Natural Resource Manager 3: Water Section Chief (PCN 10-1315)

Job Description

The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mining, Land & Water, is recruiting for a Natural Resource Specialist – Water Section Chief in Anchorage.

This position is open to Alaska Residents only.

Please check our residency definition to determine if you qualify.

Ready to lead and shape the future of Alaska’s public waters?

What You Will Be Doing:

We’re seeking a dynamic, visionary leader to guide the Water Resources Section. As the Natural Resource Manager 3, you’ll oversee a team of water management professionals responsible for administering the activities of four units within the Section: Alaska Hydrologic Survey, Dam Safety and Construction, Water Reservations, and Water Management.

In this pivotal role, you’ll:

• Help to drive economic development by authorizing the use of the state's water resources, as well as overseeing jurisdictional dam safety, and hydrologic issues.
• Deal with a variety of water topics ranging from appropriation for public needs, effects of appropriation, approving appropriations from state ownership, to litigation.
• Mentor and inspire a dedicated team of 20 professional staff.
• Serve as a member of the Division's leadership team.

This is more than a job — it’s an opportunity to lead, innovate, and leave a lasting legacy. Your decisions will enhance the quality of life for Alaskans today and for generations to come. If you’re passionate about public water management and thrive in collaborative environments, join us and make an impact that matters.

Mission and Values/Culture:

DMLW manages more than 105 million acres of state-owned uplands, and 65 million acres of tidelands, shorelands, and submerged lands, including about 34,000 miles of coastline—an area larger than many U.S. states. Your leadership will help oversee all of the State's water resources, which amount to about 40% of the nation's total fresh water, for resource development. The decisions made by this section influence how Alaska grows, develops, and stewards its water resources for future generations.

As Section Chief, you will oversee four statewide programs:

• Alaska Hydrologic Survey,
• Dam Safety and Construction,
• Water Reservations,
• Water Management.

Benefits of Joining Our Team:

This position offers a meaningful leadership role that can positively impact the water, people, and economic development. The Water Resources Section is a team of 20 dedicated professionals whose work directly benefits Alaskans by managing a public resource belonging to the people of the state, for the maximum benefit of the public. All surface and subsurface waters on all lands in Alaska are reserved to the people for common use and are subject to appropriation in accordance with the Alaska Water Use Act. The Water Resources Section adjudicates water rights, provides technical hydrologic support, and assures dam safety.

The Working Environment You Can Expect:

This position is based in Anchorage, on the 10th floor of the Atwood building, in a workplace known for its collaborative, team-oriented environment. The work here is fast-paced, challenging, and solution-focused, offering opportunities to tackle complex issues and make impactful decisions every day. The Anchorage office offers a stunning view of the Chugach Mountain Range. It is conveniently located near a variety of services, the scenic Park Strip, and the Coastal Trail system, providing easy access to outdoor recreation and urban amenities.

We are looking for a candidate who possesses the following position-specific competencies.

• Decision Making: Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
• Leadership: Influences, motivates, and challenges others; adapts leadership styles to a variety of situations.
• Creative Thinking: Uses imagination to develop new insights into situations and applies innovative solutions to problems; designs new methods where established methods and procedures are inapplicable or are unavailable.

Click here to learn more about working for the Division of Mining, Land & Water.

Minimum Qualifications

Competency-Based Minimum Qualifications Instructions
This job class uses competency-based minimum qualifications. Please ensure your application (through work history, volunteer experience (duties summary), training, education, licenses, certifications, etc.) supports how you have gained the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors (competencies) and that you possess the minimum required competencies for the job class.

Competency Description
The competency description(s) listed below have been designed to promote a common understanding of the essential elements of the job class. They highlight the more general and customary knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), tasks, and behaviors used to describe the competency. They typically list expectations instead of specific tasks and are only used as parameters and guidelines. A competency’s description is not intended to exclusively define every KSA, task, and behavior needed to meet the competency successfully, but rather to provide the manager/agency with a broad reference of options for how an applicant can meet the job expectation.

Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with competencies in:

• Administration and Management: Knowledge of planning, coordination, and execution of business functions, resource allocation, and production.
• Environmental Science: Knowledge of the interdisciplinary concepts, principles, theories, and methods of investigating the natural and physical environment, including examination of ecology, biology, physics, chemistry, plant science, zoology, mineralogy, oceanography, limnology, soil science, geology and physical geography, atmospheric, and other related sciences in the protection and improvement of the environment and its resources.
• Influencing/Negotiating: Persuades others; builds consensus through give and take; gains cooperation from others to obtain information and accomplish goals.
• Project Management: Knowledge of the principles, methods, or tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, and managing projects and resources, including monitoring and inspecting costs, work, and contractor performance.
• Vision: Understands where the organization is headed and how to make a contribution; takes a long- term view and recognizes opportunities to help the organization accomplish its objectives or move toward the vision.

equivalent to those typically gained by:

Education in a natural resource field, law, public administration, planning or economics and/or progressively responsible professional experience or managerial experience in natural resource management.

Definitions:

“Competencies” means a combination of interrelated knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors that enable a person to act effectively in a job or situation.

“Professional experience” means work that is creative, analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range and depth of specialized knowledge of the profession's principles, concepts, theories, and practices; and is performed with the power or right to decide or act according to one's own judgment.

“Progressively responsible” means indicating growth and/or advancement in complexity, difficulty, or level of responsibility.

“Qualified” means is assessed to credibly possess the competencies needed to learn the job in a reasonable period.

“Training” and “education” in this guidance are synonyms for the process of acquiring knowledge and skills through instruction. It includes instruction through formal and informal methods (such as classroom, on-line, self-study, and on-the-job), from accredited and unaccredited sources, and long duration (such as a post-secondary degree) and short-duration (such as a seminar) programs.

“Typically gained by” means the prevalent, usual method of gaining the competencies expected for entry into the job.

Special Note:

For purposes of the minimum qualifications, natural resource management is defined as the management of the land, water, mineral, forest, oil, gas, agricultural, archaeological, natural and cultural history, park, and related surface and subsurface resources. Experience or education in natural resource management means involvement in the above resources exclusively. Those with experience or education in managing these resources may specialize in different management functions (for example, planning, regulation, research or title). All of this experience is applicable to the natural resource management definition. Some positions may require education in a particular area of natural resource management or specific technical knowledge and training gained through specialized education or progressively greater responsibilities at the lower levels of the series.

Additional Required Information

** Please read the information below carefully. **

At the time of the interview, please ensure that you provide the following materials. Failure to do so may result in loss of consideration. Required documents include:

• Writing Sample – see instructions below.
• Resume with a complete job history.
• A list of three professional references with current contact information, one of which must be from a current or former supervisor.
• A copy of your last two performance evaluations, OR two letters of reference if performance evaluations are not available.
• Valid driver’s license.

SPECIAL NOTICES

• This position may require occasional travel within the state and occasionally overnight/multi-day travel.

Application Notice

You can ONLY apply for this position through the Workplace Alaska website or by submitting a paper application. Instructions for applying are available on the Workplace Alaska How to Apply webpage. Your application must be received by 5:00 p.m. Alaska Standard Time on the closing date.

Writing Sample

If invited to an interview, you will be required to provide a writing sample. It should be two to three paragraphs (no longer than one page) and address how your knowledge and experience will support success in the role.

Supplemental Questions

For your application to be evaluated, you must answer the Supplemental Questions. The State of Alaska (SOA) uses four proficiency levels to measure and describe an applicant’s competence in applying specific behaviors, knowledge, skills, and abilities to accomplish a specific task. The four proficiency levels are Mastery, Fluency, Literacy, and Discovery. You must rate your proficiency level for each competency listed in the supplemental questions.

Education

If post-secondary education is required to meet the minimum qualifications, you must fill out the Education section of the application. If you have not yet obtained a degree, please indicate the units you have completed. Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials if used to meet the minimum qualifications for a position.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education

Education completed at foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the minimum qualifications listed above. If using this education to meet minimum qualification requirements, you must demonstrate that the credentials have been submitted to a private organization specializing in interpreting foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in standard U.S. education programs. Alternatively, an accredited U.S. post-secondary institution must report that the other institution's transcript is given full value or that full value is recognized in relevant subject areas aligned with the post-secondary institution's curricula. It is your responsibility to provide this evidence when applying.

Work Experience

If using work experience not already documented in your application, also provide the employer’s name, job title, employment dates, and whether full or part-time. Applications will be reviewed to determine whether the responses are supported and whether the minimum qualifications are met. If they are not, the applicant may not advance to the recruitment interview and selection phase.

Note: Attaching a resume does not substitute for completing the application in full. Noting, "see resume" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination that your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.

