Project Program Manager IV - Integrated Drainage Program Manager

Summary

In addition to the current opening, this recruitment may be used to establish a pool of qualified candidates to fill future vacancies within the Water and Land Resources Division or throughout the Department of Natural Resources & Parks (DNRP) over the next six months.

Join King County Stormwater services and discover how to improve our valued communities. This position will affect real change through relationship building, project development and implementation, grant resourcing and regulatory development. With the ever-evolving nature of stormwater, rural land use and environmental regulations, this position will exist at the nexus of meaningful project development and critical government decision making. Join our team and make a difference in people’s lives!

About the Role

The Integrated Drainage Program Manager is an exciting role housed in King County Stormwater Services that will engage the community to design, partner, fund and implement high impact drainage projects that intersect multi-benefit elements involving rural communities, working lands, built and natural environments, stormwater impacts, flooding and aquatic habitat. This role evolves out of King County’s commitment to the landmark Fish Farm Flood agreement and will serve all areas of unincorporated King County to deliver on the Stormwater mission. This position will serve as a dedicated project manager to identify and pursue meaningful and impactful drainage improvements throughout the county housed with a team of engineers working at the leading edge of government and community interfacing.
About the Team

The Stormwater Services Section (SWS) is a constantly evolving cutting-edge organization charged with delivering services essential to managing stormwater runoff and surface water to protect public safety, improve water quality, restore aquatic resources, safeguard properties, and comply with county, state, and federal requirements.

WLRD’s mission is to protect, restore, and manage King County's water and land using the best available science, innovation, and collaborating with partners and the community. These, and many more programs, make WLRD an exciting and fulfilling place to work. For more information about the division, see www.kingcounty.gov/depts/dnrp/wlr.aspx
About the Division
The Water and Land Resources Division (WLRD) is at the forefront of King County’s efforts to protect and restore clean water and healthy habitat and strengthen the resilience of communities, environment, and infrastructure in the face of climate change. We are a dedicated workforce of more than 450 supported by an annual budget of ~$280 million. WLRD has a strong track record of developing innovative strategies to protect working farms and forests, restore habitat, improve water quality, and provide county residents with equitable access to green space. We house the Land Conservation Initiative, which aims to preserve our last, most important lands. Our forestry and agricultural programs help individuals protect their lands and support local food production.We house four salmon recovery forums where we collaborate with scores of partners to plan, design, and build habitat projects. We partner with regional jurisdictions to help residents and businesses reduce the threats posed by production, use, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials. We are the primary service provider to the King County Flood Control District, contributing to flood preparedness and constructing and maintaining facilities that restore rivers and reduce risk. Our one true local service to unincorporated King County is stormwater management, protecting water quality, reducing flooding, and building and maintaining facilities. Finally, we provide regional science and laboratory services to an array of customers, maintaining high-quality data sets used to assess water quality and habitat trends, and provide Best Available Science to inform decision making. In two words, we are a watershed utility.

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 the Project Program Manager IV - Integrated Drainage Program Manager of the Stormwater Services Engineering Response & Support Unit, 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 Water and Land Resources Division (WLRD) 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? Finalize development of the Integrated Drainage Program. Build on prior development work, develop the final programmatic operating parameters for the Integrated Drainage Program with an objective of completing pilot projects in the upcoming construction seasons and a goal of fully developing all programmatic operating procedures.Oversee all aspects of Program Management. Develop annual budget, secure contracts, establish and track staff/consultant support requirements, develop and track project list and report on program deliverables.Oversee all aspects of Project Management/Implementation. Develop scope and budget, secure funding, identify and secure project teams to complete analysis/design/plans, acquire appropriate permits, develop means to implement finalized projects, execute projects within identified constraints.Develop and maintain critical partner relationships. Work closely with and develop productive relationships with community interest groups, community partners such as conservation districts, watershed improvement and drainage districts, private landowners, regulators, tribes and other stakeholders.Identify and reduce regulatory barriers. Continuous identification of barrier regulations associated with the work of the IDP program and companion programs in SWS. Work closely with regulatory co-workers to identify opportunities for code changes, including drafting proposals for change and working closely through the process of code changes to track, edit, modify and act on behalf of stormwater services for impactful code change.Work closely with the ERSU Unit Manager to support other unit projects, programs and efforts on an as-needed basis, including participation in the SWS emergency response program, enforcement, future iterations of a SWS strike team, NDAP, ADAP and other needs as assigned.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

Qualifications You Bring:

• A bachelors degree in natural resource management or similar; OR an equivalent 5 years experience working in a field similar to natural resource management.
• Five years experience working in natural resource management requiring experience and application of knowledge for surface water and/or stormwater management.
• Five years experience leading teams.
• Experience working with rural communities on issues of natural resource management, including agriculture.
• Experience using project management and planning techniques and principles.
• Effective communication of technical details in a clear and concise manner to diverse audiences.
• Commitment and understanding of equity and a demonstrated skill establishing and maintaining work relationships with a diverse group of people.

Competencies You Bring:

• Customer Focus: Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions.
• Decision Quality: Making good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward.
• Action Oriented: Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
• Organizational Savvy: Maneuvering comfortably through complex policy, process, and people-related organizational dynamics.

It Would Be Good If You Bring:

• Ten or more years experience in natural resource management
• Experience with conflict resolution
• Experience with regulatory code development
• Project management certification
• Project management training

Supplemental Information

Working Conditions:
The Stormwater Services Team 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 is King Street Center (201 S. Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104). The frequency of in-person presence is guided by business needs and may be adjusted accordingly.

Employees must reside in Washington State and be within a reasonable distance to King County worksites to meet onsite 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 responsible during scheduled work hours.
Work Schedule: This full-time position works a 40-hour work week. This position is exempt from the overtime provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is not overtime eligible.

Union Representation: This position is represented by Teamsters Local 117 union.
Application and Selection Process:
We welcome applications from all qualified candidates. We value diversity, diverse perspectives and life experience and encourage people of all backgrounds to apply.

Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness including online application, cover letter and resume, and responsiveness to the list of qualifications, skills, and abilities. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews. Applications without the following required materials may not be considered for this position.

• King County application
• Complete Application (The responses on your job application should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
• Resume (Your resume should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
• Cover Letter that indicates your being a good candidate for this position.

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

Who to Contact: For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact Calvin Rivers at 206-263-1986 or crivers@kingcounty.gov

Discover More About the Division: Visit our website .

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 .

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.

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.

Closing Date/Time: 4/2/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

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• King County Water and Land Resources Division

• 206-477-4800

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