Forest and Fire Bureau Chief
- Employer
- The University of Nebraska–Lincoln
- Location
- Lincoln, NE
View more
- Executive Administration Jobs
- C-Level & Executive Directors
- Employment Type
- Full Time
- Institution Type
- Four-Year Institution
Job Details
Responsibilities include administering and leading the Forestry and Fire Program; providing statewide leadership in developing and implementing programs to improve Nebraska’s forests and trees; working with state, federal, local officials and stakeholders including Natural Resource Districts and landowners to accomplish program goals and objectives.
General
•Serve as Nebraska Forest Service (NFS) Leader, providing strong leadership by ensuring an inclusive culture within the NFS (specifically in the rural forestry, forest products and wildfire programs) that appreciates and recognizes all contributions to the team, encourages collaboration and innovation, and engages the abilities of all to fully realize the potential of the team, and of each team member.
•Serve as NFS Leader, providing strong leadership in rural forestry, forest products and wildfire programs.
•Supervise NFS faculty, staff and seasonal employees related to wildland fire, rural forestry and forest products.
•Administer, develop and manage NFS forestry grant programs. Moreover, managing financial resources responsibly to maximize the effectiveness of those resources, exhibiting fiscal discipline and utilizing best fiscal management practices.
•Actively seek external funding for program/project implementation.
•Assist with synthesizing a vision for the NFS with input from faculty, staff, and stakeholders that encompasses all programs within the NFS, seeks and deploys personnel and financial resources strategically, and is continuously examined for relevancy and refreshed as needed.
Specific Duties
•Provide statewide leadership in developing, implementing and monitoring all rural forestry, forest products and wildland fire programs.
•Coordinate with appropriate government agencies, non-governmental organizations, businesses, and other stakeholders to accomplish program objectives and administer partner-based programs.
•Supervise forestry faculty and staff, including work planning, reporting, and performance evaluations.
•Assist with policy issues, strategic planning, and accomplishment reporting for the NFS.
•Manage appropriate grant programs, including planning, monitoring, financial tracking, and performance reporting.
•Initiate and lead forestry and wildland fire projects from development to implementation.
•Direct/assist with design and implementation of forestry educational efforts and initiatives.
•Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy (consistent with the NFS and IANR Strategic Plans) to expand traditional and emerging opportunities for Nebraska forest resources.
•Work closely with federal, state and local agencies, organizations, businesses, funders, individual entrepreneurs to proactively develop and expand traditional, and non-traditional forest markets. Furthermore, ensuring opportunities are open to all, programs are inclusive of all constituencies, and that every effort is made to engage diverse audiences, especially those that are traditionally underrepresented.
•Work with partners to conceive, develop and implement successful external funding proposals and projects that expand forest markets and utilization opportunities.
•In conjunction with the US Forest Service, coordinate periodic surveys of the NE forest products industry, primary and secondary wood product processors, analyze data and develop reports/directories to facilitate the marketing and utilization of Nebraska wood products.
•Direct technical and informational assistance to Nebraska forest industry, agency partners, other organizations and individuals to expand and/or improve forestry, marketing of products and utilization.
•Stay current on environmental, regulatory and incentive policies and programs and as they affect forestry in Nebraska. Advise the NFS on how it should be positioned to best capitalize on these policies, programs and markets.
•In consultation and coordination with the NFS State Forester and other NFS Program Leaders, identify rural and urban tree and forest priorities.
•Design, implement and manage all inventory programs and methodologies.
•Work closely with NFS GIS Specialist to ensure forest data can be used in geospatial applications as appropriate.
•Be proficient in using various analytical tools to analyze and manage forest and other inventory data.
Other Duties
•Serve on NFS Leadership Team and Executive Management Team and other ad hoc committees as needed to jointly develop, revise and implement NFS strategies, direction, programs, staffing and administration.
•Serve as Acting State Forester as requested.
•Other duties as assigned.
1) Bachelor’s degree in forestry, natural resources, fire sciences or related field.
2) Six years of professional experience in forestry or natural resources, which includes program, project and organizational administrative experience.
3) A proven record in technical program management and program administration.
