We’re hiring a Capital Program Manager III!

The application deadline is August 2, 2025 at 11:59 pm Pacific.

Best Starts for Kids is hiring a Capital Program Manager III to oversee investments related to pre-development, construction, maintenance, renovation and expansion of recreational, early learning, and childcare facilities and housing for youth, young adults, and families in King County.

Job Duties

To be considered minimally qualified, applicants must demonstrate a background that provides the knowledge, skill and ability to:

Manage investments related to the Best Starts for Kids Capital Program implementation plan utilizing a pro-equity lens.
Develop, negotiate, and manage independently all King County contracts that result from the Best Starts Capital Program funding. This includes monitoring construction and coordinating review/approval of funding disbursements with the fiscal team.
Develop and manage Best Starts for Kids Capital Program Requests for Proposals (RFPs). Work with internal and external partners to draft at least one RFP per year. Plan and manage evaluation and recommendation processes. Share information about RFPs with interested parties. Develop and present recommendations to decision-making bodies.
Serve as liaison with all funded community and institutional partners, providing information and technical assistance related to construction activities from acquisition to project close out.
Build relationships and maintain good communication with community stakeholders, working together to achieve project goals.
Document improvement opportunities and analyze data in an effort to identify systems gaps and develop strategies for improvement.
Partner with colleagues across DCHS divisions and Public Health to foster teamwork and to share best practices that promote cohesion and advance equity.
Work closely with Best Starts for Kids and Puget Sound Taxpayer Accountability Account (PSTAA) Evaluation teams in assessing effectiveness of the program.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

We are looking for candidates who have:

Minimum three years’ project management experience with capital community development or real estate transactions including as a developer, construction manager, or other experience in capital/construction projects.
Minimum three years’ experience managing programs and monitoring for results.
Skilled in providing technical assistance to community organizations in navigating pre-development, construction and project close-out in accordance with local regulations and development best practices.
Knowledge of equity and social justice principles and practices, and understanding of the effects of place, race, and policy and systems-based inequities on communities and populations.
Experience in and commitment to community-based development is central to work activities in this role.
Ability to multi-task and complete complex, time-sensitive project management tasks with high quality and attention to details. This includes managing projects through regular meetings with external partners while simultaneously directing programmatic activities.
Proven ability to build and maintain trusting relationships with internal and external partners, bringing them together to work toward a common goal. Proven ability to work across departments and divisions and prioritize complex needs with sensitivity and poise.
Experience ensuring compliance with legislation, contract requirements/regulations.
Experience with analyzing and using research and data as well as maintaining high standards of record keeping and project/program documentation.
Outstanding oral and written communications skills, including strong facilitation skills. Strong presentation skills in-person, on video platforms and to audiences of various sizes is necessary in this role.
Strong problem-solving and interpersonal skills, including the ability to work independently and maintain collaborative relationships as part of a team.
Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite: Word, Excel, Outlook and the internet.

Desired Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in public administration, construction management, planning, or a related field and/or equivalent education and experience.
Strong understanding of construction transactions and the development process, including acquisition, financing, code compliance, project drawdowns, budget/scope analysis, asset management, and experience collaborating with architects, contractors, and engineers.
Three or more years’ experience in early learning/childcare facilities, systems, and policies; including familiarity with state licensing requirements and/or high- quality standards.
Demonstrated ability to identify systems gaps and develop strategies for improvement.
Experience with evaluating performance effectiveness and program outcomes, developing guidelines, metrics, outcomes and evaluation tools.

Learn more and apply!

Best Starts for Kids

Building on the deep knowledge, connections, and skills within King County communities, and backed by what science and research tells us about human development, the Best Starts for Kids King County initiative meets children and families with the right services at the right time. The first Best Starts for Kids levy, approved by King County voters in 2015, reached 490,000 of King County’s youngest children and their families and 40,000 youth and young adults, catalyzing strong starts in a child’s earliest years, and sustaining those gains through to adulthood. In August 2021, King County voters chose to renew the levy with over 62% approval for another six years. The plan for the second Best Starts for Kids levy will maintain current Best Starts for Kids investments in promotion, prevention, and early intervention, while deepening our investments to address critical needs in our community. View the Best Starts for Kids Implementation Plan: 2022 – 2027.