Range and Agricultural Program Manager - Conservation Lands & Resources

Pima County; Tucson (AZ); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 92,000; Full time

Job summary

Pima County seeks a Range and Agricultural Program Manager to administer rangelands and farms, oversee leases and agreements, and monitor ecological conditions to support SDCP and related conservation plans. The role leads staff, coordinates partnerships, and ensures compliance with regulations across 200,000+ acres of county lands.

The position emphasizes budget oversight, policy development, contract administration, and public engagement, with potential telework options and a strong focus on

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree as listed and four years of related experience, or substituted education/experience per the recruitments rules.
• Four years of experience with Pima County in a Natural Resources Program Coordinator or related position, including one year of lead/supervisory experience.

Responsibilities

• Develops, manages, and evaluates the overall strategic direction of the County’s environmental education programs, ensuring alignment with departmental goals and long-range community environmental priorities
• Oversees program operations, including budgeting, staffing, resource management, and performance monitoring, ensuring effective and efficient delivery of environmental education services
• Establishes policies, standards, and operating procedures for environmental education initiatives, ensuring compliance with County requirements and applicable state and federal environmental regulations
• Provides leadership and supervision to professional staff, coordinators, specialists, and volunteers, including hiring recommendations, training, performance evaluation, and ongoing professional development
• Leads high-level outreach and partnership efforts, cultivating and sustaining collaborations with educational institutions, community organizations, governmental agencies, tribal entities, and private-sector partners
• Directs the development and approval of educational materials, curricula, communications, and multimedia resources, ensuring scientific accuracy, accessibility, and consistency with best practices
• Oversees program evaluation activities, including data collection, analysis, and reporting, and uses results to inform policy decisions and continuous program improvement
• Represents the department at public meetings, advisory boards, community forums, and interagency workgroups, serving as the primary spokesperson on environmental education initiatives
• Monitors emerging environmental issues, research, legislative trends, and community needs, integrating findings into program policy, planning, and resource allocation
• Secures and manages grants, contracts, and external funding opportunities, ensuring compliance, effective implementation, and alignment with program priorities
• Guides the integration and strategic use of digital platforms, technologies, and communication tools to expand public engagement, improve program accessibility, and enhance educational outcomes

Education

Bachelor’s degree in natural resources management, ecology, environmental science, wildlife biology/wildlife management, forestry, range management, conservation biology, environmental policy or environmental studies, or a closely related field as determined by the department head

Four years of experience in community outreach, engagement, or a related area

Job description

Job Description Summary

Job Description Summary Department - Conservation Lands & Resources Job Description Job Type: Classified Job Classification: 5363 - Natural Resources Program Manager Salary Grade: 14 Pay Range Hiring Range: $65,457 - $78,540 Annually Pay Range: $65,457 - $91,644 Annually Range Explanation: Hiring Range is an estimate of where you can receive an offer. The actual salary offer will carefully consider a wide range of factors, including your skills, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, training, and internal equity. Pay Range is the entire compensation range for the position. Conservation Lands & Resources (CLR) department is seeking an experienced and dedicated Range and Agricultural Program Manager to administer and monitor more than 200,000 acres of rangelands and farms within the Range and Agricultural Lands, Water, and Special Projects (RAWS) Division. This critical role is primarily responsible for the administration of Ranch and Farm Management Agreements, and monitoring rangeland conditions and properties to ensure adherence to the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan, Multi-species Conservation Plan, and Rangeland Management Standards and Guidelines. The CLR department manages over 260,000 acres of County conservation lands, including 13 active cattle ranches, iconic natural resource parks such as Tucson Mountain Park, Colossal Cave Mountain Park, and Agua Caliente Park, and a variety of open space properties. The division’s resource management responsibilities provide critical leadership and solutions towards implementation of the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan (SDCP), one of the most ambitious conservation programs by a local government.

