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CPW WILDLIFE MANAGER V / Wolf Conservation Program Manager (Fort Collins, CO)

Department Information

The primary duties of this position are located within 30 miles of the state border; therefore, this position is exempt from the residency requirements. Applications will be considered from residents and non-residents of Colorado.

Consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. It’s our mission to manage and conserve Colorado’s natural resources for the benefit of people today – and tomorrow. That means we have to balance development with conservation so the state we all love provides similar opportunities for our children and their children.

We invite you to explore our website at https://dnr.colorado.gov/about-us to find out more about the work we do to manage Colorado’s natural resources for today – and tomorrow.

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply.

In addition to offering rewarding, meaningful work, we offer:

Medical and Dental plans
Strong, flexible retirement plans including PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus pre-tax and Roth 401K and 457 plans
Paid life insurance
Short- and long-term disability coverage
Employee Wellness programs
Flexible Spending Accounts
Health Savings Accounts
11 paid holidays per year plus generous vacation and sick leave
Flexible work schedule options and remote-work options
Career advancement opportunities throughout the State system
Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE
Our Mission is to perpetuate the wildlife resources of the state, to provide a quality state parks system, and to provide enjoyable and sustainable outdoor recreation opportunities that educate and inspire current and future generations to serve as active stewards of Colorado's natural resources.

This Work Unit exists to exercise principle responsibility for the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Species Conservation programs for terrestrial vertebrate wildlife, invertebrate, and rare plant species at risk (threatened, endangered, Species of Greatest Conservation Need, nongame) and the integration of those programs with CPW’s sport fish, game, and other programs through strategic, tactical, and operational planning and implementation of species conservation activities for all species as well as species-specific habitat management activities. Furthermore, the Work Unit exercises principal responsibility for conservation planning and implementation for sensitive biological and other natural features on Colorado Natural Areas. Particular emphasis is placed on securing current threatened and endangered species and/or other species at risk and habitats such that the need to classify them as threatened or endangered is reduced or eliminated, as well as identifying and designating State Natural Areas based on significant natural features. This is accomplished by forming partnerships, cooperative ventures, and other collaborative relationships with diverse governmental and non-governmental interests, both within and outside Colorado Parks and Wildlife and within and outside the state of Colorado (most species have distributions that cross state boundaries). Governmental interests include local, state of Colorado, other state, and federal agencies. Non-governmental interests include private landowners as individuals or organizations, as well as economic, conservation, environmental, and sportsperson’s organizations.

Description of Job

This position exists to function as the Statewide Wolf Conservation Program Manager. The position is recognized by senior and executive management and serves as CPW’s Senior Authority regarding the biological restoration and conservation of wolves. The position is a pacesetter with a very unique level of technical expertise and responsibility for implementing the Wolf Conservation Program in the Terrestrial Branch, and for coordinating with other affected work units throughout the agency. This includes serving as informal work lead for permanent staff and supervision of temporary staff, responsibility for the Terrestrial Wolf Conservation Program budget, and programmatic oversight and implementation. CRS 33-2-105.8 requires the Parks and Wildlife Commission to, among other requirements, (a) develop a plan to restore and manage gray wolves in Colorado, (b) take steps necessary to begin reintroductions of gray wolves by Dec. 31, 2023, (c) oversee gray wolf restoration and management.

The Wolf Restoration and Management Plan meets statutory requirements to select donor populations; describe the places, manner, and scheduling of reintroductions; describe actions necessary or beneficial for establishing and maintaining a self-sustaining population; and describe methodologies for determining when the gray wolf population is sustaining itself. As the agency’s statewide biological wolf conservation expert, this position has direct impact outside of the organizational boundaries of CPW and influences policy and program formulation with DNR, other state agencies, other states, Federal agencies, and private organizations.

Specific job duties include but are not limited to:

Wolf Conservation Program Development, Implementation, and Administration

This position is Senior Authority for comprehensive implementation of the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan (Plan). The position has leadership responsibility for the biological implementation of the Plan. The position will manage all aspects of obtaining wolves for release from source sites. This includes establishing collaborative and formal agreements (e.g., MOUs) with source site states and agencies and managing the requirements of such agreements; coordinating logistics for source site captures (e.g., timing, locations, travel, etc.); obtaining necessary staff and supplies to execute captures (e.g., vehicles, biologist and veterinary support crews, aerial capture crews, transport crates, radio collars, etc.); and execution of capture operations and transportation to release sites. The position will coordinate all aspects of wolf releases in Colorado, in collaboration with other work units. This includes establishing any necessary collaborative or formal agreements with release location sites; coordinating logistics for releases (e.g., timing, location, travel, etc.); obtaining necessary staff and supplies to execute releases; and execution of releases.

