Montana Veteran Jobs

Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation's mission is to help ensure that Montana's land and water resources provide benefits for present and future generations. The DNRC believes employees are their most important asset. The DNRC empowers employees to exercise professional judgment in carrying out their duties. Employees are provided with the training and tools necessary to achieve the mission. Both team effort and individual employee expertise are supported and sustained. Core Values: The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation’s Forestry and Trust Land Division recognizes that building a collaborative, professional, and inclusive work environment is critical to fulfilling our mission of managing, protecting, and promoting stewardship of Montana’s forests and lands for the benefit of current and future generations and our trust beneficiaries. We hold ourselves to these high standards as we are accountable to the people of Montana. * We value and respect each other. * We create collaborative work environments. * We build and maintain strong relationships. * We practice accountability. * We celebrate our successes and take pride in our work. Work Unit Overview: * The DNRC’s Forestry Division’s mission is to maintain and improve the health of Montana’s forests, watersheds and the communities that depend on them while providing resources, leadership and coordination to Montana’s wildfire services and landowners. The Forestry Division is responsible for planning and implementing forestry and fire protection programs through an extensive network of staff located in field offices across the state. The Forestry Division is divided into the following three programs: fire protection, forestry assistance, and good neighbor authority all of which are administratively supported by the Forestry Division Office. The Good Neighbor Authority Bureau (GNA Bureau) oversees the development and implementation of the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) Program for the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC). The purpose of the GNA Program is to increase the pace and scale of forest management and restoration on federal forest lands by adding capacity to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as authorized by GNA per the 2014 Farm Bill. This Bureau provides to the Areas and Units: program oversight, strategic development and direction; policy interpretation and guidance; training; technical and fiscal support; and operations support as needed. This Bureau also serves as the principal contact with the statewide and regional offices of the BLM and USFS for purposes of statewide strategic development, policy interpretation and guidance, and training development for interagency personnel engaged with GNA. *Job Overview: * The GNA Bureau Chief oversees the development and statewide implementation of the GNA Program and is the principal point of contact for the program with federal, state, local, and community partners. The major duties of the GNA Bureau Chief are as follows: * Program and Organizational Development: Develop and implement a strategic plan to grow and sustain the GNA Program within the State of Montana in close partnership with the USFS, BLM, DNRC staff, and outside cooperators. Work with Division and Bureau staff, Area and Unit Staff, and federal partners to envision and execute a plan of action to develop GNA on federal forest lands throughout the state including on all seven national forests. * Program Oversight and Support: Develop Bureau staff, resources and tools to provide program oversight, technical and fiscal support, contract administration, training, policy interpretation and guidance, and operational support as mutually agreed upon by Bureau and Area/Unit staff. * Partnership Development: Develop, maintain, and leverage partnerships with federal, tribal, state, and local government; forest products industry; conservation organizations; collaboratives; and other pertinent organizations to leverage funding and authorities and to better coordinate work to implement cross-boundary forest management, fuels, and restoration treatments. Work closely with the Forestry Assistance Bureau and the Fire Protection Bureau to coordinate internal efforts and to carry out objectives of each Bureau through the GNA Program. * Communication: Work closely with the Forestry Division Communications Coordinator to develop an intentional communication strategy for the GNA Program for public consumption as well as partner consumption. * Other Duties: Regularly engage in public presentations, testify before legislative committees as needed, and attend conferences as assigned. This position reports to the Forestry Division Administrator and directly supervises the GNA Program Manager. *Essential Functions(Major Duties or Responsibilities): /These job functions are the essential duties of the position and are not all-inclusive of all the duties that may be assigned to the incumbent./ A. Program and Organizational Development(70% of Time) Develop and implement a strategic plan to grow and sustain the GNA Program within the State of Montana in close partnership with the USFS, BLM, DNRC staff, and outside cooperators. Work with Division and Bureau staff, Area and Unit Staff, and federal partners to envision and execute a plan of action to develop GNA on federal forest lands throughout the state including on all seven national forests. Develop Bureau staff, resources and tools to provide program oversight, technical and fiscal support, contract administration, training, policy interpretation and guidance, and operational support as mutually agreed upon by Bureau and Area/Unit staff. 1. Create a clearly identified, achievable and measurable strategic plan to grow GNA within Montana. Engage Area Managers, Area and Unit Staff, and GNA Bureau and Division staff in the development of the plan. Formulate measurable goals and objectives, identify clear roles and responsibilities between Bureau and Area staff, and develop performance metrics and identify benchmarks that when reached, will demonstrate progress towards identified goals. 