Customer Information Specialist - Senior

This recruitment is open to current King County Metro Transit Customer Information Specialists only.

The Senior Transit Customer Information Specialist serves as a peer leader within Metro's Customer Information office, providing leadership, operational support, and exceptional customer service across Customer Information Office and Lost & Found operations.

Working collaboratively with Customer Information leadership, Senior Specialists coach, mentor and train employees, coordinate daily workflow, resolve complex customer issues, oversee Lost & Found activities, and ensure customers receive accurate, timely, and professional service through multiple communication channels.

This position requires strong leadership, sound judgment, operational flexibility, and a commitment to providing equitable, customer-focused service in a fast-paced environment.

Equity & Social Justice
Applying Equity and Social Justice principles is a foundational expectation for all King County employees. Senior Transit Customer Information Specialists are expected to demonstrate inclusive leadership, foster an equitable workplace, and provide respectful, accessible, and culturally responsive service to all customers and coworkers.

Why Join Metro?
Senior Transit Customer Information Specialists play an essential leadership role in helping Metro deliver accurate information, recover lost property, resolve complex customer concerns, and support employees who provide outstanding customer service every day.

This position offers the opportunity to lead by example, mentor colleagues, improve operations, and make a meaningful impact on the customer experience across one of the nation's leading public transportation systems.

Position info: This recruitment will be used to fill two (2) Career Services, Customer Information Specialist vacancies.  In addition, this selection process may be used to generate an eligibility list for future Career Service (CS), Special Duty Assignment (SDA) and Term Limited Temporary (TLT) positions that may occur in this classification and workgroup. The eligibility pool list is valid for up to 12 months from the time of posting for use at the discretion of the hiring authority.Applying equity and social justice principles is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all King County employees. In this role, you will apply equity and social justice principles that exemplify shared values, behaviors, and practices to all aspects of the work. As a Senior Customer Information Specialist, you will:

Leadership & Team Support

• Serve as a peer leader and operational resource for Customer Information Specialists.
• Coach, mentor, and support employees in delivering exceptional customer service.
• Document and assess training opportunities for action or escalation through the appropriate channels.
• Assist and facilitate onboarding and training new employees.
• Provide real-time guidance during customer interactions and operational issues.
• Coordinate workflow and staffing priorities with Customer Information leadership.
• Support quality assurance, continuous improvement, and operational readiness.
• Facilitate team communication and knowledge sharing.
• Promote a respectful, collaborative, and inclusive work environment.

Customer Information Services

• Provide accurate information regarding Metro services, fares, schedules, trip planning, policies, and service disruptions.
• Resolve complex customer concerns and escalated contacts through telephone, email, chat, written correspondence, and interactions at the Lost and Found walk up window.
• Support customers during service disruptions, emergencies, severe weather, and major regional events.
• Coordinate with Transit Control Center, Operations, Safety & Security, and other Metro divisions to ensure timely and accurate customer communications.

Lost & Found Operations     

• Support and guide Customer Information Specialists who perform daily Lost & Found duties.
• Manage Lost and Found phone line, voicemail and email Inbox daily 
• Provide operational coverage during staffing shortages or other business needs.
• Serve as the escalation point for complex, sensitive, or policy-critical Lost & Found cases or calls.
• Provide real-time direction and coaching to staff regarding receiving, identifying, cataloging, storing, safeguarding, and releasing found property.
• Ensure staff follow established procedures for documentation, inventory management, customer communication, and secure handling of high-value or sensitive items.
• Assist staff with researching ownership and resolving complicated claims or exceptions requiring senior-level judgment.
• Review and support the accuracy of Lost & Found records, logs, inventory reports, and chain-of-custody processes.
• Oversee and maintain compliance with security protocols, including proper safeguarding of money, valuables, and confidential items.
• Guide staff in correctly disposing of prohibited, hazardous, or expired property in accordance with policy.
• Maintain a safe, organized, and customer-focused Lost & Found operation.

Operational Support

• Assist leadership in maintaining service levels and operational efficiency.
• Balance competing priorities while maintaining high-quality customer service.
• Run reports; create, update and manage Forms, Standard Operational Processes and CIO Manual 
• Identify opportunities to improve processes and customer experiences.
• Support testing implementation and training and of new technologies, procedures, and business initiatives.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

We are looking for candidates who have:

• Experience as a Metro Transit Customer Information Specialist.
• Exceptional customer service skills and the ability to resolve complex customer concerns.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated leadership, coaching, mentoring, or peer support experience.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities while exercising sound judgment.
• Knowledge of Metro services, fares, policies, and regional transit operations.
• Experience using Microsoft Office applications, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Salesforce, and other business systems.
• Ability to establish and maintain productive working relationships with employees, customers, and business partners from diverse backgrounds.

Desirable Qualifications

• Acting Senior or lead assignments.
• Employee coaching and training.
• Lost & Found operations.
• Workflow coordination.
• Escalated customer service.
• Incident response and service disruptions.
• Continuous improvement initiatives.
• Cross-functional collaboration.
  

Required Application Materials


NOTE: Applications that do not include the required materials may be rejected as incomplete and will not advance in the process.

Selection Process
All the application materials will be screened for qualifications, competitiveness, completeness, attention to detail and written communications kills. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more interviews. Final offers are contingent on successful completion of reference checks.

Who May Apply
This recruitment is open to current King County Metro Transit Customer Information Specialists only.

Work Schedule
This position is covered under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is eligible for overtime pay. The work schedule operational hours are 5:45 a.m. to 6:15 p.m., Monday through Friday. Employees will be assigned an eight-hour shift within these operating hours based on business needs.

The position requires frequent transitions between leadership responsibilities, Customer Information Office operations, Lost & Found duties, and direct customer service. Physical requirements include frequent computer use, standing, walking, bending, and lifting or moving items weighing up to 40 pounds while performing Lost & Found responsibilities. Occasional overtime may be required to support service disruptions, emergency operations, special events, and other business needs.

Work Location
This is a hybrid position requiring both onsite and remote work. Employees are expected to work: Three (3) days per week onsite at King Street Center and two (2) days per week remotely, based on operational and business needs. The primary onsite location is 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.

Union Representation/Job Code/Grade
ATU L587-Transit/432210/161

To Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact: Manal Tirhi, [email protected]

Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers. Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. 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.

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. 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.