Fire Recovery Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Description Assistant Division Manager - Planning, Science, and Monitoring, WMS2 Recruitment #2026-5-1770 Full-time, Permanent, WMS, Non-represented position Location: Natural Resources Building- Olympia, WA Work Hours and Partial Telework flexibility may be available and considered Relocation Compensation may be available and considered Salary: $100,848.00 - $117,612.00 Annually To allow for growth and salary progression, the full salary range is: $100,848.00 - $123,816.00 CLOSING DATE EXTENDED. Review of applications is ongoing. We reserve the right to make a hiring decision or close this recruitment at any time after 5/11/26

It is in your best interest to submit materials as soon as possible. Want to join something GREAT and make a difference. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has an exciting opportunity within our Forest Resilience Division as an Assistant Division Manager for Planning, Science, and Monitoring.

Are you an experienced leader who is passionate about increasing the health and resilience of our forested landscapes and communities in Washington. Do you love working with diverse partners and tackling solutions at landscape scales across land ownership boundaries. Do you have experience in conservation planning and collaboration with public and private partners, as well as forest ecology science development and application.

If so, then this is the job for you. The DNR Forest Resilience Division is seeking a motivated and experienced individual to lead and manage our Planning, Science, and Monitoring Section. The Forest Resilience Division works across all lands, in the interest of all Washingtonians, to sustain and increase the health and resilience of our forests and the values they support for the well-being of people, communities, wildlife, and landscapes today and into the future.

The Division supports the Commissioner of Public Lands as the designated state lead on all forest health issues (RCW 76.06.150) and the State Forester in fulfilling their forestry portfolio. The Division's work stretches from street trees and open spaces in our cities to remote, high-elevation forests. In an all-lands, all-hands approach, the division facilitates landscape-scale planning to inform strategic implementation of forest health treatments to increase the health and resilience of Washington forests, watersheds, and communities

The Planning, Science, and Monitoring Section plays a critical role within the Forest Resilience Division and includes four program areas that support our work across all land ownerships in Washington: Forest Health Protection: Providing technical assistance to landowners on insects and diseases impacting their forests, as well as monitoring, including aerial surveys of forest health conditions that result in annual Forest Health Highlights reports. Post-Fire Recovery: Working at all levels of the disaster recovery cycle to support post-fire recovery in affected areas, and in coordination with impacted communities, through a highly coordinated network of professionals and resources across the agency and federal, state, local, and tribal partners. Prescribed Fire: Identifying, funding, and supporting projects across all-lands to plan, apply, and monitor the use of prescribed fire at scale to meet our state's forest resilience goals and coordinating to leverage resources and support a trained workforce, including implementation of the state's Certified Burner Program.

Strategic Science & Planning: Oversees development of forest resilience strategic plans including the state's Forest Action Plan, 20-Year Forest Health Strategic Plan: Eastern Washington and Western Washington Forest Health Strategic Plan, as well as forest health assessments to inform where investments are most necessary and strategic, and facilitates coordinated work and investments with partners across all-lands to plan, implement, and monitor activities and progress toward our stated goals. This position directly supervises 7 full-time employees while leading a team of 23. This position works closely with other Divisions in DNR, particularly the Wildland Fire Management Division and Forest Resources Division, as well as regional.

Duties Responsibilities: Organize and Administer DNR's All-Lands Forest Health Science and Planning Programs Provide high-level leadership of DNR's forest health planning activities, implementing RCW 76.06.200 and the development, implementation, and revision as needed of the 20-Year Forest Health Strategic Plan, Western Washington Forest Health Strategic Plan, and the statewide Forest Action Plan. Provide high-level leadership of DNR's forest health monitoring activities, including the aerial insect and disease survey, Forest Health Highlights Report, 20-Year Forest Health Strategic Plan Monitoring Framework, and fuels monitoring to inform prescribed fire to ensure alignment with DNR mission and vision, achieve landscape-level outcomes, and meet goals of the 20-Year Forest Health Strategic Plan, Western Washington Forest Health Strategic Plan, and Forest Action Plan. Provide high-level leadership and direction, working with staff and internal and external partners to achieve the goals/objectives of our forest health strategic plans

Ensure safe and effective planning and implementation of programs in alignment with agency policies and priorities and in coordination with federal, state, tribal, and local agencies, governments, and partners, as well as ensure compliance with applicable state and federal laws. Establish metrics, deliverables, performance measures, and program priorities in collaboration with the Division Manager and Program Managers. Review and analyze long-term or ongoing program needs.

Identify and anticipate future program needs, then seek solutions within agency constraints. Coordinate annually with regions to plan, obtain, allot, and implement sufficient personnel, program, and fiscal resources to achieve program outcomes. Propose and develop operational policies, procedures, and processes for consistent implementation of programs.

Monitor and provide input to Division Manager, Deputy Supervisor, State Forester, and Executive Management on congressional developments as they relate to forest health; landscape-level restoration; ecosystem planning, science, or restoration; forest health or ecosystem monitoring, or opportunities for accelerating ecosystem improvements across all lands. Ensure program reporting continuity across the agency and interagency for consistent deliverables and accomplishment reporting. Work with federal partners and in coordination with program staff to establish programs or initiatives in new and emerging areas of work of shared stewardship, including engagement with the ongoing Central Washington Initiative and interagency Burn Pilot.

