Disability Specialist



Disability Specialist

Salary

$88,920.00 - $112,715.20 Annually

Location

Seattle, WA

Job Type

Special Duty Assignment or Term Limited Temp (TLT)

Job Number

2021SWAW12725

Department

EXEC - Executive's Office

Division

Administration

Opening Date

01/20/2021

Closing Date

2/3/2021 12:00 AM Pacific

FLSA

Exempt

Bargaining Unit

Z3 : KC Personnel Guidelines

Summary

The Disability Specialist will serve as the primary resource for activities for a National Association of County and City Health Official (NAACHO) grant and key policy work for establishing “disability justice” practices within the county.
 
The position will provide subject matter expertise and policy guidance to Office of Equity and Social Justice, Public Health – Seattle & King County and Department of Community and Human Services to assess and ensure the needs of persons with disabilities and access and functional needs are met, including being integrated into local public health emergency preparedness response, planning, mitigation and recovery efforts. The position will serve as a key resource with king county departments to establish equity justice practices and partnerships with the disability community and other governmental and non-governmental organizations to facilitate learning and best practices.
 
The position will be guided by a management committee comprised of representatives from OESJ, DPH and DCHS. Day to day management, supervision reporting of the position will be with the OESJ. Funding for the position is comprised of county and grant funds.
 
This is a term-limited temporary or special duty assignment with an anticipated duration of twelve to eighteen (12-18) months.

ABOUT KING COUNTY
 
With 2.2 million residents in 39 cities and unincorporated areas, King County is the nation's 13th-largest county. It also has one of the most diverse populations in the United States.  As the only county in the United States named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant community with residents who represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that values the artistic and social traditions of many cultures. King County is changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence.
 
The County continues to build on an enduring legacy of shared values of equity and social justice, employee engagement, innovative thinking, and continuous improvement.  If you share King County Executive Dow Constantine's mission to cultivate and maintain collaborative working relationships with our labor partners, employing innovative and creative solutions to challenges, to achieving just and sustainable results for all this job is for you. 

Job Duties

  • Provide subject matter expertise to Public Health – Seattle & King Countya jurisdiction impacted by COVID-19, to ensure the needs of persons with disabilities and access and functional needs are integrated into public health emergency preparedness planning, mitigation, vaccination and recovery efforts for COVID-19, as well as future emergency response plans. This includes:
    1. Assessing Public Health’s COVID-19 response activities to date and providing recommendations to improve the inclusion of people with disabilities and access and functional needs into COVID-19 response, mitigation and recovery efforts.
    2. Establishing and maintaining partnerships with the disability community, including hosting listening sessions.
    3. Providing subject matter expertise to update Public Health – Seattle & King County’s future emergency response plans to better serve the needs of people with disabilities and access and functional needs during outbreaks, pandemics and other emergencies.
    4. Serves as an integral member and disability coordinator of Public Health – Seattle & King County’s community mitigation and recovery, communications, and emergency preparedness teams.
  • Actively participate in an ASTHO/NACCHO-hosted community of practice for all jurisdictional Disability Specialists to increase regional and national collaboration.
  • Develop model best practices for emergent/crisis situations that can be applied throughout the county.
  • Working with advocates and other partners, provide cross departmental coordination to advance disability justice issues related to COVID-19 and other areas impacting the disability community.
  • Lead efforts to engage stakeholders early, meaningfully and continuously for learning, strategic planning, implementation and continuous improvements.   
    1. Plan and implement meaningful opportunities for individuals, families, program staff, agency leaders, community partners and others to provide information and guide improvement processes.
  • Support creation of meaningful policies and procedures informed by stakeholders and aligned with King County’s Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

  • Experience in policy analysis and policy development using a racial equity and disability framework
  • Experience working with persons with disabilities, BIPOC, low-income communities and access and functional needs is a must.Experience working collaboratively with diverse stakeholders including individuals, families, culturally specific and community-based groups, volunteer boards, policy committees, service providers, government and systems partners, and co-workers.
  • Experience in project management, strategic planning, community engagement and partner relations.
  • Experience in public health emergency preparedness and response is preferred. 
  • Experience in public health, public administration, health policy, social work, or related field. 
  • Experience racial and disability justice advocacy, project or program administration.
The most competitive candidates will also demonstrate the following:

  • Deep knowledge of equity and social justice principles and practices, and understanding of the effects of place, race and policy and systems-based inequities on marginalized communities and populations.
  • Skill in working and understanding complex application of intersectional approaches and strategies, in terms of disability and race, ethnicity, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, economic status, class, and other identities
  • Skills to prepare visual and written documents for specific users, to create multi-use spreadsheets, and to synthesize complex data for decision making.
  • Project management and meeting facilitation
  • Understanding of public health functions, systems and infrastructure.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills.
  • Ability to work in a virtual office environment, adapting to a variety of software platforms.
  • Adept in Microsoft Office Suite, Zoom, various social media and other virtual platforms. 
  • Ability to develop and maintain collaborative networks.
  • Ability to work with creativity and flexibility, both independently and as a team member; to work under deadlines and on several tasks simultaneously; and, to organize and prioritize quickly in response to changing needs. 
  • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, management, partner agencies and organizations, state and local officials, and the general public.
  • Persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply for this position.  

Supplemental Information


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

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North", 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.
 

The most qualified applicants will be able to demonstrate experience providing high level administrative support in complex, large public sector organizations with multiple stakeholders (public officials, department directors, employees and labor unions).  
 
FORMS AND MATERIALS REQUIRED: 

To apply for this appointment, you must provide three application components: 1) a resume, 2) a cover letter, and 3) a fully completed King County application form which is available online at 
www.kingcounty.gov/jobs (NeoGov). Please note: do not leave sections of the online application incomplete with the notation "see resume". For further inquiries regarding this recruitment, please contact Seth Watson at seth.watson@kingcounty.gov or 206-477-5330. 

King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being.  Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:

  • Medical, dental, and vision coverage: King County pays 100% of the premiums for eligible employees and family members
  • Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
  • Retirement: King County employees are eligible to participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
  • Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
  • 12 paid holidays each year (plus 2 personal holidays)
  • Generous vacation and paid sick leave
  • Paid parental leave, family and medical leaves, and volunteer leave
  • Flexible Spending Account
  • Wellness programs
  • Onsite gyms and activity centers
  • Employee giving program
  • Employee assistance programs
  • Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
  • Training and career development programs
For additional information about employee benefits please visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page.

This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy.  If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails.  Also, in the event of any incorrect information in this document, applicable laws, policies, rules, CBAs, or official plan documents will prevail.
 
NOTE:  Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position. Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.
 
For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.

01
I am currently enrolled in King County's Priority Placement Program managed by the Department of Human Resources.
  • Yes
  • No
02
I am applying for consideration as: *Note: only currently employed career service employees of King County are eligible for Special Duty assignments.
  • Term-Limited Temporary
  • Special Duty Assignment
03
I have submitted a complete application including: 1. A fully completed/filled out online application 2. A letter of interest outlining your qualifications 3. A resume or CV
  • Yes
  • No

Required Question

Agency
King County
Address
King Street Center
201 South Jackson Street
Seattle, Washington, 98104
Phone
206-477-3404