Director of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection

Position Title:        Director of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection                     

Department:          Natural Resources and Environmental Protection

Reports to:            Executive Committee

FLSA Status:         Exempt

Position Status:     Regular, Full Time

POSITION SUMMARY

Responsible for directing and managing all aspects of the natural resources and environment protection programs for the Tribe.  Develop and implement strategies that ensure the preservation and protection of the Tribe’s natural resources while adhering to environmental laws and regulations while embracing the Tribe’s culture of sustainability. Ensure compliance with all relevant natural resource and environmental protection regulations.  Collaborate with various stakeholders, including governmental agencies, community organization and corporate partners, to ensure a unified approach towards environmental practices within the Tribe. Develop and manage the Department budget; identify and pursue new funding opportunities for natural resources and environmental programs.  Provide leadership and mentorship to staff dedicated to assessing environmental risks, identifying compliance issues, and anticipating the potential impact of operational activities on the environment.

The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker who can navigate the challenges of balancing the Tribal goals with environmental responsibilities. 

The incumbent is expected to work in accordance with the mission, purpose, and values of the Colusa Indian Community Council.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop and implement environmental protection and compliance policies, procedures, and programs; develop, establish and meet the Department’s short-term and long-term goals and objectives as approved by the Executive Committee.

• Ensure compliance with environmental and regulations and standards.

• Identify and assess environmental risks associated with the Tribe’s operations, to include but not limited to preparing environmental project feasibility and progress reports, coordinating and monitoring phases to complete project, and reviewing project operations to ensure coordination efforts and timely submission of reports.

• Lead a team and provide mentorship and guidance to achieve Departmental goals and objectives. 

• Monitor and report on environmental performance metrics.

• Develop and maintain records, reports and documents related to program activities, resource inventories and management data.

• Stay current on environmental legislation and policy changes impacting the Tribe and its operations.

• Represent the Department and the Tribe to other governmental and non-governmental agencies, organizations, Tribes, staff and the general public.

• Confer with Federal and local regulatory agencies to discover local environmental quality standards, industrial practices, and new developments affecting environmental impacts (e.g., pollution abatement).

• Provides technical assistance to agencies conducting related natural and environmental studies.

• Develop and monitor the budget for the Department; research and secure grants, contracts, and memoranda of agreements (MOAs).

• May perform other duties commensurate with the functions and level of the position and as assigned by the Executive Committee.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience: Minimum of eight (8) years of experience in environmental protection or sustainability roles with at least three (3) years in supervisory role.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Policy, or a related field.  Master’s degree in any of those educational areas may be substituted for the years of experience requirement.
• Other Requirements:
• Ability to possess a valid California driver’s license.
• Ability to occasionally travel to attend events, meetings, or site visits but will typically operates in an office environment.

SUPERVISORIAL DUTIES: Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization’s policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include assisting with scheduling, training, planning, assigning and directing employees work. Work the Department of Human Resources to hire, discipline, and terminate employees as needed. Responsible for addressing complaints and resolving problems for employees as well as clients.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and ABILITIES:

• Strong knowledge of environmental science, policy, or a related field, with demonstrated expertise in managing complex projects and leading teams.

• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents.

• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders and build consensus (e.g., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Central Office and Regional Office Tribal Program Divisions).

• Knowledge and understanding of Tribal government and natural and environmental issues.

• Knowledge of Federal, state, and local laws, regulations, codes, policies and procedures related to the management of Department of Natural Resources and/or Environmental Protection.

• Ability to operate within a multi-disciplined natural resource environment.

• Ability to obtain certifications/licensure to perform the role and responsibilities of the position.

• Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.

• Excellent interpersonal skills to collaborate with various internal teams and external partners effectively.

• Strong leadership and management skills to guide, lead and develop a team. 

• Exceptional communication skills for articulating and communicating the Tribe’s stance and message effectively across all channels.

• Financial acumen to manage budgets efficiently.

• Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

• Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

WORK STYLES:

• Leadership – Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions, solutions, and directions.

• Stress Tolerant – Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.

• Dependability – Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

• Integrity – Job requires being honest and ethical.

• Adaptability/Flexibility – Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

• Cooperation – Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to:

• Mobility and Dexterity:  Incumbent will regularly sit, stand, and move about the office environment.  Will frequently type, handle documents, and operate standard office equipment, such as a computer, keyboard, and telephone.

• Lifting, Carrying, Pushing and Pulling:  Incumbents in this class will regularly exert up to 10 pounds of force or occasionally exert up to 20 pounds and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.

• Vision:  Incumbents in this class require to have close visual acuity, with or without corrections, to prepare and analyze data and figures, transcribe, view a computer screen, read, etc. 

• Hearing/Talking:  Incumbent in this class require to perceive the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction and have the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication.  Require the employee to express or exchange information or ideas by means of the spoken word. May be exposed to louder sounds when attending events (e.g., concerns, motor racing) or certain business operations.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

• Drug Test and Background Checks:  Will be subject to pre-employment drug testing background check prior to appointment and random drug testing during the employment.

• Hours of Work:  Incumbent will work normal office hours, but may work on weekends, holidays, and after normal business hours, to complete time-sensitive projects.

• Work Environment: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to wet and/or humid conditions and outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.