Chief of Staff

The Department of Community and Human Services values diverse perspectives and life experiences. The Department encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with lived experiences.

At King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS), we believe in working as one team that solves problems—striving to be customer-focused and drive for the best results. We envision a welcoming community that is racially just because the field of human services exists to undo and mitigate unfair structures. We seek to lead the way by working as respectful and responsible stewards for our community.

King County's Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) provides equitable opportunities for people to be healthy, happy, and connected to community.

WHO MAY APPLY:  This position is a promotional opportunity and open to current King County employees that meet the minimum qualifications.
 
REQUIRED MATERIALS: Candidates who wish to be considered for the position must submit a complete King County application online and respond to the supplemental questions. Interviews will occur on or around the week of November 18, 2024.
 
WORK SCHEDULE/CONDITIONS:  This position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and not eligible for overtime. Typical hours are Monday - Friday 8am-5pm.  This position is not represented by a union.
 

MISSION CRITICAL POSITION STATUS: This position has been designated Mission Critical. 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 . 

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.

E mployees 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:  

• Lead, direct, and oversee DCHS’s external relations systems and operations 
  • Lead, coach, align and supervise the Department’s senior leaders of Communications, Government Relations, and Policy Management
  • Direct and provide overall leadership of the Department’s relationship and processes with the King County Council, including transmittals, proposals for legislation and levies, and Council inquiries
  • Oversee integrated communications strategies that reflect the department’s values and set the vision around overarching King County goals.  
• Serve as a member of the Director’s Office Core Team (DO CORE) and Department Leadership Team
  • Partner with the Department and Deputy Department Directors, Chief Administrative Officer, Chief Financial Operations Officer (CFOO), and Director of Impact and Data Strategy to provide overall strategic leadership for all DCHS employees, systems, operations, and effects in the community.
  • Serve as the Director’s Senior Advisor and the Department’s Senior Strategist to build and maintain the robust coalitions necessary to advance bold policies for housing, behavioral health, community development, and human services.
  • Promote and maintain alignment between the Department and the County Executive’s Office as the Department’s lead point of connection. 
  • Collaborate effectively with Department leadership to coordinate and advance Department and Executive goals during the County’s biennial budget process and resulting Department requirements and submission of major initiatives, such as proposals to renew major initiatives.
• Establish, maintain, and strengthen relationships with leaders and coalitions in communities, governments, and policy areas to help the Department see itself and the strategic environment with clarity 
• Lead, coach, and supervise a high performing team
  • Supervise and mentor staff, including planning work assignments, conducting employee development and performance management.
  • Be a champion of equity, providing advice and cultivating a culture that allows all members of the team to contribute and thrive.
  • Inspire and exemplify excellence.
  • Provide candid and caring feedback and coaching to help all members of the team continually improve and develop.
• Provide strategic insight and leadership in planning, organizing, and managing department operations.
  • Implement continuous improvement in service quality, customer service and use of data.
  • Collaborate with Performance Measurement and Evaluation team to inform key initiatives and increase functionality and accessibility of programming.
  • Understand the effects of place, race and policy and systems-based inequities on marginalized communities and populations.  

• The ability to describe recent experience in a local or regional government agency leading teams that perform communications, external relations, and policy development on matters affecting behavioral health, affordable or supportive housing, and population-specific human services such as services for youth, older adults, veterans, persons with developmental disabilities, or survivors of gender-based violence.
• The ability to describe existing or previous relationships with key leaders in King County’s strategic human services environment, including the King County Council, cities, local community, and advocacy coalitions, and at the State level.
• Professional experience preparing and presenting effective and accurate information to a wide array of audiences.
• The ability to describe previous leadership or participation in a strategy or campaign to advance a specific policy proposal or initiative and to describe the results of that strategy or campaign.
• Deep knowledge of equity, racial and social justice principles and practices and an understanding of the effects of race and policy and systems-based inequities on marginalized communities and populations.
• Advanced familiarity and previous experience with King County and Washington State legislative processes, including the State and County budget processes.
• Previous experience representing a local or regional government in public presentations to community groups, legislative bodies, or media.
• Five or more years of increasingly senior experience in managing, interacting, recruiting, and promoting accountability with and within diverse staff teams.
• Familiarity with and the ability to describe DCHS’s key leadership behaviors: Make ethical decisions; Envision, build & sustain equitable teams and policies; Value getting it right over being right; Cultivate Shared Consciousness; Communicate and Coach with Humility & Candor; Shape conflict to yield connection; Write simply and powerfully; Lead with Love; Get things done.

DESIRED EXPERIENCE, QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWEDLGE, SKILLS:

• Experience leading teams and coordinating internal systems a local or regional government organization of similar scale, scope, and complexity.
• Experience with, understanding and demonstrated experience implementing King County’s True North Values.
• Familiarity with DCHS’s special initiatives, including the Crisis Care Centers (CCC) Initiative; Veterans Seniors, and Human Services Levy (VSHSL); Mental Illness and Drug Dependency (MIDD) sales tax; Best Starts for Kids (BSK); Health through Housing (HTH), and Puget Sound Taxpayer Accountability Account (PSTAA).

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. on this job announcement.#J-18808-Ljbffr