Community Engagement Specialist

King County•Seattle - Regional area, WA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

This opportunity is open to current King County employees. We are not accepting external applications at this time. Protect water quality. Build community partnerships. Continue serving King County communities in a role focused on equity, environmental stewardship, and meaningful public engagement. King County’s Water and Land Resources Division is seeking a Community Engagement Specialist (Project/Program Manager III) to lead engagement efforts that connect communities with stormwater programs, environmental initiatives, and future infrastructure investments. This opportunity is open to current King County employees who are passionate about relationship-building, collaborative problem-solving, and advancing community-centered approaches that help ensure residents have a voice in decisions impacting their neighborhoods and environment. As the Community Engagement Specialist, you will help lead outreach and engagement efforts that support stormwater programs, water quality initiatives, and future capital projects serving communities across unincorporated King County. This role will work closely with community organizations, residents, planners, engineers, project managers, and leadership to help ensure community feedback and lived experiences are incorporated into planning and decision-making processes. The successful candidate will support engagement efforts focused on overburdened and vulnerable populations and help foster meaningful partnerships that strengthen environmental outcomes and community trust. This position includes attending community meetings and events throughout King County, including occasional evenings and weekends. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys relationship-building, facilitating collaboration across diverse groups, translating technical information into accessible messaging, and supporting equitable public engagement strategies. King County’s Stormwater Services Section is committed to protecting public safety, improving water quality, and restoring aquatic resources in unincorporated King County. The Water Quality Compliance Unit works collaboratively with internal partners, community organizations, cities, tribes, and regional stakeholders to advance environmental stewardship and support healthy, resilient communities. Our team values collaboration, innovation, continuous learning, and equity-centered public service. Staff work across disciplines to develop community-informed solutions that improve water quality, strengthen partnerships, and support long-term environmental resilience. 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. As a Community Engagement Specialist (Project/Program Manager III) , 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 Department of Natural Resources & Parks (DNRP) of King County. 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.

Requirements

Proficient in use of Trello and Microsoft Office programs including Sharepoint, Teams, Excel, Word and Outlook
Demonstrated experience building relationships and engaging communities to achieve positive outcomes.
Experience working for public utilities or public organizations focused on environmental policy and/or infrastructure improvements.
Exceptional writing and oral presentation skills including use of social media platforms.
Balances Stakeholders: Anticipating and balancing the needs of multiple stakeholders.
Action Oriented: Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
Plans and Aligns: Planning and prioritizing work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals.
Interpersonal Savvy: Relating openly and comfortably with diverse groups of people.
Instills Trust: Gaining the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.
Racially Just: Identify and replace racists systems and structures with anti-racists and pro-equity approaches.
Nimble Learning: Actively learning through experimentation when tackling new problems, using both successes and failures as learning fodder.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of stormwater impacts.

Responsibilities

Conduct community engagement efforts required by King County’s NPDES Phase I Municipal Stormwater Permit.
Lead development of strong partnerships with community regarding planning efforts and future stormwater capital investments.
Ensure ongoing community involvement and meaningful participation, maintaining partnerships and accountability to affected communities.
Provide expertise on policies, practices and program models impacting communities in unincorporated King County, particularly overburdened communities.
Offer continuous technical assistance and deploy efforts to support contract partners in overcoming program barriers.
Lead implementation of Stormwater Services community engagement strategies through partnerships with leadership and staff, community leaders, regarding the importance and priorities of community engagement in King County’s stormwater management program.
Cultivate and sustain relationships and partnerships with coalitions and key leaders, as well as organizations within unincorporated King County communities, influencing and learning from collective perspectives and efforts regarding issues affecting overburdened populations.
Coordinate with engagement efforts across programs impacting permit compliance and water quality at the county.
Provide support for collecting and analyzing data to conduct program needs assessments, evaluate outcomes, and recommend quality improvement.
Assist in intra-departmental engagement efforts related to water quality and key issues identified by communities, ensuring alignment with county initiatives.
Work closely with teammates to identify issues, assess impacts and risks, and offer recommendations.
Implement community engagement strategy development, tracking, and implementation.
Review local and regional plans and proposals concerning communities we serve to understand objectives, expected outcomes, and alternatives.
Contribute to communications planning efforts.
Prepare clear, concise, and objective documents, reports, and briefings orally and in writing, summarizing analytic findings, issues, and alternatives effectively.