This opportunity is open to current King County employees. We are not accepting external applications at this time. 

About the Role: 
The Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) has a strong culture of continuous improvement and innovation. This position is responsible for leading continuous improvement efforts which support the division's strategic objectives to maximize efficiencies, eliminate waste and improve process workflows. This position facilitates cross-functional teams and work collaboratively with WTD staff at all levels throughout the division to identify, analyze and evaluate issues to determine business benefit, potential cost savings, and productivity, and coach and mentor staff in the application of lean methods to improve processes. This position works out of the Director's Office to manage WTD's planning and execution of continuous improvement priorities across the division's four sections: Project Planning and Delivery, Operations & Maintenance, Environmental & Community Services, and Finance & Administration. 
 
WTD is a diverse, complex, growing organization. This position engages in projects that impact policy, organizational structure, and process redesign involving considerable scope and long-term commitments. The Continuous Improvement Manager works with Division leaders and managers in vision setting and strategic deployment and provides process improvement training and coaching. This position has the potential for leadership growth and may be responsible for staff supervision through direct or matrixed reporting.

About the Team:
Our regional wastewater treatment system has a big job to do. Not only does it operate around the clock to sustain a healthy environment, but this vital infrastructure also supports economic development that enables our region to thrive. You will have the unique opportunity to work with across all wastewater workgroups and lines of business to help shape how we as a utility adapt and respond to changing regulations and build infrastructure for future generations. You will be a key part of one of King County's largest, most complex capital programs with a variety of interesting, challenging, and critical projects. You will be supporting the growth and strategic development of the largest capital program in King County with projects and programs stretching across 2200 square miles.  

To our agency, success means providing clean water safely and reliably to the next generation. It also means being accountable to our ratepayers and operating a well-managed agency. We are committed to the principles of equity and social justice. We value diverse perspectives and life experiences in our workforce and are committed to building a culturally diverse and inclusive environment.

Our primary mission is to provide high-quality treatment to wastewater collected from local sewer agencies. With a workforce of about 800 employees and multiple facilities, we serve a population of 2 million people. Our goal is to ensure clean water for the present and future generations, preserving the natural beauty of our environment. We are committed to accountability, both to our ratepayers and to operating as a well-managed agency.

We enforce regulations to reduce harmful waste discharge and actively educate the public and businesses on water quality protection. We prioritize accountability to our ratepayers and operate a well-managed agency that services over 2.3 million King County residents. Our regional wastewater treatment system not only sustains a healthy environment but also fuels economic development, fostering prosperity in our region. If you're passionate about making a difference and thrive in a collaborative environment, join us in our mission to safeguard our precious water resources.

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 Continuous Improvement Manager,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 Wastewater Treatment Division of King County Department of Natural Resources & Parks (DNRP). 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: 

• Build, maintain and promote a culture of continuous improvement and innovation throughout WTD.  
• Facilitate multidisciplinary teams in identifying and delivering significant business process improvements through the application of methodologies such as Lean and Six Sigma. Initiate and lead problem solving efforts, working closely with internal stakeholders. 
• Create and execute plans for kaizen and other Lean events.
• Act as consultant and primary advisor to all levels of management within WTD; work closely with leadership on implementation and monitoring of improvement efforts. 
• Partner with the Continuous Improvement Team (CIT), the County's centralized Lean resource, as an expert technical resource for cross-functional, inter-departmental projects and teams in applying Lean methodology.
• Lead the education and training of team members, front line staff and management in the use of Lean tools and methods to identify solutions to problems of significance to WTD operations; develop training content and create accessible training modes.   
• Manage all activities defined in our Continuous Improvement Program Plan and communicate progress through newsletters, meetings, executive reports and website resources in coordination with our internal communications teams.
• Lead the assessment of division-wide continuous improvement initiatives by advancing the Best Run Government Roadmap and evaluation tools.
• Promote, improve and manage the Division's Bright Ideas program designed to improve WTD operations through employee-generated ideas
• Collaborate in the development and reporting of key performance measures, indicators, quality assurance, and improvement measures across multi-functional agency lines.
• Apply project management principles to organization-wide continuous improvement projects and initiatives.
• Coach and mentor staff on basic and advanced Lean concepts and tools.
• Contribute to the culture of the Director's Office by developing and facilitating team meetings, retreats and events.
• Manage consultant contracts, as needed.

Qualifications You Bring:

• Demonstrated knowledge and skill leading and facilitating basic and more advanced Lean thinking and tools, e.g. customer requirements, waste, standard work, visual management, process mapping, root cause analysis, 5S, daily management, A3 problem-solving, value stream mapping, mistake-proofing, etc.
• Demonstrated ability to generate commitment and an ability to move things forward by inspiring a shared vision.
• Excellent knowledge and skills in facilitation, consulting, change management, and conflict resolution; excellent written and oral communication skills, including effective use of visuals in communication.
• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse individuals with varying opinions and backgrounds.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple and shifting priorities.
• Ability to work on a team in a matrix environment: meeting the expectations of the County's centralized Continuous Improvement Team (CIT), WTD's Director's Office, and the sections in which work is taking place.
• Skill as a team leader and Division leadership communicator.  
• Skill in using office software programs including word processing, spreadsheet, database, statistical analysis, presentation, cloud-based collaboration tools, and email.