Support program activities, contracts/agreements, and partnerships, and provide advice to program managers. Budget Development and Fiscal Stewardship In coordination with the Program Managers and Regions, lead development of biennial operating and capital budgets, spending plans for each program of work, ensuring alignment with program needs and agency priorities; develops and provides recommendations for legislative budget. Perform routine expenditure and variance monitoring.

Identify timely opportunities to ensure effective use of fiscal resources. Coordinate annually with DNR regions to ensure sufficient personnel, programmatic, and fiscal resources are planned, secured, utilized, and appropriately allotted to achieve program outcomes. Support federal budget development needs for USDA Forest Service-associated grants and programs, specifically the Cooperative Forestry Programs delivered by the Section.

Coordinate regularly with USFS peers to achieve synergy in Region-State objectives associated with these programs. Responsible for overall fiscal tracking and reporting associated with federal grants, state legislative funds, and third-party funds; collaborate with the Forest Resilience Grants and Contracts Supervisor, Senior Contract Specialist, and Budget Analyst. Provide fiscal leadership and accountability to programs and serve as the lead in the Division's senior budget management team.

Ensure grant expenditures are consistent with narratives, grant deliverables are met, and relevant reports are completed before deadlines. Negotiate and secure funding sources through agreements with federal partners to meet mutually beneficial goals and objectives. Investigates and provides recommendations on potential third-party funding sources in coordination with the Division Manager.

Manage relevant forest health grants and contracts, which will include: writing grant proposals, negotiating agreements, monitoring grant expenditures, ensuring grant deliverables are met, and developing relevant grant reports. Supervision and Organizational Leadership Supervise the section Program Managers, ensure program managers fulfill assigned responsibilities, and programs are accountable to deliverables and strategic outcomes. Instill a high-functioning, transparent team dynamic and support the development of section staff.

Provide mentorship, professional development, and routine reviews and coaching for Program Managers. Support mentoring, professional development, and reviews of all section staff. Oversees and develops strategic work plans and goals for direct reports, establishing performance expectations, evaluating performance, providing employee support and enhancement opportunities through training and mentoring, dispute resolution, and corrective action; Ensure staff have adequate resources to perform job duties and meet deliverables.

Provide leadership and advice for Human Resource functions pertinent to the section and its programs. Ensure Section hiring practices and results comply with applicable policies and laws. Policy, Outreach, and Partner Engagement Serves as the senior agency advisor on issues, policies, and practices relating to forest health conditions, forest health restoration management, and forest health planning.

This position represents DNR in that capacity on interagency committees, working groups, and task forces at the local, state, national, and international levels. Participates in the Forest Resilience Division's legislative work by recommending legislative proposals, completing bill analysis, writing and reviewing fiscal notes, monitoring hearings, and preparing legislative briefing materials. The position will also develop relevant operating and capital budget requests.

Serve as the agency's primary liaison with the US Forest Service Forest Health Protection team to ensure effective communication and coordination between the DNR and US Forest Service forest health programs to achieve our shared forest health goals. This position will also be the agency's primary liaison with other state forest health programs. Participate in the coordination and facilitation of the Forest Health Advisory Committee, including acting as a staff Co-Chair for meetings in rotation with other Assistant Division Managers.

Engage with agency leadership to advocate for program resources and advancement, proactively provide program progress and performance reports, and ensure program alignment with executive vision. Interpret and communicate national policy changes to Division Manager, program staff, and agency staff; work with Division Manager to determine program impacts. Provide program responses to public, legislative, and other information requests.

In coordination with the State Forester or Division Manager, represent the department, division, and programs in a variety of capacities on local, regional, statewide, or national committees or groups related to subject matter within the Section's purview. Participate in tours, meetings, calls, and other engagements in coordination with program field staff, regional staff, and federal partners as they relate to the Section's programs of work. Provide guidance to staff (management, division, and region) when engaging with external partners to ensure consistency of program messaging and provide feedback to staff on content outside of their scope.

Engage with partners and interest groups on various levels statewide as a representative of the department and program related to subject matter within the Section's purview. Support federal partners when requested on federal staff briefings, meetings, and other internal federal matters as related to the scope of the Section. Participates in hiring and interview panels when requested.

Responsible as lead in the development of legislative-required reports and/or reporting requirements relating to statewide forest health issues. Qualifications Required Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in forestry, forest management, forest ecology, natural resources, or related field; OR an equivalent combination of education and/or experience. Four years or more of applied experience and knowledge of natural resource management, regulations, principles, and practices.

Key Knowledge and Skills Knowledge of major forest health issues in the Pacific Northwest and management strategies to address those. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including substantial public speaking experience, to convey complex natural resource issues to technical and non-technical audiences. Proven experience managing a high-performing team of natural resource professionals to achieve program deliverables and priorities.

Ability to lead internal and external working groups as needed to further agency projects and initiatives. Experience participating and leading multi-partner natural resource groups and understanding of how to effectively communicate and represent both science and agency policy to external partners. Superior leadership and collaboration skills, including the ability to listen, understand, facilitate, negotiate, and work skillfully in those settings to support a wide array of interests and objectives.

Experience working with diverse and competing interest groups to develop solutions and resolve conflicts around high-profile projects or issues. Experience in both stand-level field monitoring and remote sensing data to monitor forest health conditions Demonstrated ability to develop and manage multiple program budgets to achieve deliverables and priorities. Ability to function largely independently, making sound decisions in a complex, diverse operating environment.

Ability to develop, maintain, and strengthen partnerships with others, both inside and outside the organization. Proficiency with computers, Microsoft Office applications, and SharePoint. Experience participating in and leading regional and local natural resource planning efforts.

Experien...