Aid to the Executive

Summary Under Executive-elect Girmay Zahilay’s leadership, we are making King County a high performing government, transparently delivering services that improve the lives of residents. To support this vision, we are seeking a seasoned, detail‑oriented, and highly collaborative Executive Assistant. The Executive Assistant will provide comprehensive, high‑level administrative support to Executive Zahilay, applying specialized administrative expertise, sound judgment, and exceptional organizational skills. As the highest‑level Executive Assistant role in King County, this position is expected to model the administration’s values by serving with integrity, showing initiative, and approaching challenges with a collaborative mindset. This role requires strong attention to detail, a customer‑focused approach, and the ability to anticipate needs and adapt in a fast‑paced environment. The ideal candidate brings a continuous improvement mindset, actively seeks opportunities to enhance workflows and streamline processes, and demonstrates flexibility—including the ability to shift start and end times as needed to accommodate the Executive’s schedule and priorities. Job Duties Provide direct administrative support to the King County Executive, serving as the primary point of contact for all scheduling needs. Work closely with the Special Assistant to the Executive, who provides additional scheduling and administrative support. Manage the day‑to‑day administrative operations for the Executive, including scheduling all appointments, meetings, speaking engagements, and other commitments. Prepare, compile, and distribute background materials and supporting documents for meetings and follow‑up actions to ensure the Executive and support staff are fully briefed for all engagements. Coordinate with internal teams and external partners to gather accurate, timely information into a briefing binder that will guide the week ahead. Coordinate with the Executive Protection Unit on all engagements needing security oversight and support. Maintain an efficient and professional flow of information between the Executive and internal and external stakeholders, ensuring alignment on organizational priorities and readiness for all engagements. Serve as a liaison between the Executive, department leadership, county staff, and community partners, fostering strong working relationships and supporting effective collaboration. Build and maintain positive, collaborative relationships across all levels of the organization, modeling professionalism and supporting effective communication and teamwork. Coordinate and review all travel arrangements for the Executive, including preparing itineraries, confirming lodging and transportation, and processing travel reconciliation. When necessary, staff the Executive at assigned events, ensuring logistics run smoothly and the Executive is supported throughout the engagement. Assist in shaping new roles and responsibilities as the needs of the Executive Office evolve. Perform other administrative duties as assigned to support the Executive Office operations and priorities. This role requires flexibility and a willingness to assist with a variety of tasks that support the Executive Office. Values Serve with integrity. Show initiative and work hard. Prioritize outcomes over optics. Center those most impacted and put "boots on the ground." Solve problems with a "yes, and" mindset. Work as one, adaptable, mission‑driven team. Drive for clarity. Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills Ideal Candidate Have a strong background providing professional‑level support to an Executive Director, CEO, COO, or other senior leader, with the ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment, tact, and diplomacy when making independent decisions. Demonstrate the ability to work effectively with people at all levels, maintain a positive attitude, and show a strong commitment to equity and social justice. Possess the ability to navigate differing or conflicting stakeholder perspectives with professionalism and clarity. Be proactive and able to coordinate a high volume of diverse assignments, managing multiple competing priorities while maintaining excellent attention to detail. Possess strong editing, writing, presentation, and communication skills. Understand how large organizations operate, including how to navigate formal and informal channels to move work forward. Additional Qualifications Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability, including the ability to adjust start and end working hours, urgently respond to alterations in the schedule, and recognize shifting priorities to support the Executive when unexpected demands arise. Exhibit a commitment to continuous improvement in an aim to increase the efficiency, accuracy, and effectiveness of the role. Be highly proficient using office productivity software and relational databases in daily work (Microsoft Office, PeopleSoft HCM, and Oracle EBS) and demonstrate comfortability learning new systems and processes. Supplemental Information Why Join Us This is a rare opportunity to help shape the operational backbone of King County government. The Executive Assistant will play a pivotal role in creating a more unified, efficient, and resident‑centered government—ensuring that 10 departments work together as one team to deliver exceptional service to the public. The King County Executive Department serves residents with a relentless sense of urgency, delivering on commitments with integrity, transparency, and accountability. We are action‑oriented, creative problem solvers who collaborate across roles, engage directly with communities, and challenge the status quo to achieve meaningful impact. As a unified team, we uphold high ethical and frugal stewardship standards, embrace change, stay curious, and continuously improve. We will work in the office at least three days a week to foster connection and responsiveness, arrive prepared and on time, and structure meetings with clear goals and next steps. The team will represent the Executive with professionalism—including responsible social media conduct—and respond promptly when contacted. Across all interactions, we listen first, act quickly, and stay aligned as a team to earn and sustain public trust. Compensation & Benefits Competitive executive‑level salary, commensurate with experience Comprehensive health, retirement, and leave benefits Professional development and leadership growth opportunities Ability to make a meaningful impact on how King County delivers for its residents Application Process To apply, please submit your résumé, a brief cover letter, and a statement of interest describing how your experience aligns with the Executive’s vision for unified, equitable, and high‑performing government. For questions about this recruitment process, please contact Brittany Hagen Crosser, Human Resource Manager at View email address on click.appcast.io or View phone number on click.appcast.io. Benefits Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage options Life and disability insurance Retirement: 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 two personal holidays Generous vacation and paid sick leave Paid parental, family and medical, and volunteer leaves Flexible Spending Account Wellness programs Onsite 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, 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. 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. #J-18808-Ljbffr