King County

Summary

Metro’s Enterprise and Strategic Initiatives team is looking for their next Sr. Service and Workforce Continuous Improvement Specialist. You will lead multiple value stream improvement projects grounded in Lean principles. These projects will focus on designing and implementing improvements in areas such as bus operator leave management, training, data and systems, and recruitment. Additional areas of Continuous Improvement (CI) work may be identified based on agency needs.

This is a high-visibility position requiring those who thrive in a fast-paced work environment, are flexible and able to adapt to work with the initiative, navigate ambiguity with certainty, are effective at managing up, collaborative, and maintain strong working relationships, know how to prioritize time and scale level of effort based on priorities and guidance, and are ultimately results-oriented.

This recruitment will be used to fill one immediate TLT/SDA opportunity that is anticipated for a 15-month appointment, with potential for extension.

This position will be hybrid, with an expectation that work will be performed on-site at least 2 days per week. Primary work locations will be King Street Center (201 S. Jackson, Seattle) and Metro’s Norfolk Training Center (3401 S Norfolk St., Seattle), and other locations as needed.

Job Duties

Applying equity and social justice principles 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. You will:

• Plan, lead, and implement continuous improvement events and work through application of methodologies such as Lean and Six Sigma. This work will include multiple value streams focused specifically on Metro’s bus operator workforce and will include implementation of already planned events as well as design of additional events as needed.
• Cultivate lasting knowledge of and capacity for Continuous Improvement principles and practices with staff as part of implementing and designing improvement events and creating sustainable change.
• Work in lockstep with the initiative lead; a matrixed team of staff from Employee Services, Bus Operations, Finance & Administration, and the Mobility divisions; and a sponsor coalition of Division Directors and the General Manager's office. Appropriately involve stakeholders at the appropriate time and level.
• Support the education and training of multidisciplinary team members, front-line staff, and leaders in process improvement principles and techniques, such as Lean, to achieve business goals and to identify solutions to problems of significance to department operations.
• Develop and report out performance measures, indicators, quality assurance, and improvement measures across multi-functional agency lines.
• Take on project management tasks within individual workstreams and support overall initiative activities to ensure smooth coordination and progress.
• Other duties as assigned.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

We are looking for candidates who have:

• Five years’ progressive experience in a position dedicated to continuous improvement and/or facilitating lean, change management, or equivalent activities for a complex and large organization OR any combination of work experience, training, and education that provides the skills to perform the work.
• Demonstrated experience in facilitating multidisciplinary teams in identifying and delivering significant business process improvements through the application of methodologies such as Lean and Six Sigma or other CI methodologies. Initiate and lead problem-solving efforts, working closely with internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience leading, organizing, collaborating with, motivating, and bringing out the expertise of multidisciplinary teams and working with matrixed workgroups and individuals at all levels within a large organization.
• Skills in process mapping and familiarity with planning and management tools to visually map out workflows and processes.
• Significant experience using data to develop process improvements. Demonstrated experience in improving data fidelity and accuracy within processes. Using data to make decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to work respectfully to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a diverse group of individuals from a variety of different positions, cultures, and backgrounds.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the effective use of visuals in communication.
• Organizational skill in managing multiple, often competing tasks simultaneously. Ability to effectively prioritize work in alignment with the manager’s feedback. Ability to scale effort to meet available time.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Suite applications. Intermediate SharePoint skills.
• Ability to work at all Transit sites throughout King County, and may be required to travel between sites throughout the day.

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

• 10+ Years of progressive experience in a position dedicated to continuous improvement and/or facilitating Lean or equivalent activities for a complex and large organization. Experience teaching continuous improvement/lean principles.
• Lean Six Sigma Green or Black belt, or similar certifications.
• Deep understanding of how business processes are relevant for specific Government/Transit functions, and able to see how different Government/Transit processes are connected or related to each other.
• Documented professional experience in a non-profit/public organization and/or in a union environment.
• Experienced using Power Apps, Power Automate, and other automation tools to improve the efficiency of high-throughput, highly repetitive processes.

Supplemental Information

Who May Apply

This recruitment is open to current King County employees and the general public.

Required Application Materials

• An online employment application, including all relevant employment history and experience related to this role.
• Responses to supplemental questions (Please note, narrative responses are required in lieu of a cover letter)
• Updated resume with relevant work history.

Cover letters and additional attachments will not be reviewed as part of the evaluation.

Selection Process

Applicants will be screened for competitiveness, completeness, and written communication skills to determine the most qualified candidates. The process may include the following: a review of the application and supplemental questions, testing and/or panel interview, and references.

For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact: Aimee Higbee at ahigbee@kingcounty.gov

Work Schedule

This position is not covered under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is ineligible for overtime pay. Work schedule is normally Monday through Friday, 40-hour work week. Variations may be required depending on the demands and training needs of the work.

Union Membership

This position is not represented by a bargaining unit.

Classification:

Work Location and Telework Requirements

The Enterprise and Strategic Initiatives team works in a hybrid model, with days in the office as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. Primary work locations will be King Street Center (201 S. Jackson, Seattle) and Metro’s Norfolk Training Center (3401 S Norfolk St., Seattle), and other locations as needed.

King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment. Employees will be provided with a County issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.

Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

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. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

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.

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. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:

• Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage options: King County provides eligible employees with options, so they can decide what’s best for themselves and their eligible dependents
• 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: eligible King County employees may 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
• Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
• Training and career development programs

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

This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails.

NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position. Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.

For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.

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