Essential Functions

• Develops, manages, and evaluates the overall strategic direction of the County’s environmental education programs, ensuring alignment with departmental goals and long-range community environmental priorities;
• Oversees program operations, including budgeting, staffing, resource management, and performance monitoring, ensuring effective and efficient delivery of environmental education services;
• Establishes policies, standards, and operating procedures for environmental education initiatives, ensuring compliance with County requirements and applicable state and federal environmental regulations;
• Provides leadership and supervision to professional staff, coordinators, specialists, and volunteers, including hiring recommendations, training, performance evaluation, and ongoing professional development;
• Leads high-level outreach and partnership efforts, cultivating and sustaining collaborations with educational institutions, community organizations, governmental agencies, tribal entities, and private-sector partners;
• Directs the development and approval of educational materials, curricula, communications, and multimedia resources, ensuring scientific accuracy, accessibility, and consistency with best practices;
• Oversees program evaluation activities, including data collection, analysis, and reporting, and uses results to inform policy decisions and continuous program improvement;
• Represents the department at public meetings, advisory boards, community forums, and interagency workgroups, serving as the primary spokesperson on environmental education initiatives;
• Monitors emerging environmental issues, research, legislative trends, and community needs, integrating findings into program policy, planning, and resource allocation;
• Secures and manages grants, contracts, and external funding opportunities, ensuring compliance, effective implementation, and alignment with program priorities;
• Guides the integration and strategic use of digital platforms, technologies, and communication tools to expand public engagement, improve program accessibility, and enhance educational outcomes.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in natural resources management, ecology, environmental science, wildlife biology/wildlife management, forestry, range management, conservation biology, environmental policy or environmental studies, or a closely related field as determined by the department head at the time of recruitment AND four years of experience in community outreach, engagement, or a related area. (Relevant experience and/or education from an accredited college or university may be substituted.)
• OR: Four years of experience with Pima County in a Natural Resources Program Coordinator or related position as determined by the department head at the time of recruitment INCLUDING one year of lead/supervisory experience.
• Qualifying education and experience must be clearly documented in the "Education" and "Work Experience" sections of the application.

Do not substitute a resume for your application or write "see resume" on your application.

Preferred Qualifications

• Minimum four (4) years experience in rangeland ecological monitoring, including: coordinating and conducting rangeland trend, condition, utilization, health, and inventory monitoring with ranches, agencies, and partners, managing and analyzing monitoring data, preparing reports and data summaries, and using Vegetation GIS System software for field data collection, quality control, and analysis, developing GIS and online GIS maps to support data collection and analysis, and using remote sensing and other technology to support rangeland management decisions.
• Minimum four (4) years experience administering multiple livestock grazing and/or farm property leases, including: developing and maintaining positive working relationships with ranchers and farmers and conducting field visits to monitor compliance with lease agreements, coordinating annual meetings and developing ranch and farm management plans, processing billing questionnaires, invoices, and payments with County, State, and federal agencies; renewing Ranch Management Agreements, Farm Management Agreements, and associated caretaking agreements, renewing state and federal land leases and subleases, and preparing Rights of Entry and Special Use Permits for authorized activities on County lands.
• Minimum three (3) years experience managing range and agricultural infrastructure and restoration projects, including: planning and coordinating project designs with contractors and/or other County staff, conducting site visits, obtaining quotes and clearances, and drafting reports, assisting in the development of Requests for Bids, Scopes of Work, contract provisions, and bid proposal evaluations.
• Minimum three (3) years experience in operating 4x4 trucks and safely loading and hauling ATVs, UTVs, and other small vehicles and tools on rural, 4x4 ranch roads, coordinating the repair and maintenance of range trucks, trailers, UTVs and other equipment, tracking and updating infrastructure assets and maintenance GIS datasets for budgeting and planning purposes, and conducting routine property monitoring and reporting of additional conservation properties as needed.
• Minimum two (2) years experience in rangeland resource management planning at a landscape scale and coordinated resource management planning at the ranch scale and navigating ranch and farm lease agreement transitions from outgoing ranch/farm managers to incoming ranch/farm managers and assisting with drafting new lease agreements.
• Minimum two (2) years experience in supervising staff, training volunteers, interns/apprentices and/or contracted crews in safe work practices, technical skills, and proper procedures and providing instruction in sound rangeland management, monitoring and/or conservation practices, or related areas to staff, volunteers, interns/apprentices, and/or contracted crews.
• Minimum four (4) years experience in organizational, administrative, and technological skills, including: preparing clear and concise oral and written reports related to program and budget operations planning; competency in scheduling and planning meetings, maintenance activities, trainings and reporting using the Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, Excel, Word, Power Point), ArcPro, and online GIS mapping applications (mobile and computer) for data management and map creation, and shared drive/server navigation for file storage.

