Program Manager (Natural Resources and Open Spaces)

City-of-Sacrament; Sacramento (CA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Sacramento in California seeks a Program Manager to lead natural resources and open spaces initiatives across departments, ensuring CEQA/NEPA compliance and strategic environmental stewardship. The role provides policy guidance, regulatory support, and direction for conservation and habitat management.

Under limited direction, you will supervise staff, coordinate with department heads, develop procedures, and deliver reports to executives.

Qualifications

• Six years of professional-level administrative and analytical experience, with two years in the program area.
• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in business or public administration or related field.
• A post-graduate degree may substitute for one year of the required experience.

Responsibilities

• Organizes and manages major programs or projects with high citywide impact; coordinates budget, contracts, and personnel.
• Develops procedures and methodologies within compliance; plans work and supervises staff.
• Serves as principal contact for the program; represents the department in meetings on coordination and regulatory requirements.
• Develops and maintains reports on program performance and service levels; conducts customer service training.
• Drafts RFPs/RFQs, contracts, and grant applications; negotiates terms and performance standards.
• Provides exceptional customer service to stakeholders.

Skills

Data analysis

Team leadership

Communication

Office software

Education

Bachelor's degree in business or public administration

Tools

Office software suites

Job description

With supervisor approval, incumbents may be eligible for intermittent remote work; however, they must physically reside within the Sacramento region or have the ability to regularly report to a City of Sacramento physical worksite with little notice.

The Program Manager (Natural Resources and Open Spaces) provides leadership and coordination for the City's natural resource areas and open spaces managed by YPCE and other City departments. This position serves as the City's subject-matter expert by providing policy guidance, regulatory support, and strategic direction for natural resource management and environmental compliance. The position develops and implements conservation and stewardship initiatives, establishes standards for preservation and habitat management, and coordinates with departments to support consistent management practices and project delivery. It also provides technical expertise and recommendations to support executive leadership and Citywide decision-making.

IDEAL CANDIDATE STATEMENT

The ideal candidate will be a seasoned natural resource professional with extensive experience leading complex, multi-departmental programs in a municipal or public-sector environment. They will bring deep knowledge of environmental regulations, land conservation, habitat management, and long-term stewardship practices, along with a strong ability to navigate CEQA/NEPA processes and regulatory agency coordination. The ideal candidate will excel at strategic planning, interdepartmental collaboration, and building partnerships that support Citywide sustainability, climate resilience, and open space management goals. They are an effective communicator, a thoughtful problem-solver, and a proactive leader who can guide policy implementation, secure funding, and ensure consistent stewardship of the City’s natural areas and open spaces.

Under limited direction, a Program Manager organizes and manages major programs or projects with a high degree of visibility and substantial citywide impact; supervises professional, technical, and clerical staff; coordinates administrative functions; and develops procedures, programs and methodologies.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This management level classification may be populated with multiple incumbents who exercise a broad range of authority over complex programs critical to a department’s mission. Responsibilities require work beyond typical program or project management work. Incumbents must exercise substantial innovation and leadership in developing and managing programs or projects. The Program Manager is distinguished from the lower classification of Program Specialist in that the Program Manager is responsible for administration and management of major complex programs and projects with high visibility and substantial citywide impact.

This class is distinguished from that of Support Services Manager in that the latter class manages all internal support functions for a department and supports a board or commission.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Limited direction is provided by a department head or division manager. Supervision, on a regular basis, of three or more assigned staff positions is required to hold this classification.

• Organizes, coordinates, and manages one or more major programs or projects with high visability and citywide impact; coordinates administrative functions including budget preparation, financial management, contract administration, and personnel administration for the program.
• Develops procedures and methodologies within compliance requirements; interprets and applies existing policies to actual situations; coordinates development of work plans, selects and supervises staff; meets with staff to identify and resolve problems, assigns work activities, and evaluates work products.
• Serves as principal contact for the program/project; confers with department heads, division chiefs, members of professional staff, and other officials concerning programs, regulations, procedures, policies, etc.; represents the department in a variety of meetings involving program coordination or regulatory requirements; may serve on commissions or non-profit boards as part of program service delivery.
• Develops and maintains informational and statistical reports regarding program performance, goal attainment, and service levels; conducts customer service audits and delivers customer service training.
• Works with vendors and suppliers; writes RFP/RFQs, contracts, and grant applications; negotiates terms, conditions and performance standards.
• Provides exceptional customer service to those contacted in the course of work.
• Other related duties may also be perfomed; not all duties listed are necessarily performed by each individual holding this classification.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of public administration, including governmental finance, budgeting, personnel administration, procurement methods.
• Methods and practices of modern office management.
• Advanced principles and practices of research, analysis, and technical report writing.
• Functions and missions of publicly appointed Boards or Commissions.
• Principles and practices of supervision.
• Advanced principles and practices of project/program development, management and administration.
• Principles and practices of supervision and training.

Skill in:

• Collecting and analyzing large volumes of data and reaching a conclusion supported by the research.
• Building a consensus among parties with competing or conflicting interests.
• Supervising and motivating employees and generating department-wide cooperation in support of strategic goals and plans.
• Use of computers, computer applications, and software.

Ability to:

• Prepare technical or analytical reports.
• Interpret and apply regulatory practices, rules, and policies to actual situations.
• Present ideas effectively, orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with people of diverse backgrounds.
• Meet deadlines in a highly political environment.
• Effectively plan, develop, and implement a comprehensive program with a broad scope and high degree of complexity.
• Manage highly complex subject matter.
• Make program or project changes based on analysis of results, new legislation, or departmental changes.
• Exercise administrative supervision and direction over professional, technical, and clerical staff.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

Experience:

Six years ofprofessional leveladministrativeand analytical experience including two yearsof which must be in the program area.

-AND-

Education:

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in business or public administration or a closely related field.

Note: It is highly desirable the required years of professional-level experience be attained in a governmental jurisdiction.

Substitution:

A post-graduate degree may substitute for one year of the required professional level governmental administrative and analytical experience.

PROOF OF EDUCATION

Proof of education such, but not limited to, university/college transcripts and degrees should be submitted with your application and will be required at the time of appointment.

Unofficial documents and/or copies are acceptable.

An applicant with a college degree obtained outside the United States must have education records evaluated by a credentials evaluation service .

Evaluation of education records will be due at time of appointment.