Public Space Management Specialist (Lte)

Bellevue is a city in transition. As Seattle's largest neighbor, we are a welcoming, multicultural, innovation-focused community that attracts technology pioneers, outdoor enthusiasts, and pragmatists from around the world.  Over 40% of Bellevueites were born abroad. Major employers including SAP Concur, Amazon, and T-Mobile, attract an international talent pool enriching our community and providing our economy with a global edge. In the coming years, the city will add more than 30,000 jobs and our first light rail line, marking important milestones for our region. As the city grows, our workers, visitors, and residents are seeking more walkable neighborhoods, community-driven experiences, and high-quality public spaces.

Working under general direction from the Grand Connection Manager, you will coordinate efforts to consolidate and systematize downtown place management operations. By working with internal teams to optimize processes and practices, you will unlock new opportunities for engagement, connection, and culture in our downtown.

Consider applying here if you want to:

• Work in an ambitious organization serving a transforming community.

• Shape the next phase of urban redevelopment and public programming.

• Get creative, think on your feet, and engage with a diverse and complex set of stakeholders.

• Coordinate the Ops & Programming Core team's work to measure and review performance of existing public space management systems and make recommendations for improvements.

• Work with the Grand Connection Manager to lead organization-wide work to design and implement approved process improvements, including:

• New and improved communications assets and application guides

• Changes to permitting processes and organizational practices to better facilitate public space uses and activities, For example, development of a permanent food truck program.

• Tools to help permit reviewers and applicants make more informed decisions about type, scale, and location of amenities and programs.

• Project manage improvements for public space management (PSM) across the city organization, including project schedule & resource allocation.

• Provide reports on major and complex program elements to executive leadership, City Council, and external stakeholders.

• Lead development of a responsibility map for current and future downtown public space, including ownership, management, maintenance responsibilities, and uses.

• Manage the development of additional communications materials in partnership with interns, including application guides and online resources.

• Conduct meetings and workshops with the business, resident, and nonprofit communities to build awareness of the importance of public space management and operations.

Supervision Received and Exercised

• Works under the general supervision of the Grand Connection Manager.

• May supervise professional services or technical consultants. May supervise interns and/or variable part-time employees.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• General knowledge of program and project management principles, including scope, schedule, and budget management, risk management, quality management, communications, and decision-making.

• Experience and/or demonstrated interest in public space management, including work with downtown associations, business districts, and/or merchants' associations.

• Experience working with cross-functional teams to address complex policy issues.

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail. Exceptional written, verbal, and implicit communication skills.

• Ability to work efficiently, accurately, and collaboratively to solve problems. Ability to work independently with clear direction. Comfort with ambiguity. Ability to recognize when direction is unclear and ask questions and when to infer direction accordingly.

• Ability to quickly establish working relationships.

• Proficiency with Office, Teams, Salesforce, SurveyMonkey, and other digital tools, or an ability to learn these tools quickly and independently.

• Fluency in Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Korean, or Vietnamese is a plus.

Education and Work Experience

• Bachelor's degree in urban planning, public policy, public administration, business administration, or a related field.

• 2-4 years' experience in cultural and economic development, urban planning, public space management, public policy, and/or local government.

• Prior experience implementing process improvements or managing change within a complex organizational system is preferred.

• Or any equivalent combination of education, experience, and training that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Core Competencies

• Customer Focus: We are focused on the needs of the customer, and on developing strong relationships with our customers.

• Instills Trust: Through authenticity, integrity, and honesty, we gain the trust and respect of all of those with whom we work.

• Communicates Effectively: We understand the need to develop multimode forms of communication to address the needs of all the audiences with whom we are engaging.

• Cultivates Innovation: We are focused on generating new and creative ways for our organization to be successful.

• Manages Ambiguity: Our work can sometimes be uncertain. We lean into ambiguity and manage risk while adapting to changing conditions.

• Organizational Savvy: We are sensitive to how people interact, have a clear understanding of group priorities, and use our knowledge of the organization to achieve our objectives.

Location: Bellevue City Hall (450 110th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98105)

Remote/Hybrid: The City of Bellevue is a hybrid workplace. Remote work within Washington State is generally permitted up to 40% of working hours, though selected candidates will work with their manager to set a schedule which meets business needs.