Job Summary

The DNR is looking for one (1) Natural Resources Forestry Regional Specialist in St Paul. The purpose of the NR Forestry Regional Specialist is to provide regional program leadership and coordination for one or more statewide programs. This Regional Specialist position exists to lead, coordinate and administer the Division of Forestry's Timber program and additional special assignments for the Central Region. This position will report to the DNR Central Region Headquarters.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Serve as a liaison between Areas and statewide programs: Serve as the communications point person and chief liaison for assigned programs in the Region.
• Help develop and deliver division and program vision, goals and policies.
• Develop, deliver and monitor regional work and spending plans: Oversee development of recommended regional work plans, annual work targets and budget requests.
• Recommend budgets and recommend regional funding allocations.
• Prepare timely and appropriate reports.
• Engage in training, technology transfer and implementation of forestry programs.
• Develop Regional program teams and serve as an active member of statewide program teams.
• Serve as a clearinghouse and source of information.
• Engage in the statewide program: Assist in shaping statewide program vision, policies, procedures, directions, etc.
• Monitor and support the work of Forestry Area Staff.
• Complete formal Division of Forestry classroom and field training sessions as assigned

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science Degree in Forest Science/Management (or a closely related field of academic study) from a university program accredited by the Society of American Foresters, or comparable accrediting institution, or current Society of American Foresters Certified Forester status.
• Two (2) years professional forestry experience in a senior forester role providing primary leadership (non-supervisory) to forestry staff with an advance emphasis in harvest management, silviculture, resource protection, or other area of forestry emphasis (e.g.NR Forestry Specialist Senior) OR three (3) years of experience in an intermediate forester role (e.g. NR Forestry Specialist Intermediate).
• Skills to integrate information from scientific literature, historical data and past experiences sufficient to devise risk-rating systems and management guidelines.
• Leadership skills sufficient to motivate and guide staff to work efficiently and obtain program commitment from division personnel and other Forest managers.
• Human relations skills sufficient to direct, administer and train foresters and to lead personnel working in programs.
• Communication skills sufficient to communicate complex concepts and principals to other resource professions and the public and make effective presentations to a wide variety of audiences by identifying their level of understanding and evoking a positive response.
• Ability to prepare and edit high quality technical reports and management plans and research and interpretation scientific literature sufficient to solve problems, educate others and increase expertise in a specialty area.
• Ability to negotiate budget, staffing needs and equipment allocation sufficient to administer programs and train personnel.
• Ability to coordinate and deliver a regional Timber Program so that Central Region personnel understand and implement habitat management consistent with Division goals and objectives.
• Ability to deliver training and field assistance in collaboration with the silviculture and ECS Program so that Central Region personnel have the tools, resources, and support to sustainably manage forest vegetation consistent with Division goals and objectives.
• Ability to review harvest prescriptions and requirements t to efficiently and effectively accomplish the timber program objectives and implement forestry science.
• Ability to integrate and blend climate science data with native plant community strategies to convey forest ecosystem resilience and adaptation strategies to foresters and other resource professionals.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of Minnesota statutes pertaining to natural resources management; of statistically sound survey techniques.
• Successful completion of the Division of Forestry Entry Level Professional Forester Development Program; and a Leadership Development Program.
• Broad range of experiences with all programs administered by the Division of Forestry statewide with an emphasis on the major field operations programs: 1) State Land Management; 2) Resource Protection with an emphasis on fire suppression and management; 3) Forest Resource Information and Analysis with an emphasis on FIM; and 4) Cooperative Forest Management.
• Experience with the MN DNR Native Plant Community Classification System