RESTORATION PROGRAM MANAGER

Job Opening: Restoration Program Manager with Pima County

Pima County is seeking a self-motivated and experienced professional to lead the Restoration section within the Natural Resources division of the Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation department. The successful candidate will manage key focal areas including: native plant propagation, restoration projects, invasive plant species inventory and treatment efforts, management and monitoring of constructed water features, and abandoned mine safety and remediation. Development and implementation of standard operating procedures and adherence to project planning and implementation standards will be critical. Office work will include data management and use of geospatial tools, report writing, coordination with colleagues across Pima County departments and with external partners, and other duties as assigned. This position will supervise 5-6 full-time staff.  

The successful candidate will have a key leadership position within the Natural Resources division, which manages over 200,000 acres of open-space land, including Tucson Mountain Park, Colossal Cave Mountain Park, and Agua Caliente Park in addition to 13 active cattle ranches. The division’s resource management responsibilities provide critical leadership and solutions towards implementation of the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan (SDCP), one of the most ambitious conservation programs by a local government. The Program Manager will play a critical role in the implementation of the SDCP and related conservation initiatives undertaken by Pima County.   

Duties and responsibilities 

• Provide oversight for the County’s native plant nursery;
• Identify ecological restoration opportunities within the division’s extensive land management portfolio. Once identified and funded, manage all aspects of these projects, from planning, implementation, data collection, and reporting;
• Manage the department’s invasive plant control activities including site assessments, chemical and mechanical treatment actions, volunteer management, inter-agency coordination, data management, and reporting;
• Manage pond development and management projects, including native species introductions, in coordination with Arizona Game and Fish Department and federal partners, and coordinate water quality and quantity monitoring activities;
• Develop and implement plans for abandoned mine remediation;
• Direct inspections of county open-space properties and conservation easements to document threats and assess environmental conditions;
• Conduct data analysis (both geospatial and statistical) and technical report writing;
• Promote public engagement with section work by writing reports that are accessible to the general public, develop materials for the County website, and give public presentations;
• Work with other County departments and external agencies/researchers in support of program areas;
• Administrative tasks including contracting and budget management.

• Knowledge and Skills

  Knowledge of:

• Natural resources and processes of the desert southwest including plants and animals and their habitats, water resources, and hydrological processes;
• Natural resource threat assessment and accepted avoidance, minimization, and mitigation actions;
• Natural resource laws, regulations, and agencies;
• Principles and practices of data collection, management, and reporting;
• Geographic information systems and mobile data collection tools;

• Skills in:

• Project management lifecycle: from plan development to final products;
• Managing staff including prioritizing activities, overseeing progress, development of performance plans and evaluation, and coaching;
• Collaborative conservation actions including working with diverse partners such as ranchers, researchers, and conservation nonprofit organizations;
• Communicating projects goals, methods, results, and context to a wide range of audiences.

• Preferred Qualifications:

• Graduate degree (MA, MS, or Ph.D) in natural resource management, restoration ecology, environmental science, conservation biology, wildlife biology, botany, or closely related field;
• At least one year of work experience in the desert southwest (US/Mexico) conducting fieldwork in remote areas and/or in harsh conditions;
• Experience applying a variety of field methods for natural resource enumeration and/or monitoring;
• At least two years of experience managing projects involving vegetation treatments, abandoned mine remediation, water management, invasive species control, erosion control, and/or wildlife habitat improvements;
• Familiarity with data management principles, practices, and programs including geographic information systems data as well as experience in storing, manipulating, and analyzing data;
• Demonstrated communication skills including development of strategies, plans, reports, and/or publications and experience with communicating project planning, results, and applications within an organization and to the general public;
• Proven experience supervising and empowering staff while managing conflict and shifting priorities.