2. Engage USFS Region One and respective National Forests as appropriate as well as statewide BLM staff to create shared mutual goals and targets to reach within specific timelines. Goals and targets may be volume, acres treated, or any other benchmark identified, that when reached, will demonstrate progress toward growing the GNA program. 3. Engage with the Fire Protection Bureau and program staff and Forestry Assistance Bureau and program staff to intentionally incorporate respective and mutually shared program objectives into the GNA program. 4. Identify programmatic, policy, or operational obstacles and work with others to propose solutions to overcoming those obstacles. Engage with state, regional, and national groups as appropriate and as directed by the Forestry Division Administrator, to work through solutions. 5. In close partnership with the Areas and Units, create an adaptable organizational structure, internal procedures, workflow, and controls for Area, Unit, and Bureau staff. Direct the planning and implementation of program resources including full-time equivalent positions (FTE) throughout the state to carry out program objectives. This includes establishing the duties and roles of GNA foresters, working with Area and Unit managers to incorporate these positions into their organizations, and designing the structure of work processes to ensure effective utilization of program resources. 6. Coordinate with federal agencies to develop regular planning engagements and processes to track and plan for projects to be implemented under the GNA Program. Ensure the State has the opportunity to provide input on the development of short and long-range plans for federal forest management and restoration projects. 7. Support Bureau, Area, and Unit staff management activities including hiring, training, and performance management for those who work within the GNA program. This includes participating in hiring panels, recommending or developing training programs, and providing assistance hiring managers and supervisors in monitoring the accomplishments of strategic objectives as they relate to the performance appraisal process. 8. Manage the GNA Program to meet program objectives in compliance with applicable agreements, e.g., the Good Neighbor Authority Master Agreement and Supplemental or Stand Alone Project Agreements (SPAs), as well as other applicable state, local, and federal policies and regulations. This includes monitoring project progress through review of reports and meetings; providing training or supervision to DNRC staff or cooperators as required; coordinating the flow of information and resolving any problems between the USFS and DNRC; ensuring the proper receipt, disbursement, and documentation of funding and in-kind contributions; and coordinating project close-out and reporting. 9. Ensure that the Bureau researches and understands all related policies to ultimately serve as the authoritative resource for the field as it pertains to those GNA and provides consultation to policymakers to facilitate informed decision-making. 10. Develop workflow and procedures to oversee and coordinate the work of GNA Foresters in Area Offices to achieve program objectives in compliance with agency policy and applicable regulations. This includes working with staff and managers to establish uniform procedures, develop reporting mechanisms, and ensure a common understanding of program objectives. 11. Oversee SPA development for GNA projects statewide. Coordinating with business and legal personnel to ensure proper reporting and administration through project agreements; and drafting and implementing SPAs including descriptions, maps, methods, desired end results, financial plans, etc. 12. Oversee GNA timber sale contract administration. This includes working with Trust Land Management Division (TLMD) to design complimentary processes for timber sale bidding, contract award, bonding, invoicing, collecting payments, and administering the contract clauses. Work with Units and Areas to clearly define roles and responsibilities as it pertains to contract administration. 13. Design procurement contracting processes and procedures in coordination with the DNRC Director’s Office Procurement Officer. Establish workflows between Area, Unit, Bureau, and Director’s Office staff. Determine the need for and oversees the development, negotiation, and monitoring of contracted services. This involves directing the development of requests for proposals, reviewing and coordinating vendor service contracts, and monitoring and evaluating work undertaken by contractors on Department projects. 14. In coordination with the USFS and BLM, develop training and tools for interagency staff to better understand and implement the Good Neighbor Authority. In coordination with Area, Unit, and Bureau staff, develop training for GNA foresters and staffing specific to DNRC. 15. Oversee the GNA program financial management system. Coordinate with TLMD, Office of Information Technology, and Financial Services to develop and maintain a financial management system for the GNA program. Manage program and project budgets to ensure financial operations adhere to allocations, program plans, and statutory authorities. This includes reviewing expenditures, evaluating revenues, identifying potential surpluses or deficiencies, recommending appropriate adjustments, and apprising the Division Administrator of budget status. Provide recommendations for the bureau’s Executive Planning Process and Legislative Budget request as directed. B. Partnership Development (15% of Time) Develop, maintain, and leverage partnerships with federal, tribal, state, and local government; forest products industry; conservation organizations; collaboratives; and other pertinent organizations to leverage funding and authorities and to better coordinate work to implement cross-boundary forest management, fuels, and restoration treatments. Work closely with the Forestry Assistance Bureau and the Fire Protection Bureau to coordinate internal efforts and to carry out objectives of each Bureau through the GNA Program. 