Project Program Manager III Transit Employee and Labor Relations

King County Metro Transit Employee and Labor Relations team is hiring a Project Program Manager III to be a point person for overseeing tracking developing standard work and reporting on Employee and Labor Relation issues.

This position is responsible for leading and facilitating large scale meetings managing complex highly sensitive projects that require coordination across multiple departments legal partners labor relations staff and operational leadership. As the project manager you will establish and support standardized processes develop tracking and reporting mechanisms and serve as the primary coordinator for Requests for Information (RFIs) supporting litigation arbitration and other legal proceedings.

The Transit Employee and Labor Relations (TELR) team supports employees at Metro Transit most of whom are represented by collective bargaining agreements. TELRs mission is to engage with Metro Transit employees and their representatives to support a workplace culture that inspires innovation creative problem solving collaborative negotiations and continuous improvement in our drive toward service excellence.

Position Information: This recruitment will be used to fill one (1) Special Duty Assignment (SDA)/Term Limited Temporary (TLT) Project/Program Manager III classification addition this selection process may be used to generate an eligibility pool for future Special Duty Assignment (SDA) Term Limited Temporary (TLT) and Career Service (CS)vacancies that may occur in this classification within this workgroup. The eligibility list will be retained for 12 months from the date of posting and may be used at the discretion of the hiring authority.

Who May Apply: We welcome applications from all interested candidates including current King County employees and the public. Please refer to the Supplemental Information section of this job bulletin for the required application materials.

Applying equity and social justice principles is a daily responsibility and 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 this work. This position is comprised of the following core duties:

• Lead implementation and tracking of grievance settlement agreements ensuring all settlement terms are completed timely and accurately.
• Supports the disciplinary administration of King County Metros Drug and Alcohol Program by coordinating and processing documentation associated with employee drug and alcohol policy violations. Tracks disciplinary actions associated with drug and alcohol violations to ensure accurate records timely processing and compliance with applicable policies procedures collective bargaining agreements and regulatory requirements. Serve as a liaison between Drug and Alcohol TELR and Metro people Leaders to facilitate communication assist with drafting disciplinary documents monitor case progress and ensure disciplinary actions are processed consistently accurately and in accordance with established timelines.
• Lead and coordinate Requests for Information (RFIs) related to grievance arbitrations ensuring timely collection review tracking and production of responsive records.
• Facilitate lead and manage litigation tracking and coordinate litigation-related RFIs in partnership with the Prosecuting Attorneys Office Human Resources management and other stakeholders.
• Manage the Transit Employee Labor Relations shared inbox and department tracking systems (grievances investigations RFIs arbitrations litigation settlements discipline compliance etc.).
• Serve as the primary coordinator for external agency requests including but not limited to Labor & Industries (L&I) Washington State Human Rights Commission (WSHRC) Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) unemployment matters and other regulatory agencies.
• Coordinate and track Interest Arbitration activities Demand to Bargain requests associated RFIs and related labor-management projects.
• Develop standardized processes project plans metrics dashboards and reporting tools to improve efficiency transparency and compliance across assigned programs.
• Analyze trends and provide recommendations to leadership regarding litigation arbitration settlements compliance activities and workload.
• Act as the point person for assigned agency-wide projects.
• Coordinate lead and facilitating large scale meetings as assigned.
• Communicate with people inside and outside the Agency; represent the organization to customers the public government agencies and other departments.
• Preform special projects or other duties as required.

We are looking for candidates who have:

