Position Title: Policy Liaison
Location: State Office - Fort Collins, Colorado
Salary: $50,000 - $62,000, commensurate with experience
Employment Status: This full-time, regular appointment will be a Colorado State University Administrative Professional employee.
Closing Date: To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59pm (MT) on June 28, 2016.
Position Summary: Under the supervision of the State Forester, the Policy Liaison will advise Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) leadership, as well as division and district staff, on natural resource policies and strategies related to natural resource management. The Policy Liaison will work cooperatively with Colorado State University (CSU), Warner College of Natural Resources (WCNR), Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and other entities to build on the success of the CSFS. It is the primary responsibility of the Policy Liaison to keep those in key CSFS leadership positions informed as they make decisions that may impact short- and long-term goals and strategic plans to help maintain the agency’s position as a forestry leader in Colorado. The person in this position will need to be knowledgeable about and sensitive to the changing political environment at the local, state, and national levels, and will be required to provide timely updates to the CSFS, so they can remain informed and make critical decisions impacting forest management and stewardship of Colorado’s forests. The primary role of this position is to work with policymakers, CSU, WCNR, DNR and other governmental entities, non-governmental conservation organizations, cooperators, and the public to build awareness of forestry/natural resource issues that have the potential to impact the citizens of the State of Colorado.
Purpose of the Department/Work Unit: The purpose of the work unit is to provide leadership and direction in service, outreach, and administration that directly contributes to achieving the agency’s mission: “the stewardship of Colorado’s diverse forest environments for the benefit of present and future generations”. The work unit consists of key leadership positions at the CSFS that provide direction to achieve the agency’s vision and mission. This work unit is a key point of contact regarding natural resource policies and strategies for all CSFS division and district staff.
Decision Making: Under the supervision of the State Forester, the Policy Liaison will advise key leadership at the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) on natural resource policies and strategies related to natural resource management. The Policy Liaison will work directly with Colorado State University (CSU), Warner College of Natural Resources (WCNR), Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and other entities to build on the success of the CSFS. It is the primary responsibility of the Policy Liaison to keep those in key CSFS leadership positions informed as they make decisions that may impact short- and long-term goals and strategic plans to help maintain the agency’s position as a forestry leader in Colorado.
Position Supervises: None.
General Information about the Colorado State Forest Service: The Colorado State Forest Service is an agency of Colorado State University, Colorado's land grant institution of higher education, and is housed, organizationally, in the Warner College of Natural Resources. The CSFS has 19 field offices throughout the state, with a State Office located in Fort Collins on one of the foothills campuses of CSU.
Colorado's elevations range from 3,500 feet to over 14,000 feet. Colorado’s ecosystems vary from short-grass prairie to alpine tundra, with many forest ecosystems between these treeless extremes. State forestry in Colorado covers a wide diversity of natural environments and human communities. State forestry personnel work with landowners, community representatives, youth, cooperators, and other agencies and disciplines to establish, manage, protect, and restore tree and forest resources. The CSFS utilizes an educational, incentives-based, and customer-service oriented approach with landowners, cooperators, and partners to implement CSFS programs.
Diversity Statement: Applicants are expected to possess demonstrated knowledge of and relevant ability with culturally diverse communities among potential target and constituent populations.
Conditions of Employment:
- Evening, weekend duties, and irregular work hours may occur in order to conserve time and/or funds.
- From the months of November through May it may be necessary, on occasion, to develop reports and other written documentation that require a short turnaround, which can result in long work days.
- Successful applicants must have a valid Colorado driver’s license or the ability to acquire one upon employment.
Required Job Qualifications:
- A bachelor's degree in natural resources, political science, economics, communications, or other closely related field.
- Three years’ experience in public policy or governmental relations.
Desired Job Qualifications:
- A Society of American Foresters (SAF) accredited Baccalaureate or Master’s degree program option is preferred.
- Graduate degree in natural resource policy, political science, public administration, environmental law, or other closely related field.
- Three or more years’ experience in public policy or governmental relations.
- Experience in natural resource policy.
- Field experience in natural resource management.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with various stakeholders to achieve a common solution and advance outcomes across organizational boundaries.
- Experience working with culturally diverse communities.
- Demonstrated ability to conduct policy analysis and communicate findings verbally and in writing.
- Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.
Essential Responsibilities and Duties:
Analysis and Distribution of Information (50%).
- Develop a communication process that effectively distributes necessary information in a timely manner to various internal and external audiences.
- Work with the CSFS Leadership Team to identify and develop key policy areas.
- Assemble, interpret, and analyze information, present results to CSFS staff.
- Brief partners and other external organizations and stakeholders, provide regular updates to CSFS staff and leadership.
- On Occasion, may have the opportunity to instruct undergraduate/graduate students within WCNR about state and federal forestry legislation and natural resources policy.
Policy Development (25%).
- Provide weekly legislative updates during legislative sessions, and create an annual summary report after all bills are signed.
- Use strategic thinking and skills in complex planning to report to CSFS leadership on policy proposals.
- Develop reports on the status, impacts, and potential outcomes of current state and federal forestry and natural resources policy, including barriers and best practices. These reports may take various forms, including written annual reports and web updates. This position will participate in all-agency conference calls and provide weekly updates to the State Forester, Deputy State Forester, and others as appropriate.
- Develop and distribute weekly legislative updates.
Build and Maintain Relationships (25%).
- Serve as the natural resources policy liaison between the CSFS, CSU, and the DNR; provide all partners with the information necessary to make well-informed and strategic natural resource policy decisions that are in the best interest of the agency mission and goals.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of state and federal natural resource policies and legislation.
- Ability to build effective working relationships with CSFS leadership, program management staff, and field staff through regular communication and transmission of relevant and timely information.
- Ability to develop relationships with other individuals and organizations to further the role and mission of the CSFS.
Appointment and Benefit Information: This is an Administrative Professional position at Colorado State University. Insurance benefits are provided, and administrative professionals may select from several options for medical, dental, life, and personal disability insurance, as well as retirement plans. Full-time administrative professionals earn a full 24 days of vacation and another 15 days of sick leave annually, and have access to additional benefits, such as free employee study privileges of up to 9 credits per year at Colorado State University, and/or a 50% reduction of tuition costs for Spouse/Partner and children. CSU does offer Domestic Partner benefits.
Application Information: When applying with the Colorado State Forest Service, applicants are requested to submit the materials listed below through an online process at http://csfs.colostate.edu/employment/.
Required Application Materials: 1) The letter of application/cover letter; 2) The résumé; 3) Professional References; 4) Unofficial college transcripts.
All of these materials must be received for applications to be considered complete by closing date.
Please allow at least two to three weeks after the full consideration date for us to review your application materials and determine those candidates we plan to invite to interview. If you are not selected for an interview, we will send you a notification when the process is complete. Should you be invited to an in-person interview, the Colorado State Forest Service will cover all reasonable travel expenses per candidate. At the time of on-campus interviews, application materials of finalist candidates will be made available to Colorado State Forest Service and other relevant constituents.
Additional Information: For questions about this position or the application process, please contact Sarah Badding at csfs_jobs@mail.colostate.edu or 970-491-7293.
Background Investigations: Colorado State University (CSU) strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal (felony and misdemeanor) history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the university, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.
Nondiscrimination Status: Colorado State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or pregnancy. Colorado State University is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and Colorado State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. The Office of Equal Opportunity is located in 101 Student Services.