The Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) is a small state agency located in Olympia, Washington that plans for and provides funding to: create and maintain opportunities for recreation; protect the best of the state’s wild lands, farms, and forests; and recover salmon.

RCO strives to maintain a workplace that is respectful, inclusive and family-friendly where all team members feel safe to bring their true selves to work.  We believe in a culture where everyone continually improves and has the opportunity to lead.

At RCO we envision:
A state that has abundant outdoor recreation spaces, healthy habitats, and working farms and forests that support people, fish, and wildlife.

We are looking for:
An individual who is outgoing, has great customer service and communication skills, and is self-directed. The successful candidate must be passionate about preserving opportunities for outdoor recreation and conserving special places.

The work you will enjoy doing includes:
Managing a portfolio of state and federal grants primarily for outdoor recreation projects for the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board (board). Key responsibilities include:

Grants Administration

• Managing a portfolio of 60-90 projects from application through implementation, closure, and long-term compliance. Projects involve land acquisition, facility development, planning, restoration, education, and maintenance.
• Providing technical assistance for public agencies, nonprofit organizations, Native American tribes, and individuals managing recreation and conservation lands.
• Conducting site inspections for compliance with the terms of the project agreement and resolving various complex compliance issues.

Communication

• Responding via written and verbal communication with applicants, sponsors (grant recipients), and other staff daily.
• Preparing briefing materials and presenting program and project issues and recommendations to the agency executives, advisory committees, and the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board.
• Organizing and conducting webinars and workshops to convey grant program information and assist with implementing the agency’s communication plan.
• Preparing correspondence for grant recipients, interest groups, elected officials, and members of the public.

Program Engagement

• Researching, reviewing, and analyzing federal and state laws, rules, regulations, policies, and plans that govern several different RCO administered grant programs.
• Coordinating team reviews of program policies, updating grant applicant resources, and improving grant processes.

What you need to qualify:

• Three years professional level experience with:
  • Acquiring outdoor recreation or habitat conservation lands,
  • Developing land or facilities for active or passive outdoor recreation,
  • Managing and monitoring compliance with contract requirements including compliance with federal and state laws, or
  • Operating or maintaining property for parks and recreation or habitat conservation purposes.
• Demonstrated ability to manage contracts and resolve complex, challenging, and sensitive issues.
• Knowledge of Washington State natural resource and outdoor recreation issues.

What we desire:

• A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in parks and recreation, landscape architecture, land use planning, forestry, natural resource management, environmental studies, public administration, or a related field.
• Experience reviewing or approving construction plans, specifications, and other related documents.
• Knowledge of designing for universal access.
• Knowledge and experience with for federal grants.
• A dependable individual with a strong work ethic and integrity.
• The ability to work in teams and individually.
• A strong will to provide accurate and prompt customer service.
• Good written and oral communication skills, including public speaking.
• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), SharePoint, ArcGIS, and Adobe Pro.

Things to consider before applying:

• You must be willing and able to occasionally work in excess of 40 hours per week and travel frequently for short periods that often include overnight stays.
• You must have and maintain a valid driver’s license free from serious traffic violations.
• RCO is head-quartered in Olympia, WA on the state’s capital campus. RCO will consider candidates that can successfully do this job from another location (in-state) with occasional travel to Olympia for meetings and other functions.
• This position falls under the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the state of Washington and the Washington Federation of State Employees (WSFE).
• RCO may hire only those who are legally authorized to work in the United States.

How to apply:
In addition to completing the online application, you must attach the following documents to your profile or paste into the “text resume” field in order to be considered for this position:

• A letter of interest (no more than 2 pages in length) explaining how your past experiences make you an ideal candidate for this position and what exceptional skills you would bring to RCO;
• A current resume, detailing experience, education, and other relevant interests;
• A current list of at least three (3) professional references with current contact information (attached or available to provide at the time of interview)
• Responses to the supplemental questions included in the application.

Opportunity for All: 
The Recreation and Conservation Office  celebrates our differences and we are committed to a workplace that supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, marital status, families with children (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as an individual with the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with disabilities or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We will also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws.

You are welcome to include the name and pronoun you would like to be referred to in your materials and we will honor this as you interact with our organization.

Contact us:
If you have questions about this opportunity please email HR@rco.wa.gov or call (360) 902-3000.

By submitting materials you are indicating that all information is true and correct. The state may verify information. Any untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from the applicant pool or dismissal if employed.