Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation's mission is to help ensure that Montana's land and water resources provide benefits for present and future generations.The DNRC believes employees are their most important asset. The DNRC empowers employees to exercise professional judgment in carrying out their duties. Employees are provided with the training and tools necessary to achieve the mission. Both team effort and individual employee expertise are supported and sustained.Core Values:The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation's Forestry and Trust Land Division recognizes that building a collaborative, professional, and inclusive work environment is critical to fulfilling our mission of managing, protecting, and promoting stewardship of Montana's forests and lands for the benefit of current and future generations and our trust beneficiaries. We hold ourselves to these high standards as we are accountable to the people of Montana.
- We value and respect each other.
- We create collaborative work environments.
- We build and maintain strong relationships.
- We practice accountability.
- We celebrate our successes and take pride in our work.
The State/County Cooperative Fire Protection Program: In areas outside of direct protection by a recognized wildland fire agency, the Montana DNRC affirms wildland fire protection via a cooperative agreement between the county's Board of County Commissioners and the State. The DNRC's fundamental intent in areas of State/County Cooperative Fire Protection (County Co-op) fire protection is to build and maintain the capacity of local governments, so that local firefighters routinely succeed on initial attack and avoid the need for state assistance. The County Co-op Fire Protection arrangement builds upon the fire suppression capacity of communities and local government. It has been a highly effective fire protection model in Montana for the past 50+ years. This success can be attributed to the partnerships and cooperation that exist across the state. Thousands of fires get contained and controlled each year without large-scale response by outside agencies.Through the County Co-op arrangement, Montana Counties agree to provide the very basic level of wildland fire protection. The county and its firefighting operations organize, respond, and perform both their respective Local Government Fire Protection obligations and DNRC's duties as outlined in statute. These county and local government fire forces provide the primary initial attack and, in most cases, extended attack on wildland fires in their jurisdiction/county. In return for this service, cooperating counties receive DNRC support in the form of organizational and technical assistance/advice, fire equipment, training, and direct fire control assistance when needed. When a wildland fire exceeds the capacity of the County, assistance is requested and the DNRC will mobilize to assistbringing to bear the considerable resources of the State, its federal partners, and the interagency response system. This is all provided at no cost to the benefiting county.Position Overview:The Rural Fire Coordinator primarily focuses on leading the implementation of the County Cooperative Fire Protection Program, alongside unit personnel, across Central Land Office and within all 14 counties. Areas of emphasis will include the Bozeman and Conrad Units - that do not have a direct protection fire program. This position will serve as a principal member of the Central Land Office fire leadership team, supporting both the current operational needs and the strategic initiatives of the Fire Protection program and the Forestry Division within the Central Land Office operating area. Areas of emphasis include planning and providing wildland fire training for Local Government, mobilization of Local Government fire forces, fire business, county cooperative fire equipment and agreements, fire prevention, responding to incidents as a county fire advisor, fire suppression, and liaison to local government during large incidents.Additional duties may include supporting CLO efforts to carry out a comprehensive fire protection program that includes all three tenants of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy - Safe and Effective Response, Fire Resistive Landscapes, and Fire Adapted Communities. The Rural Fire Coordinator works under the general supervision of the CLO Assistant Area Fire Management Officer. The incumbent may supervise interns, seasonal employees, and temporary workers, and may be required to supervise additional personnel while functioning in an ICS position or suppression role during fires or emergency situations. Work assignments are covered by established policies and general program objectives; and the incumbent is responsible for determining the methods and techniques necessary to carry out their assigned responsibilities.The Rural Fire Coordinator serves as the principal subject matter expert and point of contact at CLO regarding matters pertaining to the County-Coop Program. The incumbent serves both as an internal resource to DNRC personnel and to key DNRC partners in local, state, tribal, and federal government. On a daily basis, the Rural Fire Coordinator works to build and maintain the capacity of the CLO Fire Protection program by leading and managing a comprehensive and coordinated system of fire protection, local government support, and providing technical assistance to DNRC personnel who support the DNRC Fire Protection mission and affiliated programs of the Forestry Division. The Rural Fire Coordinator serves as a key member of the CLO Area Fire Management staff. The incumbent contributes substantially to ongoing and sustained effort to strategically lead and manage the DNRC Fire Protection Program at CLO.The Rural Fire Coordinator must perform