4) Excellent knowledge of forestry and forest management practices.
5) Ability to work independently and at a high level of proficiency.
6) Ability to manage and oversee programs, projects, operations, and staff.
7) Experience in defining, guiding, implementing strategic & operational planning and management activities.
8) Demonstrated ability to engage and foster partner support.
9) Excellent communication, planning, interpersonal, technology and administrative skill set.
10) Experience providing accurate and complete programmatic reports.
1) Bachelor’s degree in forestry plus 10 years professional experience or Master’s degree in forestry or closely related natural resource with 5 years professional experience.
2) A proven record in developing and successfully implementing short to medium-term projects and programs goals.
3) Knowledge of Incident Qualification System (IQS) and Resource Ordering and Status System (ROSS).
4) Experience and proven record in successful grants writing and preparation.
5) A history of identifying, defining and implementing new program opportunities.
6) Experience in defining, guiding and implementing strategic and operational planning and management activities.
7) Experience in organizing, developing and delivering public presentations, events, publications and other media, and other information and education activities.
8) A proven record of supervisory experience and staff administration.
Click “Apply to this job” and complete the information form. Attach a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and contact information for three professional references.
As an EO/AA employer, qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation. See http://www.unl.edu/equity/notice-nondiscrimination.
For questions or accommodations related to this position contactSteven Jara
sjara2@unl.edu
402-472-6692
Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
- Letter of Interest
- Curriculum Vitae
- List of References
Organization
Working at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
For 150 Years, A Leader in Higher Education
Always a place of high ambition, University of Nebraska was one of the first institutions west of the Mississippi River to award doctoral degrees - the first was granted in 1896. The University of Nebraska established the world's first undergraduate psychology laboratory. The discipline of ecology was born here, and the campuses reflect that tradition, being recognized as botanical gardens and arboreta. An early institutional interest in literature and the arts provided the foundations for today's Prairie Schooner literary magazine, for the University of Nebraska Press, and for the Sheldon Museum of Art, which houses one of the world's most significant collections of 20th century American art.
Today, Nebraska is one of the nation's leading teaching institutions, and a research leader with a wide array of grant-funded projects aimed at broadening knowledge in the sciences and humanities. Nebraska is also a land-grant university and a member of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU). The university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
Benefits
The University of Nebraska offers an extensive benefits package that includes health, life, disability and long term care insurance; retirement accounts; tuition reimbursement for employees and their spouses and dependent children; and reimbursement accounts for health care and dependent day care. Leave policies are designed to help employees deal with personal or family events or crises.
Diversity and Inclusion
In the spirit of the phrase "Every Interaction Matters", UNL has an enacted commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence for our faculty, staff, and students. On our campus, diversity and inclusion are important priorities. Examples include: Husker Dialogues, which is an event that helps first-year students focus on diversity and inclusion and practice handling difficult conversations around difference; three Chancellor's Diversity Commissions that are charged with informing and advising the Chancellor and addressing issues of constituent campus communities; and the establishment of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion whose leader operates at the Vice Chancellor level. At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, we strive for excellence in all that we do. True excellence requires that each individual be able to work and learn in an atmosphere of respect, dignity, and belonging. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion requires each of us to continuously ensure our interactions are respectful, protect free speech, and inspire academic freedom.
About Lincoln
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is located in an up-and-coming and safe city of 300,000 people that has many of the cultural and entertainment benefits of a much larger city, with the feel of a friendly Midwestern community. The Pinnacle Bank Arena, opened in 2013, routinely hosts major touring acts. A buzzing entertainment district, the Railyard, connects the arena area to the Historic Haymarket. Cuisines from all continents provide the entree to dynamic urban nightlife and a wide variety of ways to enjoy time with friends. Nebraska's City Campus is one with Lincoln's city center, as it has been since the university was founded.Lincoln has more parkland per capita than Austin, Texas; Portland, Oregon; and all but a handful of U.S. cities. The well-manicured Pioneers Park, the native woods of Wilderness Park and the open grassland of Nine-Mile Prairie are each within a 10-minute trip from campus. Connecting many of these parks is an extensive trails network.
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