The position will monitor population trends in collaboration with the Wolf Monitoring and Data Coordinator, and will recommend strategies for ongoing monitoring (e.g., (re)collaring of wolves). The position will advise on other similar issues, such as translocating dispersing wolves from adjacent states if necessary and allowable under existing agreements. The position will review information annually and make recommendations related to the timing and necessity for downlisting and delisting of wolves from the Colorado Threatened and Endangered Species list, as detailed in the Plan. The position will identify and recommend adaptive management changes to the Plan that may be required, and will have lead responsibility for periodic Plan updates. This position will be responsible for determining the recommended level of staffing necessary to achieve Plan objectives, and for making recommendations to the Species Conservation Unit Team Deputy Assistant Director to implement those determinations.

Wolf Conservation Program - Internal Coordination
This position is the primary internal lead and pacesetter for facilitating coordination among all stakeholders internal to Colorado State Government. Within CPW, the position coordinates with the Species Conservation Team (SCT) Deputy Assistant Director, the Terrestrial Branch Assistant Director and other SCT and Terrestrial staff to align the Wolf Conservation Program with other SCT and Terrestrial priorities. The position routinely provides information and advice to CPW Assistant Directors and the CPW Director on technical and political issues related to wolf conservation. The position coordinates activities related to wolf conservation and management with diverse technical experts within the agency (e.g., Terrestrial Biometrician, Senior Biologists, Game Damage Coordinator, Mammals Research, etc.).

The position has lead responsibility within Terrestrial for developing and maintaining collaborative relationships with other internal work units with wolf conservation and management responsibilities (e.g., Lands Unit, Field Operations, Communications); the position supports these agency functions with wolf biological information. The position provides routine updates and reports to the Parks and Wildlife Commission; develops regulatory change proposals as needed to facilitate changes in state listing status and potential changes to management regulations. The position advises the Department of Natural Resources and the Governor’s Office on Wolf Conservation Program implementation, progress, challenges, budget needs, and necessary adaptive changes. The position coordinates with the Colorado Department of Agriculture on issues related to the restoration and management of wolves in Colorado. As required by the Plan, this position is responsible for an annual report on the progress of Plan implementation and is provided annually to the Colorado General Assembly, Governor, Parks and Wildlife Commission, and other high-level advisors and stakeholders.

Wolf Conservation Program - External Coordination

This position is the primary internal lead and pacesetter for facilitating coordination among stakeholders external to Colorado State Government. On an ongoing basis, the position formulates, recommends, reviews, writes, comments and consults with other affecting interests outside of CPW. The position establishes relationships with states/provinces/tribes for the acquisition of wolves from source populations; as needed the position leads development of formal agreements (e.g., permits, MOUs) needed to acquire wolves and ensures compliance with such agreements. The position coordinates local logistics and timelines with local organizations, agencies and stakeholders at source location sites. Within Colorado, the position determines potential impacts of wolf restoration and/or potential needs to coordinate with external agencies and organizations; executes formal and informal agreements to facilitate wolf restoration and management. The position coordinates with federal land management agencies (e.g., USFS, BLM, NPS) to evaluate the impact of wolf restoration on public lands and to coordinate management activities that may need to occur on federal lands.

The position leads coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on wolf conservation issues, which includes coordination with USFWS programmatic leads, Ecological Services Field Office, Regional Offices, and National Offices. The position works with USFWS to manage the established 10(j) experimental population for wolves in Colorado; develops comments on proposed rules and environmental impact statements; coordinates federal designations with the Plan. The position is the lead for developing all biological content for mandatory reporting to USFWS on the 10(j) Rule, the Colorado General Assembly, and other reports as needed. The position serves as the agency lead for issues related to federal ESA listing issues, including representing the agency as needed on SSA and recovery teams, and responding to federal register notices and data calls.

