Forest Nursery Manager - WMS2

Recruitment #2023-3-0464

Full-time, Permanent, WMS, Non-Represented position

Location: Tumwater, WA.

Relocation Compensation may be available and considered.

Salary: $86,825.00 - $101,268.00 Annually

Want to join something GREAT and make a difference?

This position is responsible for managing Webster Forest Nursery, one of the premier state forest seedling nurseries in the country. Our staff have grown and shipped over 900 million seedlings since the nursery was established in 1957. These seedlings have been planted on public, private, and DNR-managed forest lands throughout Washington and nearby states. Though we have invested heavily in our facilities, equipment, and staff in the last 15 years, we will continue to see investments in existing and new infrastructure, staff, and equipment. This is a fantastic opportunity to lead a highly functioning program which provides a critical public service into the next decade.

Webster Forest Seedling Nursery has 150 acres of tillable fields, 75,000 square feet of Argus climate controlled greenhouses, and an active research program focused on operational production of forest seedlings. Additional facilities at our 270 acre complex in Tumwater, Washington include 13 high capacity irrigation wells, 24 buildings containing 66,000 square feet, and a total asset value (facilities, equipment, and supplies) of $57 million.

This position is responsible for:

Oversight of facilities and operations for planting and growing 8-10 million seedlings annually to meet the Department’s statewide reforestation requirements and for purchase by small forest landowners;
Management of the nursery revolving fund and $5 million annual budget, including monitoring fund balances, revenues, expenditures, and variances; recommends adjustments to DNR seedling prices in order to generate the revenue required for funding nursery operations;
Coordination of DNR seedling orders with the Seed Plant and region operations staff;
Contracting with the private sector for production of seedlings for DNR state lands that are beyond the capacity of the Nursery;
Determination of the number and price of seedlings for sale to the public;
Pursuing seedling contracts with public sector businesses in order to produce revenue from excess nursery capacity;
Coordination of integrated pest management and pesticide safety, including implementation of environmental protection measures, including monitoring water quality and storm runoff;
Supervision of staff including staff/facility safety measures, staff assignments, staff development, performance standards and measurements, staff accountability, and training;
Oversight of research and development of improved nursery management technology and seedling growing practices;
Providing technical input into agency policies and procedures related to reforestation operations; and
Analyzing, developing, and reviewing legislation pertinent to nursery operations (e.g. legislation impacting pesticide use, procurement procedures, and facilities contracting).

Other duties include:

Ensuring that subordinates perform immediate crop-saving work at any hour or day (e.g., frost protection measures or irrigation) during emergencies or inclement weather conditions;
Providing technical expertise as a critical team member of DNR’s Silviculture program; and
Collaborating and conducting outreach with customers, other nurseries, research cooperatives, professional organizations, and other stakeholders as needed.

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in Forest Management, Silviculture, Horticulture, or Agriculture, or closely related science with an emphasis on crop production;
Minimum of five years of professional experience in forest nursery, forest management, or production agriculture operations;
Demonstrated managerial/supervisory experience often obtained through 3 years of supervising first line supervisors and above;
Experience utilizing various methods of analytical decision making for strategic planning purposes of a critical agency program with a multi-million dollar budget;
Experience developing and managing contracts and budgets including setting appropriate expectations, deliverables, and prices;
Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing to diverse audiences;
Experience using computer hardware and software, including email, electronic filing, calendar, videoconferencing, presentation, spreadsheet, and data base applications.
Experience with regional forestry rules, regulations, and reforestation practices; including state forest practice rules, reforestation, stand management, species selection, seed zones, and seedling stock type selection;
Experience with agriculture, forestry, and/or nursery research methods including the utilization of operational research for process improvement and data driven decision making.
DNR Core Competencies:
Personal Accountability
Value Others
Compassionate Communication
Inspire Others
Commitment to Excellence

Conditions of Employment:

