Are you passionate about policy, strategic partnerships, and community engagement? Apply to be our Policy and Partnership Coordinator (Operations and Policy Analyst 3) for the Elliott State Research Forest by October 13th, 2024!

Make a Difference for Oregon. The Department of State Lands (DSL) manages the lands that help fund our public schools and protects the state’s waterways and wetlands for the many benefits they provide. Our stewardship ensures vital natural and financial resources contribute to a vibrant, healthy Oregon now and forever. The DSL team makes a difference for Oregonians every day. As the Elliott State Research Forest Policy and Partnership Coordinator, you will too.

At the State Land Board’s direction, DSL has been advancing a collaborative effort to transition the Elliott State Forest to the Elliott State Research Forest, an internationally important center for forest science and management. We are now hiring a team of staff who will work with current staff as well as external partners to stand up this new program for operational management of the forest. This new team is located within DSL’s Land Management Division. Effective partnerships and policy engagement will be critical to the research forest’s success.

The primary purpose of this position is to lead strategic and day-to-day partnership and policy efforts for the forest to advance collaborative partnership, policy and engagement outcomes.

This is a limited duration, management service position. This position is supported by existing limited duration legislative funding and is expected to become permanent.

What’s in it for you?

• Serve as the Elliott’s lead partnership and policy expert in the newly formed team charged with managing a world-class research forest.
• Join an organization with smart, driven, co-workers who care about Oregon’s economy, environment, and communities, and their co-workers.
• Gain full benefits with 95% to 99% of medical insurance premiums paid by the agency for full-time employees, including mental health coverage.
• Accrue 8 hours of sick leave and at least 10 hours of vacation leave per month, with your vacation leave accruals increasing every 5 years.
• Automatically enroll into the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) after 6 months of full-time service.
• Earn the initial monthly salary range for this position starting at $6,257- $9,226 for employees new to DSL; as a current PERS participating member, start at $6,690- $9,866.

This position will be located within reasonable commuting distance from Elliott State Research Forest, to be discussed and determined upon hire. This position is eligible for hybrid remote work. Preference may be given to applicants already located or willing to relocate within Coos or Douglas County.

Working Conditions:

Much of the work is in a hybrid office setting; occasional fieldwork may be required, and occasional travel is an essential function of the position. Overnight stays and/or extended work hours can be expected along with exposure to inclement weather and road conditions.

What you will be doing:

As the Policy and Partnership Coordinator for the Elliott State Research Forest, you will have the opportunity to:

• Create and execute partnership strategies and actions in coordination with the Elliott’s management team, other agency staff, Habitat Conservation Plan and Forest Management Plan. Partnership advancement includes intentional, near-term work with Tribes, researchers and scientists, state and federal agencies, local and statewide organizations, and others. 
• Coordinate and facilitate partner meetings and events as well as public and meetings and events related to forest partnership efforts.
• Consult and collaborate with agency communications and public engagement staff as necessary to ensure alignment with overall practices and other agency initiatives.
• Support and participate in broader agency efforts such as strategic plan initiatives related to enhancing and improving partner, public and partner engagement and increasing external collaboration and partnership.
• Conduct policy research to identify and advise on issues as needed to advance forest policy objectives consistent with the Elliott’s mission and management policies.
• Respond to requests for information and analyze feedback from the public and community partners.
• Develop materials necessary to support partnership and policy work, tailoring verbal, written, and visual content to meet identified outcomes and to ensure understanding and connection.

The mission of Elliott State Research Forest is to create an enduring, publicly owned, world-class research forest that advances and supports forest health, climate resilience, carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, habitat restoration and recovery of imperiled species, water quality and quantity, recreational opportunities, active management, forest products, and local economies. This research forest will be managed to promote collaboration, partnerships, inclusive public processes, and equity, in line with an applicable Habitat Conservation Plan approved under the Endangered Species Act, a Forest Management Plan approved by the Land Board, and mission and management policies adopted by the Land Board.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS- to be considered for this position, please ensure you have one of the following combinations of education and/or experience:

A bachelor’s degree in business or public administration, behavioral or social sciences, finance, political science or any degree demonstrating the capacity for the knowledge and skills;

AND

Four (4) years professional-level evaluative, analytical and planning work.

OR

Any combination of experience and education equivalent to seven (7) years of related experience.

DESIRED ATTRIBUTES- tell us which of the following skills, experiences, and related talents you have by highlighting them in your application materials:

• Professional engagement, planning, and coordination experience; preferably in the context of public natural resource management.
• Ability to develop and implement processes and plans to engage a variety of stakeholders such as the public, community organizations and interest groups, public agencies and governments, elected officials, and Tribes.
• Expertise in designing and facilitating different types of meetings, including large public meetings, to support collaboration, inclusive processes, and consensus building.
• Experience communicating about and conducting engagement for high-profile, complex, or contentious topics.
• Knowledge of and experience (e.g., education, social research, job experience) with best practices for collaboration, partnership, public engagement and involvement, including practices that support inclusion and meaningful involvement of environmental justice communities and other communities underrepresented in public processes.
• Knowledge of developing and evaluating policy at the state and federal levels, preferably in the context of contentious natural resource management issues.
• Knowledge and experience in the areas of forest management, forest carbon projects or similar programs relevant to forests and public interest decision-making.

**You must attach a resume and a cover letter of no more than two pages explaining your experience in the above desired attributes to be considered.

The Oregon Department of State Lands is committed to seeking and sustaining a culturally, racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse working environment. The Department hires staff interested in supporting environmental justice by including communities traditionally underrepresented in public processes. We encourage members of these communities to apply, even if they do not meet 100% of the desired attributes. The Oregon Department of State Lands understands that an authentic focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace will in turn create a workforce aligned to meet the challenge of serving all Oregonians.

Additional Information:

• This recruitment may be used to fill future positions.
• For more information about applying for positions with the State of Oregon via Workday, you may visit the Oregon job opportunities website at: www.oregon.gov/jobs
• Eligible veterans who meet the qualifications will be given veterans' preference. For further information, please see the following website: Veterans Resources, or call Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs at: 1-800-692-9666.
• NOTE: If claiming veterans’ preference please be sure to check your Workday account for pending tasks or actions under your “My Applications” section.
• This position maybe contingent upon the outcome of a driving records check.
• As an employer, DSL complies with Oregon’s pay equity law. Salary offers are made with consideration of the candidate’s education and experience. For more information on pay equity, click here.
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• If you need an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to participate in the application or selection process, please contact tricarico.schwartz@dsl.oregon.gov and please be sure to include the job requisition number.  
• For questions about the job duties or application process, please contact tricarico.schwartz@dsl.oregon.gov or call 971-304-5881 to speak to our recruitment team.