- Salary: $65,395.20 – $101,150.40 Annually
- Location: Des Moines – 50321 – Polk County, IA
- Job Type: Full-time
- Job Number: 24-04072
- Agency: 542 Iowa Department of Natural Resources
- Opening Date: 05/30/2024
- Closing Date: 6/20/2024 11:59 PM Central
- LinkedIn Tag: #LI-POST
- Point of Contact: Jerah Sheets; jerah.sheets@dnr.iowa.gov; 515-314-6328
Job Description
Only applicants who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements and meet all selective requirements (listed below) will be placed on the eligible list.
The Department of Natural Resources encourages all applicants to upload a current resume and cover letter to their online application.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking an innovative and inspiring leader to join our team as the Nonpoint Source Program Manager. This is a vital role in managing and advancing Iowa’s nonpoint source programs and policies in alignment with the Clean Water Act, Drinking Water Act, Iowa Nonpoint Source Management Plan, and Nutrient Reduction Strategy.
Key Responsibilities:
- Program Management and Leadership:
- Oversee the day-to-day operations of nonpoint source programs.
- Identify areas of improvement, engage with invested parties, and implement efficiencies for the programs.
- Manage the Iowa Nonpoint Source Management 5-Year Plan and the EPA Section 319 Grant Program.
- Mentor and advise on the State Revolving Fund (SRF) Nonpoint programs.
- Support the Source Water Protection program.
- Stakeholder Engagement:
- Champion and communicate the department’s strategies, priorities, initiatives, and long-term vision.
- Collaborate with a diverse range of stakeholders including federal and state agencies, conservation groups, landowners, and the regulated community.
- Program Development and Administration:
- Develop, administer, and report on the state’s Nonpoint Source Management Program Plan (NPSMP).
- Lead and empower a team of technical professionals focused on water quality improvement.
- Proactively collaborate with various water quality programs and coordinate with watershed project coordinators/managers.
- Marketing and Outreach:
- Develop and implement marketing and promotional strategies for the NPSMP.
- Ensure targeted watersheds are adequately reached.
- Contract and Budget Management:
- Write effective contracts/grants and administer the DNR program administrative budget.
- Develop Requests for Proposals (RFP), review criteria, draft contracts, and monitor tracking systems.
- Technical Assistance and Support:
- Provide technical assistance to ensure program success.
- Assess demand for program services and identify potential markets and trends.
- Legislative and Policy Work:
- Serve as a resource for drafting administrative rules, legislative proposals, and policies.
- Determine the impact of legislative proposals and inform DNR leadership.
- Leadership Operations:
- Assign and monitor tasks, establish priorities, and analyze project assessments.
- Provide recommendations on resource allocation and staffing needs.
- Develop Standard Operating Procedures and troubleshoot project issues.
- Meetings and Representation:
- Attend in-person and virtual meetings with internal and external partners.
- Represent the bureau and agency at stakeholder meetings and make formal presentations at relevant conferences.
- Program Coordination and Reporting:
- Execute the effective operation of the Section 319 Grant Program.
- Ensure compliance with federal and state regulations.
- Collect, analyze, and communicate program data, and draft reports for various audiences.
Qualifications:
- Proven leadership and management experience in environmental program management.
- Strong technical knowledge of water quality improvement, nonpoint source pollution, and relevant environmental legislation.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Experience in developing and implementing strategic plans and marketing efforts.
- Effectively manage budgets, contracts, and administrative tasks.
Join us at Iowa DNR and be a part of our mission to protect and enhance Iowa’s natural resources through innovation, collaboration, and dedicated leadership. Apply today to make a meaningful impact on Iowa’s water quality and environment.
Essential Functions
- Manage day-to-day operations and implementation of nonpoint source programs, including the Iowa Nonpoint Source Management Plan and EPA Section 319 Grant Program.
- Lead and mentor a team of technical professionals, providing guidance and support for various water quality improvement projects.
- Communicate program strategies, priorities, and initiatives to a wide range of stakeholders, including federal and state agencies, conservation groups, landowners, and the regulated community.
- Develop and administer the Nonpoint Source Management Program Plan, set targets for watershed improvement, and report on program outcomes to various audiences.
- Develop and implement marketing strategies to promote the NPSMP and ensure effective communication with targeted watersheds.
- Write contracts/grants, manage the program’s budget, develop Requests for Proposals (RFPs), and oversee the completion of funded projects.
- Provide technical assistance to ensure the success of nonpoint source programs, identify new service needs, and respond to market trends.
- Draft administrative rules, legislative proposals, and policies related to nonpoint water quality issues, and assess the impact of legislative proposals.
- Work with various water quality programs and watershed project coordinators to achieve program goals, and maintain partnerships with educational institutions for research and outreach activities.
- Attend and represent the bureau at stakeholder meetings and conferences, and participate in internal and external meetings to advance program objectives.
- Collect, analyze, and communicate program data, and prepare reports for staff, legislators, stakeholders, and the public.
- Ensure compliance with federal and state regulations for the Section 319 Grant Program, oversee grant-funded projects, and manage contractor obligations.
Critical Job Competencies
Action-oriented; High productivity; Communication Skills; Continuous Improvement; Accountability; Customer Focus; Critical Thinking and Reasoning Skills; Attention to Detail; Team Player; Self-management; Passion for the Work; Computer Skills; Integrity; Interpersonal Skills. Technical skills: water quality improvement, technical writing, strategic planning, and operations.
What You Get From Us:
- A competitive pay plan and rewarding work.
- Insurance benefits that start the first of the month following 30 days of employment.
- (Premiums can start as low as $61/month for single and $205/month for family coverage).