Bargaining Unit

If you are a current state employee, please indicate the union to which you belong at the time of application. Do not complete this question if you are not a current state employee.

Driver’s License Requirement

Applicants must possess a valid driver's license. Proof of licensure will be required prior to reporting to duty.

Please ensure your application (through work history, training, education, licenses, certifications, etc.) supports/demonstrates that you possess the minimum required competencies for the job class.

EEO STATEMENT
The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities who require accommodation, auxiliary aids or services, or alternative communication formats should call 1-800-587-0430 or (907) 465-4095 in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer.

Contact Information

If you choose to be contacted by email, please ensure that your email address is correct on your application and that your spam filter will permit emails from the governmentjobs.com domain.

Workplace Alaska Application Questions & Assistance

Questions regarding application submission or system operation errors should be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 1-800-587-0430 (toll-free) or (907) 465-4095 if you are in the Juneau area. Requests for information may also be emailed to recruitment.services@alaska.gov.

For assistance with your password, please visit the password reset page.

For specific information about this position, please get in touch with the hiring manager at the following:

Kris Hess

Division Operations Manager (Deputy Director)

Phone: 907-269-8501

Email: kris.hess@alaska.gov

Careers with the State of Alaska offer MANY benefits
The following information describes typical benefits available to employees of the State of Alaska. Actual benefits received may differ by bargaining unit or branch of government, position type, or be prorated for other than full time work.

For a quick breakdown of the insurance, health, and retirement benefits available for State Employees you can view an orientation video from Division of Retirement and Benefits. (Please note this video is specifically designed for new State Employees.)

Insurance Benefits

• Health insurance, which includes employer contributions toward medical/vision/dental
  • The following employee groups are under AlaskaCare Benefits administered by the State: See https://drb.alaska.gov/help/plans.html for additional information.
    • AVTEC
    • Confidential
    • Correctional Officers
    • Marine Engineers
    • Mt. Edgecumbe Teachers
    • Supervisory
    • Unlicensed Vessel Personnel/Inland Boatman's Union
    • Exempt employees (not covered by collective bargaining)
  • The following employee groups are covered by Union health trusts. Contact the appropriate Union for additional information.
    • General Government
    • Labor, Trades and Crafts
    • Public Safety Employees Association
    • Masters, Mates & Pilots
• Employer paid Basic Life insurance with additional coverage available (amount depends on Bargaining Unit)

Optional Insurance Benefits

• Group-based insurance premiums for
  • Term life (employee, spouse or qualified same sex partner, and dependents)
  • Long-term and short-term disability
  • Accidental Death and Dismemberment
  • Long-term care (self and eligible family members)
  • Supplemental Survivor Benefits
• Employee-funded flexible spending accounts for tax savings on eligible health care or dependent care expenses

Retirement Benefits

• Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)/Teachers' Retirement System (TRS)
• Matching employer contribution into a defined contribution program (new employees)
• Employer contribution into a defined benefit or defined contribution program (current employees)
• Contributions to the Alaska Supplemental Annuity Plan in lieu of contributions to Social Security
• Option to enroll in the Alaska Deferred Compensation Program
• Note: The Defined Contribution Plan, Supplemental Annuity Plan and Deferred Compensation Program offer a variety of investment options

See https://drb.alaska.gov/retiree/ for additional information
Paid Leave & Other Benefits

• Personal leave with an accrual rate increase based on time served
• Twelve (12) paid holidays a year

01 Please rate your level of proficiency in Administration and Management: Knowledge of planning, coordination, and execution of business functions, resource allocation, and production.

• Mastery: Able to successfully apply all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have successfully performed all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices and facilitate knowledge transfer to others.
• Fluency: Able to successfully apply all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have successfully performed the concepts, procedures, and practices independently.
• Literacy: Ability to communicate all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have limited application or practice.
• Discovery: Awareness of basic/fundamental concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area.
• None of the above.

02 Please rate your level of proficiency in Environmental Science: Knowledge of the interdisciplinary concepts, principles, theories, and methods of investigating the natural and physical environment, including examination of ecology, biology, physics, chemistry, plant science, zoology, mineralogy, oceanography, limnology, soil science, geology and physical geography, atmospheric, and other related sciences in the protection and improvement of the environment and its resources.

