Continuous Improvement Manager

Summary
This opportunity is open to current King County employees. We are not accepting external applications at this time.

About the Role:
The Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) has a strong culture of continuous improvement and innovation. This position is responsible for leading continuous improvement efforts which support the division's strategic objectives to maximize efficiencies, eliminate waste and improve process workflows. This position facilitates cross-functional teams and work collaboratively with WTD staff at all levels throughout the division to identify, analyze and evaluate issues to determine business benefit, potential cost savings, and productivity, and coach and mentor staff in the application of lean methods to improve processes. This position works out of the Director's Office to manage WTD's planning and execution of continuous improvement priorities across the division's four sections: Project Planning and Delivery, Operations & Maintenance, Environmental & Community Services, and Finance & Administration.

WTD is a diverse, complex, growing organization. This position engages in projects that impact policy, organizational structure, and process redesign involving considerable scope and long-term commitments. The Continuous Improvement Manager works with Division leaders and managers in vision setting and strategic deployment and provides process improvement training and coaching. This position has the potential for leadership growth and may be responsible for staff supervision through direct or matrixed reporting.

About the Team:
Our regional wastewater treatment system has a big job to do. Not only does it operate around the clock to sustain a healthy environment, but this vital infrastructure also supports economic development that enables our region to thrive. You will have the unique opportunity to work with across all wastewater workgroups and lines of business to help shape how we as a utility adapt and respond to changing regulations and build infrastructure for future generations. You will be a key part of one of King County's largest, most complex capital programs with a variety of interesting, challenging, and critical projects. You will be supporting the growth and strategic development of the largest capital program in King County with projects and programs stretching across 2200 square miles.

To our agency, success means providing clean water safely and reliably to the next generation. It also means being accountable to our ratepayers and operating a well-managed agency. We are 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.

Our primary mission is to provide high-quality treatment to wastewater collected from local sewer agencies. With a workforce of about 800 employees and multiple facilities, we serve a population of 2 million people. Our goal is to ensure clean water for the present and future generations, preserving the natural beauty of our environment. We are committed to accountability, both to our ratepayers and to operating as a well-managed agency.

We enforce regulations to reduce harmful waste discharge and actively educate the public and businesses on water quality protection. We prioritize accountability to our ratepayers and operate a well-managed agency that services over 2.3 million King County residents . Our regional wastewater treatment system not only sustains a healthy environment but also fuels economic development, fostering prosperity in our region. If you're passionate about making a difference and thrive in a collaborative environment, join us in our mission to safeguard our precious water resources.

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 Continuous Improvement Manager , 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 Wastewater Treatment Division of King County Department of Natural Resources & Parks (DNRP). 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.
Job Duties
What You Will Be Doing:

• Build, maintain and promote a culture of continuous improvement and innovation throughout WTD.
• Facilitate multidisciplinary teams in identifying and delivering significant business process improvements through the application of methodologies such as Lean and Six Sigma. Initiate and lead problem solving efforts, working closely with internal stakeholders.
• Create and execute plans for kaizen and other Lean events.
• Act as consultant and primary advisor to all levels of management within WTD; work closely with leadership on implementation and monitoring of improvement efforts.
• Partner with the Continuous Improvement Team (CIT), the County's centralized Lean resource, as an expert technical resource for cross-functional, inter-departmental projects and teams in applying Lean methodology.
• Lead the education and training of team members, front line staff and management in the use of Lean tools and methods to identify solutions to problems of significance to WTD operations; develop training content and create accessible training modes.
• Manage all activities defined in our Continuous Improvement Program Plan and communicate progress through newsletters, meetings, executive reports and website resources in coordination with our internal communications teams.
• Lead the assessment of division-wide continuous improvement initiatives by advancing the Best Run Government Roadmap and evaluation tools.
• Promote, improve and manage the Division's Bright Ideas program designed to improve WTD operations through employee-generated ideas
• Collaborate in the development and reporting of key performance measures, indicators, quality assurance, and improvement measures across multi-functional agency lines.
• Apply project management principles to organization-wide continuous improvement projects and initiatives.
• Coach and mentor staff on basic and advanced Lean concepts and tools.
• Contribute to the culture of the Director's Office by developing and facilitating team meetings, retreats and events.
• Manage consultant contracts, as needed.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills
Qualifications You Bring:

• Demonstrated knowledge and skill leading and facilitating basic and more advanced Lean thinking and tools, e.g. customer requirements, waste, standard work, visual management, process mapping, root cause analysis, 5S, daily management, A3 problem-solving, value stream mapping, mistake-proofing, etc.
• Demonstrated ability to generate commitment and an ability to move things forward by inspiring a shared vision.
• Excellent knowledge and skills in facilitation, consulting, change management, and conflict resolution; excellent written and oral communication skills, including effective use of visuals in communication.
• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse individuals with varying opinions and backgrounds.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple and shifting priorities.
• Ability to work on a team in a matrix environment: meeting the expectations of the County's centralized Continuous Improvement Team (CIT), WTD's Director's Office, and the sections in which work is taking place.
• Skill as a team leader and Division leadership communicator.
• Skill in using office software programs including word processing, spreadsheet, database, statistical analysis, presentation, cloud-based collaboration tools, and email.

Competencies You Bring :

• Builds Effective Teams - Building strong-identity teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals.
• Values Differences - Recognizing the value that different perspectives and cultures bring to an organization.
• Action Oriented - Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
• Customer Focused - Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions.
• Plans and Aligns - Planning and prioritizing work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals.
• Manages Complexity - Making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems.

Required Licenses:

• Washington State Driver's License.

It Would Be Great if You Also Bring:

• A minimum of five years in a position dedicated to coaching and/or facilitating Lean or equivalent activities OR Any combination of experience/education/training that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the work.
• Skill in utilizing auditing and quality assurance, diagnostic, and evaluation tools.
  

Supplemental Information

Working Conditions:

• Remote and Onsite Work Details: Employees in this role work remotely from a home location, with onsite reporting requirements are approximately 4-8 times a month. The frequency of onsite work is determined by business needs and may be adjusted accordingly. Onsite reporting locations may be at various King County worksites including treatment plants the collaboration space at King Street Center (201 S. Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104). This work arrangement promotes work-life-balance and reduces carbon footprint under the department's vision of Green Where We Work.
• Requirement: Employees must reside in Washington State and be within a reasonable distance to King County worksites to meet onsite reporting requirements.
• Work Schedule: This position is exempt from the overtime provision of the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) and is not overtime eligible.
• Union Representation: This position is not represented by a Union.

Application and Selection Process:
We welcome applications from all qualified internal King County employees only. 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.
To apply, submit a:

• Complete Application
• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Responses to the supplemental questions

Note: Additional documents won't be considered during minimum qualification screening.

W ho to Contact: For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact Diana Eberly at diana.eberly@kingcounty.gov

Discover More About the Wastewater Treatment Division: Visit our website and check us out at Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, and the WTD Blog.

Discover More About DNRP: Visit our DNRP 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 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.


Closing Date/Time:

• 

• King County Wastewater Treatment Division

Show more