Statewide Cooperative Program Manager

State of Utah • Salt Lake City, UT

10h • Onsite

About The Position

Join the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, as we pioneer a new era of land management. We are seeking a dedicated professional to champion our landmark Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). In this role, you will be the bridge between state and federal priorities, driving the execution of high-impact projects that safeguard our watersheds and enhance public lands across Utah. By collaborating with diverse stakeholders—from state leadership to federal decision-makers—you will facilitate essential initiatives in forest health, wildfire risk reduction, recreation, and timber management. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the long-term resilience of Utah’s landscapes and leave a lasting legacy for future generations.

Requirements

• Knowledge of Utah’s natural resources and political landscape, as well as an understanding of the importance of cross-jurisdictional work to accomplish meaningful projects.
• 5+ years of experience in natural resources, with a preference for experience in forestry, wildfire, and/or the wood products industry.
• Experience coordinating and collaborating with diverse stakeholders.
• Experience managing projects; contracts, agreements, budgets, etc.
• The skills to understand, distill, and communicate complex issues.
• A desire to change the way the State, Local, and Federal Governments work together to address natural resource problems across the state.

Nice To Haves

• A Bachelor's Degree in Planning, Natural Resources, Public Administration, or a related field.
• A Master's Degree in Planning, Natural Resources, Public Administration, or a related field is preferred.
• An understanding of U.S. Forest Service agreements, contracting, and funding.
• Experience forecasting and planning projects, budgets, and tracking progress.

Responsibilities

• Coordinating with State, Federal, Local and other stakeholders to identify projects that will benefit wildfire mitigation, habitat restoration, recreation, and other resource values.
• Leverage funding and resources to accomplish on-the-ground work.
• Prioritize projects that will meet agreed-upon success metrics.
• Plan and facilitate state-wide workshops to accomplish the above efforts.
• Act as a liaison between FFSL’s six Area Offices and the State Office, as well as between FFSL and external stakeholders.
• Building internal and external relationships.
• Preparing an Annual Action Plan that outlines the goals, strategies, and opportunities that meet the intent of the Cooperative Agreement.
• Tracking and reporting metrics from the Annual Action Plan.
• Strengthening Good Neighbor Authority, co-managing wildfire risk, identifying shared opportunities around wildlife, grazing, water resources, recreation, and resource management.
• Representing state interests while adhering to federal standards.
• Bringing state data and regional priorities to the table during the early stages of USFS planning processes.
• Acting as a point of contact for private landowners, local fire wardens, county commissioners, and environmental groups to ensure local voices are integrated into broader federal forest strategies.
• Ensuring both the state and the federal agency are meeting their "Participation Commitments".
• Ensuring all field operations comply with necessary environmental standards (like NEPA or state regulations) while managing the budgets and deliverables of federal grants allocated to the state.

Benefits

• Job Stability: Enjoy the security and reliability of employment within a well-established organization.
• Career Growth: Develop valuable skills and gain opportunities for leadership within a large organization.
• Meaningful Work: Contribute to an important service that benefits the community and supports organizational goals.
• Supportive Work Environment: Be part of a team that values cooperation, strong work ethics, and mutual support.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree