Administrative Assistant 3 - Area Business Manager

State of Montana; Missoula (MT); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

The State of Montana is seeking an Area Business Manager for the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. This role involves managing fiscal operations, budgeting, and providing administrative support to ensure compliance with state regulations. The successful candidate will have a strong background in business administration and governmental accounting, working to support the management of Montana's natural resources.

Benefits

Paid Vacation

Sick Leave

Health Coverage

Retirement Plans

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Qualifications

• Education equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in business administration or accounting.
• Knowledge of GAAP and governmental accounting principles.
• Skill in using standard office software and managing projects.

Responsibilities

• Implement and coordinate fiscal and program administration activities.
• Perform Area accounting, budgeting, and related fiscal activities.
• Provide administrative and technical support to internal and external customers.

Skills

Program administration

Governmental accounting

Budgeting

Business communication

Database management

Verbal and written communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business administration or accounting

Tools

SABHRS

Excel

Word

Outlook

Job description

*This position may be eligible for the statutory increase July 1, 2025*

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.

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 the incumbent may be assigned.

*Join a dynamic and exciting team of Natural Resources professionals working on the beautiful landscapes of western Montana.*

Work Unit Overview: Area and Unit offices implement, integrate, and prioritize the programs for seven different agency bureaus (Ag and Grazing Management, Forest Management, Fire Protection, Real Estate Management, Forestry Assistance, Minerals Management, Good Neighbor Forestry, and Financial Management). This involves the management of state-owned land which includes land use authorizations, leases, forest product sales, timber stand improvement, brush disposal projects, and direct wildland fire prevention and suppression services and response to other agency fires, including those within the county cooperative fire program. Responsibilities also include providing forest management assistance to private landowners, the USDA Forest Service and DOI Bureau of Land Management, administration of Montana’s Fire Hazard Reduction Law for landowners, administering forest practice laws, and other field work.

Job Overview: The Area Business Manager implements and coordinates a variety of fiscal and program administration activities for the Southwestern Land Office (SWLO). Duties include performing Area accounting, budgeting, and related fiscal activities; performing SWLO administrative operations (e.g., contract administration, procurement, personnel, data management, fire business administration, etc.); and providing administrative and technical support to internal and external customers. The position reports to the Area Manager and supervises temporary personnel as needed.

Fiscal Operations: Perform Area accounting, budgeting, and related fiscal activities to ensure the accuracy and compliance of accounting and budget transactions and provide managers with information necessary for effective budget administration.

Administrative Operations: Perform SWLO administrative operations (e.g., contract administration, procurement, personnel, data management, fire business administration, etc.) to ensure Area responsibilities are upheld and to ensure the efficient use of resources in compliance with state and federal regulations and best practices in business administration.

Customer and Administrative Support: Provide administrative and technical support to internal and external customers to meet their needs and program requirements in an efficient manner.

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, https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service to learn more and see if you may qualify!

  *If you are interested in a complete job description, please contact HR at [e-mail].*

  Minimum Qualifications (Education and Experience):

  The position requires education and experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in business administration, accounting, or a related field (equivalencies could include an associate degree in office administration and two years of experience).

  Required knowledge, skills, and abilities:

  Requires knowledge of the principles and practices of program administration including governmental accounting and budgeting; Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP); contract and lease administration; procurement; business communication; information systems operation and troubleshooting; database and paper records management; payroll and benefit administration; business English, spelling, composition, and grammar; DNRC programs and Area goals and objectives; Department and State personnel procedures and policies; employment law; and natural resource and forestry terminology, issues, and practices.

  Requires skill in the use of standard and specialized office software (e.g., SABHRS, relational databases, Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.); prioritizing projects; verbal and written communication; budgeting; and business management.

  Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others; communicate effectively verbally and in writing; analyze, interpret, report, and explain financial data; interpret federal and state laws and regulations; develop administrative policies and procedures; and to gather, research, assemble, and present numerical data and narrative information for use by others.

  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"