Salary: $70,800.00 – $95,184.00 Annually
Location: Thurston County – Olympia, WA
Job Type: Full Time – Permanent
Closing Date: 10/9/2023 11:59 PM Pacific

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has an exciting opportunity within our Recreation & Conservation Division. DNR offers a multitude of motorized, non-motorized, and dispersed recreation opportunities across more than 3 million acres of forestlands and conservation areas. The Senior Project Manager provides leadership and coordination for inter-agency and high-profile projects with a statewide impact. These projects will address systemic issues and challenges identified by region staff, sister agencies, stakeholders, and/or partners. In particular, this position will serve as the DNR project manager, working closely with the Division Manager and Assistant Division Manager, for the Recreation Impact Program, a collaborative effort to understand and address the impacts of recreational use on natural and cultural resources, being undertaken in partnership with State Parks, Department of Fish and Wildlife, multiple tribal governments, and other DNR programs. By utilizing your experience with researching, managing complex projects, and building relationships within diverse teams, you will make lasting improvements to the way DNR manages recreation statewide.  

Responsibilities:

  • Defining, scoping, and leading high-profile projects that involve external groups and other government entities. Primarily, this includes the Recreation Impacts Program.
  • Completing appropriate research to understand project strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and risks.
  • Establishing and maintaining relationships with relevant internal and external representatives, including tribal governments
  • Providing project updates via written materials and presentations to Division Leadership, members of DNR’s Executive Leadership Team, the Commissioner of Public Lands, and external audiences, including other state agencies and tribes.
  • Evaluating project progress, performance, and success
  • Working collaboratively with Recreation program colleagues to develop and assist with executing implementation plans for new or updated policies
  • Support development of program budget or policy requests each legislative session
  • Coordinate statewide data collection needs for projects with DNR staff and partners
  • Integrating Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Environmental Justice into planning work to ensure overburdened communities and vulnerable populations are considered at the outset of planning and project development

Required Qualifications: 

  • Bachelor’s degree or higher in land use, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, land use or environmental law, public administration, environmental studies, outdoor recreation, natural resource sciences or a related field AND three years of relevant professional experience.
    OR
    Seven years of relevant professional experience.
    OR
    An equivalent combination of relevant education and/or experience.
  • Experience successfully leading high-profile projects involving multiple, competing interests from start to completion.
  • DNR Core Competencies: 
    • Personal Accountability 
    • Value Others 
    • Compassionate Communication 
    • Inspire Others 
    • Commitment to Excellence 
  • Active listening skills as demonstrated by the ability to resolve conflicts; receive and convey ideas, thoughts, and information to a variety of people and groups.
  • Knowledge of:
    • Project management tools and techniques
    • Current trends in natural resource issues, environmental laws (including SEPA), policies and programs.
    • Natural resources planning principles, methods, and techniques.
    • Social and other problems affecting development of local and state environmental resources programs, department programs and related laws, regulations and policies.
  • Highly developed writing, verbal, and presentation communication skills including the ability to precisely and concisely present information to both technical and layman audiences.
  • Fluency in current word processing and spreadsheet software used by DNR or similar software
  • Adept at self-management
  • Ability to work in a team setting and foster innovation and change.
  • Knowledge of history and rights of tribal nations in the United States and/or Washington state.

Special Requirements and Conditions of Employment:

  • Office setting with occasional visits to recreation sites or other DNR lands. Telework may be approved by the supervisor.
  • Typical work schedule is Monday through Friday, 0800-1630. Compressed work schedule may be approved by supervisor. During legislative session or when public meetings are underway for selected projects, evening and weekend work is required.

Desired Qualifications: 

  • Master’s degree in planning, public policy, environmental studies, with an emphasis on outdoor recreation, natural resource sciences, and/or recreation policy.
  • Familiarity with regulatory permits and legislative process, including preparation of fiscal notes and preparing reviews and analyses of legislation.
  • Knowledge of DNR Trust land management and/or public lands management.
  • Formal project management training and/or certification
  • Knowledge of environmental justice, including understanding historical and present-day context.
  • Experience working with tribes or tribal organizations, preferably in Washington.

Application Requirements:

  • To be considered you must apply online at www.careers.wa.gov. 
  • 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.
  • Candidates that move forward in the recruitment process may be contacted via email from info@governmentjobs.com with interview information/scheduling instructions. Please monitor the email listed in your application materials and check your junk email folder to ensure you receive those communications.

For more information and to apply: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/washington/jobs/4207515/senior-project-manager-environmental-planner-4

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