Natural Resources Program Manager

~ The Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD) is a medium sized, municipal, water agency with a Board of Directors/General Manager form of government, 244 full time employees and a $120,000,000 combined annual operating and capital budget for FY 2018. Annually, the District delivers water to approximately 190,000 residents and businesses in the central and southern portions of Marin County and has stewardship responsibilities for approximately 22,000 acres of watershed lands on Mt. Tamalpais. ~

Position Overview

The Opportunity:

MMWD is recruiting for a Natural Resources Program Manager in the Facilities and Watershed Division. The Natural Resources Program Manager will lead natural resource management on 22,000 acres of watershed lands including much of Mt. Tamalpais, a highly popular and biologically rich landscape at the edge of the urbanized San Francisco Bay Area.

Primary duties include: managing inventory and monitoring programs for special status plants and animals, implementing forest and meadow habitat restoration projects to maintain water quality and ecosystem resiliency, and maintaining fuel breaks to reduce wildfire hazard to nearby communities. The successful candidate also directs programs for public engagement including watershed education, citizen science, and volunteers. MMWD works in partnership with federal, state, and county public land managers, through participation in the Tamalpais Lands Collaborative (aka One Tam).

The incumbent manages two full-time staff and up to 8 seasonal positions, coordinates activities of One Tam staff resources and directs the work of environmental consultants and contractors. The Natural Resources Program Manager also works closely with watershed ranger, maintenance, fishery and administrative staff to accomplish watershed management goals.

Definition:

• Under general direction, plans, implements and supervises the District's watershed natural resource management programs including the vegetation and wildlife management, erosion control, and watershed land management; supervises professional and technical staff;
• Coordinates assigned activities and functions with other District departments, public and private agencies, directs District’s watershed volunteer program:
• Serves as integrated pest management coordinator for MMWD District land and properties; and
• Prepares work projects, budgets, and maintenance systems for natural resource  management; and performs related work as required.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

• This single-position mid-management class has functional management responsibilities for the natural resources of the District’s watershed lands.
• The position combines supervisory responsibilities with technical expertise relating to natural resource management.
• The incumbent reports to the Watershed Resources Manager and is responsible for a broad range of work involved in management of natural and scenic resources of watershed land, and provides operational direction to watershed staff. 

Responsibilities

Examples of Duties/Typical duties may include but are not limited to the following:

• Develops, plans, and provides direction to the technical and support staff in all phases of the District's Vegetation Management Plan and other watershed natural resources programs; reviews and evaluates the work of assigned staff, work products, methods and procedures; meets with staff to identify and resolve problems;
• Formulates and directs broad programs and specific projects that implement the Board of Director’s policies for the protection, maintenance and restoration of watershed natural resources such as habitation restoration, management of special status species, exotic plant and animal control, re-vegetation, wildland disease and insect control, erosion control, and prescribed fire management;
• Provides environmental review for maintenance activities and other projects on the watershed;
• Provides overall direction for the District’s volunteer program for natural resource and facility management;
• Coordinates the District’s integrated pest management (IPM) committee and monitors and directs all IPM activities on District lands and properties;
• Maintains or oversees the maintenance of daily, seasonal and annual records and maps, such as those detailing fires and fire suppression activities; special status species, vegetation types and wildlife habitats;
• Manages or oversees natural resource inventory and monitoring programs; surveys special status and invasive plant and animal species, and maps vegetation; develops and maintains data and library of research and reports on subject matter related to watershed natural resources;
• Provides technical expertise and supervisory support for construction, maintenance and monitoring needs of fuel reduction zones, re-vegetation, habitat restoration and invasive species management projects;
• Directs and participates in the development, negotiation, and administration of contract services, monitors the work of contractors and consultants and implements appropriate contractual changes;
• Prepares and coordinates resource management plans and permit documents with governmental agencies and the public;
• Provides professional level staff support to a variety of boards, commissions, and committees; prepares and presents reports and other necessary correspondence.
• Attends meetings, makes oral and written presentations, represents the Watershed Department at public meetings and functions, and maintains liaison with other governmental agencies, consultants, and the public;
• Defines the scope for specific resource projects, estimates and acquires price quotes and bids for labor, equipment and materials needed and prepares appropriate work orders;
• Prepares and administers the budget for the unit;
• Selects, trains, and evaluates the work of department staff; provides and/or coordinates staff training; works with employees to correct performance; implements discipline and corrective actions;
• Researches, collects  and interprets data, prepares reports and correspondence and assembles information for use in regulatory reporting and hearings  on a variety of complex technical problems relating to watershed resource management issues;
• Writes grant proposal and administers grant funds for watershed projects; and
• Ensures that safe working conditions are maintained, promotes safe practices and safety programs.

Qualifications

Knowledge of:

• Principles, practices, and methods of botany, ecology, wildlife management, natural resources management, and soil science;
• Principles, practices and methods related to erosion control especially to best management practices for wildland roads and trails;
• Resource conservation principles and practices for terrestrial and aquatic habitat protection and enhancement, and integrated pest management;
• Federal, state and local legislation, regulations, rules and ordinances pertaining to environmental laws, codes established for fire prevention and suppression, wildland recreation, vehicle operation, public property violations, fish and wildlife violations, such as CEQA, the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Air Act, etc;
• Principles and practices of employee management and supervision, including selection, training, evaluation, coaching and performance management;
• Personal computer user applications, particularly as related to compiling spreadsheets, report writing, scheduling, and Geographic Information System (GIS);
• Wildland fire science, including state-of-the-art computer fire behavior and smoke management modeling programs;
• Principles and practices of contract administration, purchasing and procurement and budget administration;
• Safe construction practices and procedures including safety precautions for operating power equipment; and
• Construction drawings, maps, specifications, permits, and monitoring requirements relevant to watershed resource programs.

Ability to:

• Organize, direct and manage work priorities and coordinate personnel, contracts, materials and equipment  to complete projects and implement programs;
• Analyze work problems, reports, project documents, technical data and materials, and reach sound conclusions and recommendations;
• Prepare and present complex analytical studies and reports; effectively present and communicate orally and in writing, presenting conclusions and recommendations before the Board to management, and other groups;
• Analyze budget and technical reports and correspondence, interpret, evaluate and implement pertinent laws, codes, ordinances, rules and regulations;
• Supervise and train personnel, observe performance and evaluate staff; apply interest-based problem solving methods; apply and explain applicable personnel and administrative policies and procedures;
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work;
• Prepare and manage budgets, requisition needs, work plans, and inventory controls; maintain accurate records, write clear and effective reports, and prepare related statistical documents;
• Drive a vehicle depending upon job assignment;
• Travel to off-site work locations depending upon job assignment;
• Work weekends and/or evenings to make presentations or attend meetings, and to travel to alternative work locations for these and other purposes; and
• Operate computer applications utilizing word processing, project management and spreadsheet software.

Training and Experience:

• Education: Completion of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in biology, forestry, ecology, horticulture, natural sciences, resource management, or a related science.
• Experience: 4 years of increasingly responsible experience in the analysis, formulation, or implementation of natural resources or wildland and protection programs, at least two of which have been lead direction or supervision of a natural resources, watershed or park maintenance staff.

Compensation: Salary: $9,165.00 - $11,229.00 per month.

To Apply

• For more information about the job, pay, benefits and how to apply, please click below: "Apply on Company Website."
• Filing Deadline is May 9, 2018, by 4:30 P.M. for manual submissions; 5:00 P.M. for online submissions.