Salary: $136,281.39 - $172,744.42 Annually
Location : King Street Center - 201 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA
Job Type: Career Service (Exec)
Job Number: 2026RJ27464
Department: DHR - Dept. of Human Resources
Division: HR Director's Office
Opening Date: 06/15/2026
Closing Date: 6/28/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
FLSA: Exempt
Bargaining Unit: Z3 : KC Personnel Guidelines
Full- or Part-Time: Full Time
Hours/Week: 40 hours/week

Summary
This recruitment is open to King County employees only

PLEASE NOTE: Interviews will held early in the week of June 29th.

The Department of Human Resources (DHR) seeks an experienced leader in human resources to serve as the Human Resources Manager II who will drive talent acquisition, employee engagement, performance management, labor relations, and workforce development. Continuing to build an extraordinary workplace, we seek a leader who is creative and innovative in their approach and ideas while remaining flexible and adaptable to a changing and fast-paced environment; and can operate with a high degree of emotional intelligence, embracing different styles, valuing diversity, and demonstrating a commitment to and promotion of an inclusive workplace.
Job Duties
Applying equity and social justice principles is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all King County employees. The DHR Human Resources Manager II will apply equity and social justice principles that exemplify shared values, behaviors, and practices in all aspects of the work.
The ideal candidate for this role will be a dynamic HR leader who brings fresh ideas and the ability to develop the organization from a performance and culture perspective, implementing and overseeing initiatives that increase efficiency, standardization, and improve organizational health. Primary responsibilities include:

• Provide overall direction for the integration of sound human resources practices and strategic initiatives for the department, building and leveraging relationships and networks at all levels as a valued and trusted HR partner.
• Act as a trusted advisor to the leadership team to assist them in carrying out their business plans. This will require working collaboratively across the organization to analyze problems and develop and implement solutions in a complex and ever-changing environment.
• Provide advice and consultation on workplace programs, policies, and procedures.
• Lead the implementation of strategies to strengthen employee engagement and advance equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts.
• Provide leadership and oversight to strategically designed systems for recruiting, developing, and retaining a high quality, diverse workforce that is prepared for the evolving business needs of the future.
• Proactively assess and resolve employee relations issues objectively, interpreting employment law, labor agreements, and HR policies and practices to reduce liability and ensure consistency and compliance.
• Conduct investigations related to human resources issues.
• Participate in negotiations of collective bargaining agreements, support and participate in employee discipline and grievances as needed, and implement and interpret contract language where warranted.
• Manage requests for accommodations (ADA, religious, and others as applicable by law) to ensure adherence to all federal, state, and local regulations.
• Provide supervision, guidance, and development to support and sustain a small HR team.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills
Minimum Qualifications:

• A bachelor's degree in Human Resources Management, Public or Business Administration, or a closely related field; AND
• Five years of increasingly responsible experience in human resources at the professional/management level; OR
• Any combination of education and experience that clearly demonstrates the ability to perform the job duties of the position.

Other Qualifications:

• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build effective work relationships, influence behavior, and manage change.
• Direct working knowledge of major HR functions such as workforce planning, recruitment, compensation and benefits, risk management, Human Resources Information Systems, employee relations, performance management, employment, training and development, and the relevant laws and regulations.
• Experience coaching and counseling supervisors to effectively develop employees and improve performance outcomes.
• Excellent customer focused service and ability to advise and partner at all levels of management on a variety of complex HR policies, procedures, and practices.
• Experience advancing equity and social justice, inclusion, and belonging. Comfort having candid and sincere conversations with all employees about race and equity in the workplace.
• Excellent understanding and demonstrated knowledge of progressive workplace practices, including advances in available technology and resources to adapt to a competitive and changing labor market.
• Strategic thinker with extensive experience solving complex organizational problems through people-related solutions, with the ability to translate strategies into tactical actions and solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate in both written and verbal form at a high level, bringing clarity to human resources issues and providing information to staff and leadership.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple and competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience in the public sector, government, or other municipal agency.
• Experience performing HR service delivery in a unionized environment.
• Strong working knowledge and proficiency with PeopleSoft.
• Strong working knowledge and proficiency of the NEOGOV applicant tracking system.

Supplemental Information
Work Schedule
This position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is not eligible for overtime pay. Employees are paid on a bi-weekly schedule, every other Thursday, comprising a 40-hour workweek (normally 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday). Occasional non-standard work hours may be required to attend events, job fairs, etc.
Hybrid Work
This position works a hybrid schedule of remote and onsite work, requiring work in the office at least three days a week. Hybrid work schedules are subject to change based upon operational necessity. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements. The primary onsite location is King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson, Seattle, Washington 98104.

Union Status
This position is not represented by a collective bargaining agreement.

Classification:
Human Resources Manager -117201
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 or 206-263-9414.

Required Application Materials

1. An online employment application completed at Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application. All relevant experience must be included in the application.
2. A Cover letter no longer than two pages summarizing how your experience has prepared you for this position. In addition, please share why you are interested in this position.

01

Are you currently a King County employee?

• Yes
• No

02

Are you applying to this position as an eligible Priority Placement Program Participant who is a current or previous King County Employee impacted by layoff? ANDIs this position the same or lower percentage of full-time when compared to the position held at the point of the notification of layoff? ANDDo you possess the skills and abilities to qualify for this position?

• Yes, I was given a layoff notice from my Career Service role at King County and I am within two years of the effective date of my layoff. Additionally, the position I was laid off from was the same or a higher percentage of FT status when compared to this one.
• No.

03

If you answered yes to the question above and you are applying for this position as a Priority Placement Participant, to be considered, you must provide the following three pieces of information in the space provided:1. The title you held when you received your layoff notice2. The department you worked in3. The effective date of your layoff
Required Question