Operating Budget & Payroll Supervisor

This is a one-year opportunity to help lead the Wastewater Treatment Division’s (WTD) operating budget and payroll team through the upcoming 2028/29 sewer rate and budget cycle. The successful candidate will gain skills and confidence in preparing materials for senior leadership and advisory bodies, reporting complex financial information to varied audiences, supervising and mentoring a team of finance professionals, and managing change and complexity in a fast-paced environment.

About the Role

This role is a critical component of WTD’s daily operations and long-term strategic planning as it pertains to budgetary needs, supporting our staff, planning for economic shifts, and ensuring financial resiliency. The successful candidate will be the main connection to financial resources on the operating side for most staff, supervisors, and managers, and will assist the CFO and senior leadership in prioritizing needs, forecasting outcomes, and organizing key data points.

About the Team

This position is within WTD’s Finance and Administration (F&A)Section, which serves the essential role of ensuring that financial resources are in place to fund the Division’s priorities and decision-making is well-informed regarding financial risk, optimization trade-offs, financial equity, and compliance. In managing WTD’s large portfolio of financial activities and processes, F&A performs numerous functions including rate-setting, budget development and oversight, capital finance, contracting, technology services, central service administration, accounting, audit and compliance, payroll, utility billing, and more. In F&A we value cultivating a culture where you are encouraged to challenge the status quo and offer new ideas while building and maintaining enduring relationships.

King County Wastewater Treatment Division’s mission is to protect public health and the environment by collecting and cleaning wastewater while recovering valuable resources for a thriving Puget Sound region. We manage one of the largest wastewater treatment systems in the nation for nearly 2 million people. Our diverse organization of more than 1,000 employees is committed to being at the forefront of environmental sustainability while delivering strong value to public dollars and outstanding and equitable service to our customers. If you’re passionate about making a difference and thrive in a highly collaborative and dynamic workplace, join us in creating clean water for the people who live, work, and play in King County – now and for generations to come. You can find more information about WTD in our 2025 2025 Community Report.

Commitment to Equity, Racial and Social Justice:

King County, named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is a diverse and vibrant community that represents cultures from around the world. Our True North is to create a welcoming community where everyone can thrive. We prioritize equity, racial and social justice, making it a foundational and daily expectation for all employees. As a Operating Budget & Payroll Supervisor you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity

What you will be doing:

• Oversee the operating budget (over $500M biennially) function which includes development and management of biennial budget along with providing guidance and support to operating budget staff
• Manage (in close collaboration with the CFO) the annual sewer rate operating investments (decision packages) function which includes partnering with various Section/Unit Managers and providing guidance and support to operating budget staff to plan and develop proposals.  Also includes working closely with the Rates & Financial Planning Unit
• Develop complex budget and financial spreadsheets for management information and reporting purposes. Ensure standardization, consistency and uniformity in the gathering, processing and reporting of financial information
• Oversee the payroll function which includes 2 payroll staff processing payroll for over 900 WTD and DNRP DO employees along with performing ad-hoc payroll related requests
• Act as WTD’s primary Oracle EBS User Administrator which includes managing all of WTD’s Oracle EBS users and access along with performing the biennial audit. Provide ongoing training to all levels of staff in the implementation of financial systems and processes. Identify and assess policy and procedural issues and make recommendations to management on recommended courses of action

Qualifications you bring:

• Experience developing and reviewing operating budgets within King County
• Experience leading or supervising staff
• Experience in financial dashboards and reporting
• Comfort with process improvements and change management
• Advanced skill in creating high-quality presentation materials
• Advanced analytical skills including use of Microsoft Excel
• Experience performing financial scenario analysis and communicating impacts to stakeholders

Competencies you bring:

Customer Focus: Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions
Action Oriented: Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm
Ensures Accountability: Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments
Manages Conflict: Handling conflict situations effectively, with a minimum of noise
Communicates Effectively: Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences

It would be great if you also bring:

• Experience with King County budgeting systems including PIC and/or PBCS

• Experience with a large utility

Working Conditions:

• Work Location:  The 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. The primary onsite location is the collaboration space at King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson, Seattle, Washington 98104. 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 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.
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• Work Schedule: This full-time position works a 40-hour work week. This position is exempt from the overtime provision of the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) and is not overtime eligible
• Union Representation: This position is represented by Local 117 WTD Finance & Admin Section Supervisor

Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the teamdedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Application Process

If you are interested in pursuing this position and supporting King County’s 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 Dan Sherman at [email protected].

King County's 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 person's 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.