1. Coordinate with Fire Protection and Forestry Assistance Bureaus and program staff to clarify roles and responsibilities in engaging partners to ensure that priorities within those programs will be achieved and that duplicate efforts are avoided. Ensure that the Montana GNA program either directly works towards or emphasizes all three tenets of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy: fire-adapted communities, resilient landscapes, and safe and effective wildfire response. 2. Work with appropriate scales of partners (USFS, BLM, Area and Unit Staff) to engage county commissioners, the Montana Association of Counties, and local collaborative groups and partnerships in the development of GNA within communities. Coordinate with these entities to identify priority GNA work and incorporate those projects into the 3-5 year planning. 3. Work closely with the Forestry Assistance and Fire Protection Bureaus to identify cross-boundary management and restoration opportunities. Identify external partnerships to leverage funding to increase the footprint of cross-boundary work. 4. Oversee work focused on soliciting and collecting funds from external partners to help start up GNA within Montana. Ensure that MOUs are developed in coordination with legal and financial services staff and that DNRC remains accountable to those partners through providing regular updates and scheduling regular meetings to report out progress. 5. Oversee cost-share, grant, partnership and other funding programs to provide funding and grants for the GNA program. This includes granting funds, monitoring project compliance and outcomes through subordinate staff, and ensuring grant compliance and reporting. C. Communication and Outreach (10% of Time) Work closely with the Forestry Division Communications Coordinator to develop an intentional communication strategy for the GNA Program for public consumption as well as partner consumption. 1. Establish and implement communication plans to engage and inform stakeholders and develop relationships necessary to explain proposals, present findings, establish specifications, or discuss project status. 2. Ensure that communication plans are developed and carried out in close coordination with federal partners. 3. Create and implement communication plans to inform DNRC staff, external partners, landowners, and the federal government of restoration and fuels reduction objectives, policies and accomplishments. This includes preparing information resources, adapting information to various audiences, directly communicating program goals, and providing communication resources to area foresters in support of their communication efforts. All applicants must submit the following (only electronic materials will be accepted): * Resume * Cover Letter * State Application HELPFUL HINT:You must check the “relevant document” box to ensure your attachments are uploading correctly to the specific application. Benefits: * Paid Vacation, Sick Leave and Holidays * Health, Dental, Prescription, and Vision Coverage * Retirement Plans * Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) – Employment with the State of Montana may qualify you to receive student loan forgiveness under the PSLF.  Minimum Qualifications (Education and Experience): The position requires education and experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in natural resource management, business or public administration, environmental or life science or a related field and four (4) years progressively responsible experience including project management experience. Required knowledge, skills, and abilities: * Requires knowledge of the principles and practices of program administration including project management, strategic planning, research and analysis techniques, budget management, policy implementation, contract/agreement administration, governmental accounting and budgeting, records management, and information systems; communication including public relations, technical writing, and conflict resolution; forestry and natural resource management including forest and watershed restoration and fuels reduction; and supervisory methods and techniques. Requires skill in administering multiple forestry projects, negotiation and conflict management, the use of personal computers and forestry- and business-related software, public speaking, communicating both verbally and in writing with a wide variety of individuals in an effective manner, and in organizing and delivering reports. Requires the ability to utilize critical thinking and independent judgment; to be effective in problem-solving and managing conflicts; to establish and maintain effective working relationships with diverse people sometimes in adverse environments; to learn and apply state and federal rules, regulations, policies and procedures; to prioritize assignments and work under deadlines; and to organize and complete detailed work. *Special Information:  Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States.  A valid driver's license is required with less than 12 conviction points in the most recent completed 36 months.  Eligibility to Work: In accordance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act, the person selected must produce within three days of hire documents that show authorization to work in the United States. Examples of such documentation include a birth certificate or Social Security card along with a driver’s license or other picture I.D., or a U.S. passport, or a "green card". The State of Montana does not sponsor Visa's or Green Cards Title: Program Manager - Good Neighbor Authority Bureau Chief Location: Missoula Requisition ID: 25140541

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