This position is required to live within a 30-mile driving distance of Webster Forest Nursery to enable the incumbent to respond to after-hours (evenings and weekends) emergencies at the nursery. These responsibilities are shared with other key nursery staff.
A valid driver’s license and have two years of driving experience. This position requires driving as an essential function. Finalists and/or interview candidates will be asked to provide a driving record from all states in which they have held a license during the past three years.
The normal work setting includes the nursery office, bare root nursery beds, container nursery greenhouses, forest lands, and associated industrial-type infrastructure. Must be willing to work with and around chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides, and in areas that have been treated with those chemicals. Ability to work on uneven terrain in all weather conditions. Ability to effectively communicate in industrial and agricultural settings.
Periodic travel and conference attendance may alter hours normally worked.
Employees of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are required to complete their primary series of COVID-19 vaccines (be fully vaccinated against COVID-19) or be approved for a medical or religious accommodation as a condition of employment. Please note, any offer of employment is contingent and no start date will be approved until you have either verified your vaccine status or have an approved accommodation. “Fully vaccinated” means the following: An employee is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 two weeks after they have received the second dose in a two-dose series of a COVID-19 vaccine (e.g., Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Novavax) or a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine (e.g., Johnson & Johnson (J&J)/Janssen) authorized for emergency use, licensed, or otherwise approved by the FDA or listed for emergency use, or otherwise approved by the World Health Organization.

Desired Qualifications:

Master’s or Doctorate degree in Forestry, Silviculture, Agriculture, Horticulture, or Business Operations.
Two years of experience managing container and/or bareroot forest nursery operations.
Five years of experience supervising or managing staff, including; employee hiring, training, disciplinary actions, and conflict resolution.
Experience effectively communicating, collaborating, and negotiating with diverse groups of people including industry organizations, public customers, corporate customers or suppliers, elected officials, and/or the public;
Experience with business and program management, including determining appropriate production levels and prices, quality control, leadership, and development of staff.
Experience with facilities and equipment maintenance, improvement, and construction projects;
A pesticide applicators license within six months of employment and maintain thereafter.

About the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

At DNR we approach our work through the lens of making Washington a better place environmentally and are dedicated to serving Washington’s lands and communities through diversity, equity and inclusion.

Our Vision – Our actions ensure a future where Washington’s lands, waters, and communities thrive.

Our Mission – Manage, sustain, and protect the health and productivity of Washington’s lands and waters to meet the needs of present and future generations.

Our Core Values:

Safety and Well-Being —Our top priority is the safety of the public and our employees.
Public Service —We value and respect the public we serve, and we value and respect the people of the Department of Natural Resources who step up to serve.
Innovation and Creative Problem-Solving — We solve our state’s most pressing challenges through innovative thinking, dedication, and bold and creative vision.
Leadership and Teamwork —We are committed to building leaders at all levels and building teams for success.

DNR provides excellent benefits, a few of those include:

Commitment to organizational health and wellness
Work/life balance
DNR Employee Resource Groups (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council, Women’s Employee Resource Group, Veterans Employee Resource Group, etc.)
Statewide Employee Business Resource Groups
Leadership that empowers and supports employees
Professional development opportunities
Educational and career development aid
Public Service Loan Forgiveness Eligibility
Opportunities to participate in wildland fire suppression assignments
A comprehensive benefit package that includes employer contributions toward health insurance, paid holidays, retirement plans, sick leave and vacation days. Visit http://careers.wa.gov/benefits.html for more information.

Application Requirements:

To be considered you must apply online at www.careers.wa.gov. You must complete the entire online application to be considered for the position.
Attach a letter of interest describing how your experience and qualifications relate to the position profile and the position required, desired and special requirements.
Attach a resume describing your experience and qualifications.
Provide three to five professional references – you may attach a document, use the References text field in the online application, or include with resume.
Attach a copy of your college degree certificate or an unofficial copy of your transcripts.
Important: Do not attach any documents that include photos or private information (social security number, year of birth, etc.).
Complete all supplemental questions.

Additional Information:

This recruitment may be extended and may also be used to fill future similar vacancies for up to sixty (60) days.

Veterans wishing to claim Veteran’s preference please attach a copy of your DD-214, NGB-22 or other verification of military service. Please black out your social security number prior to attaching. We thank you and are grateful for your service!

The Department of Natural Resources is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans, military spouses or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.

Persons needing accommodation during the screening process or this announcement in an alternative format may contact DNR Recruiting staff at (360) 522-2500 or (360) 522-0143 or by email at DNRrecruiting@dnr.wa.gov. Those with a hearing impairment in need of accommodation are encouraged to contact the Washington State Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) at 1-800-833-6388 or www.washingtonrelay.com.

Questions? Please contact Calvin Ohlson-Kiehn at calvin.ohlson-kiehn@dnr.wa.gov, (360) 701-1452 or e-mail us at DNRrecruiting@dnr.wa.gov.

Once you submit your online application, you can check your status by logging into your account. If you experience technical difficulties creating, accessing or completing your application call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or email CareersHelp@des.wa.gov.

Management / Agriculture / Land Use / Natural Resources / Forestry jobs

Forest Nursery Manager - WMS2