• Three (3) years of experience managing complex projects from concept through implementation preferably involving labor relations human resources legal operations compliance or public sector administration OR a combination of education training and/or professional experience which provides the equivalent background required to effectively perform the work of this position
• Skilled in organizing and facilitating large-scale meetings for leaders at all levels.
• Strong facilitation and presentation skills with the ability to lead technical meetings training sessions and cross-functional workgroups.
• Excellent organizational customer service written verbal and interpersonal communication skills.
• Skill in serving as a liaison between multiple departments.
• Ability to manage department shared inboxes and triage high-volume time-sensitive inquiries.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple large-scale projects with competing priorities while consistently meeting critical legal labor and operational deadlines.
• Advanced project management skills including planning scheduling prioritization risk management implementation and continuous process improvement.
• Demonstrated ability to manage politically sensitive and high-profile projects requiring significant attention to detail and sound judgment.
• Experience coordinating cross-functional work involving executive leadership attorneys labor organizations regulatory agencies and operational partners.
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative working relationships with leadership organized labor employees legal partners and external agencies while fostering trust and professionalism.
• Strong analytical skills with experience developing reports dashboards metrics and data-driven recommendations.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality while managing highly sensitive personnel legal and labor relations information.
• Ability to manage complex case files with accuracy and consistency.
• Strong record-keeping and document control skills especially for RFIs investigations settlements and litigation tracking.
• Experience interpreting labor agreements employment laws regulations policies and procedures.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Outlook Word Excel PowerPoint Teams SharePoint and other project management and tracking systems.

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

• Experience working with large public sector agencies or governmental organizations
• Knowledge of King County Metros operations mission and policies

• Experience developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) business process documentation and workflow improvements.
• Knowledge of drug and alcohol compliance requirements (e.g. DOT regulations).
• Familiarity with external agency processes (L&I WSHRC EEOC unemployment claims).
• Understanding of litigation procedures and legal document handling.

Who may apply:We are accepting applications from all qualified individuals including current King County employees and the general public.

To Apply

The following application materials are required:

1. An online King County application updated with accurate contact information and relevant work history.
2. Completed supplemental questions.
3. Resume
4. A cover letter that addresses why you are interested in this role and how your experience skills and/or education have prepared you for this position.

Selection Process:

Applications that do not include all of the required materials listed above will not be considered. Only the materials explicitly requested will be reviewedadditional documents or information will not be materials will be screened for completeness and competitiveness. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more interviews and possibly other selection process elements. Final offers are contingent on successful completion of reference checks and/or a record review. Note: Special duty assignments are subject to reference checks record review and approval from the candidates current supervisor.

Other Position Information

Work Location:
This position follows a hybrid work schedule requiring a minimum of 2 days per week onsite atKing Street Center 201 S. Jackson Seattle Washington 98104consistent with King County Metros hybrid work policy. Remote workdays may be adjusted based on operational or business needs. Current onsite workdays for this position are Monday and Thursday.

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

King County has a robust collection oftools and resources to support working remotely. 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.

Work Schedule:The position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is not overtime eligible. Typical schedule MondayFriday with occasional hours outside standard business times depending on project and business needs.

Union Representation:The position is not represented by a union
Class Code:PROJECT/PROGRAM MANAGER III

Safety Responsibilities for an Employee:

• Responsible for understanding Metro Transit Safety Policy and their role in safety.
• Report all safety concerns.
• Follow safety practices and procedures as necessary to maintain a safe work environment and in conformance with applicable regulations policies and training.
• Report safety and security concerns and ideas to supervisors or anonymously through data collection system.

Are you ready to make a difference Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nations best places to live work and play.

Application Process

If you are interested in pursuing this position and supporting King Countys vision for unified equitable and high-performing government please follow the application instructions carefully. Provide us with your work history as applicable ensuring that you provide details that highlight your ability to fulfill the requirements for this position.

If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format or you would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process please contact Sabrina Brazzle at

King Countys Vision Mission and ACTIVATE Values unite us.

King County serves residents with a relentless sense of urgency delivering on commitments with transparency and accountability. We are action-oriented creative problem solvers who collaborate across roles engage directly with communities and challenge the status quo to achieve meaningful impact. As a unified team we uphold high ethical and stewardship standards embrace change stay curious and continuously improve. Across all interactions we listen first act quickly and stay aligned as a team to earn and sustain public trust. Learn more about our Vision Mission and ACTIVATE Values here and visit our Why work at King County page here.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on sex race color national origin ethnicity religious affiliation disability sexual orientation gender identity or expression age except by minimum age and retirement provisions pregnancy status as a family caregiver parental status marital status military status or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or who was discharged solely as a result of the persons sexual orientation or gender identity or expression citizenship or immigration status genetic information or other protected class. However to the extent that distinction or differential treatment on the basis of citizenship or immigration status is authorized by either federal or state law regulation or government contract it is not an unfair practice.

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.