Salary: $91,394.00 – $106,597.00 Annually
Location: Thurston County – Olympia, WA
Job Type: Full Time – Permanent
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number: 2023-5-1770-05925
Department: Dept. of Natural Resources
Opening Date: 05/01/2023
Closing Date: 6/1/2023 11:59 PM Pacific

Want to join something GREAT and make a difference?
Are you interested in a career that allows you to provide leadership to keep the Evergreen state evergreen by promoting forest health and resilience across all landownerships statewide? The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is looking for an Assistant Division Manager for Planning, Science, and Monitoring in our Forest Resilience Division. The Forest Resilience Division is responsible for the assessment, planning, coordinated implementation, and monitoring of forest health related activities across all-lands that work to restore and sustain ecological functions of Washington’s forested landscapes and support healthy and resilient communities. The Planning, Science and Monitoring Section provides forest health insect and disease monitoring, including aerial surveys of forest health conditions that results in the annual Forest Health Highlights report. This team of forest pathologists, forest entomologists, and forest health specialists also provide technical assistance to forest landowners. Our scientists and planners lead the development and revision of forest resilience strategic plans including the 20-Year Forest Health Strategic Plan: Eastern Washington and the state’s Forest Action Plan, as well as work with partners across all lands to plan, implement, and monitor related activities while supporting the agency’s climate change mitigation and preparedness work. This section oversees coordination of the Forest Health Advisory Committee, All-Lands Direct Investments, Building Forest Partnerships competitive grant program, and stewardship of forest health data and information technology tools to support the Division’s work including Forest Health Tracker.

Duties
Responsibilities:
The Assistant Division Manager for Planning, Science & Monitoring supports DNR’s and the Forest Resilience Division’s mission by recommending and implementing policies and procedures directed at ensuring cost-efficient and effective forest health science, monitoring, technical assistance, and planning practices across all-lands, and efficient grant management and compliance procedures. This position:

  • Recommends and implements policies and procedures directed at effective and fiscally responsible investments in forest management, strategic forest health planning, forest monitoring, and data and GIS management through procurement, grant management, and compliance.
  • Provides leadership, and support to our agency’s programs that support all-lands science, planning, and monitoring and that serve as the all-lands, all-hands forest health planning leads regardless of land ownership.
  • Leads administrative, fiscal, and operational oversight of the Planning, Science, and Monitoring section and programs within it.
  • Ensures, via strategic leadership, programs are safely and effectively planned and implemented in alignment with agency policies and procedures, and in coordination with federal, state, tribal, and local agencies, governments, and stakeholders.
  • Fosters and sustains positive relationships contributing to the overall resilience of Washington’s forested ecosystems and landscapes in a changing environment.
  • Develops and achieves relevant metrics, deliverables, and performance measures in cooperation with staff, other DNR divisions, DNR leadership, and partners.

The incumbent is responsible for the overall management of the following statewide programs fulfilled by 17 full time employees:

  • Forest Health Program provides forest health insect and disease monitoring, including aerial surveys of forest health conditions that results in the annual Forest Health Highlights report. This team of forest pathologists, forest entomologists, and forest health specialists also provides technical assistance to forest landowners.
  • Strategic Science & Planning Program includes our scientists and planners that lead the development and revision of forest resilience strategic plans including the 20-Year Forest Health Strategic Plan: Eastern Washington and the state’s Forest Action Plan, as well as work with partners across all lands to plan, implement, and monitor related activities while supporting the agency’s climate change mitigation and preparedness work.
  • Forest Resilience IT and Data Management Program is responsible for the stewardship of forest health data and information technology to support the Division’s work, including Forest Health Tracker and support of geospatial tools and resources that inform management recommendations and landscape scale assessments. This position is the product owner of Forest Health Tracker.

This position is responsible to work with staff, other DNR divisions, DNR leadership, and partners to develop and achieve relevant forest health performance measures, deliverables, and priorities.  Pursuant to RCW 76.06, this position serves as the agency’s lead responsible entity for planning and implementing statewide forest health activities, in coordination with other Assistant Division Managers, the Division Manager, Deputy Supervisor, State Forester, and regional staff. This position serves as the senior agency advisor on issues, policies, and practices relating to forest health conditions, forest health restoration management, and forest health planning and represents DNR in that capacity on interagency committees, working groups and task forces at the local, state, national, and international levels.

A successful candidate will have:

  • Strong organizational, administration oversight, and data management skills;  
  • Ability to convey messages correctly, clearly, and persuasively using effective written, verbal, and public speaking skills to a variety of audiences; ability to understand complex planning and policy issues and apply understanding to accomplish agency goals and objectives.
  • Understanding and experience effectively communicating and representing both science and agency policy to external partners.
  • Highly inspirational and engaging with other natural resource professionals – the ability to mobilize people and to find synergy in work.
  • Visionary and adaptable to changing organizational and natural environments – ability to identify/anticipate future needs to increase successful outcomes for our state forests.

