District Manager/Chief Financial Officer

The Latah Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors is seeking applicants for the full-time position of District Manager/Chief Financial Officer. The Latah Soil and Water Conservation District is a non-regulatory political subdivision of the State of Idaho with roles and responsibilities outlined in Idaho Code Title 22 Chapter 27. The District Manager will report directly to the elected Board of Supervisors.

Latah SWCD employs 6 full-time employees and 5 - 10 seasonal field crew members. The current annual operational budget is ~ $1.6 M consisting of ~ 40 active grants, contracts and agreements. Through voluntary mechanisms, Latah SWCD natural resource programs concentrate on riparian/fisheries habitat restoration, agriculture, forestry, Palouse prairie and endangered plant species protection/restoration, and wildlife habitat restoration on private, state and federal lands.

Position Overview

The District Manager/Chief Financial Officer is responsible for overall management of the Conservation District, supervision of district employees and satisfaction of district clients. The District Manager provides administrative leadership to assist the Board of Supervisors with the coordination, management and administration of conservation programs throughout Latah County.

The District Manager ensures that all District functions are managed, and services provided in accordance with applicable local, state and federal laws, regulations and policies.

The measure of success is the proactive delivery of services to private landowners, public land managers and the public in a professional, efficient and productive manner leading to the conservation of Latah County’s natural resources consistent with the mission and goals of the District. The successful candidate must be able to work productively with a diverse community of landowners, farmers, ranchers, tribes, community organizations, and government agencies.

The successful candidate must be able to build and maintain a professional working environment that allows for the professional development of individual staff members and the retention of highly qualified individuals, as resources allow. The duties outlined for the District Manager/Chief Financial Officer are undertaken in direct collaboration with technical staff employed by the Board.

• The position reports directly to the elected Board of Supervisors and works closely with the Chair of the Board of Supervisors.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

General Operations (20%)

• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with private landowners (Individual and corporate).
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with local, state, tribal and federal agencies, and elected officials.
• Represent the Board, as directed, at local and regional meetings that may affect the Board and/or District programs.
• Coordinate monthly Board meetings and keep the Board informed of actions taken, trends in conservation and issues of interest to the Board.
• Draft policy statements for Board consideration.
• Coordinate legal counsel on behalf of the Board.
• Coordinate all applicable federal, state and local reporting requirements on behalf of the Board.
• Serve as program liaison between USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Idaho Soil & Water Conservation Commission.
• Serve as election officer for District elections in coordination with Latah County.
• Develop and maintain general operations manuals.
• Coordinate the management of the District’s information technology systems.
• Coordinate the management of the District’s facilities and equipment.

Financial Management (35%)

• Maintain the District’s fund accounting system across multiple grants and contracts.
• Coordinate and approve all grant and contract budgets before submittal to applicable funding entities.
• Prepare and oversee annual budget for District operations and ensure all expenditures are appropriate and accountable.
• Prepare project invoices for funding entities.
• Prepare and submit applicable state and federal financial reports.
• Prepare and negotiate annual federal indirect rate proposals with applicable federal cognizant agency.
• Coordinate programmatic audits as required by funding entities.
• Coordinate annual financial audit as required by state and federal regulations.

Personnel Management (5%)

• Supervise the activities of District staff as needed to carry out the responsibilities of the District.
• Maintain personnel policies and procedures.
• Maintain confidential staff files.
• Coordinate applicable insurance and retirement benefits for District staff in consultation with the Board.
• Coordinate hiring of new positions for Board review and approval.

Information & Education (2%)

• Promote existing District, state and federal programs to interested landowners, operators, community organizations and agencies.
• Coordinate a public outreach program for the District.
• Coordinate regional conferences and local field tours.
• Coordinate information requests from news media, as directed by the Board.
• Coordinate media events.

Program Planning, Development and Management (35%)

• Coordinate revisions to the District’s 5-Year Plan.
• Coordinate development and implementation of District annual workplans.
• Secure necessary financial resources (grants and contracts) and technical support to implement the adopted 5-year plan and associated annual workplan.
• Coordinate record keeping system for projects.
• Fulfill contracted scopes-of-work and related reporting requirements.

Technical/Administrative Assistance (3%)

• Coordinate technical assistance to landowners and agencies.
• Coordinate staff assistance to the Director of the Idaho Association of Soil Conservation Districts – Division II, when applicable.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

A bachelor’s degree in natural resources or public administration and a minimum of five years of direct supervisory and successful grant program development/management experience, including grant/contract financial management, is required. Additional qualifying experience may substitute year-for-year for the education requirement.

The applicant must have a demonstrated ability to manage multiple, diverse issues and a proven commitment to non-regulatory land stewardship on private lands and public lands.

Required knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• A professional knowledge of theories, principles, policies and practices of conservation districts.
• A working knowledge of federal, state and local laws, rules and policies that directly affect natural resource conservation on private lands in Idaho.
• Ability to utilize administrative, personnel and analytical skills and to act independently to direct district operations.
• Ability to take policy direction from the Board and translate this direction into tangible results.
• Ability to meet deadlines, attend frequent meetings, travel as needed and work full-time.
• Skilled in mediation and facilitation.
• Ability to delegate to other employees.
• Ability to communicate, both written and oral, effectively to a diverse audience.
• Ability to fulfill job duties as described.
• Process and maintain a valid driver’s license.

Compensation

• Pay: $72,553.00 - $130,047.00 per year
• The Latah SWCD offers paid sick and vacation leave, 11 paid holidays per year and retirement and insurance stipends to full-time employees.

To Apply

Please click "Apply" below to email a cover letter, resume and a minimum of three references to Holly Embry, Assistant Resource Conservation Planner.

For additional information about the work of Latah SWCD, please see the Latah SWCD website at www.latahswcd.org. For additional information or questions about the job description, please contact Ken Stinson, District Manager at kstinson@latahswcd.org.

The Latah Soil and Water Conservation District is an equal opportunity employer.