- Separate vacation and sick leave accruals that start on the first day and can roll over annually.
- Nine paid holidays/year.
- Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS) retirement package with employer match.
- Optional deferred compensation (457/401A) plan with employer match.
- Professional training opportunities.
- Flexible schedules and opportunities.
- Family friendly and professional work environment.
- Employee Discount Programs (vision, cellular, fitness, recreation, season passes, travel, counseling)
- The State’s total compensation package features benefits that are worth about 30% of your total compensation. For a list of additional benefits, please visit the DAS website for more information.
Why consider joining us?
1. Unparalleled Opportunity for Impact: As a leader, you will have the opportunity to shape the future, not just for our organization, but also with our partners as a whole. Your ideas, insights, and vision will be catalysts for transformative change, driving us closer to our collective goals of water quality improvement.
2. Culture of Empowerment: We foster an environment where every voice is heard, every idea is valued, and every individual is empowered to reach their full potential. Here, collaboration isn’t just encouraged; it’s celebrated. Together, we cultivate a culture of inclusivity, transparency, and mutual respect, much like was done when we created the State Land Grant, Creek Signage Campaign, and the next 5 Year Nonpoint Source Management Plan for the State of Iowa.
3. Continuous Improvement: Continually improving our business is at the heart of everything we do. We invest in technology, research, and outreach & education, to deliver creative solutions that address the evolving needs of our customers and communities at large. The past 5 years have allowed us to fine tune many of these efficiencies through going to a digital incoming and outcoming business, hiring people in the locations to serve customers, and more.
The starting salary for new state (Executive Branch) employees is expected to be at the base of the pay range. Additional salary increases may occur after the first six months, and then annually (if applicable). The State’s total compensation package features an outstanding set of employee benefits that are worth about 30% of your total compensation. Visit the DAS website for more benefit information.
For more information about DNR Employment Opportunities and position specific notices, please visit the DNR Employment website.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources encourages all applicants to upload a resume and cover letter to the online application.
The State of Iowa is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
The DNR seeks to hire individuals who wish to support our mission, which is to conserve and enhance our natural resources in cooperation with individuals and organization, to improve the quality of life in Iowa and ensure a legacy for future generations.
Selectives
456 Nutrient Management
18 semester hours in agronomy, chemistry, water resources, or biological sciences, or 6 months’ experience in nutrient management which would have resulted in an ability to demonstrate an understanding of:
- Nutrient loading and transport principles as applies specifically to nitrogen and phosphorus. Nutrient management plans for agricultural production.
- Iowa’s nutrient budget.
- Environmental principles and terminology in the areas of nonpoint source pollution, nutrients and water quality.
- Nutrient management, soils and agronomic principles and practices.
- Potential sources of NPS pollution, nutrient cycling and effects of nutrients on aquatic ecosystems.
- Nutrients and their relationship to Iowa’s impaired waters (Section 303(d) list) and Total Maximum Daily Loads.
- Iowa’s Nutrient Management Strategy.
- Ability to write and understand environmental rules, and the ability to communicate effectively the impacts of proposed or adopted rules.
A combination of the required education and experience would qualify.
OR
762 Water Resources
6 months’ experience, 12 semester hours, or a combination of both that encompasses the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of surface and ground water resources including the following:
- Surface water hydrology
- Ground water hydrology
- Hydraulics
- Water resources engineering
- Natural resources conservation engineering
- Water supply engineering
- Water quality engineering ? Erosion and sediment transport
- Surface or ground water chemistry
- Watershed dynamics
- Limnology
- Stream or wetland ecology
The Water Resources selective is distinct from the Water Supply, Waste Water, Water Quality, and Chemistry selectives in that the Water Resources selective applies to the management, engineering, and quality analysis of surface and groundwater resources in the natural environment rather than the processing of water in a waste water or drinking water treatment plant or the analysis of water samples in a laboratory
AND ONE OF THE BELOW
026 Organizational Development
6 months’ experience, 12 semester hours, or a combination of both in organizational development at the professional or managerial level that include at least one of the following major functions: Organizational analysis and design; Change and transition management; Performance management systems; Leadership and team development
OR
703 Lean Methodology
Six months’ experience facilitating teams using Lean methodology, tools and strategies that included the following major functions:
- Project selection, the establishment of project priorities and objectives and selection of team members
- Change and transition management
- Leadership and team development
- Facilitation of cross-functional teams through complex process changes using Kaizen, Design for Lean, 5S or other Lean methodologies
- Project status monitoring
Minimum Qualification Requirements
Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:
1) Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in any field, and experience equal to four years of full-time professional-level work in program administration, program development, program operations, or management.
2) A total of eight years of education and/or full-time experience (as described in number one), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university course work in any field equals one year of full-time experience.
3) All of the following (a, b, and c): a. Two years of full-time professional-level work experience in program administration, program development, program operations, or management; and b. A total of four years of education and full-time experience (as described in part a), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university course work in any field equals one year of full-time experience; and c. A total of two years of graduate-level education and full-time experience (as described in part a), where twenty-four semester hours of accredited graduate college or university course work in a public-service-related area (e.g., public or business administration, social work, public health, law, education, engineering) equals one year of full-time experience. Graduation from the Iowa Certified Public Manager Program is also equivalent to one year of full-time experience or education.
4) Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes twelve months of full-time work as an Executive Officer 1 or comparable specific management-level position.
For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description (Download PDF reader).
Agency: State of Iowa
Agency: 542 Iowa Department of Natural ResourcesAddress6200 Park Ave STE 200 Des Moines, Iowa, 50321
Website: http://www.iowadnr.gov/
