Principal Planner & Demographer

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

The Department of Local Services Directors 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 DLSs 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 positions work will focus on demographic analysis and coordination although the proportion may vary somewhat based on the planning work cycle. You will serve as DLSs 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 serveespecially 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.

About the Department of Local Services:
King County is the local service provider for theroughly onequarter-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 Directors Office Road Servicesand Permitting. Together this department provides a single executive point of accountability for delivering local services to all unincorporated areas.

Our Commitment to Equity Racial and Social Justice

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 this role you will apply equity and social justice principles that exemplify shared values behaviors and practices to all aspects of the work.

Strategic Planning & Project Leadership

• 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.

Demographic Analysis & Data

• Serve as DLSs 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 planning service delivery policy development and legislative decisions.
• Coordinate with County regional and state partners and communicate methods findings and limitations clearly through reports maps presentations and other accessible products.

Policy Code & Legislative Development

• Develop and recommend land use policies development code amendments legislative proposals reports and implementation strategies.
• Evaluate legal operational financial equity and political considerations; identify tradeoffs and recommend practical implementable approaches.
• Prepare clear decision materials and technical products for senior leaders and elected officials and collaborate with legal operational and policy partners to develop and review legislation.
• Monitor planning and policy developments affecting unincorporated communities and support alignment between Comprehensive Plan policies regulations and implementation.

Community Engagement Collaboration & Representation

• Develop and implement inclusive engagement and communication strategies that center communities most affected by planning decisions and inform policy outcomes.
• Build effective relationships with communities jurisdictions agencies and internal partners; facilitate difficult conversations and help groups with competing interests reach workable decisions.
• Represent DLS in interdepartmental interjurisdictional regional legislative and community forums communicating County priorities clearly and professionally.

Professional Leadership & Work Management

• Exercise independent judgment manage multiple complex assignments and shifting priorities and elevate significant risks with clear options and recommendations.
• Communicate project status decisions dependencies and changes in direction so staff leadership and partners remain aligned; fulfill commitments with integrity and professionalism.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Values (ACTIVATE)

• Accountable
• Collaborative
• Timely
• Impactful
• Value Employees
• Accessible
• Trusted
• Equitable

Education & Core Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in planning urban studies public policy demography or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Five or more years of progressively responsible experience in long-range planning public policy demographic analysis or related work including responsibility for leading complex projects or major components of a broader program.
• Knowledge of Washingtons planning framework including the Growth Management Act Shoreline Management Act and State Environmental Policy Act and a practical understanding of land use development regulations and permitting.

Planning Policy & Project Leadership

• Experience independently leading or coordinating complex planning policy code or legislative initiatives involving multiple departments jurisdictions disciplines or partner organizations.
• Demonstrated ability to synthesize technical legal operational political and community information; evaluate competing priorities and risks; and develop sound implementable recommendations.
• Experience building alignment and maintaining momentum when project partners do not report directly to you.
• Strong project management skills including establishing scope organizing work managing risks and shifting priorities meeting deadlines and delivering high-quality outcomes.

Demographic & Analytical Skills

• Experience analyzing and interpreting demographic housing economic geographic financial growth or other quantitative data to inform planning or policy decisions.
• Ability to select appropriate data and methods assess quality and limitations and translate technical findings accurately for nontechnical audiences.

Communication Engagement & Collaboration

• Demonstrated experience leading inclusive community engagement and working effectively with people from diverse backgrounds disciplines organizations and perspectives.
• Strong writing presentation facilitation negotiation and interpersonal skills including the ability to explain complex information to elected officials senior leaders technical professionals community members and the public.
• Experience preparing or presenting policy legislative technical or decision materials for senior leaders elected officials appointed bodies or comparable audiences.

Technical Proficiency

• Proficiency with common tools used for planning policy project management and collaborative work and experience with quantitative or geographic analysis tools such as advanced Excel GIS statistical software databases or data visualization platforms.

Desired Qualifications

• Masters or professional degree in planning public administration demography geography public policy or a related field; or equivalent experience.
• Experience serving as a principal planner senior policy advisor or technical lead for a major Comprehensive Plan subarea planning zoning code development or related initiative.
• Experience using U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey Washington State Office of Financial Management regional growth forecasts growth targets Urban Growth Capacity or Buildable Lands data or comparable demographic and forecasting products.
• Experience using GIS data visualization or statistical analysis to communicate findings and support policy decisions.
• Knowledge of King County government and the regional and local policy landscape affecting King County.
• Experience mentoring professional staff or leading multidisciplinary teams without direct supervisory authority; AICP or another relevant professional credential is a plus.

INTERVIEW SCHEDULE:
Those applicants who pass the initial screening will be invited to participate in a 45-minute phone interviews in the week of 08/31/2026.If you are selected to move forward after the first phone interview you will be invited for a 45 minute in-person interview in the week of 09/07/2026.

WHO MAY APPLY:
This recruitment is open to all qualified applicants and may be used to fill current and or/future career service term-limited temporary short-term temporary and or/special duty positions over the next six months.

Special duty opportunities are open only to current King County career service employees who have completed the initial probation. Special duty applicants must have approval from their current supervisor to accept an assignment. Current employees selected for special duty will be compensated based upon the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement King County Personnel Guidelines or Coalition Labor Agreement for their base assignment.

Applications will be screened for clarity completeness and competitiveness. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more interviews. Minimum qualifications and answers to supplemental questions must be demonstrated in your application materials.

For interviewing tips please see the STAR-LA method:

EMERGENCY DESIGNATION STATUS:

This position has been designated as Non-Mission Critical -Employees who staff county functions or services that may be delayed suspended or diverted in an emergency while essential functions are prioritized Mission Critical.

UNION MEMBERSHIP:

This position is non-represented.

TELEWORKING REQUIREMENTS:

This is a hybrid position. We will work in the office at least three days a week to foster connection and responsiveness arrive prepared and on time and structure meetings with clear goals and next steps.

Employees must reside in WashingtonStateand within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Employees will be provided with a County issued laptop and must maintain a workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.

King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will be joining an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work in a hybrid environment.

For more information regarding this recruitment please contact:

Sonali Naidu /