Utility Franchise Program Lead

Salary: $121,042.27 - $153,428.08 Annually
Location : Chinook Building 401 5th Avenue Seattle, WA
Job Type: Career Service (Exec)
Job Number: 2026KC27940
Department: DES - Executive Services
Division: FMD - Facilities Mgmt
Opening Date: 10/22/2026
Closing Date: 11/5/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
FLSA: Exempt
Bargaining Unit: F3A : L117-P&T
Full- or Part-Time: Full Time
Hours/Week: 40 hours/week

Summary
The Department of Executive Services, Facilities Management Division, is seeking a real estate professional to provide professional level negotiation of terms and conditions for utility franchise agreement and administer terms of those agreements.

The person in this role is a technical expert in the field of franchising and will work in politically sensitive environments. We are looking for a professional with the ability to work independently, lead, and be a good team member.

Job Duties
To be considered for this opportunity, you must at a minimum, demonstrate the knowledge, skill, and ability to:

• Negotiate complex franchise terms and conditions with utilities for use of County Road rights-of-way.
• Prepare legislative and other documents necessary for processing franchise applications, through King County Council review and execution.
• Coordinate review with and input from County agencies before, during, and after the negotiation process.
• Implement and administer executed franchise agreements by educating King County agencies, resolving conflicts, and taking other steps to support compliance with the terms and conditions of franchise agreements.
• Conduct research related to franchise and road right-of-way issues and facilitate resolution among competing priorities.
• Support documentation of standard work.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills
We are looking for candidates who:

• Have experience negotiating and administering complex binding agreements.
• Understands general contract terms and conditions and principles of contract interpretation.
• Have advanced oral and written communication, problem-solving, analytical, and investigative research skills.
• Are experienced in facilitation, conflict resolution, and customer service.
• Are proficient users of Microsoft Office software.
• Have a desire to make a positive impact.

Desired Qualifications

• Have experience negotiating and administering terms and conditions of utility franchise agreements for use of road rights-of-way.
• Have knowledge of utility franchise terms and conditions.
• Have knowledge of laws, rules, and regulations related to use of road rights-of-way.

Supplemental Information
Work location: The FMD team works in a hybrid model, with 3 days required 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 County Chinook Building- 401 5th Ave Seattle, WA 98194.

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 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 position is Exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and therefore is not overtime eligible. The typical workweek is 40 hours, Monday- Friday. Employees are paid on a bi-weekly schedule, every other Thursday.

Union representation: This position is represented by International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 117 Professional & Technical.

Special requirements: The selected candidate must complete an annual "Financial Disclosure Statement" in accordance with the King County Code of Ethics. Selected candidate must posses a Washington State Driver's License.

Are you ready to APPLY?

The recruitment for this position is open to all qualified candidates. A completed King County Application is required. We highly recommend that you also provide a resume and cover letter.

This recruitment is an effort to fill our immediate vacancies as well as create a hire list that will be used for any positions that become vacant within the next 6 months, including additional Term Limited Temporary (TLT), Short-Term Temporary (STT) and Career Service (CS) positions.

If you have any questions, please contact Karina Cordova, HR Analyst by e-mail at kcordova@kingcounty.govor by phone at 206-848-0395.

Application Process

If you are interested in pursuing this position and supporting King County's vision for unified, equitable, and high-performing government, please follow the application instructions carefully. Provide us with your work history as applicable, ensuring that you provide details that highlight your ability to fulfill the requirements for this position.

If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, or you would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process, please contact Karina Cordova, HR Analyst at kcordova@kingcounty.gov.

01

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.

02

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