About SCA

The Sound Cities Association (SCA) represents 38 cities of King County and provides a voice for over one million people.

SCA was founded in the 1970s to help cities act locally and partner regionally to create vital, livable communities through advocacy, education, leadership, mutual support and networking.

Mission

To provide leadership through advocacy, education, mutual support and networking to cities in King County as they act locally and partner regionally to create livable vital communities.

Vision

Capitalizing on the diversity of our cities to lead policy change to make the Puget Sound region the best in the world.

Values

SCA aspires to create an environment that fosters mutual support, respect, trust, fairness and integrity for the greater good of the association and its membership. SCA operates in a consistent, inclusive, and transparent manner that respects the diversity of our members and encourages open discussion and risk-taking.

About the Position

The Executive Director (ED) is responsible for carrying out the day- to-day programs and activities of the association in accordance with the mission, vision, values, and annual budget as approved by the Board of Directors. This key position is the organizational leader and represents the association before the members and other stakeholders. The ED  keeps the Board of Directors informed of current issues, needs, and operations and works with the Board to carry out their policies and directives, staying abreast of trends, issues, and challenges.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Organization leadership –Focuses all organizational plans, programs, and initiatives to be in line with the mission. Works as an advocate for the organization before members, the state and federal government, and the general public.

• Responsible for understanding the needs of the organization’s members and seeks to fill those needs with the organization’s programs and services. Earns the respect and support of other persons and organizations to advance the SCA mission. Responsible for staying abreast of new ideas and current trends affecting the members and state municipal organizations. 
• Business and financial management – Responsible for understanding the financial needs SCA and allocating resources in a balanced, sustainable manner. Ensures that SCA’s funds are spent appropriately, always in the best interest of members. Provides the board accurate, timely, and understandable information about the financial status of the organization through regular financial reports. Responsible for advising the board regarding measures to keep the organization financially sound and sustainable, including new potential sources of funding for ongoing or new programs and services. 

• Advocacy and government relations – Responsible for overseeing a comprehensive policy development and advocacy program to advance the interests of members. Ensures that legislative priorities are effectively, and respectfully promoted in a non-partisan manner at the state and federal legislative levels. Maintains strong working relationships with state elected officials, executive departments, boards, commissions, and task forces. 

• Relationship with the board – Responsible for keeping board members informed about issues, needs, and operations of the organization. Provides options and direction to the board on issues requiring board action, and makes appropriate recommendations based on thorough study and analysis. Responsible for responding to requests by the board in a timely manner. Maintains impartiality with board members and treats all board members fairly and equally. 

• Innovation/improvement– Readily works with staff on fostering new ideas and concepts that develop and promote positive organizational change to continuously improve service to members. Fosters an organizational learning culture and actively encourages staff to seek out training that will enhance and improve job skills and organizational contributions.

The Ideal Candidate

The new Executive Director must have demonstrated leadership skills and set a standard by intellectually and emotionally engaging people at all levels – from members, staff and Board Members to community partners. For this important role the Board seeks a dynamic, highly credible, unifying leader who is deeply committed to the success of SCA; is a strategic big-picture thinker; and one who will be able to implement Board direction in delivering the level of services that members value.

The next Executive Director must be eager to make a personal investment in the long-term success of SCA. Proven leadership experience and political and business acumen are essential. Candidates should bring strengths in both external relations and internal management with an ability to balance the two.

LEADERSHIP:

Lead courageously: Continuously build and defend the strength, reputation,

and image of SCA. Engage, motivate, and inspire staff around shared vision and mission. 

Demonstrate principled leadership, personal courage, and decisiveness. 

Build talent pools: Hire, mentor, develop, and manage staff. Continue to build and reinforce a cohesive, dedicated, highly effective team. Support efforts to hire a diverse workforce. Continuously work to retain highly valued staff.

Foster collaboration: Provide the tools, systems, and resources that create a supportive environment for working as a team. Strive for results. Set high standards of performance. Be bold.

