GENERAL PURPOSE: 

This is a direct hire temporary position which is expected to last up to one year with a possible six month extension.

This temporary position will devise, coordinate and oversee the community engagement for the work associated with the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the West Seattle and Ballard Link Extension project. The position also will serve as a liaison and point of contact between Sound Transit (ST) and members of the community regarding this project; coordinate and provide public information coordinate and develop strategies, goals, and tactics for public involvement, public information, and community relations programs activities; create materials, responds to public inquiries and constituent concerns; and plan and staff community outreach events.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

The following duties are a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.

• Establishes and implements communication strategies and engagement activities for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) release and station planning workshops for West Seattle and Ballard Link Extensions between Fall 2021 – Winter 2023.

• Collaborates, creating, and implementing Environmental Justice plans. Supports in-language materials creation. Develops and fulfills accessibility plans and accommodations for virtual and in-person events.

• Coordinates and plans culturally appropriate engagement strategies for reaching underrepresented communities identified by Racial Equity Toolkit (RET) in Delridge and Chinatown- International District Neighborhoods.

• Supports engagement needs for disciplines including: environmental, station planning, Section 106, permitting, field work, waterway user navigation, and real property.

• Responsible for property owner notifications for the West Seattle and Ballard Link Extension, person to person meetings, and briefings with potentially impacted property owners.  These activities include meeting preparation, scheduling, dry-run and rehearsal, materials creations, meeting attendance, follow up and preparing meeting summaries.

• Advocates customer-focused responses and constituent issues for stakeholder, community and property owner engagement; advises senior management and collaborates with consultants, construction contractors and construction management staff in order to address community concerns.

• Oversees works of the consulting contracts as necessary; monitors and oversees the contractor/consultant in terms of time management and billing, review of work projects, and correspondence between the consultants and other outside the agency staff who are working within the program.

• Serves on a team as the primary point of contact for affected public and stakeholders on this project.

• Evaluates and recommends the most effective strategy for reaching the intended audience with appropriate messages and cultural sensitivity including meetings, tours and other events as well as materials.

• Creates presentations and speaks publicly.

• Writes a variety of public communication pieces including newsletters, construction alerts, brochures, postcards, websites, staff reports, etc.

• Creates and implements public engagement plans.

• Makes recommendations to project staff about the appropriate activities.

• Plans, organizes, and attends public events, community group briefings, and other input gathering activities.

• Recommends methods for collecting input online. Attends public events, open houses, and community gatherings.

• Collects, synthesizes and reports on public input.

• Assists senior outreach staff in creating processes, policies and procedures related to community outreach.is the responsibility of all employees to follow the Agency safety rules, regulations, and procedures pertaining to their assigned duties and responsibilities, which could include systems, operations, and/or other employees.

• Champions & models Sound Transit’s core values and demonstrates values-based behaviors in everyday interactions across the agency.

• Contributes to a culture of diversity, equity & inclusion in alignment with Sound Transit’s Equity & Inclusion Policy.

• It is the responsibility of all employees to follow the Agency safety rules, regulations, and procedures pertaining to their assigned duties and responsibilities, which could include systems, operations, and/or other employees.

• It is the responsibility of all employees to integrate sustainability into everyday business practices.

• Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education and Experience:

Bachelors Degree in communications, public affairs, public administration, English, or closely related field and three years of experience working in community outreach, community relations, or public relations that includes leading outreach or public relations projects within a diverse urban community; OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Required Licenses or Certifications: 

Valid state driver’s license.

Required Knowledge and Skills: 

• Environmental process as it relates to the release of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and the requirements of the public engagement programs

• Operations, services, and activities of a community engagement program.

• Methods and techniques of public involvement and integrated communications.

• Operations, services, and activities of the transit operations and capital projects, programs, and functional areas. Pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations.

• Public sector procurement and contracting requirements.

• Customer service principles and practices.

• Principles and practices of project development and administration.

• English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

• Modern office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and computer applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and statistical databases.

• Meeting facilitation and conflict resolution.

• Establishing and maintaining effective and collaborative working relationships with community members, organizations, businesses, property owners and the general public.

• Developing and delivering clear, engaging presentations. Distilling highly technical information into concise, easy to understand messages for public consumption.

• Interpreting and administering policies and procedures sufficient to administer, discuss, resolve, and explain them to staff and other constituencies.

• Effectively representing Agency programs in contacts with the public, businesses, community organizations, and other government agencies.

• Project management including ability to manage multiple projects concurrently and organizing work to meet changing priorities and deadlines and facilitating work of a matrixed team.

• Applying appropriate communication techniques to various individuals ranging from Agency employees, the general public, elected officials, community leaders, and local, state, and federal agencies.

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as a team member.

• Fluency in Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish or Vietnamese is a plus.

Physical Demands / Work Environment:

• Subject to working in an office environment.

• Subject to standing, walking, bending, reaching, stooping, and lifting of objects up to 25 pounds; may occasionally be exposed to dangerous machinery, extreme weather conditions, physical harm, infectious disease, and noise when conducting site visits and working in the field.

• The Agency promotes a safe and healthy work environment and provides appropriate safety and equipment training for all personnel as required.

Sound Transit is an equal employment opportunity employer. No person is unlawfully excluded from employment action 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.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)