Salmon Outdoor Grants Manager

Full Job Description

The hiring manager reserves the right to make a hiring decision at any time. It will be in your best interest to apply as soon as possible.
Application review will begin immediately based on application order.

*This posting will fill two (2) vacancies within the Salmon Grants Section.

Schedule and Location: RCO is head-quartered in Olympia, WA on the state's capital campus. RCO will consider candidates that can successfully do this job from another location (in-state only) with occasional travel to Olympia for meetings and other functions.

The Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) is a small state agency located in Olympia, Washington that plans for and provides funding to: create and maintain opportunities for recreation; protect the best of the state's wild lands, farms, and forests; and recover salmon.

RCO strives to maintain a workplace that is respectful, inclusive, and family-friendly where all team members feel safe to bring their true selves to work.

We believe in a culture where everyone continually improves and has the opportunity to lead.

At RCO we envision:
A state that has abundant outdoor recreation spaces, healthy habitats, and working farms and forests that support people, fish, and wildlife.

About the Salmon Grants Section:

The Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB) is embedded within RCO and since 1999 has awarded salmon-related grants across seven salmon recovery regions and 25 lead entities using a bottom-up prioritization and funding approach termed the “Washington Way.” The Salmon Section staff support SRFB grants in salmon recovery, riparian, and Puget Sound focused programs.

The Salmon Section staff at RCO also support other salmon and habitat focused grant programs (called “office programs”) partnering with state agencies, and nonprofit organizations.

Those “office programs” include the Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program (ESRP), the Brian Abbot Fish Barrier Removal Board (BAFBRB), the Family Forest Fish Passage Program (FFFPP), and the Washington Coast Restoration and Resiliency Initiative (WCRRI).

This passionate and dedicated 17-person team manages over 800 active projects, totaling nearly $500 million, and processes between 200-300 new applications per year.

We are looking for:Someone that supports the mission of the agency by providing project level support for various grant programs that provide statewide funding for conservation, restoration, and salmon recovery projects.

Interested candidates should have strong communication skills and be confident assisting a variety of people and organizations.

Key components of this position include managing a portfolio of grant applications and funded projects, conducting workshops for prospective and successful project sponsors, reviewing and interpreting policy materials, conducting and documenting site visits, addressing compliance issues, and providing staff support to the various boards and committees.

Successful candidates are able to juggle multiple project tasks, competing priorities and demands.

Applicants should have interest in supporting healthy watersheds, restoring habitat, and salmon recovery.

Familiarity with salmon and steelhead, and an understanding of habitat types from saltwater to the forested headwaters is ideal.

We are looking for a hardworking, team-oriented individual who can think critically, has outstanding customer service and communication skills, wants to be a leader, and is self-directed.

Requirements

Some of what you’ll enjoy doing includes:

Grant Management

• Manage restoration, fish passage, acquisition, and planning grants, as well as interagency agreements and contracts.
• Assist public agencies, nonprofit organizations, Native American tribes, and individuals in the development, preparation, and implementation of salmon recovery grants.
• Assist project applicants with preparing grant applications. Review grant applications to determine eligibility and completeness. Support applicants through applicable project review meetings and technical completion deadlines.
• Participate in project review and evaluation meetings.
• Use RCO’s PRISM grant management database to manage grant applications and funded projects.
• Develop and monitor project agreements for funded proposals, to help ensure sponsors meet established milestones for project completion.
• Develop recommendations for amendment requests and prepare necessary documents for approved amendments.
• Review engineered plans and specifications for compliance with the approved project scope.
• Review acquisition documents for compliance with the approved project scope and RCO’s acquisition procedures.
• Review reimbursement requests to assure charges are valid and conform to program, policy, and procedural regulations.
• Conduct pre-award, interim, final, and post-completion inspections to determine adherence to and compliance with program policies and the terms of the project agreement. Consult with project sponsors and others to monitor compliance with program policies and various local, state, and federal laws.
• Assist project sponsors in resolving non-compliance issues as specified by state or federal law, Washington Administrative Code, and program polices.

