Private Lands Program Coordinator

Full Job Description

Only applicants who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements and meet all selective requirements (listed below) will be eligible.

The Department of Natural Resources encourages all applicants to upload a current resume and cover letter to their online application.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is seeking a highly organized and collaborative professional to serve as the Private Lands Program (PLP) Coordinator.

This position provides statewide leadership, coordination, and strategic direction for private lands conservation programs, working closely with federal, state, and partner organizations to advance wildlife habitat, forest health, and water quality priorities.

Primary Responsibilities

Program Coordination and Leadership

• Lead and coordinate the DNR Private Lands Program, including communication with PLP staff, establishing program priorities, and aligning staff efforts with strategic goals.
• Coordinate PLP activities with federal partners, particularly the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), to ensure effective program delivery.
• Integrate PLP objectives with the Iowa Wildlife Action Plan (IWAP) and Iowa Forest Action Plan (IFAP).
• Collaborate with DNR research staff and Iowa State University Extension to evaluate program effectiveness and outcomes.
• Represent the PLP in landscape-scale conservation planning efforts and ensure alignment with broader DNR priorities such as water quality improvement and pollinator habitat.
• Develop, manage, and justify program budgets.

Grant Development and Funding

• Develop and manage grant proposals, contribution agreements, and other funding opportunities to sustain and expand the Private Lands Program.
• Coordinate funding efforts with key federal partners, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Program Delivery and Oversight

• Oversee implementation of the Private Lands Access Program, ensuring habitat objectives and landowner/customer needs are met.
• Ensure compliance with all federal grant administration and reporting requirements, particularly for the Voluntary Public Access–Habitat Incentive Program.

Representation and Policy Engagement

• Serve as the DNR representative on the State Technical Committee (STC), including active participation in meetings and subcommittees related to CRP, EQIP, and ACEP programs.
• Participate in national-level coordination through Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) committees focused on federal private lands conservation programs.

Partnership Development

• Build and maintain strong partnerships with conservation organizations and stakeholders to advance private lands habitat and forest health initiatives.
• Collaborate regularly with partners such as Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Biologists, Conservation Districts of Iowa staff, Wetland Easement Teams, Wildlife Management Institute, and National Wild Turkey Federation forestry specialists.
• Develop and implement cooperative strategies to address ongoing conservation challenges on private lands.

Why Join Us

This position offers the opportunity to lead impactful conservation efforts across Iowa’s private lands while working with a diverse network of partners dedicated to sustaining natural resources for future generations.

The ideal candidate for the Private Lands Program Coordinator role will demonstrate a combination of technical expertise, program leadership, and partnership-building skills, including:

• Strong program management and leadership ability, with experience coordinating complex, multi-partner conservation or natural resource programs.
• Expertise in private lands conservation, including familiarity with federal programs such as CRP, EQIP, ACEP, and Voluntary Public Access initiatives.
• Proven ability to develop and manage grants, including securing funding, administering agreements, and ensuring compliance with federal requirements.
• Strategic thinking skills, with the ability to align program activities with broader frameworks such as statewide wildlife and forest action plans.
• Experience in budget development and fiscal oversight, including tracking expenditures and justifying program funding needs.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with diverse partners, including federal agencies, NGOs, and landowners.
• Demonstrated success in partnership development, particularly with conservation organizations and interagency teams.
• Organizational and facilitation skills, including leading meetings, coordinating teams, and delivering training.
• Familiarity with Iowa’s conservation priorities, including water quality improvement and pollinator habitat initiatives (preferred).

Essential Functions

• Coordinate and administer the statewide Private Lands Program (PLP), including establishing priorities, directing activities, and ensuring alignment with agency goals.
• Facilitate communication and collaboration among PLP staff, DNR programs, and external partners, including federal agencies.
• Lead development and submission of grant proposals, contribution agreements, and other funding mechanisms to support program operations. Ensure compliance with all federal grant administration, reporting, and documentation requirements.
• Oversee implementation and evaluation of private lands access and habitat programs, ensuring objectives and stakeholder needs are met.
• Monitor program performance, analyze outcomes, and implement adaptive management strategies to improve effectiveness.

Critical Job Competencies

Accountability, Customer Focus, Communication Skills, High Productivity, Integrity, Interpersonal Skills, Self-Management, Team Player, Technical Skills (Wildlife management, private lands)

What You Get From Us:

• A competitive pay plan and rewarding work.
• Insurance benefits that start the first of the month following 30 days of employment.

(Premiums can start as low as $64/month for single and $210/month for family coverage).

• Separate vacation and sick leave accruals that start on the first day and can roll over annually.
• Nine paid holidays/year.
• Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS) retirement package with employer match.
• Optional deferred compensation (457/401A) plan with employer match.
• Professional training opportunities.
• Family friendly and professional work environment.
• Employee Discount Programs (vision, cellular, fitness, recreation, season passes, travel, counseling)

• The State’s total compensation package features benefits that are worth about 30% of your total compensation. For a list of additional benefits, please visit the DAS website for more information.

• Flexible work schedules (as approved by the supervisor).
• Opportunities for hybrid telework (as approved by the supervisor).
• Workout/Gym facilities available onsite at 6200 Park Ave.

Comments

The starting salary for new state (Executive Branch) employees is expected to be at the base of the pay range.

Additional salary increases may occur after the first six months, and then annually (if applicable).

The State’s total compensation package features an outstanding set of employee benefits that are worth about 30% of your total compensation. Visit the DAS website for more benefit information.

Ensure you are kept up-to-date of this position by checking your email regularly for emails from info@govermentjobs.com. This is a system generated email from the DAS application system and it may be sent directly to your Junk/Spam folder.

DNR Application Tips

For more information about DNR Employment Opportunities and position specific notices, please visit the DNR Employment website.

The State of Iowa is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

E-Verify and Right to Work

The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees.

Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States.

The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work laws, which protect employees’ rights to work without being required to join a labor organization.

For more information, please visit www.e-verify.gov.

Iowa DNR Mission

To conserve and enhance our natural resources in cooperation with individuals and organizations to improve the quality of life in Iowa and ensure a legacy for future generations.

Requirements

901 Wildlife Biology 6 months’ experience, 12 semester hours, or a combination of both.

OR

907 Forestry 12 semester hours, 6 months continuous full-time experience, or a combination of both, in any of the following: • Dendrology • Silviculture • Forest management, tree planting and habitat management • Timber stand improvement • Forest planning • Planning and mapping using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for forest improvement projects • Forest inventory including tree identification • Reforestation and/or forest health data collection and monitoring

Qualifications

Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:

1) Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in any field, and experience equal to four years of full-time professional-level work in program administration, program development, program operations, or management.

2) A total of eight years of education and/or full-time experience (as described in number one), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university course work in any field equals one year of full-time experience.

3) All of the following (a, b, and c): a. Two years of full-time professional-level work experience in program administration, program development, program operations, or management; and b.

A total of four years of education and full-time experience (as described in part a), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university course work in any field equals one year of full-time experience; and c.

A total of two years of graduate-level education and full-time experience (as described in part a), where twenty-four semester hours of accredited graduate college or university course work in a public-service-related area (e.g., public or business administration, social work, public health, law, education, engineering) equals one year of full-time experience.

Graduation from the Iowa Certified Public Manager Program is also equivalent to one year of full-time experience or education.

4) Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes twelve months of full-time work as an Executive Officer 1 or comparable specific management-level position.

For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description.