SWD Operations Section Manager

If you’re energized by solving complex challenges, coaching leaders, and leaving organizations stronger than you found them, here is a unique opportunity to demonstrate executive level leadership while creating lasting change!

The Operations Section of King County’s Solid Waste Division is offering a six-month senior leadership assignment. This is an opportunity to hone your leadership skills while making a lasting impact on the Solid Waste Division’s operations section. You will have an opportunity to serve the people that live, work, and play in King County by leading the operation of the largest solid waste systems in Washington State, where we manage nearly 900,000 tons of garbage and recyclables annually. You’ll partner with leadership to strengthen team culture, improve financial stewardship, and build systems that increase accountability, trust and operational excellence. You will foster relationships, collaboration, and teamwork within the operations section and across the division, so the division functions as “One King County.”

This recruitment aims to fill a Term-Limited Temporary (TLT) position with an anticipated duration of six (6) months. If the position is filled by a King County employee who has successfully completed their initial probation, they will be offered the role as a Special Duty Assignment. 

About this Role:

This six-month role will focus on organizational culture and financial stewardship. As a key leader in the organization, you will be responsible for effectively managing and communicating with staff, with fellow division leadership members, and with department and Executive leadership. Working closely and with the direct support of the Division’s Deputy Director, you will lead the way through active engagement with staff to foster an anti-racist, pro-equity workplace where everyone can thrive, and work with division leadership to ensure services are equitably provided to the residents of King County. This isn’t about maintaining operations – it’s about transforming how the organization works. Success will be measured by strong leadership, healthier teams, smarter financial decisions, and sustainable improvements that continue long after the assignment ends. 

As a member of the Management Team, you will advocate for operational needs, monitor and control our maintenance best practices through key performance indicators, and actively support and improve the division’s waste management system. You will advocate for operations projects to ensure we are doing the right projects at the right time and for the right reasons to meet our level of service targets.

This position follows a hybrid work model, blending remote and in-person work.

About the Team:

You will be leading a unionized workforce of over 350 people that work every day to keep our regional landfill, 8 transfer stations, two drop boxes and 9 closed landfills operating efficiently to protect our community’s health and the environment. The Operation’s Section leadership team you will be directly managing is made up of two Assistant Operations Managers, 15 Operations Supervisors and an administrative support team. You will be a participating member of the division’s core leadership team, setting vision, goals, and strategies for the division.

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. In this position, you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity.

Apply now for a rewarding career at the Solid Waste Division of the King County Department of Natural Resources & Parks. Join our talented workforce in protecting and restoring the natural environment and promoting more resilient, sustainable, and equitable communities. Enjoy training, comprehensive benefits, and growth opportunities.

What You Will Be Doing:

• Provide leadership in overall operation and maintenance of King County’s regional solid waste system; provide guidance for assigned staff on workplace policies, public services, and professional development; and manage the work of assigned staff.
• Develop and oversee the section’s operations and maintenance annual budget; monitor and control expenditures to ensure spending aligns with approved budget projections, and proactively identify, address and correct budget variances and over-expenditures to maintain fiscal responsibility; 
• Monitor capital portfolio, programs and projects; coordinate start-up of new and rebuilt facilities; and participate in planning facility and system expansions to meet future growth and new requirements. 
• Ensure compliance with permits and regulatory reporting requirements for the operations of the regional landfill, transfer stations, closed landfills, and landfill gas processing facility, including, but not limited to, stormwater, leachate, air quality, groundwater, and public health; provide leadership, collaborating with the sections in complying with regulations; and establish and implement section policies and procedures.
• Oversee the evaluation, development, and implementation of solid waste management systems, operation and maintenance improvements utilizing new technology; monitor and stay up to date with current trends in the solid waste industry including legislation, science, safety, and professional practices and techniques; and recommend policy, procedural and equipment purchases and modifications. 
• Participate with division leadership in managing relationships among various sections within the division; identify section needs and priorities to plan and implement systems’ improvement; and oversee daily work.
• Advocate for key organizational initiatives, values and priorities of King County and the Solid Waste Division.
• Provide senior leadership level direction to the Operations Management Team by developing performance management systems, setting clear expectations, coaching, and managing performance.
• Ensure efficient and effective allocation of resources within a multi-disciplinary system of integrated operational functions. 

Qualifications You Bring:

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of management and supervision, budget development, financial management in capital improvement and operating programs, policy implementation and governance.
• Experience in managing programs, ensuring deliverables, managing tasks, and communicating results.
• Demonstrated experience effectively leading a diverse workforce that includes employees from multiple racial, ethnic, gender and ableness communities.
• Ability to communicate diplomatically on sensitive issues.
• Politically savvy, well equipped with managerial courage, and the ability to incorporate conflict management and collaboration skills based on situational needs.
• Organizationally agile to manage multiple complex programs and projects, get things done and understand the culture of the organization.
• Skillfully maneuver in a politically highly unionized environment.

Competencies You Bring:      

• Values Differences:  Recognizing the value that different perspectives and cultures bring to an organization.
• Strategic Mindset: Seeing ahead to future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies
• Communicates Effectively: Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
• Instills Trust: Gaining the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.
• Financial Acumen: Interpreting and applying understanding of key financial indicators to make better business decisions.
• Decision Quality: Making good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward.
• Builds Effective Teams: Building strong-identity teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals.
• Drives Vision and Purpose: Painting a compelling picture of the vision and strategy that motivates others to action.
• Situational Adaptability: 

It Would be Great if You Also Bring:

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of engineering and systems operation.

• Experiences that demonstrate the ability to manage down to section staff, collaboratively across division leadership and up to department leadership and the Executive.

Working Conditions:

• Work Location: This position works in a hybrid model, currently four days in the office and one day telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. The primary onsite location includes Cedar Hill Regional Landfill (16645 228th Ave SE, 419 Occidental Ave. S, Maple Valley), all the transfer stations and the King Street Center (201 S. Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104). Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance from 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 full-time position works a 40-hour work week. This position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is not overtime eligible. 
• Union Representation: This position is non-represented. 
• Duration: This recruitment aims to fill a Term-Limited Temporary (TLT) position with an anticipated duration of six (6) months. If the position is filled by a King County employee who has successfully completed their initial probation, they will be offered the role as a Special Duty Assignment. 

Application and Selection Process: We welcome applications from all qualified applicants. We value diversity, diverse perspectives, and life experience, and encourage people of all backgrounds to apply. 

Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness, and alignment with the experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skills essential for this role to determine which candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews.    

A complete application is required. To apply, submit the Application, Resume, and Cover Letter.  Additional documents won't be considered during minimum qualification screening.

For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact Prakash Meloottu at [email protected]

Discover More About the Solid Waste Division: Visit our website at  Solid Waste Division and check us out at Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

Discover More About DNRP: Visit our website, explore an interactive map of our recent accomplishments, and check us out at Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Keeping King County Green News.

Sign up for Job Alerts to be notified of additional career opportunities with King County. Select the Natural Resources category for DNRP opportunities and explore other categories of interest.

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 Prakash Meloot 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.