The City of Seattle is seeking candidates for the position of Seattle Center Director. We seek an exceptional leader with a history of stewarding and managing public assets, public spaces, including parks, developing and leading exceptional teams, and managing large infrastructure investments through collaborative partnerships to serve as the Seattle Center Director. Seattle Center is a premier urban park whose purpose is to create exceptional events, experiences, and environments that delight and inspire the human spirit and build a stronger community. The Director leads and uplifts a community of diverse individuals and organizations to bring the assets, programs, and operations of the Seattle Center to create the magic that transforms, energizes, and invigorates our city and people.

As a City department, the Seattle Center plays multiple roles as a business partner, financier, leaser, custodian, event producer and promoter. As part of the Uptown Arts & Cultural District, Seattle Center’s 74-acre campus, centered around the International Fountain, is home to Climate Pledge Arena; more than 30 cultural, educational, sports and entertainment organizations; and a broad range of public and community programs – with the purpose of creating exceptional events, experiences, and environments. Seattle Center is the #1 arts and entertainment destination in the Pacific Northwest with 12 million annual visitors, generating $1.864 billion in business activity and more than $631 million in labor income annually. Beginning this year, the department is also responsible for the maintenance of Waterfront Park in partnership with the Friends of the Waterfront. Seattle Center’s 2023 budget (Download PDF reader) is $58M and employs 230+ full-time workers and many hundred more event-related intermittent staff.

The next Director will build on Seattle Center’s legacy to continue its evolution to accommodate new users, meet community needs and take hold of newfound opportunities.

The work of the Director includes:

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  Create exceptional events, experiences, and environments by making Seattle Center and Waterfront Park a world class destination for persons of all ages and backgrounds in a manner that entertains, educates, and revitalizes the human spirit.
• Champions a vision for design, construction and redevelopment of Seattle Center that engages resident organizations and community stakeholders. Partners with Seattle Public Schools on a new Memorial Stadium that would serve as a world-class regional venue, and with Sound Transit (Download PDF reader) to bring light rail expansion in a way that honors and complements the campus.
• Engages existing and new partners as champions and supporters of Seattle Center and Waterfront Park. Builds and maintains resilient relationships with neighbors, the community, elected officials, and groups from a wide range of backgrounds and interests.
• Stewards Seattle Center and Waterfront Park ensuring the maintenance and redevelopment of the facilities and landscaping remains a treasure for future generations.
• Building stronger communities through sponsorship of public events (like the Seattle King County Clinic and Festál), leasing of assets for public benefit and leveraging department resources in emergency situations.
• Fosters a relational workplace culture that prioritizes workforce equity and employee engagement. Centers the staff in Seattle Center’s mission to serve residents and reflect the values of respect, care, support, and sense of pride in their work.
• Delivers operational and financial results by aligning department operations with city finance and policy objectives, identified customer values, service equity and regulatory compliance.

This critical leadership role requires a talented and unifying leader who translates vision and goals into realistic plans with effective and well-coordinated implementation. The Director serves the public as a trusted partner, exercising a high level of tact, good judgement, discretion, and diplomacy. People and service to community centers our work and the next Director will bring a work history that reflects a commitment to equity, creating space for diverse perspectives, and the pursuit of inclusive and just outcomes.

You will be most successful in this role with a combination of:

Experience in:

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  Leading civic investments with an understanding of the challenges, impact, and realities of multi-year, multi-agency partnerships
• Making significant high-profile decisions and recommendations
• Leading people and operations to achieve measurable, equitable outcomes
• Collaboratively tackling complex civic planning, operational, redevelopment, and policy challenges
• Championing and facilitating respectful, collaborative relationships
• Engaging community in planning, development, and implementation of programs and investments
• Negotiating complex long-term agreements, contracts, and leases
• Managing financial and fiduciary operations, policies, and decisions with the transparency and accountability required of a public agency

• Cultivate a relational workplace culture that empowers and engages employees
• Manage complex agency, community, and political relationships within a large, publicly accountable organization
• Be decisive, keep their commitments and hold people accountable
• Create trusted relationships and connect with communities experiencing inequity and harm
• Effectively communicate via reports, briefing memos, community meetings, and public speaking
• Center race and equity in processes and decisions
• Skillfully manage people and teams to achieve success

This full-time position is authorized for relocation assistance and is not covered by the Civil Service System. The Director is expected to adjust work hours as necessary and be available for community meetings, cultural events, and response to emergency activations.

Due to the fiduciary nature of the work, job offers are contingent on review of criminal history and public records, as well as verification of information provided by the applicant as part of the application process. In compliance with Seattle's Fair Chance Employment Ordinance, SMC 14.17, applicants will be provided an opportunity to explain or correct background information.

APPLICATION PROCESS:
To be considered you must include a resume and cover letter with your application. We encourage you to use your cover letter to discuss why you want to do this work and how you meet the qualifications for the position. Your resume should summarize the talent, experience, knowledge, and skills you bring to this role. The position is open until filled but application material received by 4:00PM Pacific Time on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, will receive first consideration.

This position is open to all candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. The City of Seattle values diverse perspectives and life experiences. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, caste, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, medical condition, or pregnancy. The City of Seattle encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experiences. If you have questions, please contact Pam Inch, Senior Executive Recruiter at Pam.Inch@seattle.gov.

The full salary range for this position is $78.80 - $130.01 per hour.

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents. More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at: https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits/employees-and-covered-family-members/most-employees-plans.

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents.