Fisheries Program Manager

State of Iowa; Des Moines (IA); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Insurance benefits

Vacation and sick leave

IPERS retirement

Professional training opportunities

Hybrid telework

Employee discounts

Job summary

Iowa Department of Natural Resources is seeking a Fisheries Program Manager to lead capital improvement and grant initiatives, enhancing water quality and public access for anglers and boaters across the state.

You will coordinate complex projects, manage budgets and grants, and ensure compliance with federal and state regulations while guiding field staff and engaging with local communities.

Qualifications

• Minimum Qualifications requirements are specified in the job posting.

Responsibilities

• Direct the Fisheries Bureau’s capital improvement program, scoping and executing projects such as boat ramps, restrooms, and habitat enhancements; evaluate infrastructure and prioritize upgrades; coordinate environmental clearances with SHPO.
• Identify and pursue federal and private conservation grants, budget planning, and compliance with funding regulations; manage grant administration and subrecipient agreements.
• Procurement, contracting, and fleet management including writing technical specifications, high-value contracts, and overseeing vehicle orders.

Job description

Only applicants who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements and meet all selective requirements (listed below) will be placed on the eligible list.

The Department of Natural Resources encourages all applicants to upload a current resume and cover letter to their online application.

At the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), we believe that conserving and enhancing our state's natural spaces is a collaborative effort. Our team works hand-in-hand within the communities we serve, united by a shared passion for improving Iowa's quality of life and ensuring a vibrant outdoor legacy for future generations. When you join us, you become part of a close-knit, highly dedicated environment where your daily contributions have a visible, lasting impact on the natural world around us.

As the Fisheries Program Manager, you will be at the forefront of this mission, serving as the principal decision-maker for our multi-million-dollar capital improvement and federal grant programs. By steering our infrastructure planning away from reactive repairs and toward proactive, long-term development, you will directly enhance water quality, expand inclusive boater and angler access, and secure vital fish habitats across Iowa.

Primary Job Duties

Strategic Capital Improvement & Facility Planning

• Direct the Fisheries Bureau’s capital improvement program, scoping and executing progressive projects—such as boat ramps, restrooms, fish cleaning stations, and fish habitat enhancements—based on biological data and user surveys.
• Evaluate the structural integrity of aging fisheries infrastructure and prioritize facility upgrades at hatcheries and regional management stations based on life-safety and operational necessity.
• Synthesize cultural resource reports and coordinate with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) to secure mandatory Section 106 environmental clearances before ground disturbance occurs.
• Onboard field staff on the capital project request process and lead on-site consultations to develop long-term, proactive infrastructure plans.

Grant Writing, Revenue Generation & Compliance

• Identify and pursue non-traditional federal programs and private conservation grants by translating complex biological and engineering data into highly competitive funding narratives.
• Administer internal federal grants, including Sport Fish Restoration (SFR) and Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS), by building itemized budgets and inputting performance records into the federal TRACS system to ensure compliance with 2 CFR 200 (Uniform Guidance) regulations.
• Manage external pass-through grants such as the Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG), Clean Vessel Act (CVA), and County Fish Habitat Grant programs.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for local municipalities and marinas, advising them on application preparation, executing subrecipient agreements, and overseeing long-term compliance monitoring.

Procurement, Contracting & Fleet Operations

• Serve as the central clearinghouse for complex field purchases, consulting with biological staff to write exact technical specifications for items like specialized scientific equipment, bulk fish feed, and commercial fish removal services.
• Draft and amend high-value contracts (exceeding $50,000 annually) and process specialized sub-$15,000 direct purchases.
• Manage the Bureau's fleet of over 70 vehicles, tracking depreciation budgets and vehicle orders, while also reviewing and authorizing field information technology acquisitions.

Seasonal Workforce Administration

• Exercise strict financial control over the Bureau's seasonal, temporary, and contract workforce budget across the management, research, and culture teams.
• Process hiring and termination actions, coordinate mandatory onboarding, and audit payroll reports to ensure temporary employees remain within the 780-hour statutory limit and established bureau financial caps.

Emergency Disaster Recovery Coordination

• Direct the Bureau's disaster recovery operations by quantifying infrastructure damages to hatcheries and access areas following severe weather events.
• Prepare formal Project Worksheets for FEMA Public Assistance and draft applications for Financial State Disaster Aid to the Executive Council of Iowa, securing recovery funds and ensuring restorations incorporate long-term resiliency measures.

Essential Functions

Administers internal federal operational grants, including Sport Fish Restoration and Aquatic Nuisance Species grants, to enforce compliance and support critical aquatic habitat and water quality initiatives.

Directs the prioritization and administration of progressive capital improvement funding proposals for hatcheries, regional management stations, watershed enhancement projects, and inclusive public access areas.

Trains field staff on the capital project request process and develops proactive, long-term infrastructure plans during on-site consultations.

Secures mandatory historical clearance documentation from the State Historic Preservation Office for infrastructure, access, and in-water habitat modification projects.

Administers pass-through grants by authorizing cost-share agreements, verifying land control, and processing reimbursements for state and local partner infrastructure programs.

Directs state and federal emergency disaster relief claims by calculating and documenting infrastructure damages while protecting localized water quality and fish habitat.

Directs external revenue generation by writing competitive grant applications and counseling local managers on securing community cost-share funds.

Enforces the seasonal and contract workforce budget by processing personnel action forms and auditing statewide payroll data.

Directs field acquisitions by drafting technical specifications, processing sub-$15,000 direct purchases, and managing high-value and agency-level contracts for specialized equipment.

Critical Job Competencies

Accountability, Integrity, High Productivity, Communication Skills (written & oral), Team Player, Interpersonal Skills, Customer Focus, Self-Management, Computer Skills, Problem Solving, Attention to Detail, Technical Skills (Fisheries & Infrastructure Management).

What You Get From Us:

• A competitive pay plan and rewarding work.
• Insurance benefits that start the first of the month following 30 days of employment.

(Premiums can start as low as $64/month for single and $210/month for family coverage).

• Separate vacation and sick leave accruals that start on the first day and can roll over annually.
• Nine paid holidays/year.
• Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS) retirement package with employer match.
• Optional deferred compensation (457/401A) plan with employer match.
• Professional training opportunities.
• Family friendly and professional work environment.
• Employee Discount Programs (vision, cellular, fitness, recreation, season passes, travel, counseling)

• The State’s total compensation package features benefits that are worth about 30% of your total compensation. For a list of additional benefits, please visit the DAS website for more information.

• Flexible work schedules (as approved by the supervisor).
• Opportunities for hybrid telework (as approved by the supervisor).

• Workout/Gym facilities available onsite at 6200 Park Ave

Comments

The starting salary for new state (Executive Branch) employees is expected to be at the base of the pay range. Additional salary increases may occur after the first six months, and then annually (if applicable). The State’s total compensation package features an outstanding set of employee benefits that are worth about 30% of your total compensation.Visit the DAS website for more benefit information.

E-Verify and Right to Work

The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States. The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work laws, which protect employees’ rights to work without being required to join a labor organization. For more information, please visit www.e-verify.gov.

Iowa DNR Mission

To conserve and enhance our natural resources in cooperation with individuals and organizations to improve the quality of life in Iowa and ensure a legacy for future generations.

Natural Resources

6 months’ experience, 12 semester hours, or a combination of both in one or in a combination of more than one of the following: Ecology Environmental planning Soil conservation Biological sciences Waste water treatment Forestry Engineering related to natural resource areas (dams, sanitary engineers, etc.) Outdoor recreation planning Physical sciences River basin planning Geography Wildlife management

OR

Fisheries Biology 6 months’ experience, 12 semester hours, or a combination of both.

Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:

1. Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in any field, and experience equal to four years of full-time professional-level work in program administration, program development, program operations, or management.
2. A total of eight years of education and/or full-time experience (as described in number one), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university course work in any field equals one year of full-time experience.
3. All of the following (a, b, and c): (a) Two years of full-time professional-level work experience in program administration, program development, program operations, or management; and (b) A total of four years of education and full-time experience (as described in part a), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university course work in a public-service-related area (e.g., public or business administration, social work, public health, law, education, engineering) equals one year of full-time experience; and (c) A total of two years of graduate-level education and full-time experience (as described in part a), where twenty-four semester hours of accredited graduate college or university course work in a public-service-related area (e.g., public or business administration, social work, public health, law, education, engineering) equals one year of full-time experience. Graduation from the Iowa Certified Public Manager Program is also equivalent to one year of full-time experience or education.
4. Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes twelve months of full-time work as a Program Manager 1 or comparable specific management-level position.

The State of Iowa is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.