Utilization Management Supervisor (PPM III)

Utilization Management Supervisor (PPM III)

Salary

$110,087.54 - $139,542.21 Annually

Location

Chinook Building, 401 5th Avenue - Seattle, WA

Job Type

Career Service (Exec)

Job Number

2026AL27729

Department

DCHS - Community & Human Srvcs

Division

Behavioral Health and Recovery

Opening Date

08/28/2026

Closing Date

9/12/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

FLSA

Non-Exempt

Bargaining Unit

Z3 : KC Personnel Guidelines

Full- or Part-Time

Full Time

Hours/Week

40 hours/week

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Summary

King Countys Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) provides equitable opportunities for people to be healthy, happy, and connected to community.

At King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS), we believe in working as one team that solves problems-striving to be customer-focused and drive for the best results. We envision a welcoming community that is racially just. We believe the field of human services exists to undo and mitigate unfair structures. We seek to lead the way by working as respectful and responsible stewards for our community.

The Behavioral Health and Recovery Division (BHRD) of DCHS is seeking a Hospital and Mental Health Residential (HMHR) Treatment Utilization Management Supervisor (Project/Program Manager III). This position holds direct responsibility for the overall utilization management operations of the Hospital & Mental Health Residential Treatment Team.

The Supervisor will lead a team of Mental Health (MH) Care Authorizers responsible for ensuring that King County residents accessing MH residential care and other high-intensity MH programs receive the appropriate level of care, appropriate services, and the support needed to step down to lower levels of care as they progress in their recovery. This position will participate as a key member of the BHRD Utilization Management Committee and will lead quality assurance activities, including site visits, contract compliance reviews, invoice reconciliation, and other monitoring tasks as assigned.

Job Duties

To be considered minimally qualified applicant must demonstrate a background that provides the knowledge, skills and ability to:

• Lead a team of MH Care Authorizers tasked with ensuring that King County residents that are accessing MH Residential care and other high intensity MH programs are accessing the level of care that is needed, are receiving appropriate services, and are receiving additional support needed to step down to lower levels of care and progress in their recovery
• Participate as a key member of the BHRD Utilization Management Committee
• Lead quality assurance activities, including site visits of mental health residential treatment providers, contract compliance reviews, invoice reconciliation, and other monitoring activities as assigned.
• Lead quality improvement activities, focused on improving oversight of the delivery of high intensity mental health services, improving flow between levels of care, and improving efficiencies in utilization management/care coordination.
• Complete and direct continuing stay reviews to determine that an individual continues to meet medical necessity standards commensurate to the current level of functioning as determined by the Level of Care Utilization System (LOCUS) Assessment.
• Supervise and monitor team of Mental Health Utilization Project-Program Manager II staff as part of a collaborative Utilization Management Team.
• Lead the collection, analysis, and reporting of utilization and care-transition data to ensure timely progression of care, appropriate resource use, and optimal patient throughput across the continuum.
• Develop close coordination, partnership and communication within the Behavioral Health and Recovery Division (BHRD) and other Departments within the Department of Community & Human Services.
• Ensure continuing stay reviews meet Utilization Management Timelines established by BHRD's Quality team and Managed Care Organizations (MCOs).
• Communicate outcomes of continuing stay reviews with supervisors of mental health residential facilities contracted through the King County Integrated Care Network (KCICN).
• Develop and maintain excellent working relationships with behavioral health providers working in the mental health residential treatment continuum.
• Align workflow of Utilization Management Team to promote equity and social justice, recovery-oriented system of care, with the goal to provide transition from psychiatric hospitalization.
• Attend and participate in assigned meetings, treatment conferences, and committees relevant to performance of job functions.
• Troubleshoot, advocate, and resolve issues that may arise between community members, behavioral health housing providers, or governmental organizations.
• Participate as part of Hospital and Mental Health Residential Treatment (HMHR) Section Leadership Team.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

WE ARE LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES WHO HAVE:

• Masters Degree in Social Work, Psychology, Behavioral Science, or related field with independent license.
• Mental Health Professional as defined in WAC 246-341-0200 and RCW 71.05.020.
• Demonstrated leadership skills to include leading daily operations, supporting care-transition decision-making, and promoting collaboration across departments to optimize resource utilization and patient movement.
• Experience working with publicly funded behavioral health service systems.
• Knowledge of issues related to mental health residential treatment facilities.
• Knowledge of and experience with psychiatric hospital discharge planning services and scope of services provided within the facilities.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a broad range of constituents, including consumers, social services and housing providers, volunteers, government officials, community members, boards, high-level management, elected officials, advocates, government and agency staff, and others.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience gathering and utilizing data and generating reports for system improvements and for presentations to management staff and others.
• Demonstrated ability to simultaneously manage multiple tasks/projects in detail and meet deadlines.
• Computer skills; knowledge of MS Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
• Must be able to pass a criminal background check on a pre hire/post offer basis.

Desired Qualifications:

• Two years recent supervisory experience in mental health setting, preferably mental health residential treatment, Utilization Management or Quality Assurance.
• Two years of recent demonstrated contract management experience, including but not limited to invoice reconciliation, data entry, data validation, and independent quality assurance reviews.
• Knowledge of utilization management strategies and quality management practices.
• Knowledge or experience with ECLS, PDAMS, HMIS.

