Program Director Jobs in Kalispell, MT (NOW HIRING)

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

Work Unit:
The Kalispell Unit is responsible for Department of State Lands programs within the geographic area of central and southern Flathead County, Northern Lake County plus a small portion of eastern Lincoln County.  The Unit conducts field activities for the Forestry and Lands Divisions, and is responsible for all day to day operations of the Department within that geographical area.  The Unit is responsible for directly providing wildland fire protection to 700,000 acres of Federal, State and private land.  A major portion of this land area is residential urban interface which presents a complex fire situation.  The Unit is also responsible for providing forest management assistance to private forest landowners and administering the logging slash hazard reduction protection of forest resources laws on private lands.  The Unit provides administration to 20-25% of the State's total work load of slash fire hazard reduction.  The Unit regulates all commercial timber sales practices within the Streamside Management Zone (SMZ) on all Federal, State and private lands within the Flathead Lake Zone (FLZ) and the Polson Zone (POZ).  The Unit administers 64,000 acres of State Trust lands.  On these lands, the Unit is responsible for sale of approximately seven million board feet annually, Other Trust land management activities include timber stand improvement, logging debris disposal, administration of 276 leases and licenses, processing rights-of-way requests, road maintenance, and sand, gravel and other mineral leasing/licensing uses of the lands. 

Job Overview:
This position is responsible for planning, directing, and analyzing the fire-management programs and activities within the assigned geographic area; coordinating resources; and providing guidance to internal and external cooperators.  This position is also assigned responsibility for supervising and training subordinate staff and other Unit employees in fire prevention, fire suppression, and readiness components of the Unit fire-management program and providing professional assistance in carrying out the Unit's forest-management programs.   

Essential Functions (Major Duties or Responsibilities):  These job functions are the essential duties of the position and are not all-inclusive of all the duties that may be assigned to the incumbent.

Fire Management:
The Unit Fire Management Supervisor performs professional level administrative, educational, training, law enforcement and resource management duties.  The incumbent plans, directs, and coordinates all aspects of the Unit's wildland fire management program.

• Fire Preparations 

• Training

• Fire Suppression

• County Planning

• County Fire Assistance

• Cooperative relationships

County Cooperative Program:
County Fire Assistance - The incumbent supervises preparation and maintenance of comprehensive fire management plans for Flathead and Lake Counties.  These plans, required under the County Cooperative Fire Management Program, evaluate existing wildland fire situations, make recommendations regarding equipment, organizational and training needs, and enumerate contacts and procedures to be used during wildland fire incidents in the county.  The incumbent directs implementation of the county plans, ensures county obligations are met before assistance is provided, and works with the rural fire councils to achieve plan objectives.

Provides training for local government fire personnel as indicated in plans.  Responsible for inspection and contracting of county equipment for use on state and federal fires.  Provides periodic orientation for county commissioners and other local officials regarding the county fire plans and requirements of the County Cooperative Fire Management Program. Acts as the primary advisor to cooperating county officials when there are fires which are beyond the capability of the county.  In these circumstances the incumbent must evaluate the situation and, if program conditions are met, arrange for fire suppression equipment and other resources not directly available to the county.  Advises the county personnel in charge of the fire regarding the strategy and tactics that will be most effective for the situation.  Trains and directs other Unit personnel assigned to work as county fire advisors.   

Working Conditions and Physical demands:
The incumbent is required to be available for wildland fire suppression duties on a 24-hour basis as necessary during the wildland fire season.  The position may perform on a wildland fire as an initial attack crew member digging fireline, mopping up, etc., or as an Initial Attack Incident Commander making quick decisions that affect property and life.  May also be part of an interagency overhead team for large wildland fires.  Dirty, dusty, smokey and noisy conditions are often encountered.  Dangers and risks include erratic and unpredictable fire behavior, adverse terrain, natural hazards (rolling stones and falling snags) using hand and power tools and driving vehicles in all conditions including off road.

The incumbent must be capable of performing physically demanding work for shifts in excess of 12-hours for several days duration.  A fitness score of 45 or greater on Step Test (or equivalent) is required, unless exempt for medical reasons.

The incumbent also performs regular office duties which include but are not limited to normal writing of correspondence, documents, and plans; to meeting the public or handling disciplinary problems of the seasonal fire crew.  During periods of high fire activity incumbent may be required to work at dispatch center for long periods of time providing advice and assistance.  This can be a time of significant mental stress during long work  shifts over a period of up to several days.
APPLICATION MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION ARE:

• Online State of Montana application
• Resume 
• Cover Letter 

HELPFUL HINT: You must check the "relevant document" box to ensure your attachments are uploading correctly to the specific application.

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.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service to learn more and see if you may qualify!

Minimum Qualifications (Education and Experience): 
Requires education and experience equivalent to a bachelor's degree in forestry, fire management/suppression or a related field and five (5) years' experience to include Incident Command System (ICS) training and related fire program management experience, and 2 years supervisory experience. Ability to attain certification as an Incident Commander Type 3 qualifications upon hire.

Required knowledge, skills, and abilities:
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with counterparts within the department and with cooperators and clientele. Ability to exercise leadership skills in order to utilize subordinates effectively. Ability to skillfully plan and carry out several concurrent projects. Ability to perform vigorous outdoor work.  Ability to remain calm, make accurate assessments of situations, and make and communicate effective decisions in stressful situations, such as emerging fires threatening life and property.

This position requires:  Extensive knowledge of wildland fire incident procedures and principles. Considerable knowledge of equipment and methods used in wildland fire control, wildland fire prevention and home protection principles, fire cause investigation techniques, fire Incident Command System (ICS) and a working knowledge of civil and criminal procedures.  

Considerable knowledge of effective supervision and training methods. Considerable knowledge of personnel management laws/rules /procedures and fire finance and general purchasing policy and procedures.

This level of knowledge, skill and ability is usually attained through a combination of education and experience provided by a Bachelor's Degree in Forestry with a fire and /or forest management emphasis and a minimum of 5 years progressively responsible experience in professional forestry field work, including wildland fire control methods and procedures, fuels management and timber management with past supervisory experience as a fire team leader preferred. Incumbent is expected to obtain qualification as a division/group supervisor level and a multi- resource Incident Commander ICS level type 3.

SPECIAL INFORMATION: 

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

ELIGIBILITY TO WORK: 

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"

Effective May 4, 2026, this agency is participating in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. After accepting a job offer and completing Form I-9, your information will be submitted to the Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration for verification.