This opportunity is open to current employees of the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks. We are not accepting external applications at this time.

In addition to the current opening, this recruitment may be used to establish a pool of qualified candidates to fill future internal Human Resources Manager I Term-Limited Temporary positions throughout the Department of Natural Resources & Parks (DNRP) over the next 6 months.

About the Role:

King County Water and Land Resources Division (WLRD) is seeking a term-limited Human Resources Manager I to join the Human Resources team! This HR Manager I will be a key member of the HR team and will oversee assigned HR Service Delivery functions in a growing organization. Reporting directly to the HR Manager II, you'll have the opportunity to blend strategic planning, HR data analytics and reporting, continuous process improvement, and quality control.  This recruitment aims to fill a Term-Limited Temporary (TLT) position with an anticipated duration of up to 18 months.

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

About the Team:

Come join a team that is collaborative, supportive, innovative, and open to ideas for constantly providing more value to the organization! The HR team is comprised of highly skilled contributors supporting a high-volume and fast-paced organization. The team focuses on efficiency and providing top-notch HR service for our division but still recognizes and prioritizes a healthy work-life balance for the team.

About the Division:

The Water and Land Resources Division (WLRD) is at the forefront of King County's efforts to protect and restore clean water and healthy habitat and strengthen the resilience of communities, environment, and infrastructure in the face of climate change. We are a dedicated workforce of more than 450 supported by an annual budget of ~$280 million. WLRD has a strong track record of developing innovative strategies to protect working farms and forests, restore habitat, improve water quality, and provide county residents with equitable access to green space. We house the Land Conservation Initiative, which aims to preserve our last, most important lands. Our forestry and agricultural programs help individuals protect their lands and support local food production. We house four salmon recovery forums where we collaborate with scores of partners to plan, design, and build habitat projects. We partner with regional jurisdictions to help residents and businesses reduce the threats posed by production, use, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials. We are the primary service provider to the King County Flood Control District, contributing to flood preparedness and constructing and maintaining facilities that restore rivers and reduce risk. Our one true local service to unincorporated King County is stormwater management, protecting water quality, reducing flooding, and building and maintaining facilities. Finally, we provide regional science and laboratory services to an array of customers, maintaining high-quality data sets used to assess water quality and habitat trends, and provide Best Available Science to inform decision making. In two words, we are a watershed utility.

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 Human Resources Manager I, 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 Water and Land Resources 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.

• Serve as the senior advisor to address a full range of complex human resource matters as they relate to the diverse group of individuals at WLRD.
• Support the advancement of WLRD's equity, racial, and social justice principles and practices and its alignment to the division's ESJ Action plan and the County's ESJ Strategic Plan.
• Manage multiple assigned HR services and programs that focus on talent acquisition, outreach and pipeline development, employee relations issues, investigations, and performance management to ensure efficient and effective operations of policies, processes, and systems.
• Develop and maintain the WLRD HR dashboards and recurring reporting, including workforce demographics and key metrics that inform leadership decisions and support equity analysis.
• Drive innovative HR improvements within the division by leading continuous improvement initiatives to align with WLRD's strategic goals and prepare the workforce for future business needs.
• Work with the HR Manager II to build a collaborative, action-driven, and customer-focused HR team.

Qualifications You Bring: 

• Experience delivering HR services across multiple areas such as talent acquisition, workforce planning, HR data and analytics, employee relations, investigations, performance management, and training/development.
• Demonstrated experience extracting, analyzing, and interpreting HR data from HRIS or related systems, including the ability to identify trends, disparities, and actionable insights.
• Experience supervising, coaching, or leading HR staff, including developing team capabilities and supporting collaborative, customer-focused service delivery.
• Experience in designing, building, and maintaining HR dashboards or recurring workforce reports using tools such as Excel, Power BI, Tableau, or similar platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to integrate racial equity, inclusion, and belonging principles into HR policies, hiring processes, and workforce analytics.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex HR issues, interpret workforce data, exercise sound judgment, and develop effective solutions.
• Knowledge of public-sector HR policies, civil service rules, compliance requirements, and labor relations practices.
• Proven ability to build trust and maintain effective working relationships at all organizational levels while handling sensitive information with tact, diplomacy, and discretion.

Competencies You Bring:  

• Strategic Mindset: Seeing ahead to future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies. 
• Plans and Aligns: Planning and prioritizing work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals. 
• Collaborates: Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives. 
• Values Differences: Recognizing the value that different perspectives and cultures bring to an organization. 
• Communicates Effectively: Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences. 
• Manages Ambiguity: Operating effectively, even when things are not certain, or the way forward is not clear. 

Working Conditions:

• Work Location: The WLRD Human Resources team works in a hybrid model, with days 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 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.

• Work Schedule: This full-time position works a 40-hour work week. This position is exempt from the overtime provision of the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) and is not overtime eligible.
• Union Representation: This position is not represented by a union.
• Duration: This recruitment aims to fill a Term-Limited Temporary (TLT) position with an anticipated 18-month duration. 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 who are current employees of the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP).  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.  

To apply, submit a:

• Complete Application
• Cover Letter
• Optional Resume (will be reviewed if submitted)

Note:  Additional documents won't be considered during minimum qualification screening.

Who to Contact: For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact Morgan Knight Hermann, Senior HR Analyst, at 206-477-9092 or [email protected].

Discover More About the Water and Land Resources Division: Visit our website.

Discover More About DNRP: Visit our website, explore aninteractive mapof our recent accomplishments and check us out atFacebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, YouTubeand 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.

Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

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.

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 the recruiter listed on this job announcement.