Career Center

Summary:

Are you a visionary leader with a passion for sustainability, innovation, and environmental stewardship? King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks is seeking a dynamic and experienced people leader to serve as the Director of the Solid Waste Division. This is a unique opportunity to guide a talented team in one of the nation’s most forward-thinking waste management organizations that is contributing to climate solutions. As the Division Director, you will play a pivotal role in shaping policies and strategies to propel our mission of sustainability and zero waste, creating meaningful environmental impact and contributing to the quality of life in King County.

About the Role:

As the Director of the Solid Waste Division, you will be the driving force behind strategic initiatives and day-to-day operations, guiding a team of more than 400 professionals. Your leadership will focus on advancing equity and social justice, fostering collaboration, and managing a high-performing senior management team. You will guide long-term waste management strategies, ensuring alignment with King County’s sustainability objectives and values.

In this transformational role, you will lead Re+, King County’s initiative to cut greenhouse gas emissions by transforming the region’s waste management system and transitioning to a sustainable, circular economy. This is an opportunity to make a lasting impact on both the environment and the community, while steering a forward-thinking division that is shaping the future of waste management in King County.

This is a hybrid position that performs work remotely and onsite.   

About the Department: 

The King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks supports sustainable and livable communities and a clean and healthy natural environment. Our mission is to foster environmental stewardship and strengthen communities by providing regional parks, protecting the region's water, air, land, and natural habitats, and reducing, safely disposing of, and creating resources from wastewater and solid waste. The Department is comprised of the Director’s Office, which provides direction and support for its four divisions: Parks and Recreation, Solid Waste, Wastewater Treatment, and Water and Land Resources.

We invite you to explore an interactive map of our recent accomplishments to and check out at Facebook, X, LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and our Keeping King County Green News.

About the Division:

The award-winning and innovative Solid Waste Division has been recognized for operational excellence and is now developing partnerships to transition to a sustainable, circular economy to cut greenhouse gas emissions.  

The Division's line of business is comprised of waste prevention, resource recovery, and waste disposal. This robust and dynamic enterprise-funded division has an annual budget exceeding $160 million. More than 400 employees create value for customers across 10 locations, which include eight recycling and transfer stations. Resources are harvested on-site, and refuse is transported by the Solid Waste Division to the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill in Maple Valley. 

Our goal is to bring together the best people to deliver value to our customers and stakeholders, continuously improving waste prevention, resource recovery, and waste disposal. 

Discover More About the Solid Waste Division at Solid Waste Division and check us out at Facebook,  Instagram, and YouTube.

Here are just of few of our recent achievements: 

• We opened two modern recycling and transfer stations, broke ground on a state-of-the-art station that will serve South King County and are determining the site of our next station in Northeast King County.  
• We embraced innovation through internal resource recovery initiatives and explored mixed-waste processing technology.  
• We partnered with small businesses to help us achieve waste reductions and reduce carbon pollution.  
• We achieved zero energy building certification from the International Living Future Institute at our Vashon Recycling and Transfer Station. 
• We removed nearly 2,000 toxic-coated pilings from the mouth of the Duwamish River, benefitting native salmon and the southern resident orcas that rely on them for food.  
• And we always kept operating, even during floods, wildfires, windstorms, and the biggest pandemic in a century – a testament to the resiliency and dedication of our frontline employees.  

About King County: King County, located in the Central Puget Sound region in Washington State, features vibrant and diverse communities’ exceptional outdoor activities, thriving arts and culture, an integrated transit system, the University of Washington, and a strong job market.

As the only local government in the United States named in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., King County is one of the most racially and culturally diverse regions in the country. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the artistic and social traditions of many cultures.

We continue to build on an enduring legacy of shared values of equity and social justice, employee engagement, innovative thinking, and continuous improvement. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda aimed at advancing regional change and is developing the systems and standards necessary to achieve better outcomes for all our residents, regardless of their race or income. 

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.

