Forest Management Supervisor - Forestry Supervisor

Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation's mission is to help ensure that Montana's land and water resources provide benefits for present and future generations.

The DNRC believes employees are their most important asset. The DNRC empowers employees to exercise professional judgment in carrying out their duties. Employees are provided with the training and tools necessary to achieve the mission. Both team effort and individual employee expertise are supported and sustained.

Core Values:

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation's Forestry and Trust Land Division recognizes that building a collaborative, professional, and inclusive work environment is critical to fulfilling our mission of managing, protecting, and promoting stewardship of Montana's forests and lands for the benefit of current and future generations and our trust beneficiaries. We hold ourselves to these high standards as we are accountable to the people of Montana.

• We value and respect each other.
• We create collaborative work environments.
• We build and maintain strong relationships.
• We practice accountability.
• We celebrate our successes and take pride in our work

Work Unit Overview: The mission of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC or Department) is to ensure that Montana's land and water resources provide benefits for present and future generations. The Forestry and Trust Land Management Divisions plan and implement programs through an extensive network of staff in field offices across the state.

Area and Unit offices are responsible for integrating and implementing programs for both the Forestry and Trust Land Management Divisions. The Forestry Division functions include fire & aviation management, forestry assistance, business management, and policy, planning and outreach. The Trust Land Management Division administers and manages the state trust timber, surface, and mineral resources for the benefit of the common schools and the other endowed institutions in Montana. Division functions include: Agriculture and Grazing Management, Forest Management, Minerals Management, and Real Estate Management.

Job Overview: This position is responsible for program administration and advanced professional forestry functions necessary to generate revenue for school trust funds, perpetuate natural resources within the office's jurisdictional area, and developing techniques and methods to meet the Trust Land Management Division's multiple forestry objectives. The incumbents applies the theories, concepts, principles, and practices of a wide variety of natural resource disciplines; strong organizational methods, and effective oral and written communication and public speaking to represent the Department with the general public, environmental groups, other agencies, specialists, the media, cooperators, and others. The incumbent works with a diverse group of people and direct and coordinate the efforts of others working on concurrent projects in the forestry program. This position reports to a Unit Manager.

Essential Functions (Major Duties or Responsibilities): These job functions are the essential duties of the position and are not all-inclusive of all the duties that may be assigned to the incumbent. Percentages may be different in each unit or area, depending on the need.

Program Management, Planning and Development (85% of time)

The position is responsible for program administration, supervision and advanced professional forestry functions necessary to generate revenue for school trust funds, perpetuate natural resources within the office's jurisdictional area, and developing techniques and methods to meet the Trust Land Management Division's multiple forestry objectives.

• Participate in the staff selection process by interviewing and making hiring decisions and recommendations; authorized to approve all temporary hiring.
• Set priorities and employee objectives, creates work plans and direct activities to ensure all necessary work is completed.
• Create employee development plans to accomplish department and employee goals, evaluate employee performance, provide feedback and coaching
• Facilitate the planning, coordination and evaluation of program activities to meet department goals and resource concerns including annual sustainable yields; identify land use opportunities and maximize resource manager efficiency.
• Establish direction and set priorities by reviewing the development and implementation of management plans such as: forest improvement project plans, timber sale plans, timber sale notices, public trust program plans and lease plans.
• Represent the state's interest in federal or local forest management planning and policy process, including cooperative agreements.
• Ensure access to endowment lands by prioritizing needs and acquiring rights-of-way.
• Review and provide technical assistance and guidance to staff and collaborating agencies on land resource issues such as: silvicultural plans, statistical analyses to determine sales volumes, road engineering, logging engineering, contract and lease administration, hazard management plans, Forest Practices regulation compliance, determining proper carrying capacity, and identify trends of land, streams and riparian vegetation communities.
• Responsible for the budgeting of annual program operating expenses, temporary personnel costs, maintenance and various projects.
• Review and approve expenditures within authority and monitor program budget throughout the year.
• Facilitate communications between area staff and bureaus on emerging issues and complex concerns, requesting technical expertise or guidance with the interpretation of laws and department policies as needed.
• Provide information in response to public, legislative and industry requests. Coordinate and consult with environmental groups, interest groups, private forestland owners, partnering agencies, and industry resolving controversial environmental issues as needed.
• Represent the Department on committees of concern and coordinate the management, planning and regulatory activities with federal and state agencies working with private landowners, contractors, county government officials and the general public.
• Oversee hazard management plans to ensure timber harvest activities meet current requirements, perform inspections to assess fire hazard and make recommendations on treatment.
• Supervise the safe and effective use of prescribed burns on state lands to reduce hazard fuels and ensure compliance with state laws.

