JOB TITLE: WILDLIFE HABITAT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM CHIEF

JOB CODE: 63030

DEFINITION: This is professional and administrative work directing statewide wildlife habitat management programs for a division within the Bureau of Wildlife Habitat Management, Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC).

An employee in this job serves as a division chief and is responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating a major statewide environmental planning, land conservation, or wildlife resource management program. Work involves developing program goals, objectives, and priorities; evaluating program effectiveness; developing, recommending, and implementing wildlife habitat management rules, regulations, policies, and procedures; interpreting technical rules, regulations, and procedures for staff and the public; ensuring program compliance with agency and bureau goals; developing and managing program budgets; and recommending legislative changes regarding program activities. Work includes providing technical assistance on wildlife habitat management issues; preparing technical papers on wildlife habitat management topics; and providing expert testimony at commission meetings, legislative committee hearings, and court proceedings. Supervision is exercised over professional and technical staff. Work is performed under the general supervision of the bureau director and is reviewed for adherence to laws, regulations, policies, and established goals and objectives, and for attainment of desired results.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: (NOTE: The examples of work are representative of the work, but every position classified to this job may not perform all examples of work listed. Conversely, this is not an all-inclusive list of work examples.)

• Directs, through subordinate program coordinators or supervisors, the development, implementation, and evaluation of a statewide environmental planning, land protection and conservation, or wildlife resource management program.

• Directs statewide environmental impact assessment and wildlife habitat protection programs.

• Directs, plans, and administers a comprehensive oil, gas, leasing compliance, and mineral resource management program on state game lands.

• Directs research efforts into new environmental and wildlife data sources, methodologies, and techniques to improve the development or review of environmental planning or wildlife resource plans and planning policies.

• Directs the statewide land protection and conservation program, including land acquisitions, surveys, and rights-of-way management.

• Supervises and directs professional and technical staff engaged in land acquisition.

• Negotiates complex land exchanges and purchases of State Game Lands, recommends exchanges and purchases to the PGC, and confers with Chief Counsel regarding purchase of property.

• Oversees the contracting for certified, independent appraisers for land acquisition projects.

• Develops partnerships with nongovernmental conservation organizations, conservancies, and land trust organizations to further land protection and conservation objectives.

• Oversees the administration of commonwealth owned dwellings and disposition of commission owned buildings.

• Reviews and evaluates environmental planning, land protection and conservation, and wildlife resource plans and planning policies submitted for approval for technical soundness, approach, and feasibility, and recommends approval or disapproval.

• Provides technical advice and assistance to local governments, local and regional planning boards or commissions, civic groups and associations, and other intergovernmental groups.

• Directs the collection and organization of environmental, ecological, biological, industrial, commercial, social, economic, and demographic information that impacts the environmental and wildlife resource planning process relative to Title 34 Game & Wildlife Code on both public and private lands in addition to state game lands.

• Develops and administers the permitting requirements for commission bird and mammal collector permits, relative to scientific research and monitoring.

• Coordinates the review of wildlife resource impacts from planned industrial development, transportation, watershed initiatives, natural resource recovery operations, and other varied construction proposals relative to current state and federal regulations.

• Coordinates with bureau staff, the public, and other government agencies on environmental planning and wildlife resource conservation objectives, state and federal grant programs, public access programs, and other wildlife habitat programs.

• Assists in the evaluation of alternative forms of surface development which impacts wildlife resources and makes recommendations concerning relative cost and effectiveness of avoiding adverse impacts of those wildlife resources.

• Directs and participates in the formulation of substantive recommendations for wildlife resource management and environmental planning for presentation to policy-making officials and groups.

• Performs the full range of supervisory functions.

• Employees in this job may participate in the performance of subordinates’ work consistent with operational or organizational requirements.

• Performs related work as required.

ENTRY LEVEL KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of natural resource management and land management.

• Knowledge of private and public land acquisition procedures.

• Knowledge of laws and regulations pertaining to real estate, conveyances, easements, and eminent domain.

• Knowledge of the legal instruments affecting the transfer, sale, and lease of real property.

• Knowledge of natural sciences related to natural resource management, such as biology, ecology, and dendrology.

• Knowledge of data collection, analysis, and evaluation methods used in natural resource management.

• Knowledge of scientific research methodology.

• Knowledge of the use and functionality of Microsoft Office Suite software.

• Ability to read and interpret surveys, maps, and engineering drawings.

• Ability to read, interpret, and convey information regarding laws, regulations, policies, procedures, scientific data, contracts, and obligations.

• Ability to write technical reports.

• Ability to effectively communicate orally.

• Ability to effectively communicate in writing.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: (NOTE: Based on the Entry Level Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities)

• Four years of professional natural resource management experience that includes two years of experience in land acquisition or land management work, and a bachelor’s degree in natural resource management, biology, forestry, ecology, geosciences, environmental sciences, or a closely related field;

or

• Four years of professional natural resource management experience that includes two years of experience in land acquisition or land management work, and four years of paraprofessional or technical experience in natural resource management.

or

• An equivalent combination of experience and training that includes two years of professional natural resource management experience in land acquisition or land management work.