Ruth Woo Emerging Leaders Fellowship in Various Locations throughout King County, WA, Washington

King County is proud to offer an exciting fellowship opportunity for those committed to exploring a career in public service. The Ruth Woo Emerging Leaders Fellowship is named after the revered community leader Ruth Woo. Not only a mentor to many elected officials, Woo dedicated her life to public service.

 

To honor her many contributions to our communities and state, King County is offering five one-year, paid, full-time positions. Selected fellows will demonstrate their commitment to building on Ruth Woo’s legacy and achievements of empowering and advocating for youth from economically disadvantaged communities that have historically lacked opportunities to further both educational and career aspirations. To learn more about Ruth Woo, visit: Northwest Asian Weekly.
 
 Learning Objectives of Fellowship Opportunity:

• Build knowledge and understanding of specific branches of county government and their operations; 
• Learn how projects, policies, and legislation are created and implemented;
• Understand the impact and importance of civic engagement; 
• Develop an appreciation for the importance of public service in its many forms from elected officials and staff to stakeholders, and clients; and 
• Deepen and enhance skills for building a career in the public sector.

Fellows will be assigned to work in a county agency for period of twelve months. These agencies include: the Executive's Office of Performance Strategy and Budget (PSB); Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP); Department of Executive Services – Facilities Management Division (DES-FMD); and Metro Transit (MTD). One fellow will be assigned to work with King County Council (KCC) and Department of Human Resources – Learning and Development (DHR-L&D) for a total period of twelve months, six months with KCC and six months with DHR. All projects will be subject to the specific needs of the host department at the time of the assignment and the fellow's interests.
 
  Work assignments will vary and can include:

• Providing project support for government initiatives;
• Assisting with strategic planning activities;
• External communications support to include social media and seeking public input;
• Tracking legislation; and
• Supporting internal business operations and goal tracking and measurements. 

 

These assignments will provide the fellow with an opportunity to perform real work under the guidance of experienced County employees, learn new skills, and gain experience while working on important efforts King County is embracing to further the health and well-being of our region and further our goals of equity and social justice. 

Qualifications:

• College degree (transcripts will be requested upon offer)

Ability to:

• Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing;
• Develop and maintain effective relations with diverse people and people from different backgrounds and across different sectors;
• Be flexible and be able to adapt to new situations while working in a multi-faceted and sometimes ambiguous environment; and
• Remain neutral on issues where there are competing political agendas and use tact, discretion, and diplomacy in dealing with sensitive issues and concerned individuals

Knowledge of:

• Interpersonal communication skills;
• Work ethic, an ability to get things done, and be independent in time management; and
• Analytical and research skills, with the ability to learn new technologies and processes

Commitment to:

• Supporting the objectives and goals of King County's Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan; and support for King County Guiding Principles.

Working Conditions:

This position is nonexempt (hourly) and is overtime eligible with supervisory pre-approval. Typical work hours are Monday - Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (8-hour days) and may report to various King County locations. Union Affiliation: this position is not represented

 

Application Instructions:
All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.

Priority will be given to economically disadvantaged college graduates from backgrounds that have historically lacked equitable access to education, employment, and professional development opportunities. 

Applicants should complete the online application and attach a resume and cover letter outlining why you are the most qualified to be selected as a fellow. Materials should speak to your demonstrated commitment to public service and your background. In your cover letter, please address the following three areas:

(1) Your background and how it represents a community that has historically lacked equitable access to education, employment, and professional development opportunities;
(2) barriers you've had to overcome and the actions you took to get through them; and
(3) your skills and interests relative to the department(s) you selected as those you want to work in or learn more about. Go to www.kingcounty.gov to learn more about any one of our departments.

The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more interviews. Reference and education verification checks will also be conducted.

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 related to this recruitment process, please contact Rowena Jackson by email at *****/a>.

County Agency Information

Department of Executive Services – Facilities Management Division (DES-FMD): Through the work of over 350 dedicated Facilities Management Division (FMD) employees, FMD provides clean, environmentally sustainable, and cost-effective work environments for every other department across King County, within a rapidly changing world. The division’s six sections include: building operations (custodial and building maintenance), capital projects, security management, real estate services (property acquisition, leases, etc.), finance, and strategic and long-term space planning. FMD works to incorporate equity and social justice and environmental sustainability principles in every aspect of our work.

Department of Human Resources – Learning and Development (DHR-L&D): The Learning and Development section develops, facilitates, and supports learning that enables employees to grow and innovate to provide their best work for the King County community.

Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP): DNRP is modeling how to be a best-run government through our actions to tackle climate change.  We are a leader in implementing the county’s Strategic Climate Action Plan, a five-year roadmap to cut greenhouse gas emissions by half, prepare the region for climate impacts, and elevate the voices of frontline communities. This work puts climate equity front and center as we work to ensure our region leads in both emission reduction and promoting climate resiliency.

King County Council (KCC): As King County’s legislative branch of government, the King County Council sets broad policy, enacts laws, and adopts budgets that have a significant impact on King County communities. The Council also oversees specific functions of county government, ensuring that public resources are managed effectively. This work is accomplished through Council committees that focus on specific issues such as transportation or human services, and through the County’s independent agencies that are housed in the legislative branch.

Metro Transit (MTD): At King County Metro, we believe mobility is a human right. A right to get where you need to go when you need to—safely, equitably, and sustainably. Our Metro team is committed to ensuring everyone has the right to move. For us to truly move forward together, mobility must be about the business of building fast, frequent, reliable all-day services that are both prioritized and co-created for those with the greatest need of public transit. Metro Transit Safety, Security, & Quality Assurance provides leadership and the highest level of support and customer focus to continuously improve Metro’s safety culture and security practices in order to best protect Metro employees, patrons, and the communities we serve from unintentional and intentional harm.

The Executive's Office of Performance Strategy and Budget (PSB): PSB serves as the hub of county budget and policy development, strategic planning, performance management, and as a key implementation arm of the County Executive. PSB is committed to becoming a diverse, inclusive, and open organization that models the County's values. PSB employees enjoy a flexible work environment and frequent opportunities for collaboration and celebration.

Forbes recently 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.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement

King County Executive Branch employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If you are the successful candidate for the position you applied for, the County will send you a conditional offer letter.

As a condition of employment, prior to a final offer of employment, you will be required to:

• submit proof of vaccination, or
• have an approved request for medical or religious exemption and an approved accommodation. Philosophical, political, scientific, or sociological objections to vaccination will not be considered for an exemption or accommodation.

People are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 two weeks after receiving the final dose of a vaccination approved by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Executive Branch includes employees in the Executive branch, the Assessor's Office, Elections, the King County Sheriff's Office, and the Executive Office.

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.