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Continuous Improvement Manager (Project/Program Manager IV)

King County, Seattle, WA, United States


Salary

$123,947.20 - $157,110.10 Annually

Location

Chinook Building 401 5th Avenue Seattle, WA

Job Type

Career Service (Exec)

Job Number

2026CF27004

Department

DPH - Public Health

Division

Environmental Health Svcs

Opening Date

04/24/2026

Closing Date

5/12/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

FLSA

Exempt

Bargaining Unit

Z3 : KC Personnel Guidelines

Full- or Part-Time

Full Time

Hours/Week

40 hours/week

Summary

Position Summary

Are you interested in improving environmental health outcomes by serving as a technical expert and collaborating with division leaders and staff to continuously improve our processes and data systems?

This position is a unique opportunity within the Environmental Health Services (EHS) Division of Public Health - Seattle & King County to lead a dynamic and highly skilled team dedicated to improving how the division operates and the tools we use to support our teams and strengthen how we deliver services to communities across the region. This can include business process improvements, standard operating procedures, workflows, software, and data. If you are strategic and a doer, this position may be for you.

The responsibilities are supervision of a work unit, program project management, planning, design, implementation, coordination with King County Information Technology (KCIT) Services, and vendor management. This position directly supervises the Continuous Improvement team which is responsible for supporting division-wide continuous improvement activities as well as division and department initiatives. The Continuous Improvement team is also responsible for the implementation and administration of the newly launched Tyler Enterprise Permitting and Licensing software solution, in coordination with KCIT and the vendor. This project is currently in the stabilization phase, working through bug resolution, staff training, and addressing process gaps and enhancement opportunities. This position reports to the EHS Deputy Director and collaborates with staff, program managers, division leadership, and King County Information Technology (KCIT).

The successful candidate will champion continuous improvement, promote service excellence, and guide a technical team in supporting a wide range of customer needs. They will help establish standards, develop processes, and collaborate closely with internal partners to enhance service delivery. This role requires strong leadership, people and communication skills along with the ability to navigate complex organizational environments while operationalizing, balancing, and prioritizing among strategies, objectives, and tasks.

Why Join Our Team?

This position offers an exciting opportunity to make a significant impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of environmental health operations in King County. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in modernizing our systems and processes, ultimately contributing to better public health outcomes for our community.

About the Environmental Health Services Division

Through the work of over 190 dedicated employees, the Environmental Health Services Division promotes healthy and equitable environmental conditions and prevents disease through sanitation, safe food, air, and water, and reduction of exposure to hazardous materials. In addition to permitting and inspecting public pools, spas, pet businesses, plumbing installations, on-site septic systems, and solid waste facilities, the division also works in partnership with community to address unhealthy environmental conditions and leads the department's climate change efforts. Our vision is healthy, safe, and vibrant communities that are free of health disparities based on race, gender, or economic status. The Division's core values include equity and social justice, integrity, community service, collaboration, a supportive work culture, and learning from each other and the communities we serve. To learn more, please visit https://www.kingcounty.gov/ehs.

Note: This posting will create a list of qualified candidates that may be considered for selection of additional vacancies of the same position type over the next 6 months.

Commitment To Equity and Social Justice

Named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.

The county government has a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all - in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from all communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.

We recognize that structural racism consists of principles and practices that cause and justify an inequitable distribution of rights, opportunities, and experiences across racial groups. Since declaring Racism is a Public Health Crisis in June 2020, King County and Public Health committed to being intentionally anti-racist and accountable to Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities.

To learn more, please visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice.aspx

Work Schedule:
The typical work week is Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm; 40 hours per week. This position is exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is not overtime-eligible.

Work Location:
Chinook Building - 401 5th Avenue, Suite 1200, Seattle, WA 98104.

Remote and Onsite Work:
The EHS Operations Section works in a hybrid model, with days in the office as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. Current expectations are that employees work a minimum of 2 days in-person per week, with an increase to 3 days in-person per week by June 1, 2026. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements, including responding to emergencies.

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.

Job Duties

Management and supervision:
Lead technical team members through direct supervision by setting clear expectations, encouraging collaboration, and promoting accountability. Continue building a strong team identity that leverages diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals. Support staff training, coaching, work plan monitoring, and professional development through regular feedback and one-on-one meetings.
Support daily operations and collaborate with the team to prioritize work activities and ensure they have the resources needed. Make timely, sound decisions and develop forecasts that set the team up for success and smooth operations.
Model clear. transparent communication and ensure timely information sharing among leadership, staff, and stakeholders.
Customer Service:

Oversee day-to-day operations of the Continuous Improvement team to ensure consistent, high-quality service delivery.
Develop, maintain, and implement standards, policies, and procedures that improve customer support operations.
Oversight, Project Management, Planning, Design, and Implementation:

