Airport Communication and Special Event Specialist- TLT/SDA

Full Job Description

This recruitment is to fill a Special Duty Assignment or Term Limited Temporary Position that is anticipated to last for 2 years.

King County International Airport/Boeing Field (KCIA) is seeking an experienced Airport Communication and Special Event Specialist to support its high-visibility communications and public engagement efforts.

The Communications Specialist III serves as the lead communications professional supporting the airport’s external relations, community engagement, and public information functions.

Working under the direction of the External Relations Manager, this position oversees the work of the Communications Specialist team, leads strategic outreach initiatives, and ensures consistent, transparent communication with airport tenants, community members, and key stakeholders.

ABOUT KING COUNTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (BOEING FIELD) KCIA is one of the busiest primary non-hub general aviation airports in the nation.

Located just four miles south of downtown Seattle, it averages 180,000 aircraft operations each year. KCIA ranks among the most successful public investments in state history.

The airport's annual economic impact is $3.5 billion - supporting more than 16,000 jobs and providing $1.8 billion in labor income in the county.

KCIA promotes the health of the aviation industry by establishing pipelines for employment and for employee development.

As a general aviation airport, KCIA serves small, commercial passenger airlines, cargo carriers, including UPS, private aircraft owners, helicopters, corporate jets, and military and other aircraft.

It is also the final delivery center for the Boeing Company's 737 aircraft and serves as the company's military flight center along with other Boeing operations.

The Museum of Flight is located on the airport property with a wide variety of aircraft and exhibits showcasing aviation history.

KCIA frequently is host to celebrities and dignitaries, who prefer Boeing Field because of its proximity to downtown Seattle and convenient connections to other business districts in the region.

Due to its proximity to Lumen Field, T-Mobile Park, and other sports venues, many teams prefer to use KCIA when playing in Seattle.

To learn more about King County International Airport please visit kingcounty.gov/airport.

Requirements

SCOPE Of JOB DUTIES: In order to be considered for this opportunity, you must at a minimum demonstrate the knowledge, skill, and ability to:

Leadership & Oversight

• Provide day-to-day leadership and guidance to Communications Specialists, ensuring high-quality work products and consistent messaging.
• Coordinate team priorities and workflows at the direction of the External Relations Manager.
• Serve as a subject-matter lead for community engagement, public information, and stakeholder communication.

Community Engagement Strategy

• Develop and implement the airport’s community engagement approach, including outreach plans, communication strategies, and engagement tools.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with community groups, neighborhood organizations, and local partners.
• Identify emerging issues and advise senior staff on community concerns, trends, and opportunities.

Tenant & Community Meetings

• Schedule tenant and community meetings at a regular cadence.
• Prepare agendas, briefing materials, and informational packets in advance of each meeting.
• Brief senior staff on key issues, and anticipated questions to ensure informed participation.

Airport Roundtable

• Lead planning and coordination for the Airport Roundtable, including development of monthly meeting packets, presentations, and supporting materials.
• Ensure timely distribution of documents and clear communication with Roundtable members and stakeholders.

Noise Office Oversight

• Oversee the airport’s Noise Office, including management of the noise comment and complaint inbox.
• Work closely with Airport Operations to research, respond to, and resolve community noise concerns.
• Track trends and prepare reports or summaries for leadership and community partners.

Qualifications

WE ARE LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES WHO:

• Have strong communications or public affairs experience.
• Have experience developing public engagement materials for a complex and highly regulated public agency.
• Have demonstrated experience developing, executing and measuring strategic communications and outreach plans.
• Have experience planning and facilitating public meetings.
• Ability to translate highly complex technical information into easily digestible information.

Additional Information

WORK LOCATION: KCIA works in a hybrid model, with days in the office as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change.

The primary onsite location is King County Airport, 7300 Perimeter Road S, Seattle, WA 98108-3848, Washington.

Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

WORK SCHEDULE: This position is Exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and therefore is not overtime eligible. Employees are paid on a bi-weekly schedule, every other Thursday.

UNION REPRESENTATION: This position is non-represented.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

• The successful candidate will be required to pass a thorough reference check.

Are you ready to APPLY?

The recruitment for this position is open to all candidates. A completed King County Application is required. We highly recommend that you also provide a resume and cover letter. If you have any questions, please contact. Brittney Marzest, Senior Talent Advisor by e-mail at bmarzest@kingcounty.gov

This recruitment is an effort to fill our immediate vacancies as well as create a hire list that will be used for any positions that become vacant within the next 6 months, including additional Term Limited Temporary (TLT) and Career Service (CS) positions.