ADDITIONAL POSITION INFORMATION:

• This position has been designated Mission Critical. Unless otherwise directed by the County Executive, department director or agency head, all employees, regardless of designation, are expected to report to work or request leave during an emergency or inclement weather. For more detailed information, please visit HR Policy County Operations During Emergency Situations and the King County Guidelines for Workforce Management in an Emergency.
• The Behavioral Health and Recovery Division (BHRD) team 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 Chinook, 401 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.
• King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the departments hybrid environment. Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.
• This position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is not eligible for overtime. Typical hours are Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm.
• This position is not represented by a union.
• Classification: Project/Program Manager III

WHO MAY APPLY:

This position is open to all qualified candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. Interviews for this selection process will take place on or around the week of September 28, 2026. Candidates who wish to be considered for this position must submit an online King County application and respond to the supplemental questions. Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the requested and relevant information in the online application and supplemental questionnaire. Applications and/or supplemental questionnaires that state, "see my resume" are considered incomplete and will not be considered to be competitive. If you have any questions, please contact Alicia Larsen, alarsen@kingcounty.gov.

This selection process will fill our current vacancy but also create a pool of qualified candidates should additional Project/Program Manager III positions open up within the next 6 months.

Supplemental Information

Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nations best places to live, work and play.

Application Process

If you are interested in pursuing this position and supporting King County's vision for unified, equitable, and high-performing government, please follow the application instructions carefully. Provide us with your work history as applicable, ensuring that you provide details that highlight your ability to fulfill the requirements for this position.

If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, or you would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process, please contact Alicia Larsen at alarsen@kingcounty.gov.

King Countys Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values unite us.

King County serves residents with a relentless sense of urgency, delivering on commitments with 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 stewardship standards, embrace change, stay curious, and continuously improve. Across all interactions, we listen first, act quickly, and stay aligned as a team to earn and sustain public trust. Learn more about our Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values here and visit our Why work at King County page here.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on sex, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age except by minimum age and retirement provisions, pregnancy, status as a family caregiver, parental status, marital status, military status or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or who was discharged solely as a result of the persons sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, citizenship or immigration status, genetic information, or other protected class. However, to the extent that distinction or differential treatment on the basis of citizenship or immigration status is authorized by either federal or state law, regulation, or government contract, it is not an unfair practice.

Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:

• Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage options: King County provides eligible employees with options, so they can decide what's best for themselves and their eligible dependents
• Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
• Retirement: eligible King County employees may participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
• Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
• 12 paid holidays each year plus two personal holidays
• Generous vacation and paid sick leave
• Paid parental, family and medical, and volunteer leaves
• Flexible Spending Account
• Wellness programs
• Onsite activity centers
• Employee Giving Program
• Employee assistance programs
• Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
• Training and career development programs

For additional information about employee benefits, visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page.

This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails.

NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position. Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.

For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.

01

Are you applying to this position as an eligible Priority Placement Program Participant who is a current or previous King County Employee impacted by layoff? AND Is this position the same or lower percentage of full-time when compared to the position held at the point of the notification of layoff? AND Do you possess the skills and abilities to qualify for this position?

• Yes, I was given a layoff notice from my Career Service role at King County and I am within two years of the effective date of my layoff. Additionally, the position I was laid off from was the same or a higher percentage of FT status when compared to this one.
• No.

02

If you answered yes to the question above and you are applying for this position as a Priority Placement Participant, to be considered, you must provide the following three pieces of information in the space provided: 1. The title you held when you received your layoff notice 2. The department you worked in 3. The effective date of your layoff

03

Do you have a Masters Degree in Social Work, Psychology, Behavioral Science, or related field with independent license?

• Yes
• No

04

Which licensure do you posses?

• Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker
• Licensed Mental Health Counselor
• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
• I do not have these licensures.

05

Are you a Mental Health Professional as defined in WAC 246-341-0200 and RCW 71.05.020?

• Yes
• No

06

How many years of demonstrated leadership experience do you possess leading daily operations, supporting care transition decision making, and promoting collaboration across departments to optimize resource utilization and patient movement?

• 1 year or less or I do not have this experience, but I am willing to learn.
• 2 years of experience
• 3 years of experience
• 4 years of experience
• 5+ years of experience

07

If you do not have demonstrated leadership experience, please share how your past experiences have qualified you for this position.

08

How many years of experience do you have working with issues related to mental health residential treatment facilities or experience with psychiatric hospital discharge planning services and scope of services provided within the facilities?

• 1 year or less or I do not have this experience, but I am willing to learn.
• 2 years of experience
• 3 years of experience
• 4 years of experience
• 5+ years pf experience

09

Briefly describe your knowledge of issues related to mental health residential treatment facilities and your knowledge with psychiatric hospital discharge planning services and scope of services provided within the facilities. If you do not have this experience, please type N/A.

10

King County has transformed its work on equity and social justice from an initiative to an integrated effort that applies the principle of "fair and just" intentionally in all the county does in order to achieve equitable opportunities for all people and communities. What is the most important equity or social justice issue to you and why?

11

Please select all qualifications that apply:

• I have two years recent supervisory experience in mental health setting, preferably mental health residential treatment, Utilization Management or Quality Assurance.
• I have two years of recent demonstrated contract management experience, including but not limited to invoice reconciliation, data entry, data validation, and independent quality assurance reviews.
• I have knowledge of utilization management strategies and quality management practices.
• I have knowledge or experience with ECLS, PDAMS, HMIS.
• I do not have this experience, but I am willing to learn.

Required Question

Employer King County

Address King Street Center

201 South Jackson Street

Seattle, Washington, 98104

Phone 206-477-3404

Website http://www.kingcounty.gov/