Description

King County Department of Local Services is seeking a Division Director for our Permitting Division to lead a high-impact team at the intersection of land use, development, and public service. This role shapes how communities grow—balancing efficiency, equity, and environmental stewardship while delivering clear, customer-focused permitting services.

As Division Director, you’ll set strategic direction, lead talented multidisciplinary product lines, and partner across agencies, jurisdictions, and communities to modernize permitting systems and improve outcomes for residents and businesses alike. If you’re a collaborative, forward-thinking leader who thrives in complexity and believes public service can be both effective and human-centered, this is your opportunity to make a lasting regional impact.

Requirements

JOB DUTIES

Applying equity, racial, 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.

• Provide strategic leadership and executive direction for the Permitting Division, ensuring alignment with Department of Local Services goals, County priorities, and the needs of unincorporated King County communities.
• Oversee all permitting programs and services for unincorporated King County, ensuring effective, consistent, and lawful administration across urban, rural, and resource land contexts.
• Lead and develop division leadership and management staff, including the Deputy Division Director, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and employee engagement.
• Establish division-wide performance goals and service standards, and ensure systems are in place to monitor outcomes related to timeliness, quality, customer service, equity, and transparency.
• Guide and sponsor organizational, process, and technology modernization efforts to improve permitting efficiency, customer experience, and long-term system sustainability.
• Serve as the primary executive representative for the Permitting Division, engaging with County leadership, elected officials, partner agencies, jurisdictions, tribes, community organizations, and the development community.
• Ensure consistent interpretation and application of County codes and policies, while supporting flexible, solution-oriented approaches to complex or high-profile permitting issues.
• Advance King County’s Equity, Racial, and Social Justice principles by embedding equity, accessibility, and inclusion into permitting policies, practices, workforce development, and community engagement.
• Provide executive oversight of division budgeting and resource allocation, ensuring fiscal responsibility and alignment of staffing and investments with service delivery priorities.
• Ensure legal compliance, risk management, and public accountability, including public records oversight, transparency obligations, and clear, accessible public communication.

Minimum qualifications:

• Ten or more years of progressively responsible experience in permitting, land use regulation, development services, community development, or a closely related public-sector environment.
• At least five years of senior leadership experience overseeing managers and multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated expertise in land use codes, zoning regulations, environmental review, building codes, and/or development permitting processes.
• Experience ensuring consistent, lawful interpretation and application of regulatory frameworks.
  Proven ability to lead large, complex operational programs with measurable performance goals and accountability systems.
• Experience managing significant operating budgets and aligning financial and staffing resources with strategic priorities.
  Demonstrated success leading organizational change, process improvement, or technology modernization initiatives.
• Experience with: SEPA
  • Shoreline Management Act 
  • GMA
  • building/code administration
  • permitting technology systems
  • budget and organizational leadership
• Experience engaging effectively with elected officials, executive leadership, partner agencies, community stakeholders, and the development community.
• Demonstrated commitment to advancing equity, racial and social justice principles in policy development, operational practices, and community engagement.

Desired Qualifications: 

• Bachelor's Degree in public administration, urban planning, law, engineering, or a related discipline.
• Experience leading enterprise-level permitting system modernization or digital transformation initiatives.
• Experience working in a large, complex county or metropolitan government organization.
• Familiarity with Washington State land use and growth management regulations.
• Professional certification relevant to permitting or planning (e.g., AICP, PE, ICC).
• Demonstrated track record of improving customer experience while maintaining regulatory integrity.
• Experience working collaboratively with tribal governments and historically underrepresented communities.
• Strong public-facing communication skills, including experience presenting to governing bodies or community groups.

This recruitment is open to all qualified applicants. A King County application is required. Please include a resume and cover letter, summarizing how you meet the experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skills for the position with your submission

For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact Robert James at 206-263-9414 or robert.james@kingcounty.gov