Summary

Ryerson Base has an exciting opportunity for current eligible King County Metro Transit Employees who are interested in a Special Duty Assignment (SDA) as a Transit Operations Chief. The SDA is being offered to provide growth and career development to interested career service employees that have passed their initial King County probation period. The assignment is anticipated to last up to one year with a possibility for extension.

The role of the Transit Chief is critical to the management and oversight of the daily operations of Transit and the service we provide. Transit Chiefs provide policy direction, create an environment that models customer service, work collaboratively with union leaders and others within the organization, and are a resource to employees at the worksite.

This leadership role requires the ability to communicate effectively with a diverse employee workgroup, proactively solve problems that impact service delivery, provide quality customer service, and motivate employees through building respect and trust. Transit Chiefs promote teamwork and resolve conflicts that arise, promoting a cooperative environment and effective communication. Transit Chiefs are proactive in facilitating good working relationships, demonstrating cooperative interactions, promoting teamwork with new members, facilitating inclusion, and demonstrating flexibility in accomplishing shared goals. Our Transit Chiefs demonstrate support for the goals of the organization in providing quality public service and collaboratively working with other sections and departments while recognizing the value of diversity of opinion, culture, and perspective.

Position Information: This recruitment will be used to fill one (1) Special Duty Assignment Transit Chief-Operations position lasting through December 2023. This recruitment will not be used to create an eligibility list or pool for future Transit Chief vacancies.

Who may apply: We are accepting applications from current eligible career service King County Metro Transit Employees who have passed their initial probationary period.

It is important to note that if you are selected for hire, you must get approval from your current supervisor or manager before accepting the SDA. We encourage all applicants to discuss this with their current supervisor or manager before applying.

Need assistance?
If you have any questions related to this job posting, including needing the announcement in an alternative language format, or regarding accommodation requests for the application or assessment process, please contact the recruiter:
HR Talent Advisor: Emily Clark (she/her) EmClark@KingCounty.gov

Job Duties

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 the Transit Operations Chief, you will also:

• 
  Supervise, develop and direct the work of first-line supervisors and up to 200 operators
• Exhibit positive leadership and role modeling while managing employee performance
• Make decisions based on labor contract provisions and policies
• Assist in investigations and grievance hearings
• Approve Payroll
• Event Coordination/Event Planning
• Manage comments from our customers providing feedback to Operators
• Perform other duties as assigned

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

We are looking for candidates who possess the following qualifications:

• Possess skill in supervising, leading, and coaching a highly talented employee group and recognize the importance of building trusting relationships with employees.
• Can effectively lead team members and are able to work well with others by displaying cooperation, assisting team members in completing tasks, and maintaining a positive attitude.
• Ability and willingness to learn new programs and skills
• The ability to create an environment that supports customer service, and the demonstrated ability to model the level of customer service that represents Metro’s commitment to service excellence.
• Effective and professional communication skills, both written and oral.
• Proven ability to be a productive and collaborative team member who values diversity of opinions, perspectives, backgrounds, experiences and cultures.
• Well-qualified applicants will also possess a high level of comfort with managing a unionized workforce, as well as being committed and skilled in building strong collaborative relationships with our Union partners.
• Transit Chiefs conduct investigations and respond to customer comments, so they are required to be detail-oriented, timely, possess sound judgment, and demonstrate a commitment to fairness and equity.
• In addition to building strong relationships with our Union partners, Transit Chiefs engage with multiple partners both within the agency, the community, and with other agencies throughout the country. The most qualified applicants will be skilled in fostering effective working relationships with a variety of stakeholders who share King County's goal of providing quality transit service to our community.
• Well-qualified applicants will possess critical thinking skills, particularly as they relate to emergency management, workforce planning, and continuous process improvement.
• Applicants must be skilled in time management, timely decision-making, and be able to efficiently manage multiple work-related projects and assignments.
  

Desired experience with (but not required):

• Experience in a lead or supervisory position relative to the Transit Chief Position
• Knowledge of King County Metro Transit's policies and procedures
• Knowledge of the ATU 587 Labor Agreement
• Experience or knowledge of the HASTUS System
• Excellent communication skills.
• Safety background or familiarity with Safety Management Systems (SMS)
• Demonstrated understanding of the customer experience
• Intermediate proficiency with computer skills
• The most competitive applicants will be familiar with the concepts and principles related to human resources and leadership and also show dedication to supporting employees through performance management and skills development

Licensing, Certification, and Other Requirements

• Washington State driver's license

Supplemental Information

Application Process
An online employment application and completion of the supplemental questionnaire is required. In lieu of a cover letter, please respond to the following questions under the supplemental questions section:

• How do your experience and skills meet the qualifications and job responsibilities listed?
• How does this position fit with your career interests?
• Describe what you have done recently to develop your knowledge of Equity & Social Justice.

• Additional attachments may not be reviewed or considered.
• Be sure to include your current position and separately list each previous position you held at King County and fully detailed job duties.
• For guidance on how to complete these required materials, be sure to check out the Career Support Services website for tips and examples on how to make your application materials more competitive: Career Support Services - King County.
• Applicants who are unable to apply online should follow the instructions at Application FAQ’s- King County.

Selection Process
Applications will be screened to determine whether candidates meet minimum qualifications, and for clarity, completeness, and responsiveness to the application instructions above. Highly competitive candidates may be invited to interview. Transit Operations management will make the final selection of candidates to be placed into the acting assignment, and offers will be finalized after any pre-employment processes are completed (such as a record review, a review of attendance, etc). Start dates are dependent on the approval of your current supervisor or manager. You are encouraged to discuss this SDA opportunity with them prior to applying.

Work Schedule
This chief position works a standard 40-hour work week, and the reporting schedule is typically between the hours of 9 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday, with no telecommuting or flex days offered. Depending on the business needs of the base, your hours may vary at times. You will also need to have the ability to report to the base in adverse weather.

This position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is not over-time eligible. Management will determine the final schedule of the selected candidate.

Union Representation
PROTEC17 : Professional and Technical Employees, Local 17 - Transit Chiefs – Metro Transit Department

Job Code// Classification/ Grade
874020 / Transit Chief-Base Operations/ Pay Grade 69

Forbes recently 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.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement
King County Executive Branch employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If you are a successful candidate for the position you applied for, the County will send you a conditional offer letter. As a condition of employment, prior to a final offer of employment, you will be required to submit proof of vaccination, or have an approved request for medical or religious exemption and an approved accommodation. Philosophical, political, scientific, or sociological objections to vaccination will not be considered for an exemption or accommodation. People are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 two weeks after receiving the final dose of a vaccination approved by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Executive Branch includes employees in the Executive branch, the Assessor's Office, Elections, the King County Sheriff's Office, and the Executive Office.

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.

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: Emily Clark at emclark@kingcounty.gov