Customer Service and Engagement Lead (Project/Program Manager III) at King County, WA

About the Department

Are you an experienced professional with an eye for detail and a flair for organization, customer engagement and reader-friendly writing? The Road Services Division is searching for an energetic and resourceful Customer Service and Engagement Lead (Project/Program Manager III) to join our fast-paced Road Services Communications Team. This position will work independently and as part of the team to manage, research, respond and track all Road Services related e-mail inquiries from the public and elected officials. The position also will draft responses to inquiries and create written content for Road Services that sparks interest in road projects, programs, and day-to-day road maintenance operations in unincorporated King County.

Our ideal candidate for this position is a talented professional with public agency customer service, writing, and transportation infrastructure experience who enjoys providing clear and consistent public information and can develop equitable and efficient approaches to resolving issues from internal and external customers, department leadership, and elected officials. 

Our commitment to Equity, Racial and Social Justice

The Department of Local Services is deeply dedicated to fostering Equity, Racial and Social Justice in every aspect of our work.  Our commitment to “True North” values, which ensures every person has the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential, forms the core of our mission and purpose.  Our pledge is to cultivate, embrace, and celebrate the distinct experiences, viewpoints, and perspectives of our people, partners, and the communities we serve. Through this work, we dismantle systemic barriers, address inequities, and actively confront prejudices and biases. We acknowledge this journey is ongoing, and we remain steadfast in our efforts to create a positive impact for our employees and communities alike. 

Position Duties

1. Lead and manage intake, tracking and reporting of email inquiries, service requests and comments received from community members, leadership and elected officials. Provide central coordination for high priority external inquiries and requests. 
2. Be responsible for coordinating the full lifecycle of inquiries and service requests from intake through response and fulfillment. Provide status reports, and trending topic evaluations. 
3. Craft detailed responses and engaging external and internal website and blog content about road-related policies, services, capital projects, internal, and external programs. 
4. Coordinate with internal subject matter experts to write, review and prepare written email responses for signature by division or department management or elected officials.
5. Be a contributing member of the Road Alert Team; draft, track, and update written Road Alert web, email, and text notifications. 
6. Serve on the Roads Extended Leadership Team and provide regular updates on trending topics received from external comments, questions, and inquiries. 
7. Participate in public-facing or internal-coordination response to road-related emergencies, such as weather events or natural disasters. This may include working with a team in-person or remotely (online). 
8. Assist with coordinating or participating in-person and remote (online) community outreach and internal engagement as needed. Examples include in-person or online community meetings, open houses, door-to-door community engagement, and major All-Hands staff engagement meetings and events. 
9. Foster a spirit of inclusion and belonging while coordinating, collaborating and communicating with a wide variety of people with diverse backgrounds and incorporate equity and social justice opportunities wherever possible into the Roads customer service program.

Minimum Qualifications

• Excellent written and verbal communication engagement skills, with a demonstrated ability to translate complex and technical information into plain talk for non-technical audiences.
• Highly skilled at correcting errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Ability to recognize and use AP Style. 
• Expert skills in analytical thinking, problem solving and conflict-resolution.
• Experience in training, motivating, leading, scheduling, and evaluating the work of subordinates.
• Extremely organized and can handle competing priorities with ease. 
• Sensitive to the political environment; able to act in a tactful and diplomatic manner with diverse groups, customers, and officials. 
• Experience communicating and engaging with diverse communities.
• Experience working in the field of Transportation, particularly at the local level 
• Experience with Public Works issues, processes and procedures. 
• Demonstrated passion for equity, belonging, inclusion and social and racial justice.
• Expert skills in Excel, Word, Outlook, and SharePoint.(deleted CityWorks/RoadWorks experience because it could limit the potential applicants) 
• Experience working with a variety of social media platforms, including GovDelivery, Twitter, Facebook and WordPress.

Other Qualifications

INTERVIEW SCHEDULE: Those applicants who pass the initial screening will be invited to participate in an interview the week of 10/6/2025.

WHO MAY APPLY: This recruitment is open to all qualified applicants and may be used to fill current and or/future career service, term-limited temporary, short-term temporary, and or/special duty positions over the next six months. First consideration will be given to current PROTEC17 members in the same classification that are eligible for lateral transfer. 
 
APPLICATION PROCESS: A full and complete King County application is required. You may also provide a resume and cover letter, summarizing how you meet the experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skills for the position. Applicants will be screened for clarity, completeness, and competitiveness. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more interviews.

For interviewing tips, please see the STAR-LA method: star-la_interview_method.pdf
 
WORK SCHEDULE: The work week is normally Monday through Friday, 8.00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and adjustments to the schedule may be discussed with your supervisor.  This position is Exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is not eligible for overtime pay.

EMERGENCY DESIGNATION STATUS: This position has been designated Mission-Critical. Those employees who provide, maintain, and re-establish essential county functions as described in agency Continuity of Operations plans. 

Unless otherwise directed by the County Executive, department director or agency head, all employees, regardless of designation, are expected to report to work or request leave during an emergency or inclement weather. For more detailed information, please visit HR Policy County Operations During Emergency Situations and the King County Guidelines for Workforce Management in an Emergency.
 
UNION MEMBERSHIP: This position is represented by PROTEC17

REMOTE AND ONSITE WORK:

The work associated with this position will be performed through a combination of remote and onsite work. The successful candidate may be expected to report to the office for onsite work typically 2 times per week. The frequency of onsite work may vary based on business or operational needs and be adjusted accordingly. The primary onsite location is King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson, Seattle, WA 98104 and secondary onsite location at the Roads Maintenance Facility, 155 Monroe Ave NE, Renton, WA 98056.  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.

To learn more about the Department of Local Services, please visit our website at: https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/local-services

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.

For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact: