Salary: $89,904.00 – $121,800.00 Annually
Location: Multiple Locations Statewide, WA
Job Type: Full Time – Permanent

Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is recruiting to fill two (2) full-time, permanent Region Manager vacancies in the Operations Division. We will also use this recruitment to fill any additional Region Manager vacancies that may occur prior to and/or during this recruitment period (positions may include duty stations in Tumwater, Burlington or Wenatchee, WA).

Current vacancies are: 
Region Manager for the northern half of Northwest Region. 
The duty station for this position is Burlington, Washington. This position supervises the Park Area Managers in the northern-most part of western Washington (excluding the Olympic Peninsula):

  • Whatcom Bay (Birch Bay, Peace Arch, and Larrabee)
  • San Juan Area (Lime Kiln Point, Moran, Spencer Spit, and Sucia Island)
  • Central Whidbey (Fort Casey, Fort Ebey, and South Whidbey)
  • Deception Pass

Region Manager for the southern half of Southwest Region. 
The duty station for this position is Tumwater, Washington. This position supervises Park Area Managers along Washington’s ocean beaches and in the southwest part of the state. Much of Washington’s southern coast is part of the state’s Seashore Conservation Area, which is managed by Washington State Parks.

  • Battle Ground Area (Battle Ground Lake, Beacon Rock, Paradise Point)
  • Long Beach Area (Cape Disappointment, Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, Fort Columbia, Leadbetter Point, Long Beach SCA beaches)
  • Northern Shores Area (Ocean City, Pacific Beach, Lake Sylvia, Schafer, North Beach SCA beaches)
  • South Beach Area (Twin Harbors, Grayland Beach, Westhaven, Westport Light, South Beach SCA beaches)
  • Upper Cowlitz Area (Ike Kinswa, Lewis & Clark, Seaquest, Mt. St. Helen’s Visitor Center, Jackson House)

Washington State Parks employs seven Region Managers statewide, reporting to the Director of Operations.  Each Region Manager supervises a group of Park Area Managers, who are responsible for the operations of a collection of varied day use and camping parks, roofed accommodations and vacation rentals, natural and cultural resources, other properties open to the public and/or long-distance trails. This includes all aspects of park operations – customer experience, stewardship, interpretation, law enforcement, maintenance, staffing, community relations, collaboration with indigenous tribes, partnerships and more.  Total staff in each Region Manager’s reporting chain ranges from approximately 120-140 positions, and park rangers, construction/maintenance, interpretive, administrative and customer service positions. Region Managers spend time in the parks, supporting field staff through sharing of information and listening to their Park Area Managers and all levels of employees. They spend time working and meeting with their peer Region Managers, Operations program and management staff, and other agency leaders. They spend time presenting to and working with partners and constituents, such as government agencies (local, state, federal), elected officials, non-profits, parks’ Friends Groups, and adjacent land-owners. The Region Manager is regularly tasked with assessment of, making recommendations for, or taking action on a wide variety of complicated, sensitive, and/or ambiguous operational situations. The position requires significant travel and face time. The Region Managers set a tone for field staff through their mission focus, professionalism, compassion, accountability and by incorporating diversity and inclusion into all aspects of our work, helping all staff to feel connected to the agency mission and vision, as well as to division and agency leadership. They help Area Managers develop and maintain an effective leadership style to ensure the success of their staff and parks. Region Managers work with the Region Superintendent and region staff to determine and advance region goals and priorities, and to recommend division and agency direction and decisions. Through that collaboration, they consider and determine operational standards and benchmarks for Park Areas.  They are charged with the implementation of division and agency standards, and oversee consistency and accountability for Areas in their Region. In addition to their roles within the Operations division, Region Managers play a critical role in inter-division cooperation, creating strong partnerships with other agency managers and lending support to their efforts.

In addition to the qualifications listed in this recruitment, we are looking for a candidate who will bring the following to the position:

  • Desire and ability to create a work environment that fosters collaboration, respect, creativity, and accountability. Ability to build and sustain strong work relationships.
  • Initiative and creative problem-solving mindset, with information gathering, partnering, and analysis skills that allow them to make timely and effective recommendations or decisions.  
  • Ability to navigate sensitive and political issues.
  • Understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion concepts and issues with a commitment to application of an equity lens to evaluate organizational goals and success.
  • Promotes organizational mission and goals through actions and words.  
  • Ability to deal with difficult issues in a direct, caring and respectful manner.   Does not avoid conflict.  
  • Ability to work in an environment with rapidly changing priorities and competing deadlines.
  • Ability to communicate, verbally and in writing, concepts, directions, information and decisions in a manner that is understandable and appropriate to the intended audience.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

  • A Bachelor’s degree **
  • Three (3) years of experience in a natural resources field/outdoor recreation field or organization.**
  • Five (5) years of supervision at the professional level. 
  • Valid unrestricted (except for corrective lenses) driver’s license.

**Equivalent experience in a natural resources or outdoor recreation field or management experience in a natural resource/outdoor recreation agency may substitute year for year for education.  
 **Any experience counted as substitution for education will not be counted for the 3 years of required experience.
 
This position requires a fingerprint criminal background investigation prior to employment. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment, but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the position. 

 PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

  • Experience working in a parks system.
  • Experience managing budget and expenditures in a government setting.
  • Experience leading employees in public-facing positions.
  • Experience working with sovereign tribes.

Location, Availability and Travel Requirements
Region Manager positions are based out of one of three region offices as noted at the top of this recruitment, and require a minimum of 3 days per week in the region office.  Teleworking may be an option for the remaining time. Region Managers need to be available for calls and possible in-person response during non-working hours (evenings and weekends) for critical and emergent park situations, although vacations and other time off work can be covered by other Region Managers. This position has regular travel requirements, including overnight travel.    

HOW TO APPLY:
To ensure consideration, please complete the online job application and profile at www.careers.wa.gov.

  • Letter of Interest – Specifically addressing the Preferred Qualifications that are not openly apparent in your application.
  • A current list of at least three (3) professional references with current contact information

For more information and to apply: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/washington/jobs/4101615/region-manager-multiple-locations

An image without description