Shape the future! Deliver what matters! Lead with impact!

The Director’s Office of the Solid Waste Division (SWD) is seeking a dynamic, strategic, and inspirational leader as our Capital, Planning, and Delivery Section Manager to lead a critical function at the heart of our organization. This role is responsible for driving long-term infrastructure strategy, optimizing capital investments, and ensuring excellence in planning, engineering, and project delivery.

About this Role:

As a key member of the division’s leadership team, this role serves as a strategic advisor to the Director, driving forward-looking capital planning, asset management, and performance initiatives. You will design and launch a comprehensive, multi-year capital portfolio program that aligns strategy, risk, and investment, establishing clear methods for project evaluation, prioritization, and forecasting. In your first year, you will quickly assess the current state, set priorities within 90 days, and begin implementing structures that bring visibility, consistency, and disciplined decision-making to capital planning and delivery.

At the same time, you will reshape how projects are delivered by embedding scalable standards for engineering, project management, and planning that strengthen accountability and ensure predictable outcomes. You will develop a robust asset management approach that integrates lifecycle performance, condition, risk, and service levels into capital prioritization. Leading a high-impact team, you will oversee project management, engineering, and planning functions, cultivate a culture of ownership and continuous improvement, and manage resources and budgets to tightly connect planning, performance, and financial results.

About the Team:

The Solid Waste Division is tasked with ensuring safe, environmentally protective management of waste and recycling for King County, serving 1.3 million residents. We operate 8 transfer stations, 2 rural drop boxes, and the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill – the only operational landfill in the county. We also maintain custodial responsibility for 9 closed landfills. Our solid waste system ensures that unincorporated King County and 37 cities have access to safe, efficient garbage transfer and disposal, and recycling services. We serve all cities in the county except for Seattle and Milton, which are part of separate solid waste systems.

SWD is committed to the principles of equity and social justice. We value diverse perspectives and life experiences in our workforce and are committed to building a culturally diverse and inclusive environment. SWD strives to provide equitable services to residents and businesses across King County.

This position works within the director’s office and reports directly to the Solid Waste Division Director. The director’s office includes our Deputy Director, Administrative Support Staff, Government Relations team, and Equity and Social Justice team. The work environment is fast-paced with high demands and fun at the same time.

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. In this position, you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity.

Apply now for a rewarding career at the Solid Waste Divisionof the King County Department of Natural Resources & Parks. Join our talented workforce in protecting and restoring the natural environment and promoting more resilient, sustainable, and equitable communities. Enjoy training, comprehensive benefits, and growth opportunities.

What You Will Be Doing:

Strategic Leadership and Advisory

• Serve as a key advisor to the Director on capital planning, infrastructure investments, and short and long-range planning.
• Provide vision, direction, and leadership for capital planning and delivery across the organization
• Align capital and operational planning with organizational goals and financial sustainability

Team Leadership and Development

• Oversee and direct unit managers responsible for technical services, engineering, and planning functions
• Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing, multidisciplinary team
• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement

Capital Portfolio and Asset Management

• Develop and oversee a comprehensive asset management program to maximize lifecycle value and system performance
• Establish and manage a multi-year capital portfolio program, including prioritization, forecasting, and performance tracking
• Ensure capital investments are data-driven, strategically aligned, and financially sound

Standards, Planning, and Delivery Excellence

• Develop, implement, and maintain standards for system planning, engineering, program/project management, through construction and commissioning
• Drive consistency, efficiency, and quality across all capital delivery processes
• Develop a governance structure for capital delivery

Financial Stewardship and Resource Allocation

• Develop and manage the section’s annual capital budget, partnering closely with the Finance section
• Allocate resources strategically across competing priorities to maximize impact
• Strengthen financial acumen across the team, linking planning decisions to fiscal outcomes

Qualifications You Bring:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher, or equivalent experience in a utility or public sector environment.
• Demonstrated ability to work in complex, regulated, or operationally constrained organizations.
• Substantial experience (at least 10 years preferred) in capital programming spanning the full lifecycle of capital delivery, including planning, engineering, portfolio, programs, and project management, through construction and commissioning.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of leadership and supervision, budget development, financial management employed in capital improvement and operating programs, policy implementation, and governance.
• Extensive experience (at least 5 years preferred) working with public financial rules, rate setting, budget appropriation, and procurement.
• Extensive experience (at least 5 years preferred) in portfolio governance, project prioritization, project information systems, and performance reporting.

Competencies You Bring:

• Values Differences - Recognizing the value that different perspectives and cultures bring to an organization.
• Manages Complexity: Making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems.
• Strategic Mindset: Seeing ahead to future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies
• Ensures Accountability: Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments.
• Communicates Effectively: Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
• Instills Trust: Gaining the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.
• Financial Acumen: Interpreting and applying understanding of key financial indicators to make better business decisions.
• Decision Quality: Making good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward.
• Directs Work: Providing direction, delegating, and removing obstacles to get work done.
• Develops Talent: Developing people to meet both their career goals and the organization’s goals.
• Builds Effective Teams: Building strong-identity teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals.
• Drives Vision and Purpose: Painting a compelling picture of the vision and strategy that motivates others to action.
• Courage: Stepping up to address difficult issues, saying what needs to be said.
• Manages Ambiguity: Operating effectively, even when things are not certain, or the way forward is not clear.

It Would be Great if You Also Bring:

• Inspirational leader – the ability to inspire confidence, project a balance of knowledge, authority, and empathy, and remain composed under pressure and challenge.
• Experience working on projects for a public utility
• Knowledge and experience delivering infrastructure projects related to wastewater, groundwater, and gas conveyance
• Knowledge/experience with construction management practices
• Experience navigating political challenges affecting capital project delivery

Working Conditions:

• Work Location: The Director’s Office 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. The primary onsite location includes the collaboration space at King Street Center (201 S. Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104). Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance from 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.
• Work Schedule: This full-time position works a 40-hour work week. This position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is not overtime-eligible.
• Union Representation: This position is non-represented.

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.

Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness, and alignment with the experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skills essential for this role to determine which candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews.

A complete application is required. To apply, submit a Complete Application and cover letter. A Resume is highly recommended but is optional. Additional documents won't be considered during minimum qualification screening.

For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact Prakash Meloottu at prakash.meloot@kingcounty.gov

Discover More About the Solid Waste Division: Visit our website at Solid Waste Division and check us out at Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

Discover More About DNRP: Visit our website, explore an interactive map of our recent accomplishments, and check us out at Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Keeping King County Green News.

Sign up for Job Alerts to be notified of additional career opportunities with King County. Select the Natural Resources category for DNRP opportunities and explore other categories of interest.

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 Americans 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.