Selection Procedure

Pima County Human Resources Department reserves the right to admit to the selection process only those candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. All applications will be assessed based on an evaluation of the listed education and experience. Candidates meeting the minimum qualifications may be further evaluated/scored against any advertised Preferred Qualifications. The hiring authority will interview and select the successful candidate from a referral list provided by Human Resources. Additional assessments/testing may be required as part of the selection process.

Supplemental Information: Licenses and Certificates

Valid driver license is required at time of application. Valid AZ driver license is required at time of appointment. The successful applicant will be subject to a 39-month DOT Motor Vehicle Record review to determine applicant’s suitability to operate county vehicles in accordance with Pima County administrative procedures. Failure to obtain and maintain the required licenses and certifications shall be grounds for termination. Any offer of employment resulting from this recruitment is contingent upon Fleet Services’ review and approval of the candidate’s driving record.

Special Notice Items

The County requires pre-employment background checks. Successful candidates will receive a post-offer, pre-employment background screening to include verification of work history, education, and criminal conviction history. A prior criminal conviction will not automatically disqualify a candidate from employment with the County. Some positions may require completion of a satisfactory personal background investigation by the court or law enforcement agencies, due to the need for access to County Attorney and Court facilities, records, and communication systems. Pima County determines whether a position is eligible for visa sponsorship at the time of recruitment. Eligibility is based on the requirements of the position and applicable laws and regulations. Not all positions with Pima County are eligible for visa sponsorship. This position will require a post-job offer physical and/or drug screen.

Physical/Sensory Requirements

Regular use of County-provided smart phone or other mobile device to collect geospatial data in the field. Ability to bend, reach, grasping both simple and firm, perform fine movement, hear at varying noise levels both on a radio and in the environment, speak in person and on a phone, operate machinery, distinguish colors, and use both depth perception and peripheral vision. Other physical and sensory abilities will be determined by position. Action Activity - bending, climbing, kneeling, reaching, squatting and stooping; Motion Activity - simple and firm grasping and fine movement; Hearing - in noisy areas, on a radio and behind themselves; Speaking Activity - in person, on the phone and on a cell; Vision - operate a motor vehicle, operate machinery, distinguish colors, have depth perception and have peripheral vision. Frequently required to lift, push or pull objects weighing up to 50 pounds.

Working Conditions

The Natural Resources Program Manager operates in both professional office settings and outdoor field settings. Regular, daily attendance is an essential function for this position. This position is eligible for occasional telework at the discretion of the hiring department. Hiking and off-trail travel in remote locations for one or more days per week while carrying a heavy backpack and/or tools, often in extreme temperatures and in steep desert terrain. May be required to operate heavy equipment, drive with a trailer in tow, or drive ATVs/UTVs, and/or ride horseback in field settings. Regular driving of up to three hours one-way. Other working conditions will be determined by position.

EEO Information

Pima County Government is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We are committed to an inclusive and diverse workforce and will not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, kinship, political interest, or any other characteristic protected by law. Pima County stands out as an exceptional workplace, offering a supportive environment that fosters professional growth and personal satisfaction. As one of the largest employers in the region, Pima County prioritizes its commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, recognizing the unique contributions of each employee. Embracing innovation and collaboration, Pima County provides multiple opportunities in which individuals can make a meaningful impact on their community. One of the key advantages of working for Pima County is its comprehensive benefits package. Employees enjoy competitive salaries, generous health insurance coverage, and retirement plans that contribute to long-term financial security. Pima County recognizes the importance of a healthy work-life balance, offering flexible work schedules, a generous family leave policy and wellness programs that prioritize employee well-being. Furthermore, Pima County takes pride in fostering a culture of continuous learning and development. Employees benefit from opportunities for professional advancement through training programs, workshops, and educational reimbursement programs. In addition, a County-wide employee recognition program rewards employees who exemplify the County values of being accountable, respectful and ethical as well as providing great customer service. By joining Pima County, individuals become part of a dedicated team working towards a common goal: enhancing the quality of life for residents and building a vibrant future. Pima County is not just an employer; it’s a community that values its employees, encourages their growth, and invests in their success.