Qualifications
Required Qualifications: 

  • Bachelor’s degree in forestry, forest management, forest ecology, natural resources or related field.
  • Four years or more of applied experience and knowledge of natural resource management, regulations, principles, and practices.
  • Knowledge of major forest health issues in the Pacific Northwest and management strategies to address those.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including substantial public speaking experience, to convey complex natural resource issues to technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Proven experience managing a high performing team of natural resource and IT professionals to achieve program deliverables and priorities.
  • Strong organizational skills, including administrative and data management skills.
  • Ability to lead internal and external working groups as needed to further agency projects and initiatives.
  • Experience participating with and leading multi-stakeholder natural resource groups and understanding of how to effectively communicate and represent both science and agency policy to external partners.
  • Demonstrated leadership and collaboration skills including the ability to listen, understand, facilitate, negotiate, and work skillfully in those settings to support a wide array of interests and objectives.
  • Experience working with diverse and competing interest groups to develop solutions and resolve conflicts around high-profile projects or issues.
  • Demonstrated ability to develop and manage multiple program budgets to achieve deliverables and priorities.
  • Ability to function largely independently, making sound decisions in a complex, diverse operating environment.
  • Ability to develop, maintain, and strengthen partnerships with others, both inside and outside the organization.
  • Proficiency with computers, Microsoft Office applications, and SharePoint.
  • Experience participating and leading regional and local natural resource planning efforts.
  • Experience writing, reviewing, and managing grants and contracts.
  • Demonstrated strong project management skills.
  • Familiarity with US Forest Service State and Private Forestry programs, authorities, and typical areas of work.
  • Ability to convey messages correctly, clearly, and persuasively using effective written, verbal, and public speaking skills to a variety of audiences.
  • Ability to understand complex planning and policy issues and apply understanding to accomplish agency goals and objectives.
  • Understanding and experience effectively communicating and representing both science and agency policy to external partners.
  • Highly inspirational and engaging with other natural resource professionals – the ability to mobilize people and to find synergy in work.
  • Visionary and adaptable to changing organizational and natural environments – ability to identify/anticipate future needs to increase successful outcomes for our state forests
  • DNR Core Competencies: 
    • Personal Accountability 
    • Value Others 
    • Compassionate Communication 
    • Inspire Others 
    • Commitment to Excellence 

Special Requirements and Conditions of Employment:

  • Assigned duty station is the Natural Resources Building in Olympia with work performed remotely. Works primarily in an indoor office space with occasional work in remote field locations. Occasionally, project site visits and working in outdoor conditions will be required. May require extensive driving on paved and unpaved roads. Position does not normally come in contact with any hazardous chemicals other than typical office cleaners and adhesives.
  • The position requires approximately 2-8 days away from the duty station per month that includes overnight travel for meetings, conferences, and other events throughout Washington State, as well as some regional and national events.
  • Employees of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are required to complete their primary series of COVID-19 vaccines (be fully vaccinated against COVID-19) or be approved for a medical or religious accommodation as a condition of employment. Please note, any offer of employment is contingent and no start date will be approved until you have either verified your vaccine status or have an approved accommodation. “Fully vaccinated” means the following: An employee is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 two weeks after they have received the second dose in a two-dose series of a COVID-19 vaccine (e.g., Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Novavax) or a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine (e.g., Johnson & Johnson (J&J)/Janssen) authorized for emergency use, licensed, or otherwise approved by the FDA or listed for emergency use, or otherwise approved by the World Health Organization. 

Desired Qualifications: 

  • Master’s degree in forest management, forest ecology, or a related field.
  • Five years of work experience in forest entomology, forest pathology, forest management, forest ecology, wildfire science, natural resources management or a closely related field
  • Two years of experience successfully supervising a minimum of two natural resource professionals.
  • Significant experience participating in the legislative process to analyze the fiscal and program impacts of proposed legislation.
  • Experience developing and administering grant programs.
  • Knowledge of climate change impacts to forest ecosystems and adaptation strategies.
  • Familiarity with forest health improvement, wildfire behavior, wildfire prevention, and fuels reduction strategies.
  • Familiarity and experience working to promote environmental justice.
  • Experience using Geographic Information Systems to analyze and map natural resources.

Application Requirements:

  • To be considered you must apply online at www.careers.wa.gov. You must complete the entire online application to be considered for the position.
  • Attach a letter of interest describing how your experience and qualifications relate to the position profile and the position required, desired and special requirements.
  • Attach a resume describing your experience and qualifications.
  • Provide three to five professional references – you may attach a document, use the References text field in the online application, or include with resume.
  • Important: Do not attach any documents that include photos or private information (social security number, year of birth, etc.).
  • Complete all supplemental questions.

For more information and to apply: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/washington/jobs/4024040/forest-resilience-assistant-division-manager-planning-science-monitoring

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