Senior Public Engagement Lead – Water Infrastructure

Senior Public Involvement Outreach Specialist

Salary: $ - $ Annually

Location:

King Street Center – 201 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA

Job Type: Career Service (Exec)

Job Number:

Department: DNRP–Natural Resources & Parks

Division:
Wastewater Treatment

FLSA:
Exempt

Bargaining Unit: W4 : TEA‑WTD, DNRP‑Staff

Full‑ or Part‑Time:
Full Time

Hours/Week: 40 hours/week

We are seeking a senior specialist who uses their communication skills to help people make informed decisions about the infrastructure and services that influence their lives. The Wastewater Treatment Division’s Community Services group supports transparency and public engagement, even in the face of community opposition, by collaborating with diverse audiences and valuing their perspectives.

We are recruiting for two Senior Public Involvement Outreach Specialist (Water Quality Planner/Project Manager III – WQPPM III) positions. Eligible candidates will plan, manage, and provide field communications and public outreach for concurrent infrastructure projects such as pipes, pump stations, and underground storage tanks throughout the planning, design, and construction phases. The role requires developing engagement guidelines, building public acceptance, and handling situations of public opposition with diplomacy and tact.

Additional duties include supporting incident response efforts to protect public health during sewage spills or other emergencies, requiring availability on a rotating basis.

The Community Services unit works across King County to protect public health and the environment, provides equitable and inclusive services, and upholds values of equity, social justice, and cultural diversity.

King County prioritizes equity and social justice, and this role actively applies those principles in all work activities.

• Gain public acceptance for construction projects in the Capital Improvement Program, including treatment plants, large pipes, pump stations, and other underground infrastructure.
• Develop, manage, and implement public involvement plans for projects that may face opposition or controversy, establishing guidelines where none exist.
• Effectively communicate and coordinate with interdisciplinary project teams on complex infrastructure projects.
• Represent WTD at public events, briefings, and one‑on‑one venues; work directly with community members to reduce risks and advance opportunities.
• Plan, assess, and advocate for equity and social justice opportunities on WTD capital projects using County equity assessment tools.
• Support the incident response program, providing night, weekend, or rotating availability to operate in industrial and construction sites and protect public spaces during emergencies.

• Experience managing public outreach on concurrent projects, serving as the public face for outreach efforts.
• Demonstrated leadership in leading outreach on projects with no established guidelines, or developing such guidelines.
• Experience working with racially, culturally, and socioeconomically diverse individuals, communities, and organizations.
• Experience planning and implementing effective outreach campaigns, including goal identification, objective setting, tactic selection, and schedule management.
• Skills in designing accessible outreach and using equitable engagement tactics.
• Experience directing and managing consultant teams to support community outreach efforts.
• Experience working with technical experts to develop clear communication pieces.

• Customer Focus:
  Building strong relationships and delivering customer‑centric solutions.
• Drives Results:
  Consistently achieving results under challenging conditions.
• Interpersonal Savvy:
  Relating openly and comfortably with diverse groups of people.
• Manages Ambiguity:
  Operating effectively when outcomes are uncertain.
• Being Resilient:
  Rebounding from setbacks and adversity.

A valid Washington State Driver’s License (enabling travel to meetings and field sites).

• Working knowledge of wastewater systems and operations.
• Exp…