strength and the dedication that drives us forward.

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 an Assistant Operations Manager you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity.

Position Duties

What You Will Be Doing: 

• Ability to identify creative solutions necessary to effectively accomplish job requirements, simplify complex processes and look beyond the obvious. Seeks opportunities for continuous improvement and takes initiative to make changes with available resources.
• Makes informed and sound decisions based upon a mixture of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgment.
• Provides direct and "actionable" feedback to others. Faces up to problems regarding people and situations quickly and directly, and is willing to initiate corrective action when necessary and partner with HR, labor relations and union staff in finding solutions.
• Advocates for staff by leading with integrity, inclusivity, and respect—reflecting King County’s core values in daily actions and decisions.
• Analyzes and interprets policies, procedures, union contracts, agreements, operating procedures and finds opportunities for improvement that helps staff in their everyday job and makes for more effective and efficient processes.
• Demonstrates leadership that fosters a collaborative, respectful, and positive team environment and provides coaching and guidance others on your team in proper supervision and work planning of priorities.
• Oversight of budgets with a focus on driving continuous improvement in administrative systems and procedures.

Minimum Qualifications

Qualifications You Bring: 

• Minimum of 3 years of proven managerial and leadership skills supervising multiple teams in a unionized environment.
• Experience in the planning, scheduling, and coordination of a variety of skilled, semi-skilled workers, supervisors and support staff to satisfy the goals and objectives of the work unit and Division priorities. 
• Experience developing, monitoring and balancing the budget of a work unit or program. 

• Solving complex internal and external customer service issues with tact and diplomacy and working effectively with a broad and diverse customer base. 

• Skills in working effectively with a diverse population, interpersonal relations, negotiation and dispute-resolution. 
• Ability to work confidently with various Microsoft software as well as adapt and learn other programs as needed for the job
• This position requires the ability to travel in a timely manner to various work locations, including to sites which may not be served by public transportation.

Physical Requirements: This work requires occasional site visits to outside work locations in all types of weather. Some sites may require light hiking or navigating on uneven ground at times to engage with staff in the field or for projects.   

Competencies You Bring:  

• Collaborates: Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
• Strategic Mindset: Seeing ahead to future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies.
• Drives Engagement: Creating a climate where people are motivated to do their best to help the organization achieve its objectives.
• Plans and Aligns: Planning and prioritizing work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals.
• Ensures Accountability: Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments.

It Would Be Great if You Also Bring: 

• Pacific NW Resource Management school graduate or equivalent education focused on Parks, Recreation, and/or Natural Resources.

• Experience working in Parks and Recreation facilities.
• Demonstrated experience successfully managing programs and multifaceted crews/team.

Other Qualifications

Working Conditions:

• Work Location: The reporting location is Central Maintenance Facility (CMF), 3005 NE 4^th St. Renton, WA  98056. Reporting to satellite offices may occur as needed and they are located in ten different cities throughout King County but the primary reporting location is Renton, WA. A King County vehicle will be provided at the CMF location.
• Work Schedule: Core operations hours range from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., but may need to flex to serve needs of crews. Incumbents must be prepared to work within the core operations hours and adapt to occasional varied schedules to support our front-line team members and/or to address urgencies in the section or division. 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 not represented by a union.

 

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. Please select Apply and complete the brief application profile information and attach your resume and cover letter.  

We will review applications based on clarity, completeness, and alignment with the qualifications outlined in this posting. Be sure to highlight your experience in effectively writing and verbally communicating about: 

• planning, scheduling and coordinating work priorities of a variety of staff to satisfy work unit goals/objectives
• experience developing, monitoring and balancing the budget of a work unit, 
• solving complex issues in a unionized work setting/program, 
• working effectively with diverse work groups/population. 

The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one virtual interview in mid November 2025 and one onsite interview with panel members on the first week of December 2025. Finalists will be invited to the CMF facilities and participate in onsite interviews with field staff in attendance on December 5, 2025 and may be subject to change.

NOTE:  If selected for this position, you will be subject to satisfactory reference and backgrounds checks prior to hire.

Who to Contact: For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact [email protected] .

Forbes 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.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. 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.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

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