Planning and Budgeting

This position will develop and adhere to Terrestrial Species Conservation planning standards for use by cost center management in preparation of annual work and budget plans to meet program objectives. The position guides, reviews, evaluates and analyzes Species Conservation Team and Terrestrial Branch work plans to determine progress toward goals and objectives. The position contributes to reporting and future development of strategic and operational plans. The position recommends resource reallocations where warranted to meeting priority program objectives. The position develops purchasing agreements and manages budgets necessary to acquire materials and personal services for wolf restoration. The position is responsible for developing, monitoring and managing the overall budget for the wolf conservation program, in coordination with the Species Conservation Team Deputy Assistant Director. Prepares required reports for annual/periodic budget and planning updates.

Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Minimum Qualifications
Eight (8) years of relevant experience in Wildlife Management, Wildlife Research, Wildlife Biology, Natural Resource Management, Conservation Biology, Ecology, Program Management, Public Administration or an occupation related to the work assigned to this position.

OR

A combination of related education in Natural Resources, Wildlife Management, Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, Environmental Policy, Zoology/Animal Sciences, Public Administration, Program Management/Project Management and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned equal to eight (8) years.

Substitutions

Additional appropriate education will substitute for the degree requirement on a year-for-year basis.

Preferred Qualifications

Current or former State experience relevant to this position
Current or former Colorado Parks and Wildlife experience
M.S. or Ph.D. degree in one of the educational disciplines, or in lieu of experience.
Experience with wolf ecology, research, management, and/or wildlife restoration programs.
Experience developing and implementing wildlife management plans, regulations, policies and agreements.

Required Competencies

B.S. degree in one of the educational disciplines, or in lieu of experience.
Strong project management skills.
Strong administration and time management skills.
Strong level of communication skills.
Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.

Conditions of Employment

Must possess and maintain a valid state of Colorado driver's license if operating a State vehicle.
Periodic travel to field locations and meetings; 2-4 nights per month, sometimes more.
Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application and provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify their application from the current position. (Please Note: Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with DNR).
Pursuant to the DNR-120 Fleet and Driving Standards Administrative Directive, any worker who will be expected to drive a State-owned vehicle is responsible for maintaining a safe driving record and a valid driver license prior to driving any State-owned vehicle.
To be compliant with the new fleet vehicle policy, Motor Vehicle Records (MVRs) will be pulled for review for workers who:
- Have an assigned State fleet vehicle
- Are required to operate a vehicle as part of the position
- Utilize a State fleet vehicle as a pool vehicle

APPEAL RIGHTS:

It is recommended that you contact the Human Resources Specialist listed below to resolve issues related to your possession of minimum qualifications. However, if you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.

An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email (dpa_state.personnelboard@state.co.us), postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action.

For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board; go to spb.colorado.gov; contact the State Personnel Board for assistance at (303) 866-3300; or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.

Supplemental Information

The Assessment Process

All applications received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed by an HR Specialist against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement.
Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process. Part of, or all of, the comparative analysis for this position will be a structured application review by Subject Matter Experts.
Resumes, cover letters and other attachments are not considered as part of initial reviews, therefore, it is important to document in your application your education, experience, minimum qualifications, and preferred qualifications as outlined in the job announcement.
Please thoroughly answer all supplemental questions (if listed) since question responses may be evaluated for content, writing ability, spelling, grammar, and effective communication.
This recruitment may involve additional testing and/or exams to arrive at the top group for interviews.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

The Department of Natural Resources is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Coordinator, at dnr_hr_employeebenefits@state.co.us

The State of Colorado strives to create a Colorado for All by building and maintaining workplaces that value and respect all Coloradans through a commitment to equal opportunity and hiring based on merit and fitness. The State is resolute in non-discriminatory practices in everything we do, including hiring, employment, and advancement opportunities.

ADAAA Accommodations
Any person with a disability as defined by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) may be provided a reasonable accommodation upon request to enable the person to complete an employment assessment. To request accommodation, please contact our Benefits Specialist at dnr_hr_employeebenefits@state.co.us at least five business days before the date that any accommodation will be required to allow us to evaluate your request and prepare for the accommodation. You may be asked to provide additional information, including medical documentation, regarding functional limitations and type of accommodation needed. Please ensure that you have this information available well in advance of the assessment date.

E-Verify

DNR uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

Toll–Free Applicant Support - Technical Help

If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) call NEOGOV at 855-524-5627, Mon-Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time). The Human Resources Office will be unable to assist with technical issues.

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