Published date: February 16, 2026
Job Title: Treatment Planning – Program Manager
Organization: King County Wastewater Treatment Division
Address: Seattle, WA
Job Website Link: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/kingcounty/jobs/5214963/treatment-planning-program-manager
Short Description:
King County’s Wastewater Treatment Division is seeking a passionate and strategic Program Manager to lead the Treatment Planning Program – the team responsible for charting the course for future expansion and upgrades to our region’s wastewater treatment plants. This position is a unique opportunity to be on the forefront of planning the policies and capital projects that will protect public health, improve water quality, and ensure responsible environmental stewardship for generations to come.
As a senior leader within the Treatment and Separated Conveyance Planning Group, you’ll guide strategic planning efforts, coordinate across technical disciplines, and play a pivotal role in developing both short- and long-range plans to prepare the treatment system for population growth and to meet evolving environmental regulations. You’ll collaborate with and guide a dynamic, high-performing team and influence decisions that will shape regional water quality for decades.
This is an opportunity to:
Contribute to clean water and community well-being through public service.
Lead strategic planning that drives major infrastructure investments.
Address complex, meaningful issues impacting Puget Sound, the environment, and public health.
Work alongside a diverse, collaborative, and passionate team.
If you’re ready to help shape the roadmap for water quality in King County – and are driven by big-picture thinking, strategic planning, and the chance to make a lasting impact on public health, equity, and the environment – this role offers the opportunity to lead meaningful work at the intersection of infrastructure and sustainability.
Job Category: Government – Wastewater
Salary and Benefits Information: $128,816.27 – $163,282.50 Annually
Full Description:
King County’s Wastewater Treatment Division is seeking a passionate and strategic Program Manager to lead the Treatment Planning Program – the team responsible for charting the course for future expansion and upgrades to our region’s wastewater treatment plants. This position is a unique opportunity to be on the forefront of planning the policies and capital projects that will protect public health, improve water quality, and ensure responsible environmental stewardship for generations to come.
As a senior leader within the Treatment and Separated Conveyance Planning Group, you’ll guide strategic planning efforts, coordinate across technical disciplines, and play a pivotal role in developing both short- and long-range plans to prepare the treatment system for population growth and to meet evolving environmental regulations. You’ll collaborate with and guide a dynamic, high-performing team and influence decisions that will shape regional water quality for decades.
What You Will Be Doing:
Guide long-term, strategic planning initiatives: Lead a team in developing long-term plans, decision-making processes, recommended policy, and obtaining necessary approvals for implementation. Establish processes for engagement with senior leadership, elected officials, regulators, tribal interests, and/or the public.
Lead planning and analysis: Oversee, coordinate, and execute plans, studies, technical analyses, cost estimates, and policy evaluations to assess technical concepts and recommend long-term treatment planning and policy decisions.
Foster collaboration: Work closely and coordinate across divisions, sections, and agencies to integrate system needs, opportunities, and priorities with capacity and regulatory planning. Build strong relationships with county staff, leadership, local sewer agencies, regulators, and other interested parties.
Prepare planning documentation: Lead or guide the creation of planning documents, technical reports, memos, presentations, and other materials that outline methods and strategies for long-term investment in treatment plants.
Manage program work: Develop and track program work plans, scopes, budgets, and schedules. Provide guidance, direction, and support to program staff and consultants to ensure successful project delivery.
Guide and lead a team: Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and respectful team culture while providing mentorship, guidance, and clear direction to staff and consultants to support both individual growth and program success.
Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills
Qualifications You Bring:
Professional work experience and/or education in planning, engineering, science, business administration, public administration, or a related field, with increasing responsibility for managing large and complex programs or projects.
Knowledge of water, wastewater, science, or environmental management.
Experience developing and leading strategic planning, decision-making processes, and policy analysis.
Demonstrated experience and knowledge of program management and planning techniques, principles, and/or practices.
Experience leading a team to accomplish a complex program or work.
Experience leading or preparing a variety of types of documents, plans, memos, briefings, and/or summaries describing complex projects, programs, policies, or processes.
Strong written and verbal communication skills for synthesizing and conveying complex information to a variety of expert and non-expert audiences.
Experience working with minimal guidance where there may be ambiguity and established procedures and policies may not exist and must be developed to craft solutions and pathways leading to recommendations.
It Would Be Great if You Also Bring:
Knowledge of local government processes, public utility issues, policy, and/or communications.
Knowledge of environmental regulations, such as federal Clean Water Act and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).
Knowledge of and experience with project and/or contract management.