Partner with other technical and business teams to plan, coordinate, and deliver support for organizational initiatives and projects.
dentify and implement process improvements and workflows to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in Environmental Health operations.
Work with teams to identify and refine and/or implement performance measures and systems, such as visual dashboards;
Work with teams to generate data to inform process improvements and conduct assessments of process improvements for continual growth.
Collaborate with internal and external partners to ensure the new software system meets the needs of users with the goal of business process standardization as much as possible.
Support incident response activities, problem management efforts, and escalation handling to minimize service disruptions.
Oversee the development and provision of training support, including guidelines, materials, and other resources.
Plan and oversee staff in developing system requirements, evaluate requirements, implement, and test system changes. Evaluate physical and technical requirements for best practice recommendations and implementation.
ystem monitoring including interface issues and timely resolution with the vendor and/or KCIT. Management of issues tracking and resolution systems.
Monitor and report on key performance indicators related to the software transition and continuous improvement initiatives.
Closely partner with KCIT to build internal and third-party integrations for the new software.
Anticipate, forecast, and report on key milestones, deliverables, and challenges that may impact the project, staffing, and service delivery.
Communications:

Communicate information about projects, status, activities, and recommendations. Identify communication needs and issues. Research, create, and coordinate the development of public and staff communications products.
Oversee change management and communications management including developing communication materials, presentations and briefings, and updates for internal audiences including leadership and external audiences including permit holders. This position will serve rotation (quarterly, one week) as a call taker for the 24/7 Environmental Health Interagency Emergency Notification Reporting Line.
Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

Our ideal candidate will demonstrate the following (Minimum):

2+ years' direct supervisory experience and managing technical staff, developing and executing work programs, setting performance expectations, developing performance measures, providing coaching and feedback.
2+ years' experience leading continuous improvement initiatives
2+ years' experience in managing and motivating cross-functional teams across multiple workgroups.
2+ years' experience with communication and stakeholder management
Problem-solving and decision-making skills.
Conflict resolution skills, skill in building consensus and coming to a resolution among individuals with conflicting viewpoints.
Ability to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment with attention to detail.
Skill in collaborating effectively with management, peers, other KCIT service teams and customers.
Demonstrated experience using recent Microsoft 0365 applications, including Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint.
Proficiency in project management methodologies and tools.
Experience at working both independently and in a team-oriented, collaborative environment is essential.
Demonstrated strong written and oral communication skills, including effective presentation skills.
The most competitive applicants will have the following experiences and qualifications (Desired):

4+ years of experience in project management, preferably in environmental health or public sector.
2 years of experience leading software implementation projects in a government setting.
2 years of experience with change management.
2 years of experience with vendor management in government setting
Experience with software implementation projects.
Experience with Lean Six Sigma, Kaizen, or other continuous improvement methodologies.
Knowledge of environmental health processes and regulations.
Knowledge of data and report analysis, reporting and document management systems.
Knowledge of contract principles and practices, and documentation preparation
Supplemental Information

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.

Who May Apply

this position is open to all qualifed applicants

The following items are required to be considered for this vacancy:

NEOGOV Job Application

(The responses on your job application should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
Supplemental Questions

(The responses to the supplemental questions should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
A Cover Letter

describing your interest in working for Environmental Health; and how your experience in project management, continuous improvement, and supervision aligns with the job duties posted
(Please note: Cover letters (remove if not applicable), resumes (remove if not applicable), and additional attachments will not be reviewed as part of the evaluation process if not outlined as a required application material as outlined above).

Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application. Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted.

Necessary Special Requirements

The selection process may include evaluation of application materials and supplemental questions, interviewing, and testing. You must completely fill out the application with your relevant education and work experience.
The selected candidate must be able to pass a thorough background investigation, but findings may not necessarily disqualify an applicant for employment.
For more information on our selection process, please refer to www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/jobs/hiring . For tips on interviewing, please visit https://www.kingcounty.gov/~/media/audience/employees/learning-and-development/Interview_Tips.ashx?la=en .
Employees are required to protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal Law.
Public Health relies on office automation (Microsoft Office) and web-based enabled tools, therefore candidates must be proficient and comfortable with computer use to perform functions associated with on-going work.
Employees are required to adhere to OSHA/WISHA guidelines including but not limited to completing their mandatory trainings on time and obtaining required immunizations.
Regular and reliable attendance, effective communication skills, and development of effective working relationships are requirements of all Public Health positions.
When Public Health responds to an emergency, and in accordance with relevant CBA language and/or KC policy and procedures, we may assign duties outside your regular job description. This may involve responding at any time, including nights and weekends, with possible deployment to locations other than the department.
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 your recruiter listed on this job announcement.
Union Membership

not represented

Contact
For questions about the application process, contact the Recruiter .

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:

Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage options: King County provides eligible employees with options, so they can decide what's best for themselves and their eligible dependents
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: eligible King County employees may 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
12paid holidays each year plus twopersonal holidays
Generous vacation and paid sick leave
Paid parental,family and medical, and volunteer leaves
Flexible Spending Account
Wellness programs
Onsite 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, 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.

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.
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