SummaryAre you looking for the opportunity to work on exciting projects and contribute to a mission-driven agency? If so, our Policy and Market Development Manager (Project Program Manager III) position may be the right job for you.

The King County Solid Waste Division is pleased to welcome applicants for a Project/Program Manager III.  In this fulltime role, you will work for the King County Solid Waste Division on strategic planning and policy development to create a circular economy system for managing products and packaging materials at their end-of-life. The objective is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase the use of recyclable commodities, develop/enhance the local processing and end markets for recycled materials and reduce consumption of natural resources throughout King County, Washington State and the region.  This position regularly advises and makes recommendation to top management and supports the briefing of elected officials on matters related to solid waste-specific areas.

Our ideal applicant will have strong communication skills, ability to analyze policies and create new, innovative approaches to managing our region’s recyclable materials while taking into consideration our stakeholders’ interests and perspectives.

We invite you to join a Skype audio call to learn more about this position. We will have this event on Tuesday, March 17 from 9:00 am to 10:00 am. You can call us at 1.206.263.8114 and enter code 422149 when prompted. If you are unable to join us during that time and have questions about the position, you can contact Lauren Cole at 206-477-5270 or email at lauren.cole@kingcounty.gov. King County Solid Waste Division is committed to the principles of racial 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.

Who May Apply: This position is open to all qualified applicants. King County and the Solid Waste Division values diverse perspectives and life experience and encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, women, LGBTQ, immigrants, refugees, people with disabilities, and veterans.  

Forms and Materials Required: Applicants must submit a (1) King County application form and (2) letter of interest detailing your background and describing how your education and experience meet the qualifications and has prepared you to perform the essential functions of the job.

Work Location: King Street Center – 201 South Jackson Street, Suite 701, Seattle, WA. 98104

Work Schedule: This position works a 40-hour work-week, Monday through Friday. However, sometimes weekends and evenings may be required. This position is exempt from FLSA provisions and is not overtime-eligible.  This position is represented by Teamsters Local 117.

Solid Waste Division Profile: The Solid Waste Division (SWD) provides garbage transfer, disposal and recycling services for residents and businesses in all of King County, except for Seattle and Milton. SWD also provides household hazardous waste disposal options and recycling education programs for its residents and small businesses.

SWD’s service area has a population of about 1.4 million, or approximately 70 percent of King County’s population as a whole. Most of the customers live in incorporated areas of the county. King County customers dispose of more than 920,000 tons of solid waste each year. The language and race demography of King County is changing to a more diverse population. SWD emphasizes in its outreach programs the need to reach multilingual/multicultural communities using community-centered, culturally competent and culturally sensitive engagement practices and strategies. King County has launched and continues to support Equity and Social Justice (ESJ) initiatives which SWD highly values and supports.

Related websites:
https://kingcounty.gov/depts/dnrp/solid-waste.aspx
King County’s ESJ strategic plan: https://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice/strategic-plan.aspx
King County Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan: https://www.kingcounty.gov/council/issues/solid-waste.aspx

Examples of Job Responsibilities:

• Developing policies to manage packaging and products at the end-of-life and to create incentives that will drive the redesign of products/packaging to result in environmental benefits including reduced greenhouse gas emissions. (For example, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), also known as Product Stewardship)
• Assisting with the development of policies that require use of recycled materials in products and packaging.
• Tracking domestic and international product stewardship/EPR developments for key packaging/products.
• Assisting with the implementation of EPR systems.
• Participating in the development of other waste management policies and an implementation scheme for inclusion in the King County Solid Waste Division’s Zero Waste of Resources Plan and assisting with the implementation of the plan.
• Conducting briefings and workshops for internal KC staff and managers about policies for packaging and other products.
• Building coalitions with external entities to support waste management bills in the Washington State legislature.
• Lobbying at the state legislature for waste management policies.
• Networking with businesses and other private sector organizations on policies and programs.
• Participating in and/or coordinating the Northwest Product Stewardship Council.
• Implementing interim approaches to achieve the goals of the Responsible Recycling Task Force regarding transparency and documenting that materials are being recycled into usable commodities.
• Representing King County in consultation processes during the development of EPR systems.
• Supporting, as needed, other Solid Waste programs and projects.
• Plan and facilitate meetings, work sessions and briefings with internal staff/management and external partners including other government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and solid waste and recycling stakeholders.
• Network and build relationships with internal and external (to King County government) stakeholders that are supportive of EPR and other waste management policies/systems.
• Meet with elected officials, provide written comments and oral testimony at the Washington State Legislature.
• Draft plans and reports, program budgets and scopes of work.
• Assist with consultant contract procurement and management.
• Represent King County SWD in a variety of multiple agency, stakeholder and regional workgroups on a variety of topics related to solid waste, recycling, and EPR.

Our Ideal Candidate Will Have:

• Undergraduate degree in business, public policy, political science, government relations, environmental policy, or sustainability in an environmental discipline and 5 years of work experience in strategic planning or policy development or another relevant policy area or any combination of education and experience which provides you the skills to perform the duties of this job efficiently.
• Master’s Degree in legal studies, public policy, environmental law, political science, sustainability or similar areas with a significant environmental component is preferred.
• Strong technical skills including research and analysis techniques, pilot design, and policy analysis.
• Ability to work collaboratively and objectively with representatives from government, industry, environmental groups, and those with other stakeholder interests.
• Knowledge of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy and programs, laws, and regulations in the U.S. and abroad.
• Knowledge of Washington State solid and hazardous waste regulations, strong environmental and/or waste management and recycling policy background.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and experience working with the Washington State legislative and rulemaking processes.
• Ability to represent the division and the department, ability to advocate for policies during and outside the legislative process.
• Proven ability to align work tasks with agency goals and shift gears to respond quickly to changing priorities. Adept at managing multiple projects simultaneously and able to produce high-quality results, on time, and within budget.
• Strong strategic and problem-solving skills.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to summarize complex concepts in formats that are easily understood by lay audiences, and to translate ideas into clear, compelling proposals, presentations, and reports.
• Demonstrated project management and organizational skills, including proficiency with standard office computer software programs such as MS Office Suite or Office 365 – Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Demonstrated team leadership skills, including the ability to thrive in team environments and seek guidance and advice from other team members.
• Proven ability to work independently and manage time effectively.
• Proven ability to facilitate groups of stakeholders, employees, etc, in person and over the telephone.

Who to Contact: If you have additional questions about this recruitment, please contact Prakash Meloot at prakash.meloot@kingcounty.gov

If you have questions about the position or wish to learn more about  SWD, please contact Lauren Cole at 206-477-5270 or lauren.cole@kingcounty.gov or visit https://kingcounty.gov/depts/dnrp/solid-waste.aspx