Wildland Fire Management (10% of time)

Provide direct wildland fire suppressions and assistance to county and rural fire department as needed to protect lives, property and natural resources in the unit/area.

• Participate in initial attack and other fire-suppression efforts including constructing fire lines, operating fire suppression tools and equipment and performing other wildland fire duties commensurate with department needs and individual qualifications.
• Serve as Duty Officer on a rotating basis with other Unit/Area personnel during fire season and during off-duty hours. The Duty Officer acts for the Unit or Area Manager and is responsible for all aspects of decision-making regarding implementation of the fire program during scheduled shifts. This involves determining the level of response in any fire situation.
• Participate in fire prevention duties to meet specific objectives of the wildland fire prevention plan.
• Assist fire program personnel in record keeping, purchasing, equipment management, fire training, and other technical and administrative fire management activities and operations.

Other Duties as Assigned (5% of time)

These positions perform a variety of professional forest and trust land management activities as assigned by the Unit or Area Managers in support of the DNRC mission and division objectives. This includes representing the department at conferences and meetings, and projects commensurate with department needs and individual qualifications, directing special projects, and attending on-going education and training as directed.

APPLICATION MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION ARE:

• Online State of Montana application
• Resume
• Cover Letter

HELPFUL HINT: You must check the "relevant document" box to ensure your attachments are uploading correctly to the specific application.

Benefits:

• Paid Vacation, Sick Leave and Holidays
• Health, Dental, Prescription, and Vision Coverage
• Retirement Plans
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) - Employment with the State of Montana may qualify you to receive student loan forgiveness under the PSLF. Look here, https://studentaid.gov/pslf/ to learn more and see if you may qualify!

SPECIAL INFORMATION:

Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States. A valid driver's license is required with less than 12 conviction points in the most recent completed 36 months.

ELIGIBILITY TO WORK:

In accordance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act, the person selected must produce within three days of hire documents that show authorization to work in the United States. Examples of such documentation include a birth certificate or Social Security card along with a driver's license or other picture I.D., or a U.S. passport, or a "green card"

Effective May 4, 2026, this agency is participating in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. After accepting a job offer and completing Form I-9, your information will be submitted to the Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration for verification.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Forest Management or a related resource management field.
• 4 years of progressively responsible job-related professional experience in forest management.
• At least 1 year of demonstrated supervisory or team leadership experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):

Knowledge of:

• Effective supervisory practices and conflict resolution methods
• Forest management principles and practices
• Equipment and techniques used in forest management projects and operations
• Forest practices and reduction laws, administrative rules, standards, guidelines, policies and procedures related to forest management operations and activities
• Considerable knowledge of the MT Environmental Policy Act and related laws and rules governing natural resource management.

Skills In:

• Use and operation of tools, equipment and vehicles use in wildland fire control, forest management activities and field office operations.
• Operate 4-wheel drive vehicles, ATV's/UTV's
• Use of computer hardware and software related to forest management business operations (word processing, spreadsheets, internet, e-email and smart devices) and specialized resource management software.

Ability to:

• Manage projects, including developing and evaluating projects.
• Prepare reports and make recommendations.
• Making oral presentations and providing technical assistance and program information to management, clients, or public groups.
• Preform financial analyses to determine cost/benefit of project proposals.
• Interpret and apply state and federal laws, rules and regulations related to natural resource management activities and writing technical reports.
• Effective supervisory practices and conflict resolution methods.
• Pass an arduous pack test.