Utility Franchise Program Lead

The Department of Executive Services, Facilities Management Division, is seeking a real estate professional to provide professional level negotiation of terms and conditions for utility franchise agreement and administer terms of those agreements.

The person in this role is a technical expert in the field of franchising and will work in politically sensitive environments. We are looking for a professional with the ability to work independently, lead, and be a good team member.

About the Facilities Management Division: 

FMD is responsible for providing safe, welcoming, and sustainable facilities for all King County employees. We achieve this through maintaining all King Coun ty owned facilities, while building new facilities for the future. In this role the division has facilitated both the move to remote work (required by the global COVID pandemic) and now leads the Return to Work initiative to get all employees back to the office three days per week. Facilities Management Division has over 350 employees dedicated to the successful management of King County’s Facilities. The Facilities Management Division is integral to the success of King County. FMD maintains all the facilities King County owns, including offices, Health Through Housing Facilities, correctional Facilities, and the Courthouse amongst others. We take pride in our impact to the citizens of King County by providing space that is clean, safe, and historically significant.

To be considered for this opportunity, you must at a minimum, demonstrate the knowledge, skill, and ability to: 

• Negotiate complex franchise terms and conditions with utilities for use of County Road rights-of-way.
• Prepare legislative and other documents necessary for processing franchise applications, through King County Council review and execution.
• Coordinate review with and input from County agencies before, during, and after the negotiation process.
• Implement and administer executed franchise agreements by educating King County agencies, resolving conflicts, and taking other steps to support compliance with the terms and conditions of franchise agreements.
• Conduct research related to franchise and road right-of-way issues and facilitate resolution among competing priorities.
• Support documentation of standard work.

We are looking for candidates who:

• Have experience negotiating and administering complex binding agreements.
• Understands general contract terms and conditions and principles of contract interpretation.
• Have advanced oral and written communication, problem-solving, analytical, and investigative research skills.
• Are experienced in facilitation, conflict resolution, and customer service.
• Are proficient users of Microsoft Office software.
• Have a desire to make a positive impact.

Desired Qualifications

• Have experience negotiating and administering terms and conditions of utility franchise agreements for use of road rights-of-way.
• Have knowledge of utility franchise terms and conditions.
• Have knowledge of laws, rules, and regulations related to use of road rights-of-way.

Work location: The FMD team works in a hybrid model, with 3 days required 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. The primary onsite location is King County Chinook Building- 401 5^th Ave Seattle, WA 98194.

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.

Work schedule: This position is Exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and therefore is not overtime eligible. The typical workweek is 40 hours, Monday- Friday. Employees are paid on a bi-weekly schedule, every other Thursday.

Union representation: This position is represented by International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 117 Professional & Technical.

Special requirements: The selected candidate must complete an annual “Financial Disclosure Statement” in accordance with the King County Code of Ethics. Selected candidate must posses a Washington State Driver’s License.

Are you ready to APPLY? 

The recruitment for this position is open to all qualified candidates. A completed King County Application is required. We highly recommend that you also provide a resume and cover letter. 

This recruitment is an effort to fill our immediate vacancies as well as create a hire list that will be used for any positions that become vacant within the next 6 months, including additional Term Limited Temporary (TLT), Short-Term Temporary (STT) and Career Service (CS) positions.

If you have any questions, please contact Karina Cordova, HR Analyst by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at 206-848-0395.

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.

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 Karina Cordova, HR Analyst 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.

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.