Senior Land Use Specialist

Who You Are

You’re the person who can balance a map, a contract, a conversation with a permittee, and a pile of competing priorities and somehow make it all look easy. You’re energized by work that takes you outside, requires independent decision-making, and asks you to collaborate with everyone from operations teams to local law enforcement.

You thrive in dynamic environments, stay calm and resourceful when plans shift, and enjoy solving complex land use puzzles. You take ownership, communicate clearly, and bring a high level of professional integrity to every interaction. And while you’re self-directed, you also enjoy being part of a team working toward long-term stewardship and operational success.

What the Job Is

As our Senior Land Use Specialist, you’ll manage five functional areas that help keep our 300,000+ acres of NW Timberlands running smoothly: land use permits and agreements, recreational access, non-timber forest products, resource protection, and trespass/encroachment.

This role is both strategic and hands-on. Some days you’ll be negotiating a land use agreement, and other days you’ll be evaluating a recreational access site, coordinating a cleanup, or working through a property boundary question. You’ll manage programs that generate revenue, protect company assets, and support safe and responsible public use while ensuring minimal impact to Green Diamond’s operations.

You’ll also serve as the primary contact for the public, partner agencies, adjacent landowners, and a broad range of permittees. In everything you do, you’ll be representing Green Diamond’s commitment to responsible forest management, environmental stewardship, and safe working practices.

What You’ll Do

Land Use

• Develop, negotiate, and administer land use agreements, leases, entry permits, and other contracts.
• Advise operations teams on property agreements and needed modifications.
• Lead special projects that require strong strategy, communication, and follow-through.
• Engage with the public on access, permit, and land use inquiries.
• Ensure agreements are executed in alignment with company policies.

Recreational Access

• Direct the full recreational access program, including permits, hunting leases, trail leases, and agency-funded public access.
• Maintain accurate records and ensure the program supports - rather than interrupts - timber operations.

Non-Timber Forest Products

• Administer programs for floral greens, mushrooms, boughs, specialty woods, and other forest products.
• Set pricing, manage leases/permits, collect fees, and coordinate monitoring.
• Ensure compliance with safety standards and protect against theft and illegal harvesting.
• Develop new non-timber product opportunities and alternative revenue sources.
• Engage with a diverse community of harvesters, including many for whom English is a second language.

Resource Protection

• Oversee patrols, security, and protective measures across company ownership.
• Manage gates, locks, dumping response, and asset protection.
• Serve as a liaison with law enforcement agencies on incidents occurring on company property.
• Foster strong working relationships with adjacent landowners and partner agencies.

Trespass & Encroachment

• Collaborate with internal and external counsel to resolve property encroachments.
• Use public and company records to investigate and address issues.
• Ensure company property boundaries are respected and disputes are professionally managed.

What You Need to Succeed

You’ll bring a bachelor’s degree in forestry, biology, a life science, or equivalent experience, plus five to seven years in a natural resources related field. You’re skilled in project administration and contract negotiation, comfortable working independently in both office and field settings, and communicate clearly with a wide range of stakeholders. You stay organized, juggle multiple priorities well, and approach challenges with a practical, solution-focused mindset. You’re proficient with Microsoft Office, hold a valid Washington State driver’s license, and consistently demonstrate professionalism, adaptability, and respect in all working relationships.

What the Department Is Like

The Land & Forest Management team is a collaborative group that values professionalism, accountability, respect, and a long-term view. We work closely with operations, acquisitions and business development, and a wide range of internal and external partners.

This team appreciates people who bring good judgment, initiative, and a willingness to help wherever needed, including occasionally supporting silviculture activities. We balance independence with open communication, and we genuinely like what we do.

Compensation Details: Annual Salary Range: $79,700 – $119,600 per year. The pay range listed is just one component of Green Diamond’s total compensation package. Other rewards include eligibility to receive a company-wide annual financial performance bonus, and the opportunity to receive an individual performance-based bonus, candidate referral bonuses, and spot bonuses.

Green Diamond offers generous benefits including medical/vision and dental, life and disability insurance, 401(k) plan with match and profit sharing, and an employee assistance program. Reimbursements for work-related safety equipment, and wellness. Paid time off includes 9 designated and up to 2 floating (personal) holidays, minimum of 10 days’ vacation (or per policy based on experience), 10 days of sick leave, 30 days of parental leave, 3 days of bereavement, jury duty, 1 volunteer day, and 5 family care days. A company vehicle for business use. Cell phone reimbursement for business use. More benefits information can be found at GreenDiamond.com.

Who Green Diamond is: We grow and nurture forests, a renewable resource to build homes, schools, and household necessities, harnessing carbon every single day we operate. We’re a family-owned company that is guided by our values of environmental stewardship and supporting our local communities. We do what’s right, even when it is the harder path to follow. We focus on the health and safety of our people first – by taking care of all of our resources, we plan to be here for another 130 years.