King County Metro seeks a highly organized, visionary, and strategic leader to serve as the Transit Strategy and Policy Lead. This career service position, which is classified as Transportation Planner IV, will lead the Planning and Policy Team in the System Expansion and Integration work group. In this role, you will shape the future of Metro’s transit network by leading updates to Metro Connects, the agency’s long-range plan, and assisting in the development of other Metro and County policies. This position will play a central role in developing Metro’s future service network, with a focus on growing transit service as we plan for expansion of the RapidRide (arterial bus rapid transit) system and Sound Transit’s light rail system.

About System Expansion and Integration

The System Expansion and Integration group leads work on RapidRide expansion, mid- and long-range transit planning, and integrating Metro services and facilities with partner agencies. The group is composed of three teams, one of which is the Planning and Policy Team that this position will lead. The Planning and Policy Team is responsible for leading mid- and long-range planning, policy development, and performance management for Metro services. The team works on a variety of unique efforts including:

• policy development for updates to Metro’s service guidelines
• transit network development for mid- and long-range planning efforts
• performance monitoring and evaluation for fixed-route bus service
• regional and local planning coordination
• legislative policy review, coordination, and analysis
• RapidRide expansion planning
• international transit best practices

This recruitment will be used to fill one full-time Career Service vacancy. This recruitment may also be used to create an eligibility pool to fill future career service vacancies in this classification that may occur over the next twelve months.  The pool will be valid for 12 months upon creation and used at the discretion of the hiring authority.

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 to all aspects of the work. 

As the Transit Strategy and Policy Lead, you will:

Leadership and Team Management

• Lead and manage the Planning and Policy Team, providing strategic direction and oversight.
• Supervise staff by developing work plans, mentoring, and providing guidance and review of technical work products.
• Build a collaborative team environment and develop capacity within each team member.
• Demonstrate a commitment to racial equity and social justice, safety, and sustainability, while promoting an equitable, diverse, and inclusive work environment.
• Work collaboratively with a diverse group of individuals from a variety of different positions and backgrounds.

Project Management

• Lead cross-functional planning teams through all phases of project planning and implementation.
• Demonstrate excellent leadership, interpersonal and communication skills, and comfort managing multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Manage complex projects and programs, including change processes to incorporate feedback.
• Manage project scopes of work, schedules, and budgets.
• Support inclusive community engagement efforts related to projects that are aligned with Metro goals and objectives.

Communicate and Collaborate Effectively

• Represent Metro in a wide range of settings including but not limited to technical committees, King County Council and Regional Transit Committee meetings; in various forums with other transit agencies, local jurisdictions, and elected officials; and in public meetings.
• Prepare legislation to go before the King County Council.
• Develop presentations and other communications materials to explain transit concepts and plans to variety of audiences.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

 

• Bachelor’s degree in public policy, public administration, planning OR any equivalent combination of experience and education which provides the applicant with the skills, knowledge, and abilities required to perform the work.
• At least five years of work experience in transportation, land use, environmental planning, or a related field.
• At least three years of experience leading project teams.
• Strong understanding of transportation planning, mid- and long-range planning, and policy development.
• Ability to analyze transit service performance data, develop benchmarks, and make data-driven recommendations.
• Knowledge of transportation policy, legislative processes, and regulatory frameworks affecting public transportation.
• Ability to lead and develop a high-performing team, including coaching, mentoring, and workload management.
• Ability to align team efforts with broader agency goals and make informed decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex quantitative and technical information into clear, accessible content for non-technical audiences.
• Experience working with the diverging opinions and viewpoints of elected officials, internal and external agency staff, and the public. 

• Ability to communicate complex information clearly and concisely (verbally, in writing, and visually) while adapting quickly to a multitude of interpersonal situations.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to lead discussions, resolve conflicts, and drive consensus in planning and policy processes.
• Ability to evaluate and implement best practices in transit planning and policy.
• Experienced project manager and relationship builder with a proven ability to manage competing priorities, drive results, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite including Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and PowerPoint.
• Comfortable with a hybrid work environment.

Highly competitive candidates will have the following qualifications:

• Master’s degree in public policy, public administration, planning or closely related field, or an equivalent combination of experience and education.
• Experience managing direct reports.
• Experience developing, negotiating, and managing consultant contracts.
• Strong understanding of transit planning principles, service guidelines, and network development.
• Experience with policy development and analysis, including legislative review and coordination.
• Knowledge of transit performance monitoring and benchmarking methodologies.
• Familiarity with regional and local transportation policy frameworks and interagency coordination.
• Understanding the best practices in international transit planning.
• Proficiency in GIS, transit planning software, or data visualization tools.
• Strong data analysis and performance evaluation skills to support planning and policy decisions.
• Experience leading mid- and long-range transit planning efforts.
• Familiarity with equity-focused transit policies and inclusive service planning approaches.
• Experience working on projects with a high degree of political and public scrutiny.
• Experience presenting to elected officials, executive leadership, or public stakeholders.
• Experience leading, organizing, and motivating multidisciplinary teams and working with matrixed workgroups at all levels within a large organization.