City Nature Programs & Natural Areas Managers (Manager I)

Position Summary:
City Nature is the work group within Portland Parks & Recreation’s Land Stewardship Division that is charged with the maintenance and care of natural areas, soft surface trails, nature patches and community gardens as well as environmental education, stewardship and Integrated Pest Management. In PP&R’s City Nature work group, we strive to provide sustainable access to nature for our community and to support ecologically healthy natural areas, gardens, trails and nature patches.

The City Nature Programs Manager and the City Nature Natural Areas Manager are vital roles within the City Nature work group, managing four direct reports who lead various programs and teams. These positions will provide strategic direction, resources, and support to ensure alignment with City-wide and Bureau-wide efforts, including the Climate Emergency Workplan and the Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland strategic framework.

• City Nature Programs Manager: This role focuses on supporting programs such as Community Gardens, Environmental Education, Ecologically Sustainable Landscape Initiative, and Integrated Pest Management.

• City Nature Natural Areas Manager: This role oversees the teams responsible for maintaining over 8,000 acres of natural areas and 120 miles of soft surface trails, including the City Nature West, City Nature East, and City Nature Citywide teams, as well as the Renew Forest Park Coordinator.

If you are dedicated to environmental stewardship and committed to fostering equitable and sustainable practices within the community, we encourage you to apply for these exciting leadership positions within PP&R City Nature!

What you'll get to do:

• Supervision: Direct and empower a team of supervisors and skilled professionals who care for our city’s system of natural areas, trails, community gardens and nature patches.   Develop strategic goals for programs and maintenance teams and foster an equitable workplace.
• Policy Development: Create and implement program policies and best practices to align with bureau goals, ensure compliance with regulations and respond to impacts of climate change.
• Public Representation: Act as a liaison to communicate program needs and represent the work group to the public, community partners, City leadership and elected officials.
• Budget Management: Participate in budget processes, oversee and administer budgets, and ensure resources are allocated effectively.
• Strategy Establishment: Develop strategic staffing plans to promote growth, retention, and recruitment and connect our work intentionally to City-wide efforts, Bureau-wide priorities and ways to thoughtfully guide land care by equity.

About the Bureau:
Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) is committed to the overall Citywide vision that race will have no detrimental effect on people of color, refugee, and immigrant communities in accessing our parks and natural areas, or from the benefit of our services. We recognize, understand, and encourage celebration of the differences that surround us. Diversity and equity are vital to PP&R’s ideals and values. The City of Portland, Oregon is a growing and diverse city of 650,000 residents, nearly 20% of whom speak languages other than English at home. PP&R values a diverse workforce and seeks ways to promote equity and inclusion within the organization and with the public. PP&R encourages applications from candidates with knowledge, ability and experience working with a broad range of individuals and communities with diverse racial, ethnic, abilities, and socio-economic backgrounds. Although not required, PP&R encourages candidates that can fluently speak another language to include that information in their application materials. Multilingual candidates are encouraged to apply.



Have a question?
Contact Information:
 TroyLynn Craft
 Senior Recruiter
 troylynn.craft@portlandoregon.govThe following minimum qualifications are required for this position:

1. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships, demonstrating tact, diplomacy, and patience to foster collaboration.
2. Knowledge of principles of management and supervision, including recruiting, coaching, training, and performance evaluations.
3. Knowledge of the impacts of systemic oppression on marginalized communities and experience applying diversity, equity, and inclusion principles in program development and recruitment.
4. Experience with the fundamentals and methods of budget creation, monitoring and reporting, including revenue forecasts and public budget management.
5. Ability to apply analytic and problem-solving skills to develop sound decisions and recommendations and enable others to do the same.

• Experience in public administration and program evaluation in fields related to organic gardening, environmental education, integrated pest management, environmental science, horticulture, or landscape architecture.

City Nature Natural Areas Manager:

• Experience in leading, managing, and inspiring diverse teams that maintain natural assets, particularly those related to natural areas, trails and associated infrastructure. 

Although not required, you may have one or more of these desirable skills/degrees/experience:

• Education/Training: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in natural resources, environmental science, horticulture, public administration, environmental education, science education or a related field

AND

• Experience: Four (4) years of progressively responsible experience developing, implementing, and managing programs, projects, and/or supporting personnel and teams
• Experience: Working for a public agency or in parks & recreation administration

Applicants must also possess:

• A valid state driver's license and an acceptable driving record 
• The ability to work outdoors in various environments, including uneven terrain and diverse weather conditions.
• The ability to obtain First Aid/CPR Certification within 6 months of hire.

STEP 1: Apply online between February 17 - March 10, 2025

•  Required Application Materials: Resume
• Answer to the Supplemental Questions (click on the Questions tab to preview the questions)

Optional Application Materials:

• If you would like to request Veteran's Preference, please submit your Veteran documents (ex, DD214-Member 4, VA Benefit Letter, etc.) by the closing date of the recruitment.

Application Tips:

• Your responses to the supplemental questions should include details describing your education, training and/or experience, and where obtained, which clearly reflects your qualifications for each of the numbered items in the "To Qualify" section of this announcement.
• Your resume should support the details described in your responses to the supplemental questions.
• How We Determine Pay: The City of Portland is covered by the Oregon Equal Pay Act. Your salary is determined based on the experience listed in your resume that is directly related and equivalent to the position for which you are applying.  It is strongly encouraged to include any transferable experience (paid or unpaid regardless of how recent) to ensure your offer is reflective of all your relevant experience.
• Do not attach any additional documents.
• Please note, all completed applications for this position must be submitted no later than on the closing date and time of this recruitment.
• You may use AI tools to assist with your job application, but please be sure to personalize your responses to supplemental questions. Avoid copying and pasting. We encourage using AI to generate ideas and then tailor them to reflect your own experiences and skills. 
• All applications must be submitted via the City's online application process. 
• E-mailed and/or faxed applications will not be accepted.  

Step 2: Minimum Qualification Evaluation: Week of March 10, 2025

• An evaluation of each applicant's training and paid and unpaid experience, as demonstrated in their resume and supplemental questions, weighted 100%.
• Your resume and responses to the supplemental questions will be the basis for our evaluation of your qualifications for this position. Incomplete or inappropriate information may result in disqualification.
• You have 14 days from the notice of the minimum qualification evaluation results to let us know if you would like to review and discuss your evaluation result. Please read the City of Portland Administrative Rule 3.01 for complete information.
• Additional evaluation may be required prior to establishment of the eligible list and/or final selection.

Step 3: Establishment of Eligible List: Week of March 17, 2025

• Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be placed on the equally ranked eligible list.

Step 4: Selection (Interview): April

• Hiring bureau will review and select candidates for an interview.

Step 5: Offer of Employment

Step 6: Start Date: 

• A start date will be determined after all conditions of employment have been met.

*Timeline is approximate and subject to change.Click here for additional information regarding the following:

• City of Portland Core Values
• Recruitment Process - Work Status
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Veteran Preference
• ADA, Pregnancy, and Religious Accommodations

Salary : $117,957 - $168,709