Job Duties

What You Will Be Doing:

As the Director of the Solid Waste Division, you will guide a dynamic team and ensure the Division’s success in advancing sustainability, innovation, and operational excellence. Key responsibilities include:

• Develop a high-performing team, fostering a culture of trust, transparency, collaboration, and results.
• Build partnerships with local governments, industry, and non-profits to advance the Division’s goals.
• Shape and execute the Division’s strategic goals, guiding capital, and operational programs for facility expansion and modernization.
• Foster clear communication, collaboration, and respect among staff and partners.
• Integrate equity and social justice principles into all operations and services 
• Oversee the Division’s budget, ensuring financial stewardship and alignment with sustainability goals.
• Drive initiatives such as Re+ to reduce waste, promote recycling, and support the circular economy.
• Ensure compliance with environmental regulations, including methane capture, water quality and stormwater requirements.
• Engage and motivate staff, fostering a positive work environment and encouraging active participation in decision-making processes.
• Use data to inform strategy, track performance, and ensure results.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

Qualifications You Bring:

• Operational Expertise: Extensive experience managing large, complex operational organizations within the public or private sectors.
• Leadership & Management: Proven success in leading large, diverse teams and managing senior-level staff. Skilled in workforce planning, recruitment, development, and retention. Experience fostering a high-performance, collaborative culture that drives engagement and results, and encourages active participation in decision-making processes aligned with organizational goals.
• Commitment to Equity, Racial, and Social Justice: A deep commitment to and experience in upholding and implementing principles of equity and social justice, with a proven ability to integrate these principles into all facets of an agency’s operations and services.
• Environmental Commitment: A dedication to the environmental mission, sustainability, and stewardship, integrating eco-friendly practices into organizational operations and decision-making.
• Political Savvy: Skilled in managing political relationships, fostering regional partnerships, understanding the policy landscape, and contributing to policy development.
• Change Management and Innovation: Demonstrated ability to lead and manage organizational change, introducing innovative solutions to complex challenges while maintaining focus on mission and goals.  Proven ability to engage staff, actively seek their feedback, and ensure successful adoption of changes.
• Financial Stewardship: Proficiency in overseeing large and complex budgets and ensuring responsible financial management within an organization.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Ability to utilize evidence and data to inform strategic decisions and drive results.

Competencies You Bring:

• Instills Trust: Gaining the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.
• 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.
• Racially Just: Identify and replace racist systems and structures with anti-racist and pro-equity approaches.
• Decision Quality: Making good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward.
• Strategic Mindset:  Seeing ahead to the future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies.
• 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.

It Would Be Great if You Also Bring:

• An extensive background in solid waste management, with a deep understanding of regulatory, operational, and technical aspects of the industry, gained either in the public or private sector.
• Experience working in a unionized environment, including navigating labor relations and collective bargaining agreements.
• A thorough understanding of environmental regulations, climate issues, and sustainability practices, especially in waste management and recycling.
• Experience in managing capital projects and understanding capital planning and experience achieving goals with minimal capital structure.

Supplemental Information

Working Conditions:

• Remote and Onsite Work Details: In this role, you will work remotely from a home location and will report to various onsite locations throughout King County at least three times per week.   The frequency of onsite work is determined by business needs and may be adjusted accordingly.
• Remote Work Location 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 full-time position works a 40-hour work week.  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.

Relocation: Reasonable and necessary moving expenses up to a maximum of $15,000 may be available if the successful candidate is relocating from outside of Washington.

Who to Contact: For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact: Shawna Ousse-Parton at sousse@kingcounty.gov or 206.263.3536 or Prakash Meloot at prakash.meloot@kingcounty.gov or (206)477-5262.

Application and Selection Process:

We welcome applications from all qualified applicants and value diversity, diverse perspectives and life experience and encourage people of all backgrounds to apply. Please select Apply and complete the brief application profile information and attach your resume and cover letter.  

We will review applications based on clarity, completeness, and alignment with the qualifications outlined in this posting. Be sure to highlight your experience in managing large and complex operational organizations, your commitment to the environmental mission, your ability to uphold and implement principles of equity, racial, and social justice, and your experience in change management and innovation.

The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more virtual interviews in early-mid February 2025. Finalists will be invited to tour facilities and participate in onsite interviews currently planned for late-February 2025.  Any employment offer will be contingent upon the results of a criminal background check and reference check.  The successful candidate will be appointed by the County Executive and is subject to confirmation by the County Council.

We Value Diverse Experiences and Encourage All Applicants: We understand that the best candidates may not meet every qualification. Don't hesitate to apply if you're driven and eager to make an impact.

Benefits:

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.  This position receives the following benefits and has access to the following programs:

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 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: King County employees are eligible to 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
• 12 paid holidays each year plus two personal 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
• Training and career development programs
• As an FLSA-exempt employee, the person in this position may be granted up to 10 days (80 hours) of paid executive leave each calendar year at the discretion of the director.

For additional information about employee benefits, visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page.

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.