Water Rights Advisor (Natural Resource Specialist 4)

State of Oregon • Salem, OR

1d • $6,276 - $9,644 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Water Rights Advisor provides Division-wide support by helping each section with evaluation of complex water right transaction proposals brought forth either internally or externally and by participating in rulemaking, legislative concept development and bill review, and the water rights transaction fee workgroup. The position regularly collaborates with internal and external customers to build relationships and problem solve. The Water Rights Advisor also interfaces with the Protest program, which resolves disputes resulting from agency decisions before they reach court. This position supports the Protest program either directly by resolving protests, or indirectly by improving the defensibility of documents (orders) before they reach the protest or request for reconsideration period. The Water Rights Advisor supports litigation resolution by coordinating with agency leadership and the Oregon Department of Justice on case strategy and, as needed, by providing written or in-person testimony. This position prepares order language, policy memos, and other documentation to record lessons learned and decisions made, and interprets and summarizes water right transaction data to support monitoring and communication about water right transaction program workloads.

While the Water Rights Development Manager provides the day-to-day supervisory administrative functions (e.g., timesheet and leave request review and approval) for the Water Rights Advisor, many of the policy and workload decisions for the Water Rights Advisor are made by the Division Administrator or Director’s Office. The Water Rights Advisor will work in a dynamic environment where they will be deployed to the area of greatest need within the Division to serve important, complex, and high-profile agency and Division priorities.

This position is the Division's consultant deployed to the highest-priority, multi-step water right transactions (blending various science, legal, and property data and disciplines). The position exists to help the Division navigate issues where established procedures may not exist, resolve unique formal protests, and draft new standard operating procedures to streamline inefficiencies. It also is responsible for high impact, controversial work that affects economic development, municipalities, tribal water rights, agricultural infrastructure, and ecosystem management. The position serves as the State’s expert witness on water right transactions in contested case hearing or trial proceedings when needed. This position enhances the Division’s ability to respond to legislative, media, and other external inquiries by evaluating data and information, researching existing laws, rules, and agency policies and historical record, and assisting in developing the agency’s response.

This position frequently performs analysis and research, interprets laws, rules, and policy, and provides complex technical or policy interpretations to develop strategies for solving difficult natural resource-oriented problems. When needed, this position also coordinates program activities to bring current practices into alignment with existing or changing laws, rules, and policies.

The person in this position must perform position duties in a manner which promotes customer service and harmonious working relationships, including treating all people courteously and respectfully. Engage in effective team participation through willingness to assist and support co-workers, supervisors, and other work-related associations. Develop good working relationships with Division and agency staff and supervisors through active participation in cross-divisional group projects, and in identifying and resolving problems in a constructive, collaborative manner. Demonstrate openness to constructive feedback and suggestions, in an effort to strengthen work performance. Contribute to a positive, respectful, and productive atmosphere.

Requirements

• Four years of experience in natural resources or related field.
• At least one year of the experience must be at a technical or professional level performing activities in a natural resources program such as researching and analyzing data, conducting investigations, applying pertinent laws and regulations, or coordinating and monitoring project activities.
• A Bachelor’s degree in natural resources or related field, or three additional years of related (pertinent) experience.
• A Master’s degree in natural resources or related field will substitute for up to one year of the required experience.
• A Doctorate degree in natural resources or related field will substitute for up to two years of the required experience.
• Application materials may be evaluated on spelling, grammar, punctuation, attention to detail, and presentation.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated attention to detail and quality control in professional correspondence and documentation
• Experience leading technical teams through change initiatives or multi-faceted projects and evaluating the adequacy of their work
• Excellent project management and organizational skills to meet deadlines and monitor and effectively report on deliverables across a project portfolio
• Experience interpreting and summarizing large data sets to support monitoring and communication about various aspects of a program
• Experience collaborating across teams, with members of management, and with external parties to address complex inquiries and move high-profile projects forward
• Demonstrated effectiveness at consulting with and advising managers on complex program issues and developing subsequent, easy-to-understand guidance for staff or external parties
• Extensive experience analyzing and applying water allocation statutes, administrative rules, and policies to agency decisions and developing clear and defensible decision documents
• Experience in development of strategy and testimony in dealing with formal protests (contested cases) or judicial review of agency actions
• Experience with rulemaking and providing feedback on legislative concepts and bills
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships and navigate conflicting interests in a professional, courteous manner

Responsibilities

• Provides Division-wide support by helping each section with evaluation of complex water right transaction proposals.
• Participates in rulemaking, legislative concept development and bill review, and the water rights transaction fee workgroup.
• Regularly collaborates with internal and external customers to build relationships and problem solve.
• Interfaces with the Protest program to resolve disputes resulting from agency decisions.
• Supports the Protest program by resolving protests or improving the defensibility of documents.
• Supports litigation resolution by coordinating with agency leadership and the Oregon Department of Justice on case strategy.
• Provides written or in-person testimony as needed.
• Prepares order language, policy memos, and other documentation to record lessons learned and decisions made.
• Interprets and summarizes water right transaction data to support monitoring and communication about water right transaction program workloads.
• Acts as the Division's consultant deployed to the highest-priority, multi-step water right transactions.
• Helps the Division navigate issues where established procedures may not exist, resolve unique formal protests, and draft new standard operating procedures.
• Serves as the State’s expert witness on water right transactions in contested case hearing or trial proceedings when needed.
• Enhances the Division’s ability to respond to legislative, media, and other external inquiries by evaluating data and information, researching existing laws, rules, and agency policies and historical record, and assisting in developing the agency’s response.
• Performs analysis and research, interprets laws, rules, and policy, and provides complex technical or policy interpretations to develop strategies for solving difficult natural resource-oriented problems.
• Coordinates program activities to bring current practices into alignment with existing or changing laws, rules, and policies.
• Performs position duties in a manner which promotes customer service and harmonious working relationships.
• Engages in effective team participation through willingness to assist and support co-workers, supervisors, and other work-related associations.
• Develops good working relationships with Division and agency staff and supervisors through active participation in cross-divisional group projects.
• Identifies and resolves problems in a constructive, collaborative manner.
• Demonstrates openness to constructive feedback and suggestions.
• Contributes to a positive, respectful, and productive atmosphere.

Benefits

• PEBB Insurance with exceptional medical, vision and dental plans with employees paying 1 to 5% of the total premium.
• Leave accrual starting at 8 hours of sick and 8 hours of vacation leave per month, with your vacation leave accruals increasing every 5 years.
• Access to an additional four days of discretionary leave - 3 days of personal business leave and one day of Governor’s Leave each year.
• Eleven paid holidays per year.
• Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) including a pension and employer contributions to the Individual Account Program.
• Optional benefits (such as term life insurance, long-term and short-term disability, long-term care, health and dependent care flexible spending accounts, enrollment in the Oregon Savings Growth Plan, a deferred compensation program with a wide variety of investment options).
• The opportunity to receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (must qualify).

What This Job Offers

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