Public Lands Supervisor

Division-of-Administration; Baton Rouge (LA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The Division of Administration/Office of State Lands in Baton Rouge seeks a Lands Administration professional to manage contracts, permits, and leases on state lands and water bottoms. The role coordinates with landowners, attorneys, and GIS teams, overseeing records and enforcement support while ensuring compliance with state regulations.

Eligible candidates have a strong background in lands administration, with a degree in the field or an advanced degree, and substantial experience or

Qualifications

• Clear communication and accountability in public lands management.
• Ability to assess options and make sound decisions in complex projects.
• Experience or familiarity with land contracts, permits, and leases.

Responsibilities

• Interact with landowners, attorneys, and entities to respond to inquiries about land rights contracts or permits for projects on state lands and water bottoms.
• Analyze proposed projects to identify land rights and regulatory permits required; negotiate and prepare land rights contracts.
• Coordinate circulation of contracts for signatures; calculate and collect rental payments and fees for grants and leases.
• Review construction plans to verify scope and land ownership; advise on permits or leases needed for construction activities.
• Collaborate with the GIS team to develop and maintain relevant GIS layers and use SLIMS for records management.
• Coordinate enforcement and settlement documentation related to unauthorized encroachments and ensure proper records.

Skills

Communicating Effectively

Demonstrating Accountability

Making Accurate Judgments

GIS

SLIMS

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Lands Administration

Advanced degree in Lands Administration

Tools

SLIMS

GIS

Job description

The Division of Administration/Office of State Lands has a vacancy. This job title has an assigned pay grade of AS-619.

The Office of State Lands—also known as the State Land Office— is responsible for the identification, administration, and management of state public lands and water bottoms. OSL functions include:

• Ensuring the highest economic return and maximum public use possible of our state public lands and water bottoms
• Consulting with clientele all having varying degrees of interest in public lands, navigable water bottoms and the minerals thereunder
• Revenue generation through land and timber sales, surface and sub-surface leasing, issuance of rights-of-way and surface and sub-surface agreements and water bottoms permitting
• Protecting the state’s proprietary interests in its lands and water bottoms

The Land and Waterbottom Management Section within Office of State Lands plays a critical role in:

• Managing Land Sales Sub-program
• Managing Rights-of-Way and Surface Leases Sub-Program which provides for the issuance of rights-of-way across public lands and waterbottoms to individuals and corporations doing business in the state.
• Managing Waterbottom Permits and Leases Sub-Program which provides for the permitting and leasing of structures on non-eroded waterways. It also provides for permits and leases for the construction and maintenance of commercial structures on navigable waterbottoms.
• Managing Timber Sub-Program

An ideal candidate should possess the following competencies:

• Communicating Effectively: The ability to convey information, ideas, and emotions using structured communication methods that promote understanding and engagement.
• Demonstrating Accountability: The ability to take ownership of actions, behaviors, performance, decisions, and outcomes.
• Making Accurate Judgments: The ability to assess options, weigh risks, and make sound decisions using available information and logical reasoning.

The Division of Administration is the state government’s management arm and the hub of its financial operations. Division offices perform a wide variety of activities including the following:

• Overseeing the state’s capital construction program
• Working to provide state and federal grants for community development
• Development of the state budget
• Providing technology services
• Giving agencies guidance in the state purchasing and contracting process as they seek goods and services
• Administering a program that provides federal funds to help Louisiana residents recover from a series of devastating hurricanes

Six years of experience in a lands administration field; OR

Six years of full-time work experience in any field plus three years of experience in a lands administration field; OR

A bachelor’s degree plus three years of experience in a lands administration field; OR

An advanced degree plus two years of experience in a lands administration field.

EXPERIENCE SUBSTITUTION:

Every 30 semester hours earned from an accredited college or university will be credited as one year of experience towards the six years of full-time work experience in any field. The maximum substitution allowed is 120 semester hours which substitutes for a maximum of four years of experience in any field.

The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here.

Job Duties:

Leases, Contracts and Permits

• Interacts with private landowners, title attorneys, and various other entities to respond to inquiries and provide notifications regarding what land rights contracts or permits may be required for various projects situated on State owned lands and water bottoms
• Analyzes proposed or previously constructed projects or encroachments on State owned lands and water bottoms to identify land rights and regulatory permits required
• Negotiates, develops and prepares complex land rights contracts for execution, ensures correctness
• Coordinates and facilitates the circulation of land rights contracts for execution by all required signatories
• Calculates and collects rental payments, renewal payments and other fees associated with grants of surface and subsurface leases

Construction

• Reviews construction plans and drawings to verify project scope and adjacent property ownership, activity to be permitted, and other land rights related matters
• Assists the Section Manager in determining whether or not a permit, lease or right of way is required for the construction activities

GIS

• Interacts closely with State Land Office GIS team in developing, configuring and maintaining various GIS layers
• Utilizes data provided by the GIS and SONRIS systems, reviews computerized files and GIS layers for locational information related to proposed projects and existing encroachments

Enforcement Activities

• Consults with agency representatives to coordinate enforcement initiatives relative to unauthorized encroachments on State owned lands and water bottoms
• Assists with the preparation of settlement instruments for execution and coordinating the circulation of settlement documents for signature by all parties.

Records Management

• Assists in the monthly collection of fees and record maintenance in the State Lands Information Management System (SLIMS) database
• Maintenance of accounting records for all permits and land rights contracts.

Technical Liaison

• Provides technical assistance in the preparation of documents for the advertisement and contract of sale or transfer of State owned lands and buildings (fixed assets) related to the Surplus Property Program
• Provides technical assistance in the preparation of documents for the advertisement and contract of sale of timber on State owned land related to the Timber Management Program
• Assists, informs and advises various entities relative to the policies, procedures and requirements of the State land management programs.

Supervisor Functions

• Trains, assigns work, approves leave, applies disciplinary procedures and evaluates performance of subordinates.
• Reviews subordinate personnel’s prepared contracts for proper execution by grantee, proper terms and provisions, and adherence to Federal and State laws and departmental rules and regulations.

Position-Specific Details

Appointment Type: This vacancy will be filled by either a new hire or the promotion of a current, permanent-status classified employee.

Compensation: Based on the selected applicant's experience.

What is experience in the Lands Administration Field?

Experience in the lands administration field includes, but is not limited to: experience in land title research, land abstracting, property record management or real estate; land appraisal experience as a licensed appraiser; land surveying experience as a licensed surveyor; and land administration or public document administration experience in a professional government position.

Louisiana is a "State as a Model Employer" for People with Disabilities.

A criminal history check may be conducted on all new hires as well as employees changing positions, including promotions, demotions, details, reassignments and transfers.

Also, prospective employees may be subject to pre-employment drug testing.

New hires will be subject to employment eligibility verification via the federal government's E-Verify system.

Information to support your eligibility for this job title must be included in the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education). Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections on your application. Applications may be rejected if incomplete. The transcripts can be added as an attachment to your online application. The selected candidate will be required to submit original documentation upon hire.

For further information about this posting, please contact:

Erica R. Gay

HR Specialist

Division of Administration/Office of Human Resources

Email: [e-mail]