Public Lands Supervisor

State of Louisiana; Baton Rouge (LA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The State of Louisiana seeks a lands administration professional to join the Division of Administration/Office of State Lands. The role involves managing land rights, contracts, permits, and leases across state lands and water bottoms, with responsibilities in construction, GIS coordination, enforcement, and records management.

Ideal candidates will have six years in lands administration, or equivalent mix of general and lands-specific experience, plus relevant degrees.

Qualifications

• Six years of experience in a lands administration field
• Six years of full-time work experience in any field plus three years of experience in a lands administration field
• A bachelor’s degree plus three years of experience in a lands administration field
• 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.

Responsibilities

• Interact with private landowners, title attorneys, and others to respond to inquiries and notify about land rights contracts or permits
• Analyze proposed or existing projects to identify land rights and regulatory permits
• Negotiate, develop and prepare complex land rights contracts for execution
• Coordinate circulation of land rights contracts for execution by required signatories
• Calculate and collect rental payments, renewal payments and other fees for grants of surface and subsurface leases
• Review construction plans to verify scope and ownership, and determine permit/lease needs
• Assist in determining whether a permit, lease or right of way is required for construction activities
• Collaborate with GIS team to develop and maintain GIS layers and review data for landProject information
• Coordinate enforcement initiatives relative to unauthorized encroachments on state lands
• Prepare settlement instruments and coordinate circulation for signature
• Assist in monthly SLIMS record maintenance and accounting records for permits and contracts
• Provide technical assistance in preparation of documents for sale/transfer of state land and timber
• Advise on policies and procedures of state land management programs
• Train, assign work, approve leave, and evaluate subordinates
• Review subordinate contracts for proper execution and adherence to laws and regs

Skills

Communicating Effectively

Demonstrating Accountability

Making Accurate Judgments

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Lands Administration or related field

Advanced degree in Lands Administration or related field

Experience substitution: 30 semester hours equals 1 year, max 120 semester hours

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 land 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.

For further information about this posting, please contact Erica R. Gay, HR Specialist, Division of Administration/Office of Human Resources, Email: [e-mail].