Strategic Planning Manager I (Z3 : KC Personnel Guidelines

Join Our Team as a Principal Planner & Demographer in the Department of Local Services (DLS) – King County

The Department of Local Services Director's Office is seeking an experienced planning professional to serve as Principal Planner & Demographer. This position will independently lead complex long-range planning, policy, legislative, and demographic initiatives that shape the future of unincorporated King County.

Working in close partnership with the Comprehensive Plan Manager, this position will serve as one of DLS's senior planning professionals and a trusted technical and policy advisor. You will lead a portfolio that may include Comprehensive Plan amendments, subarea planning, land use and zoning studies, code amendments, demographic analysis, and other high-profile initiatives. You will help set project direction, organize cross-departmental work, evaluate policy tradeoffs, and translate complex information into clear recommendations for department leaders and elected officials.

Approximately 20% of the position's work will focus on demographic analysis and coordination, although the proportion may vary somewhat based on the planning work cycle. You will serve as DLS's lead demographic resource, using population, housing, employment, migration, and related data to inform long-range planning, service delivery, and policy decisions. You will collaborate with countywide, regional, and state partners to support sound methods and consistent use of demographic information.

This role requires strong independent judgment, project leadership, and the ability to influence outcomes in a complex organization where many partners will not report directly to you. You will work with community members, planners, technical experts, department leadership, the King County Executive Office, Council staff, and other agencies to develop practical and implementable plans, policies, and legislation.

Our work is grounded in equity, guided by the King County Comprehensive Plan, and shaped by the communities we serve—especially communities historically underrepresented in planning and decision-making. The successful candidate will combine strong technical planning expertise with political awareness, clear communication, and an ability to make complex work understandable and actionable.

Some evening and weekend commitments may be required for community meetings and public presentations.

King County is the local service provider for the roughly one quarter-million people who live in the unincorporated areas of the county; collectively, these communities would be the second largest city in the state. The Department of Local Services includes a Director's Office, Road Services, and Permitting. Together, this department provides a single executive point of accountability for delivering local services to all unincorporated areas.

The Department of Local Services is deeply dedicated to fostering Equity and Racial and Social Justice in every aspect of our work. Our pledge is to cultivate, embrace, and celebrate the distinct experiences, viewpoints, and perspectives of our people, partners, and the communities we serve. Through this work, we dismantle systemic barriers, address inequities, and actively confront prejudices and biases. We acknowledge this journey is ongoing, and we remain steadfast in our efforts to create a positive impact for our employees and communities alike.

Applying equity and racial and social justice is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all King County employees. In this role, you will apply equity and social justice principles that exemplify shared values, behaviors, and practices to all aspects of the work.

• Independently lead complex long-range planning, policy, and legislative initiatives from scoping through adoption and implementation.
• Lead or play a principal role in Comprehensive Plan amendments, subarea plans, land use and zoning studies, development code amendments, and related implementation efforts.
• Establish project scope, work plans, schedules, decision points, engagement approaches, and measures of success; identify risks and resolve challenges affecting delivery.
• Lead cross-departmental and interjurisdictional teams, often without direct supervisory authority, and build the alignment and accountability needed to keep work moving.
• Mentor planning staff and provide technical guidance, quality review, and support for consistent and effective planning practices.

• Serve as DLS's lead demographic resource, conducting and coordinating demographic and growth forecasting work, including Urban Growth Capacity and Buildable Lands analysis, growth targets, Census data, and analysis of population, housing, employment, migration, equity indicators, and related trends.
• Integrate demographic, geographic, financial, and operational data to inform…