a variety of other professional and administrative tasks in support of CLO, as assigned by the supervisor. This may include representing the agency at meetings and conferences, coordinating and directing special projects, and attending training and/or continuing education as required. These professional and administrative tasks require general knowledge of the County Cooperative Fire Protection Program, the DNRC Fire Protection Program Strategy, and other areas related to overall missions of the Fire Protection Program, the Forestry Division, and the Department.Relationship building is a function critical to the success of this position. The Rural Fire Coordinator establishes and maintains effective working relationships with CLO Area and Unit staff, Local Government partners, other land offices, interagency partners, dispatch centers, and the public. Maintains regular communication with the AREA FDPM and AFMO regarding current issues, projects and operations.Essential Functions (Major Duties or Responsibilities): These job functions are the essential duties of the position and are not all-inclusive of all the duties that may be assigned to the incumbent.County Cooperative Fire Protection Program Implementation:
- Program Management and Administration
- Training and Resource Coordination
- Fire Management Response
Supervision: This position may supervision the following positions:Seasonal and temporary employees and Emergency Fire Fighters (EFF) as needed to build and maintain the capacity of local governments, so that local government firefighters routinely succeed on initial attack and avoid the need for state assistance.APPLICATION MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION ARE:
- Online State of Montana application
- Resume
- Cover Letter
HELPFUL HINT: You must check the relevant document box to ensure your attachments are uploading correctly to the specific application.Benefits:
- Paid Vacation, Sick Leave and Holidays
- Health, Dental, Prescription, and Vision Coverage
- Retirement Plans
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) - Employment with the State of Montana may qualify you to receive student loan forgiveness under the PSLF. Look here, to learn more and see if you may qualify!
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[email protected] Qualifications (Education and Experience):The required knowledge, skills and abilities are typically acquired through a combination of education and experience equivalent to an associate degree in fire protection, forestry, natural resources, or related field and four years of progressively responsible experience, including communications, education, fire suppression, fire prevention, community preparedness, training, and program management.The incumbent must be able to attain and maintain National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) qualification/certification as an ICT4 - Incident Commander Type 4 and TFLD Task Force Leader. Required knowledge, skills, and abilities:This position requires advanced and technical knowledge in wildland fire suppression - strategies and tactics, fire and fuels management, resource allocation, and knowledge of DNRC policy as it pertains to the County Cooperative Fire Protection Program. The incumbent must have demonstrated ability to clearly and effectively communicate complex information pertaining to wildland fire incidents, procedures, and operations. The position also requires a working knowledge of Forestry Division and DNRC policies and practices; strategic planning; research principles and practices; budget monitoring; and the Incident Command System. The responsibilities of this position require the ability to supervise, coordinate, and direct the work of fire suppression personnel. The incumbent must understand and apply Department policy; make sound decisions; train, direct, motivate, and lead others effectively; maintain effective working relationships; achieve work plan objectives through others; apply general management concepts such as goal-setting and work planning; and develop and administer a variety of functions concurrently. The position requires skill in the use and operation of tools, equipment and vehicles used in wildland fire control, forest management activities and field operations. Requires a thorough knowledge of a variety of computer software applications including; word processing, spreadsheets, databases and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).Physical Demands:The work environment is varied and includes office work, travel to meetings, classroom instruction, and field work which requires strenuous physical exertion for extended periods including walking, climbing, digging, chopping, operating portable power equipment (such as chainsaws and pumps), throwing, lifting and carrying.The incumbent must be in good physical condition. Work involves physical exertion up to 20+ hour shifts working on the fire-line. This position requires an annual completion of an arduous Wildland Fire Work Capacity Test, which includes walking three miles over level ground, with a 45lb. pack in no more than 45 minutes.Work schedule will be varied and will often require weekend and evening work, as well as fire assignments for up to 14 days.SPECIAL INFORMATION: Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States. A valid driver's license is required with less than 12 conviction points in the most recent completed 36 months.ELIGIBILITY TO WORK: In accordance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act, the person selected must produce within three days of hire documents that show authorization to work in the United States. Examples of such documentation include a birth certificate or Social Security card along with a driver's license or other picture I.D., or a U.S. passport, or a green card .
