Winter Recreation Program Specialist (Program Specialist 5) Internal Only

Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission

Job Title: Program Specialist 5

Location:  Tumwater, WA. (Tilley Square)

Closes: July 4th, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. PST

For internal candidates ONLY.

Working hours are Monday- Friday. Hybrid office/telecommuting may be allowed based on business needs and supervisor approval. This position will travel within Washington State to meetings, events and remote locations to administer program activities; this position may need to work some weekends and evening hours to complete program duties.

Want to join a great organization?  The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission manages one of the largest, most diverse--and most beautiful-parks systems in the country. With more than 120,000 acres, the system includes 124 developed parks, including 19 marine parks, 11 historical parks, 35 heritage sites, 13 interpretive centers and approximately 500 miles of long-distance recreation trails. And the agency is staffed with nearly 1000 employees (summers), who are some of the most passionate employees you'll find anywhere We love what we manage and what we do. For more information on Washington State Parks, click here.   

The Program Specialist 5 reports to the Winter Recreation Program Manager and serves two statewide programs with separate volunteer advisory groups

• Snowmobile Recreation and Non-motorized Winter Sports. This position assists the Program Manager in providing snow-based winter recreational opportunities to the public while protecting natural and cultural resource throughout the state and is responsible for contract administration, grant writing, mapping, and troubleshooting field issues with contractors, users, and land managers.

This position participates in the development of long-range goals and objectives for both winter recreation programs and works with the Program Manager to develop, plan, and manage statewide winter recreation activities, collaborates with the fiscal analyst, contracts office staff, GIS specialist and others within the agency to support winter recreation as well as works closely with partners including the U.S. Forest Service, Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW), local governments, and the Winter Recreation Advisory and Snowmobile Advisory Councils.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Winter Recreation Contracts, Agreements, Grants:

• Develops, modifies, and administers contracts and interagency agreements for two statewide programs

• Snowmobile and Non-motorized Winter Recreation.

• Prepares contract fact sheets and determines scope of work, prepares accompanying documents such as invoices, trail grooming and snow removal logs and reporting forms between State Parks and contractors and agencies receiving winter recreation funds.

• Works with the Contracts Office in the development of requests for proposals and implementing public bidding processes for purchased services that meet all state and agency purchasing requirements and provide a consistent and transparent process, including:

• Development of complex bid specifications;

• Work with the Contracts Office in posting requests for proposals for public viewing and convening boards for bid scoring review;

• Development of contracts from successful bidding processes for Program manager final approval.

• Snowmobile and Winter Recreation Advisory Committees:

• Assists the Program Manager in the coordination and activities of two statutory advisory committees.

• Support agenda development and attend and participate in advisory committee meetings.

• Provides reports, technical assistance, and information to advisory committee members to help educate them on program services and challenges.

• Public Information and Complaint/Conflict Resolution:

• In collaboration with the Program Manager, responds to public inquiries and complaints.

• In consultation with the Program Manager, works to resolve disputes between contractors and stakeholders.

• Ensures the Winter Recreation Program partners, contractors, clubs, and other stakeholders have the required signage, safety information, and general information necessary to support the winter season.

• Trail Maps, Global Positioning System (GPS), Safety Training, and Equipment:

• Coordinates with private, local, state, and federal agencies and organizations to collect and analyze GPS data for groomed snowmobile and cross-country ski trails on a statewide basis.

• Consults with Parks' GIS Specialists to ensure accuracy of maps on the agency website and update changes to trail systems, including temporary or permanent trail closures, alternate trail routes and trail system expansion.

• In collaboration with the Program Manager and Communications Consultant, develops safety training materials for the Youth Safe Rider Program and Adult Safe Rider Program.

• Coordinates snowmobile safety courses, distribution of informational materials, and development of training programs for state and local law enforcement agencies.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• A bachelor's degree and two (2) years of experience in a related field including planning, policy analysis, coordination and consultation with a variety of public and private agencies, organizations and/or levels of government and supervisory experience.*

Qualifying experience may substitute for the education requirement on a year-for-year basis.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Education and training in map reading and analysis.

• Experience administering contracts and managing public bidding processes and creating bid specifications.

• General understanding of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Global Positioning Systems (GPS).

• Experience loading/unloading snowmobiles.

• Experience using skis, snowshoes, snowmobiles and/or bicycles.

HOW TO APPLY

To ensure consideration, please complete the online job application and profile at www.careers.wa.gov. You must attach or embed in your application the following:

• Letter of interest specifically addressing the qualifications listed in this announcement.

• Current resume.

• Three professional references, if not completed in the application process.

• This job announcement may be used to fill other positions of the same classification if vacant in the next 60 days.

This position is included in the non-supervisory bargaining unit represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).  For more information: https://wfse.org/.

Diversity Policy Statement:

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to build a workplace culture that is welcoming and inclusive in which all employees feel respected and empowered to bring their unique ideas to the agency. At State Parks, we believe that embracing diverse backgrounds and experiences is essential to growing a strong workforce. We encourage applicants underrepresented in natural resources and outdoor recreation fields to apply, including but not limited to women, Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC), individuals with disabilities, neurodivergent individuals, disabled and Vietnam era veterans, persons over 40 years of age, and individuals who identify as a part of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the human resources office at (360) 902-8565. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388. 

For information about this position, please contact Corey Tolar at Corey.Tolar@parks.wa.gov or (360) 902-8595.

For information about the recruitment process and qualifications, please contact Jenee Kramer at Jenee.Kramer@parks.wa.gov or (360) 902-8569.