The division of Forestry is hiring a Lands and Realty Program Consultant (NR Program Consultant) at one of the following locations: Saint Paul, Brainerd, Bemidji, Grand Rapids, or Rochester, MN. The specific location will be agreed upon at time of selection. 

The Lands and Realty Program Consultant position provides strategic planning, development, and coordination of the Division of Forestry Lands Program. The incumbent will oversee and direct procedures for major land transactions, including acquisitions, sales, exchanges, and state forest boundary alignments; provide technical and budgetary guidance on land surveys, easements, leases, and state land trespasses; and ensure state land assets are managed efficiently and effectively. The incumbent consults with forestry staff on all aspects of land administration, ensuring compliance with state statutes, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures. The incumbent will lead resolution on priority land sales, acquisitions, exchanges, and trespasses; facilitate communication with Division of Lands and Minerals attorneys and Forestry leadership when legal counsel is required; monitor program relevant legislative proposals; and serve as a division liaison with agencies, outside partners, and other divisions to advance department land asset management goals. 

Major responsibilities include:

• Oversee and lead the Lands Program team. Develop and implement annual and long-range strategic work plans to guide program operations.
• Develop, coordinate, administer, and monitor the Lands Program budget so that land administration effectively operates within current funding levels. Ensure all lands transaction invoices are reviewed and processed monthly.
• Develop, coordinate, administer, and monitor major land sales, acquisitions, exchanges, leases, permits and licenses, effectively to achieve timely resolutions that meet division objectives and stakeholder interests.
• Serve as liaison and technical expert for School Trust Land administration.
• Serve as liaison and Forestry lands technical expert to other divisions, agencies and outside groups involved in state forest land and real estate transactions so that division interests are represented.
• Serve on the division legislative team. Review and track any of lands and realty related legislative bills, lead development of any Forestry lands legislation such as proposed additions to the DNR Lands Bill.

This position has a flexible work arrangement and may be eligible to telework on a part-time basis which is subject to change. If approved, the employee would be required to complete a telework agreement.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate, Real Estate Law, or a closely related field of academic study; or Bachelor’s degree of in Natural Resources Management; or Bachelor of Science degree Forest Science/Management.
• Two years professional experience administering a regional or statewide real estate land management program that includes responsibility for coordination of program planning, budget planning, project implementation and evaluation of program activities (e.g., Realty Specialist Senior, Realty Program Coordinator, NR Forestry Regional Specialist, or NR Forestry Program Coordinator). 
• Human relation skills sufficient to direct, administer and lead personnel working in programs. Persuasion and team building skills sufficient to effectively work with diverse interests; gain cooperation for new approaches/ideas; and explain/resolve complex program problems to accomplish common land management objectives.
• Leadership skills to motivate and guide self and other staff to work effectively with stakeholders through the application of a wide range of organizational, procedural, technical, analytical, and interpersonal skills, and ability to operate independently as well as in a team environment to prioritize work and achieve agreed upon milestones and deliverables.
• Communication skills sufficient to communicate complex lands policy and procedures to forest and natural resource professions and the public. 
• Ability to prepare and edit technical reports and management plans and research and interpretation of technical information sufficient to solve problems, educate others and increase forestry staff expertise in lands and real estate subject matter. This includes customizing information to match the audience's level of understanding, using clear and accessible language, and employing visual aids to enhance comprehension.
• Ability to integrate information from statutes and rules, historical data, and past experiences sufficient to devise risk-rating systems, evaluation criteria, and management guidelines for land acquisitions, sales, and exchanges. 
• Demonstrated experience in meeting facilitation, project management, group processes, conflict resolution, and effective listening; negotiation skills sufficient to work with diverse groups and stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to solve unusual or difficult problems, advise program staff and supervisors, determine future program directions, and evaluate program work.
• Demonstrated ability in creating and managing a budget, ensuring accurate allocation of funding resources and adherence to spending targets. 
• Computer and software skills sufficient for preparing reports and tracking multiple regional and statewide projects.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Natural Resource Management or a closely related field of academic study.
• Four years professional experience administering a regional or statewide land management or real estate program that includes responsibility for coordination of program planning, budget planning, project implementation and evaluation of program activities (e.g., Realty Program Coordinator, Real Estate Specialist, or NR Forestry Program Coordinator). 
• Knowledge of State of Minnesota statutes and rules pertaining to forest land and natural resource management; knowledge of state and federal policies and regulations for land administration.
• Knowledge of department and division programs, policies, and procedures sufficient to make program decisions that are compatible and integrated with other policies and programs in the division and department.
• Demonstrated experience with a land records management database sufficient to perform queries, update land records, and create/prepare reports.
• Demonstrated experience with ArcGIS preparing and creating maps. 
• Demonstrated experience reviewing, approving, and tracking lands and realty financial transactions. 
• Current holder of a “Real Estate Sales or Appraisal License.”
• Completion of a Leadership Development Program covering strategic thinking, effective communication, emotional intelligence, decision-making, team dynamics, and stakeholder engagement.