Executive Assistant to the Executive Leadership Team

Full Job Description

Under Executive-elect Girmay Zahilay’s leadership, King County is committed to becoming a high-performing government that transparently delivers services to improve the lives of residents.

To support this vision, we are seeking a seasoned, detail-oriented, and highly collaborative Executive Assistant to join the Executive Office.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple Executive Assistant positions supporting senior leaders such as the Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff, Chief Budget Officer, Chief Performance Officer, and others within Executive Zahilay’s administration.

As an Executive Assistant, you will provide comprehensive, high-level administrative support to senior leaders, applying specialized administrative expertise, sound judgment, and exceptional organizational skills.

Supporting the highest-level leaders in the Executive’s Office, you will 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 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 adjust start and end times as needed to accommodate rapidly changing schedules and multiple priorities.

Requirements

Key Responsibilities

• Provide direct administrative support to a senior leader in the King County Executive’s Office, serving as the primary point of contact for all scheduling needs. Occasionally provide temporary scheduling support to other team members as required.
• Manage day-to-day administrative operations, including scheduling appointments, meetings, speaking engagements, and other commitments for your principal. Prepare and organize background materials and supporting documents to ensure your principal is fully briefed for all engagements.
• Maintain an efficient and professional flow of information between your principal and internal and external stakeholders, ensuring alignment on organizational priorities. Prepare, compile, and distribute materials for meetings and track follow-up actions.
• Build and maintain positive, collaborative relationships across all levels of the organization, modeling professionalism and supporting effective communication and teamwork.
• Serve as a liaison between your principal, department leadership, county staff, and community partners, fostering strong working relationships and supporting effective collaboration.
• Coordinate and review all travel arrangements for your principal, including preparing itineraries, confirming lodging and transportation, and processing travel reconciliation.

Contribute to the Executive Department’s one team approach by supporting broader team priorities and projects based on organizational needs and your individual strengths.

This may include assisting with cross-functional initiatives, special projects, or process improvements that advance the administration’s goals.

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.



Qualifications

Ideal Candidate

We are seeking an Executive Assistant who can provide high-level support to senior leaders in the County Executive’s Office, anticipate needs, manage complex priorities with discretion, and build positive, collaborative relationships across the organization. The ideal candidate will:

• 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.
• 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.
• Demonstrate flexibility and adaptability, including the ability to adjust start and end times as needed to support the Executive and respond to changing priorities or unexpected demands.
• Navigate differing or conflicting stakeholder perspectives with professionalism and clarity.
• Be proficient and comfortable using office productivity software and relational databases in daily work. (King County uses Microsoft Office, PeopleSoft HCM, and Oracle EBS.)

Additional Information

Why Join Us

This is a rare opportunity to help shape the operational backbone of King County government.

As an Executive Assistant, you 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 work in the office at least three days a week to foster connection and responsiveness.

We arrive prepared and on time, structure meetings with clear goals and next steps, and represent the Executive with professionalism—including responsible social media conduct.

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.