COMMUNICATION:

Inspire trust: Communicate honestly, be trustworthy and consistent, follow through on commitments, and create an atmosphere of integrity, marked by fair, respectful behavior.

Speak and write effectively: Explain direction and ideas with conviction in all settings; formal presentations, one-on-one and small and large meetings.

Listen: Actively listen to association members, Board, staff and stakeholders.

Promote open communication: Maintain an environment where communication is open and direct, encouraged, rewarded, and relevant.

Marshal support: Coordinate and cooperate with members and groups having divergent viewpoints and needs. Help them find common ground.

CONSTITUENT RELATIONS AND COLLABORATION:

Drive effective external communications: Develop and nurture mission-critical relationships with members, community partners; business and civic leaders; political leaders and the media. 

Build consensus: Collaborate, facilitate, and develop relationships.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION:

Demonstrate commitment to DEI: Support policy changes that eliminate systemic racism, inequity, and other disparities to build stronger and more equitable communities. Champion programs and services that support members in DEI work.

Cultivate diversity: Work to attract members, employees, and partners from diverse backgrounds. Examine biases and barriers and champion an inclusive environment.

Cultural competency: Focus on racial equity in ways that enable effective working relationships in diverse communities and cross-cultural situations. Use an equity lens to analyze the impact of policies on underserved and marginalized individuals and groups

to identify and eliminate barriers.

STRATEGIC PLANNING:

Provide visionary insight: Be able to translate big picture vision and goals into both long and short-range plans that are comprehensive, realistic, and effective. Identify key opportunities resulting from the intersection of external events (political, social, economic, demographic, environmental) to develop and strengthen SCA’s effectiveness.

Manage change: Oversee the change management

process, including successful communication strategies, involving others in the implementation of change and monitoring and reinforcing process and success. Create a work environment that encourages original and innovative solutions.

Fearless commitment to vision: Create and communicate a vision that is aligned with

the strategy and direction of SCA. Clarify other’s involvement in the vision, inspiring a sense of energy and ownership, creating a culture of high performance, diversity, and recognizing the efforts of others.

Desirable Qualifications

A Bachelor’s degree in Business or Public Administration with at least ten years of experience in an executive leadership role in a company or organization with a strong connection to local government. A Masters degree is a plus.

Compensation

The hiring range for this position is $180K - $220K. Benefits are among the best in the region and include comprehensive employer-paid medical, dental, vision and life insurance, public employee retirement system contributions, holiday, vacation, car allowance, executive leave and sick leave.

Live and Work in a Great Region

SCA offers a total work/life package of pay, benefits, flexibility, and workplace opportunities to help you get the most out of your career and out of life. King County has a very strong and resilient economy and an environment where people and businesses can thrive. Located on Puget Sound in Washington State, and covering 2,134 square miles, King County is nearly twice as large as the average county in the United States. With more than 2 million people, it also ranks as the 13th most populous county in the nation.

King County is truly an international destination, with over 100 languages spoken in the region and 30 million visitors annually. King County is home to the City of Seattle, suburban cities, small towns, islands, and rural communities, as well as forests, bodies of water, and farmlands.

Cities within King County frequently appear on “Best Places to Live” lists and it is #4 on the Forbes “The Best Places for Business and Careers” List. Many King County communities have highly rated schools, nationally recognized restaurants, vibrant recreation, and numerous cultural opportunities. Housing options range from easy-to-access islands, downtown high-rises, and distinct neighborhoods to suburban developments that boast walkable amenities.

If you are interested in this position, submit a cover letter and a current resume.

If you have questions regarding this announcement, please call Marissa Karras at 360-956-1336. The position will remain open until filled. In order to be considered for the first round of interviews, please submit your application materials at www.karrasconsulting.net as soon as possible but no later than August 15th, 2022.

SCA is committed to hiring and retaining high-performing, well- qualified employees with varied perspectives and experiences who represent the demographics of SCA’s diverse membership. In addition, SCA is committed to fostering a work environment that is fair and equitable to all employees. We will provide assistance in the recruitment, application, and selection process to applicants with disabilities who request such assistance.