Government Relations Administrator

King County Metros General Managers Office has an exciting opportunity for multipleGovernment Relations Administrators to join the Government Relations: Jurisdictions and Interagency Partners Unit to lead work within Metro and with external partners to operationalize Metros values implement its policies form partnerships and communicate progress. The ideal candidate will be politically savvy have project management experience and great interpersonal skills. This unit seeks a strong self-starter who will help continue to position Metro to strategically build successful partnerships with local jurisdictions while collaborating with other divisions within Metro to ensure that community and equity is at the center of these conversations. These actions are key in delivering more equitable outcomes.

This position is an integral part of the Jurisdictions and Interagency Partners Unit responsible for planning developing and helping Metro develop and operationalize strategic and jurisdictional plans policies and initiatives consistent with our values.

This role involves a high level of collaboration with internal and external parties; planning and managing complex sometimes ambiguous processes with diverse perspectives to achieve Metros policy objectives; strong oral and written communications skills; and versatility in involving supporting and communicating with internal and external peers decision-makers and elected officials.

Our ideal candidate is someone who:

• Values diverse perspectives and can integrate them with practical experience and creative energy
• Can build diverse teams and coalitions to develop jurisdictional strategy that may lead to policy change
• Can design and facilitate planning processes with appropriate informing consultation and collaboration with key parties; document the outcomes; and work with internal parties to implement and track progress.
• Is values-driven and data-informed and can support this capability for a large system in aligning policies with decision-making and operations
• Is customer-focused and responsive yet able to strategically prioritize what needs immediate action what can be deferred and what will take a long-term and dedicated effort
• Is politically astute and savvy.

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

Jurisdictional Government Relations Support - 65-75%

• Support the Government Relations Jurisdictional and Interagency Partners Unit Supervisor in developing government relations strategies conducting research high level policy analysis and relationship mapping.
• Assist in developing and executing long-term jurisdictional engagement strategies.
• Develop and implement partnerships/government relations strategies in coordination with divisions project leads and other stakeholders in support of the goals and objectives set by King County Metro leadership and Metros Partnerships and Engagement program for the purpose of building and maintaining strong partnerships with local jurisdictions and their elected officials.
• Represent King County Metro and our agencys interests with jurisdictions their staff and elected officials; serve as a liaison to help project and program staff facilitate relationships with jurisdictions on behalf of King County Metro leadership.
• Develop and recommend strategy policies and procedures regarding partnerships/government relations as it relates to local jurisdictions and work develop departmental protocols to internally coordinate across Metro to communicate with local elected officials and jurisdictions.
• Coordinate with community relations leads with regard to development and implementation of public involvement/community engagement plans.
• Provide complex management support to the Government Jurisdictional and Interagency Partners Unit Relations Supervisor Director of Partnerships and Engagement and Chief of Staff with regard to local issues. Identify negotiate resolve and/or elevate sensitive significant and controversial issues on ad-hoc and systematic basis.
• Respond to elected and staff inquiries and requests from King Countys 39 jurisdictions.
• Provide project management support to senior leaders managers project teams and partnership and engagement team members to identify and secure strategic partnerships with transit partners service providers jurisdiction/governments businesses organizations and other prospective partners to advance Metros strategy service delivery increase capital or more efficiently deliver objectives.
• Support Metros Partnership and Engagement team to partner with organizations educational institutions CBOs and similar groups to advance Metros mission in transportation sustainability and equity and social justice and community engagement initiatives.
• Track jurisdictional issues areas of interest and legislation relevant to Metro and flag relevant legislation for Metro leaders.
• Attendant report out on project team meetings as needed.
• Monitoring jurisdiction council and committee meetings and providing summaries and flagging relevant items as needed.
• Prepare talking points briefing memos and presentations as need be
• Other duties as assigned

• Manageplanning logisticsand communications of various regional boards of elected officials from EastSouthand North King County in virtual and in person meetings.
• Coordinate with internal Metro staff agenciesjurisdictionson presentations in support of agenda development and creation andpreparingthe General Manager and other leadership for meeting participation and presentations.
• Work with Metros Intergovernmental Relations lead to schedule additional meetings with staff members from local jurisdictions participating from each transportation board to submit and prioritize projects for the transportation boards final approval.

We are looking for candidates who meet the following minimum qualifications:

• Previous project and/or program management experience. With demonstrated project management skills including the ability to manage multiple projects or activities across multiple projects.
• Skill in working effectively with diverse groups elected officials and senior executives.
• 3 years of experience performing increasingly responsible administrative work and functions.
• The ability to maintain confidentiality and effectively handle highly-sensitive personal and political information with sound judgment diplomacy tact and discretion.
• Ability to conduct high-level policy analysis and flag emerging issues.
• Demonstrated presentation creation delivery and facilitation skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with demonstrated ability to document prepare and communicate program information to key staff.
• Experience preparing and disseminating agendas and meeting packets and presentations for a high-powered audience producing digital and print communications.
• High-level understanding of the legislative process.
• Comfortable taking a leadership role in an ambiguous environment.
• Ability to create organizational systems and structures then manage their implementation.
• Proficiency in commonly used MS Office applications such as Word Excel PowerPoint and Outlook.
  
  

Highly competitive candidates will have (desired but not required):

• Understanding and tracking politics in the Puget Sound Region.
• Experience staffing and/or working with elected officials.
• Experience working within jurisdictions and/or county government.
• Experience utilizing SharePoint and Teams or similar software.
• Demonstrated experience analyzing policies creating project plans and setting up implementation timelines.

The following application materials are required:

1. An online King County with accuratecontact information and relevantwork history going backat least10 years (or moreif necessary) with alljobduties dates of employment and reasons for leaving explained clearly.
2. Resume
3. Completedsupplementalquestions.
4. A cover your cover letter please tell us why you are interested in this job and how your experience skills and/or education have prepared you for this position.