Position Description

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
POSITION DESCRIPTION FOR JOB POSTING
Position Number: 00092023	Description Activated On: 1/6/2026 8:27:08 AM

Position Purpose: Describe the primary purpose of this position and how it contributes to the organization’s objectives. Example: Provides clerical and office support within the Division to ensure its operations are conducted efficiently and effectively.

Provides supervision & oversight management of wildlife habitat development programs on public and private lands, wildland fire, and state/federal funding coordination.

Description of Duties: Describe in detail the duties and responsibilities assigned to this position. Descriptions should include the major end result of the task. Example: Types correspondence, reports, and other various documents from handwritten drafts for review and signature of the supervisor.

1. Responsible for supervising and coordinating activities and staff of the following sections for Bureau and Agency Strategic Plan goals and objectives implementation within the Harrisburg central headquarters and six regional offices:

Public Lands Planning Section Chief – Responsible for developing templates, models and comprehensive management plans for region implementation on State Game Lands and other public lands planning and development activities. Oversees management plan development and implementation on PGC-owned lands and other public lands. Actively involved with wildland fire policy development and implementation on public lands.

Private Lands Planning Section Chief – Responsible for private lands planning and development of habitat and conservation programs. Serves as liaison and PGC coordinator for Farm Bill and other federal conservation programs (i.e., CREP, EQIP, Working Lands for Wildlife, etc.). Program leader for Cooperative Hunter Access program that enrolls over 14,000 private landowners. Actively involved with wildland fire policy development and implementation on public and private lands. This position supervises 3-6 contract Wildlife Biologists and one field forester statewide.

Wildland Fire Program Coordinator –Ensures that PGC meets standards set forth in the Prescribed Burning Practices Act (2009), and serves as the statewide program coordinator for the Game Commission’s prescribed fire resources and qualifications, wildfire resources and qualifications, prescribed burn plan development, prescribed fire and wildfire reporting, wildfire intelligence and weather, and to coordinate the Game Commission’s wildfire response with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

2. Coordinates with all other Divisions and Bureaus within the agency to maintain annual funding provided through federal grants and programs (i.e., Pittman Robertson, State Wildlife Grants, Farm Bill programs). This includes grant development, reporting mechanisms, resolution of audit issues, and agency compliance with Executive Office directives and federal and state laws and regulations as necessary. Coordinates other relevant habitat grants with partners as needed (i.e., NFWF, etc.).

3. Serves as Agency representative for state, federal and local government agency committees and non- governmental and private organizations dealing with wildlife habitat planning and development issues and implementation.

4. Serves as Agency representative, coordinator and Committee member for groups and organizations dealing with “secondary use” activities (i.e., ATV and snowmobile trails, horseback riding trails, biking and hiking trails, geocaching) and other non-wildlife related recreational uses on Commission-controlled lands. Develops policy related to such.

5. Serves as Bureau Coordinator between Harrisburg and the six regions for implementation of wildlife habitat management policy developed within the Bureau and by the Agency for consistency and efficiency.

6. Coordinates with jurisdictional agencies on federal and state threatened and endangered species conservation, including minimizing, and mitigating potential impacts as well as implementing habitat improvement efforts.

7. Serves as Agency Coordinator of State Lands Bat Habitat Conservation Plan and corresponding Incidental Take Permit from USFWS.

8. Serves as Chair of Habitat/Forestry Work Plan Committee, responsible for leading the development of meaningful project ranking criteria and coordinating the work planning process with committee members.

9. Serves as Agency Coordinator and develops policy and implementation regarding herbicide and pesticide application. Serves as agency expert and certified licensed commercial applicator for pesticide/herbicide utilization in the regions.

10. Work in various capacities on low, moderate, and high complexity prescribed or wildland fires or as an incident management team member as needed.

11. Coordinates the Land Management treatment monitoring initiative directing subordinates in the collection of ecological data to determine effectiveness of wildlife habitat management treatments and to ensure compliance with Agency comprehensive management plans.

12. Coordinates the editing and updating of the agency Wildlife Habitat Manual directing subordinates to research and deliver improvements to habitat management guidance for Agency field staff.

13. Coordinates the updating of habitat related Standard Operating procedures as needed.

14. Serves as the coordinator for the PA Game Lands Management Tool (PGLMT) – A management tool being developed for State Game Lands to facilitate proactive management, minimization, and mitigation relevant to state and federal threatened & endangered species and their habitats.

15. Maintains a Desk Manual for the position and keep the manual up to date with detailed notes/descriptions or processes involved in completing duties and tasks assigned to the position.

16. Performs related work as required.

Decision Making: Describe the types of decisions made by the incumbent of this position and the types of decisions referred to others. Identify the problems or issues that can be resolved at the level of this position, versus those that must be referred to the supervisor. Example: In response to a customer inquiry, this work involves researching the status of an activity and preparing a formal response for the supervisor’s signature.

The Division Chief has the authority to make all decisions within the laws of the Commonwealth, as specified in Management Directives, Administrative Directives, and instructed by Agency and Bureau Directives, rules, and regulations. When in doubt, this position seeks the advice of the Bureau Director.

Requirements Profile: Identify any specific experience or requirements, such as a licensure, registration, or certification, which may be necessary to perform the functions of the position. Position-specific requirements should be consistent with a Special Requirement or other criteria identified in the classification specification covering this position. Example: Experience using Java; Professional Engineer License

Experience:

Licenses, registrations, or certifications:

1.   Class C Driver's License

2.   N/A

3.   N/A

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Essential Functions: Provide a list of essential functions for this position. Example: Transports boxes weighing up to 60 pounds.

1.	Read, understand, interpret, and write technical habitat and wildlife management material.
2.	Understand wildlife habitat management concepts & their practical application
3.	Plan, schedule, organize, and assign work to subordinates.
4.	Develop and implement new or revised technical program rules, regulations, policies, procedures and standards.
5.	Express ideas clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
6.	Traverse all types of terrains in all types of weather.
7.	Travel throughout the state with occasional overnight travel required.
8.	Work overtime occasionally and be available and able to respond when on-call
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