Water Rights and Adjudication Bureau Chief
Type: Job
Company/Organization: Montana DNRC
Location: Helena, MT
Posted: Monday, January 24, 2022
Job Overview:
Working to support and implement the Department’s mission to help ensure that Montana's land and water resources provide benefits for present and future generations. The Water Rights Manager provides overall vision, direction, and management to the Bureau and programs within the Bureau, including the New Appropriations, Water Rights Adjudication, and Water Rights Records. The Water Rights Manager develops approaches and solutions to the challenges faced by programs and works with stakeholders to cultivate support for Department initiatives. The Water Rights Manager coordinates Bureau activities with those of other bureaus, divisions, and departments; participates in policy initiatives; and implements or directs projects of high priority to the Department. The Water Rights Manager must consider a broad spectrum of factors when making decisions and recommendations, including technical concerns, public relations, legislative relations, public policy stances, effect on other organizations/agencies/divisions/bureaus, Departmental resources and mission, and economic impact.
As a Compliance Manager, the incumbent provides compliance management, direction, and resource allocation necessary to plan, organize, and direct the activities of the Water Rights programs.
The first review for this position will be on the 13th of February, 2022.
Essential Functions (Major Duties or Responsibilities):
Water Rights Program Management and Compliance
- This position directs and manages the operation activities of the Bureau including ensuring compliance with water rights laws, rules, and polices for Montana.
- Develops and implements program operating and administrative policies, short and long-term plans and program objectives, priorities, strategies and goals with oversight of the Division Administrator
- Ensures regulatory program activities are in compliance with the laws, rules and regulations
- Directs statutory enforcement activities or compliance with enforcement orders, and emergency actions for the programs when required and coordinates those activities with the division and department
- Sets and communicates performance standards and work quantity for program activities and assesses performance and operations
- Ensures coordination of regulatory program activities with activities of other government regulatory or other governmental agencies
- Directs the development, dissemination, interpretation and application of program policies where appropriate to do so
- Provides guidance and direction for inter-agency interactions and ensures effective working relationships are maintained
- Ensures the bureau is working in a coordinated and cooperative manner with other operating entities within the department in carrying out its program activities
- Keeps the Division Administrator informed of all significant activities or media or legislative inquiries, prepares work progress and other types of reports and presents them to the Division Administrator, department director or other appropriate authorities.
- Provides oversight of the management of, and accuracy of the Water Rights database, the centralized water right record, for compliance with the Montana constitution.
Personnel Management
Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the state and federal law, and department policies and procedures.
- Responsibilities include overseeing, interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.
- Determines and recommends most appropriate organizational structure, reporting relationships and short and long-range staffing needs based on program goals, authorized staffing levels and current department policies for the successful implementation of Water Rights administration and compliance in Montana.
- Conducts performance review of the program managers and oversees performance review process for program staff and remains informed of any disciplinary actions required and assures that the staff maintains competency and technical currency with their professional disciplines for their program duties.
Fiscal Management
- The incumbent develops operational budgets for each program that may include state, federal and other funds to facilitate accomplishment of each program’s requirements and objectives
- Directs the preparation and timely submittal of grant applications in coordination with division Fiscal Manager Oversees significant expenditures and contracts for the bureau; develops proposed program budgets for the programs
- Reviews fiscal information to determine if programs are operating within budgetary limitations
- Takes corrective action where necessary to avoid exceeding budget authority and grant allocations
- directs and coordinates fiscal matters with the division and department financial services staff.
Legislative, Board, and Public Relations
- Under oversight of the Division Administrator or where delegated, serves as a spokesperson for the programs with the legislature, agencies, local and tribal governments, members of the public, affected industry representatives, and special interest organizations.
- Represents the programs, testifies on legislation or regulatory matters affecting the programs.
- Directs preparation and coordinates division review of administrative rules to implement program responsibilities or to make changes due to case law, technological change, or policy reformulation.
- Prepares legislative proposals needed or desired to change state laws that facilitate administration and compliance of the program’s goals and objectives and coordinates the development with other division and department staff.
- Examines and reports on the impact of new or proposed legislation or rules and determines the effect on programs and compliance.
Other Duties as Assigned
This position performs a variety of other duties in support of ongoing Division and Department operations. This includes managing special projects, representing the Division or Department at various meetings and conferences, and participating in ongoing training and educational programs.
Minimum Qualifications (Education and Experience):
The position requires an advanced degree in environmental sciences, water resources, hydrology, engineering, law, public administration, or a related field, along with five years’ progressively responsible work experience. Work experience should include three years of progressively responsible supervisory, management, and leadership experience preferably in a natural resource management or an environmental regulatory field.
Other combinations of education and experience may be considered.
Required knowledge, skills, and abilities:
- The incumbent must possess extensive knowledge of all water use, law, and management and understands the compliance objectives and challenges.
- Possess complex project and personnel management practices.
- The incumbent must be able to work independently in this field and the department relies heavily on the incumbent’s professional judgement.
- Areas of expertise should include management of project development and planning of technical operations, of personnel and budget management; project finance; public relations as well as water rights and the sciences and law supporting sound compliance and regulatory decisions.
- Must be able to manage new and continually changing conditions and controversial situations and projects.
- The incumbent must have proven skills and abilities in leadership, personnel management and program management; negotiation; meeting facilitation; problem solving, team work and achieving consensus in groups with divergent interests; effectively dealing with controversial issues; directing multi-disciplinary and multi-organizational teams of employees in a variety of activities; communication; complex decision-making; staff supervision; and the ability to work with mathematical, statistical, hydrological, and engineering concepts and data.
- Working knowledge of government organization, operations, and functions, including the legislative process, budgeting and fiscal management practices; and the State Accounting, Budgeting and Human Resources System (SBHRS) is preferred.
- The incumbent must have excellent writing and oral communication skills and must be able to effectively convey a variety of technical and nontechnical issues to both technical and non-technical audiences that include water right holders (new and existing), lawyers, dam owners, engineers, county commissioners, irrigation groups, conservation districts, watershed groups, land use and water resource planners, legislators, and others.
Working Conditions:
The position works in an office setting with some travel for meetings and field reviews.
Application and Selection Process
The DNRC may include the following factors in determining whether an applicant meets the qualifications of a position vacancy by: State of MT application form, cover letter, current resume, educational requirements, structured interview, a performance test, job-related reference checks, job-related work experience, job-related past and current performance.
DNRC Benefits:
- Paid Vacation, Sick Leave, and Holidays
- Health, Dental, Prescription, and Vision Coverage
- Retirement Plans
Job: Business/Analyst/Statistics
Salary: $43.20 - 43.20 Hourly Benefits Package Eligibility: Health Insurance, Paid Leave & Holidays, Retirement Plan
Number of Openings: 1 Employee Status: Regular Schedule: Full-Time
Shift: Day Job
Travel: Yes, 20 % of the Time
Primary Location: Helena Agency: Department of Natural Resources & Conservation Union: 000 - None Bargaining Unit: 000 - None
Posting Date: Jan 19, 2022, 2:36:50 PM
Closing Date (based on your computer's timezone): Ongoing
Required Application Materials: Cover Letter, Resume
State government does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, childbirth or medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, marital status, creed, political beliefs or affiliation, veteran status, military service, retaliation, or any other factor not related to merit and qualifications of an employee or applicant.