• Mastery: Able to successfully apply all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have successfully performed all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices and facilitate knowledge transfer to others.
• Fluency: Able to successfully apply all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have successfully performed the concepts, procedures, and practices independently.
• Literacy: Ability to communicate all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have limited application or practice.
• Discovery: Awareness of basic/fundamental concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area.
• None of the above.

03 Please rate your level of proficiency in Influencing/Negotiating: Persuades others; builds consensus through give and take; gains cooperation from others to obtain information and accomplish goals.

• Mastery: Able to successfully apply all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have successfully performed all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices and facilitate knowledge transfer to others.
• Fluency: Able to successfully apply all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have successfully performed the concepts, procedures, and practices independently.
• Literacy: Ability to communicate all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have limited application or practice.
• Discovery: Awareness of basic/fundamental concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area.
• None of the above.

04 Please rate your level of proficiency in Project Management: Knowledge of the principles, methods, or tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, and managing projects and resources, including monitoring and inspecting costs, work, and contractor performance.

• Mastery: Able to successfully apply all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have successfully performed all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices and facilitate knowledge transfer to others.
• Fluency: Able to successfully apply all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have successfully performed the concepts, procedures, and practices independently.
• Literacy: Ability to communicate all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have limited application or practice.
• Discovery: Awareness of basic/fundamental concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area.
• None of the above.

05 Please rate your level of proficiency in Managing Performance: Takes responsibility for employees’ performance by setting and communicating expectations and goals that are specific and measurable, tracking progress against the goals, supporting employees’ efforts to achieve job goals (by providing resources, removing obstacles, acting as a buffer, etc.), ensuring feedback, and addressing performance problems and issues promptly.

• Mastery: Able to successfully apply all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have successfully performed all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices and facilitate knowledge transfer to others.
• Fluency: Able to successfully apply all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have successfully performed the concepts, procedures, and practices independently.
• Literacy: Ability to communicate all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have limited application or practice.
• Discovery: Awareness of basic/fundamental concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area.
• None of the above.

06 Please rate your level of proficiency in Strategic Thinking: Formulates objectives and priorities, and implements plans consistent with the long-term interests of the organization in a global environment. Capitalizes on opportunities and manages risks.

• Mastery: Able to successfully apply all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have successfully performed all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices and facilitate knowledge transfer to others.
• Fluency: Able to successfully apply all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have successfully performed the concepts, procedures, and practices independently.
• Literacy: Ability to communicate all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have limited application or practice.
• Discovery: Awareness of basic/fundamental concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area.
• None of the above.

07 Please rate your level of proficiency in Critical Thinking: Uses logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

• Mastery: Able to successfully apply all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have successfully performed all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices and facilitate knowledge transfer to others.
• Fluency: Able to successfully apply all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have successfully performed the concepts, procedures, and practices independently.
• Literacy: Ability to communicate all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have limited application or practice.
• Discovery: Awareness of basic/fundamental concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area.
• None of the above.

08 Please rate your level of proficiency in Decision Making: Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.

• Mastery: Able to successfully apply all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have successfully performed all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices and facilitate knowledge transfer to others.
• Fluency: Able to successfully apply all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have successfully performed the concepts, procedures, and practices independently.
• Literacy: Ability to communicate all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have limited application or practice.
• Discovery: Awareness of basic/fundamental concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area.
• None of the above.

09 Please rate your level of proficiency in Leadership: Influences, motivates, and challenges others; adapts leadership styles to a variety of situations.

• Mastery: Able to successfully apply all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have successfully performed all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices and facilitate knowledge transfer to others.
• Fluency: Able to successfully apply all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have successfully performed the concepts, procedures, and practices independently.
• Literacy: Ability to communicate all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have limited application or practice.
• Discovery: Awareness of basic/fundamental concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area.
• None of the above.

10 Please rate your level of proficiency in Creative Thinking: Uses imagination to develop new insights into situations and applies innovative solutions to problems; designs new methods where established methods and procedures are inapplicable or are unavailable.

• Mastery: Able to successfully apply all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have successfully performed all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices and facilitate knowledge transfer to others.
• Fluency: Able to successfully apply all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have successfully performed the concepts, procedures, and practices independently.
• Literacy: Ability to communicate all relevant concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area. I have limited application or practice.
• Discovery: Awareness of basic/fundamental concepts, procedures, and practices of the subject area.
• None of the above.

11 Do you have a valid driver's license?

• Yes
• No

Required Question