Ruth Woo Fellowship

Summary

King County is proud to offer an exciting fellowship opportunity for those committed to exploring a career in public service. The Ruth Woo Emerging Leaders Fellowship is named after the revered community leader Ruth Woo who dedicated her life to public service. To learn more about Ruth Woo, visit: Northwest Asian Weekly.

To honor her many contributions to our communities and state, King County is offering three paid, full-time Term Limited Temporary positions. In their assignments, Fellows will have an opportunity to develop or deepen their understanding of the impact and importance of civic engagement, appreciate the importance of public service in its many forms from elected officials to staff, partners and clients, and enhance their skills for building a career in public service.

Job Duties

Fellows will be assigned to work in a county agency for a period of twelve months. These agencies include King County Council (KCC); Department of Human Resources (DHR); and Department of Natural Resources & Parks (DNRP). All projects will be subject to the specific needs of the host department at the time of the assignment.

These assignments will provide the fellow with an opportunity to perform real work under the guidance of experienced County employees, learn new skills, and gain experience while furthering King County initiatives.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

Qualifications:

• College degree (transcripts will be requested upon offer).

Ability to:

• Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing;
• Develop and maintain effective relations with diverse people and people from different backgrounds and across different sectors;
• Be flexible and be able to adapt to new situations while working in a multi-faceted and sometimes ambiguous environment, and;
• Remain neutral on issues where there are competing political agendas and use tact, discretion, and diplomacy in dealing with sensitive issues and concerned individuals.

Skilled in:

• Interpersonal communication;
• Managing and completing assigned work in a timely manner, and;
• Analytical and research skills, with the ability to learn new technologies and processes.

Our focus and actions are based on four principles (4B’s):

• Breaking the Cycle – of homelessness, addiction, trauma and incarceration
• Building for Affordability – Housing, childcare, and transit that are growing needs
• Be in the Community – for more customer and community service
• Better Government – services through fiscal responsibility, transparency, accountability and equity

Working Conditions:

• This position is non-exempt (hourly) and eligible for overtime with supervisory pre-approval. Typical work hours are Monday - Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (8-hour days) and may report to various King County locations.
• The teams work in a hybrid model, with days 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.
• Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

• Your background and how it lacked equitable access to education, employment, and professional development opportunities;
• Barriers you've had to overcome and the actions you took to get through them; and
• Why you are passionate and committed to public service.

Supplemental Information

TASKS TO BE ASSIGNED:

• Assist with preparing, publishing, and managing grant materials

• Support with youth leadership development on the Climate Equity Community Task Force

• Develop monthly newsletter content

• Training planning, preparation, and coordination

• Event planning and coordination

• Process and procedure improvement in program management

• Assist with grant reporting and documentation

Department of Human Resources
This role will support multiple initiatives from the Director’s Office of the Department of Human Resources (DHR), with a strong focus on Strategic Planning, Equity, and cross-departmental collaboration. The position will apply core human resources knowledge, standard HR tools, and effective project coordination skills to advance DHR’s strategic priorities and overall operational excellence.

The individual in this role will assist the Director's office in implementing department-wide planning activities, supporting equity-centered initiatives, improving HR processes and systems, and ensuring clear, consistent communication across divisions. This position offers the opportunity to work across the full breadth of DHR, partnering with teams in Talent Acquisition, Learning & Development, Equal Employment Opportunity, Organizational Development, and other HR service lines.

The employee will build skills in project management, HR analytics, communication, organizational change support, stakeholder engagement, strategic planning implementation, and continuous process improvement while advancing equitable workforce practices across King County.

TASKS TO BE ASSIGNED:

• Support department-wide strategic planning activities by preparing materials, coordinating meetings, and tracking key actions and milestones

• Assist in developing clear and engaging internal communications, including newsletters, updates, presentation materials, and shared resources

• Contribute to equity-focused projects through research, coordination, and collaboration with teams across DHR

• Maintain organized project documentation, templates, and process guides to promote consistent and efficient operations

• Provide logistical support for trainings, workshops, and internal events, including planning, scheduling, and day-of coordination

• Assist with data collection and basic reporting using standard HR and project management tools

• Participate in process improvement efforts by gathering input, mapping workflows, and identifying opportunities to streamline or enhance work processes

Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

We are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

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 the recruiter listed on this job announcement.