Communication

• Prepare correspondence to grant applicants and recipients, interest groups, executive management, and members of the public.
• Explain complex grant program policies and processes to a variety of individuals.
• Prepare briefing materials and present projects, issues, and recommendations to agency executives, committees, partner groups, and the Salmon Recovery Funding Board.
• Serve as a facilitator and/ moderator for general meetings and project review/evaluation meetings, when requested.
• Prepare for and conduct workshops as requested.
• Respond to requests for general information from the public, government agencies, and organizations.
• Have knowledge of grant programs and serve as a resource for others requesting information about programs and program policies.

Program Engagement

• Act as RCO’s point of contact for assigned grant program(s). This includes acting as the subject matter expert for the program, working with external program partners and RCO’s internal teams.
• Work in a team environment and share information and knowledge to create consistency in project and program management.
• Assist with the development, revision, and implementation of grant program policies and procedures and manuals. Conduct research and analyze agency policies, state and federal laws, and rules and regulations that govern RCO administered grant programs.
• Assist with development, testing, and implementation of changes to the PRISM database.
• Participate in agency-wide committees and teams.

Qualifications

REQUIRED:

• Valid driver’s license free from serious traffic violations.

AND

• A Bachelor’s degree in public administration, parks and recreation management, landscape architecture, fish or wildlife management, watershed planning, geography, land use planning, biology, forestry, natural resource management, environmental studies or a related field.

AND

• Three years experience in property acquisitions, fish and wildlife habitat, conservation lands and resources or managing grants for the preservation or restoration of natural resources, salmon habitat, or related.

**A Masters Degree in one of the above fields will substitute for one year experience.
**Experience may substitute for education.

PREFERRED:

• Have professional experience managing recreation sites, salmon recovery or conservation projects.
• Demonstrated ability of managing grant contracts.
• Knowledge of: Theory, principles, and practices of salmon recovery planning, restoration, and utilization of riparian areas for salmon habitat for protection or restoration (land acquisition; land values; land use; real estate issues); general construction practices related to salmon recovery projects; and projects that assess, design, or explore feasibility.
• Ability to: review construction plans, and document completed restoration work, evaluate and monitor salmon habitat project implementation, establish and maintain effective cooperative relationships with federal, state, and local government officials; arrive at sound recommendations for or against immediate financing of potential restoration or acquisition projects; write and speak effectively; travel frequently for short periods of time.

Compliance – Collects information, organizes timelines, and documents subsequent assessment and resolution of project/compliance issues.

Notify sponsors of established policies and initiate enforcement actions in a fair, objective, reasonable and respectful manner.

Monitor and evaluate public/ political concerns that affect resolution of compliance and other issues.

Effectively persuade sponsors to voluntarily accept recommendations or advice for the purpose of bringing them into compliance with the terms of their agreement.

• Inspections – Critically observe and inspect structures and environmental conditions to determine compliance with the terms of the project agreement. Identify elements or factors that might contribute to noncompliance or indicate underlying or future problems.

Presentation – Prepare high quality materials and explain or present /information in a clear, concise, logical manner that achieves understanding of the intended message.

Choose language that will persuade or influence the listener if that is the purpose of the presentation Understand the impact of body language and vocal tone, which can be used to persuade your audience one way or another.

Additional Information




Please provide the following documents to be considered; failure to do so may result in you not being considered for the position:

• A letter of interest, (no more than 2 pages) explaining how you have prepared yourself for this position.
• A current resume, detailing experience, and education; and
• A current list of at least three (3) professional references with current contact information (attached or available to provide at the time of interview)




NOTE: By submitting these materials, you are indicating that all information is true and correct. The state may verify information.

Any untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from the applicant pool or dismissal if employed.

A resume will not substitute for completing the “duties summary” section or supplemental questions of the application.

Please do not “refer to resume” for detail, or your application may be disqualified.

Union Inclusion:This position is included in a bargaining unit represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).

Opportunity for All: The Recreation and Conservation Office celebrates our differences and we are committed to a workplace that supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, marital status, families with children (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as an individual with the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with disabilities or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

We will also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws.

You are welcome to include the name and pronoun you would like to be referred to in your materials and we will honor this as you interact with our organization.




Contact Information:

If you have questions about this opportunity, please contact Anita Macpherson at Anita.Macpherson@rco.wa.gov For questions about this recruitment or to request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact Angie Anderson at (360) 407-8446 or email jobs@des.wa.gov.

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Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.