Chief Policy Officer

The Metropolitan King County Council oversees the second largest government and the most populous county in Washington State. As the legislative branch of county government, the Council sets policies, enacts laws, and adopts budgets that guide essential services for 2.3 million King County residents—including housing, health, land use, environmental protection, public safety, transportation, and more.

The King County Council is currently seeking an experienced and strategic Chief Policy Officer to oversee all aspects of the Council’s legislative program. In addition to managing a 25-person team of nonpartisan legislative analysts and clerks, the Chief Policy Officer is responsible for prioritizing and ensuring the efficacy of the Council’s legislative activity, understanding and advising Council members on complex policy matters, and upholding the highest standards of objective, accurate, and reliable legislative analysis.

This nonpartisan, executive-level role reports directly to the Council’s Chief of Staff but is responsive to all nine council members.

This position requires a master’s degree in public administration, political science, business, economics, or equivalent experience or expertise, and at least ten years’ experience performing senior-level analytical, communications, budgeting, and policy work. Other requirements include:

• Advanced knowledge and expertise in public administration, public policy, budgeting, financial planning and analysis, public affairs, or equivalent that can aid legislative analysis and development.
• High-level leadership and management skills, including performance management, team building, negotiation and conflict resolution, change management, and general knowledge of HR best practices.
• Outstanding interpersonal and written communication skills, including the ability to make public presentations and convey complex information to a wide variety of audiences in an accessible, thoughtful manner.
• Demonstrated project management skills and the ability to plan workloads, set priorities, and manage competing deadlines.
• Extensive knowledge of legislative and policy development processes and council and committee parliamentary rules and procedures.
• Familiarity with King County Code as well as local, regional, state, and federal laws and regulations as they apply to policy making.
• Judiciousness and discretion, with a high awareness of politically sensitive issues and the ability to maintain confidentiality.
• An understanding of equity and social justice principles and how they apply to both the workplace and to public policy outcomes.