Program Specialist 2 - Community Preparedness and Fire Prevention Program Manager

State of Montana • Missoula, MT

1d

About The Position

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.
This position is with the DNRC Fire Protection Bureau in Missoula which carries out a statewide fire protection mission and as such, the agency may consider alternate work locations within the State that support the operation and needs of the fire program.
Work Unit Overview:
It is the mission of the DNRC Fire Protection Bureau to protect lives, property, and natural resources from wildfire by providing safe and effective services to Montana’s citizens as well as leadership, coordination, and resources to the State’s wildfire organizations. The DNRC Fire Protection Bureau requires a robust approach to craft the direction and delivery of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy and to coordinate the activities of all Forestry Division programs to achieve mutually beneficial goals while focusing on internal cohesion.
The Fire Protection Bureau incorporates, as critical components, community preparedness; homeowner risk reduction; fire prevention; public education/outreach and prescribed fire; as well as support hazardous fuels reduction. We deliberately engage Montana’s citizens to prepare themselves, their property, and their communities for wildfire. It is through the Community Preparedness and Wildfire Prevention Program that the Department’s aspirations in these areas become reality.
Job Overview:
The Community Preparedness and Fire Prevention (CPFP) Program Manager serves as the state’s subject matter expert for the statewide Community Preparedness & Fire Prevention program. Areas of emphasis include fostering fire adapted communities and promoting community preparedness for wildfire, reducing human caused fires, providing fire information, and educating the public on wildfire risk at the statewide level. The CPFP Program Manager works under general supervision of the Bureau Chief. The incumbent supervises the Fire Adapted Communities Specialist, Prescribed Fire Specialist, and Community Wildfire Resilience Specialist, as well as other interns and temporary workers. Work assignments are covered by established policies and general program objectives, and the incumbent is responsible for determining the methods and techniques necessary to carry out their assigned responsibilities.
The CPFP Program Manager serves both as an internal resource to DNRC personnel and to key partners in local, state, tribal, and federal government. The position works to build and maintain capacity related to fire adapted communities, both within the DNRC Fire Protection Program and amongst cooperating partners. The CPFP Program Manager serves as a key member of the FPB staff, as a principal advisor to the FPB Bureau Chief, and as a standing member of the Fire Advisory Council (FAC). As such, the incumbent will contribute substantially to ongoing and sustained efforts to strategically lead and manage the DNRC Fire Protection Program.
Success in this position requires comprehensive knowledge of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy, the DNRC Fire Protection Program Strategy, and other areas related to overall missions of the Fire Protection Program, the Forestry Division, and the Department.

Requirements

• The required knowledge, skills and abilities are typically acquired through a combination of education and experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in forestry, natural resources, or related field and four years of progressively responsible experience, including fire prevention, community preparedness, mitigation, training, supervision and program management.
• The incumbent must be able to attain and maintain National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) qualification/certification as a Fire Prevention Education Team Leader (PETL) and Public Information Officer (PIOF.)
• This position requires advanced professional and technical knowledge of fire management and forestry, wildland fire prevention, mitigation, fire adapted communities, community preparedness, and prescribed fire. The incumbent also requires knowledge of public information/public affairs, program management and administration, and contract and grant administration.
• The successful candidate must demonstrate skill in written and verbal communication, as well as public information, education, and outreach. The incumbent must have demonstrated ability to clearly and effectively communicate complex information.
• The position requires a working knowledge of Forestry Division and DNRC policies and practices, strategic planning, research principles and practices, budget development and monitoring, and the Incident Command System.
• The responsibilities of this position require the ability to supervise, coordinate, and direct the work of technical, professional, and clerical personnel within the Department and from cooperating Federal, State and private entities. The incumbent must be able to understand and apply Department policy, make sound decisions, train, direct, motivate, and lead others effectively, maintain effective working relationships, apply general management concepts such as goal setting and work planning, and develop and administer a variety of functions concurrently.
• 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.
• 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"

Responsibilities

• Lead program development, provide direction, manage budgets, and build relationships (internal and external to the DNRC) for the Community Preparedness and Wildfire Prevention Program.
• Leadership and project management
• Fire adapted communities
• Wildfire Prevention
• Develop, Lead and Manage the creation of a Certified Burn Manger Program
• Partnerships, collaboration and communication
• Budget,grant, and contract administration
• Training and education
• Keep Montana Green
• Provide public information, outreach, and education to the public, media, and stakeholders statewide regarding DNRC’s Community Preparedness and Fire Prevention Program.
• Education and Outreach
• Fire Information
• Media Engagement

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. Look here, https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service to learn more and see if you may qualify!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level