Water Quality Management Analyst

State of Iowa - Executive Branch; Des Moines (IA); Hybrid; USD 68,000 - 92,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid telework

IPERS retirement

Insurance benefits starting after 30 d

Paid holidays

Vacation and sick leave

Job summary

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is seeking a Management Analyst 3 to lead financial modeling, grant administration, and strategic project management across the Water Quality Bureau. You will design budgets, analyze statute impacts, and oversee complex statewide initiatives with cross-functional teams.

This role emphasizes governance, regulatory coordination, and stakeholder engagement, driving efficiency and compliance in a dynamic public-sector environment.

Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in any field and experience equal to three years of full-time work in project management; management analysis; data science; business systems analysis; or professional-level program administration, development, or operations.
• Three years of full-time work experience in project management; management analysis; data science; business systems analysis; or professional-level program administration, development, or operations; and
• A total of four years of education and/or full-time experience, where thirty semester hours equals one year of full-time experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead financial management, policy analytics, and multi-year budget modeling across bureau funding sources.
• Oversee cross-functional project management for statewide bureau initiatives; manage complex projects from scope to delivery.
• Coordinate administrative rulemaking and staff coaching on rule-drafting standards.

Skills

Accountability

Integrity

Team Player

Communication Skills

Customer Focus

Interpersonal Skills

Self-Management

Computer Skills

Budget & Grant Administration

Collaborative Facilitation

Education

Bachelor's degree

Graduate-level education

Job description

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.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking an energetic, analytical, and team-oriented professional to join our Water Quality Bureau as a Management Analyst 3. This high-impact, multifaceted role serves as the bureau's strategic lead for financial modeling, complex project management, administrative rulemaking, grant administration, and EPA Quality Management Plan (QMP) data governance across six (6) bureau sections and more than 20 distinct funding streams.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Management & Policy Analytics

• Evaluate, design, and maintain financial tracking and multi-year budget models across 20+ bureau funding sources and fee programs.
• Analyze Iowa Code and Administrative Rules to advise leadership on fee structures, statutory spending limits, and long-term financial strategy.
• Establish annual spending procedures, track federal grant cycles, and conduct financial analyses to recommend policy adjustments.

Enterprise Project & Grant Administration

• Lead cross-functional project management for statewide Water Quality Bureau initiatives and continuous process improvement efforts.
• Manage the full lifecycle of complex projects—defining scope, tracking milestones, managing risks, and ensuring deliverables are met.
• Oversee federal grants and contracts from proposal writing through service delivery and workflow design.

Administrative Rules & Stakeholder Engagement

• Coordinate the administrative rulemaking process across six bureau sections in partnership with program leads and legal counsel.
• Coach program staff on rule-drafting standards to build regulatory capacity across the bureau.
• Lead stakeholder engagement strategies to gather public feedback and develop staff training on updated regulations.

Operational Governance & EPA Quality System Compliance

• Serve as primary operational liaison for bureau-wide initiatives, tracking progress and budget impacts to advise leadership on resource needs.
• Manage bureau-wide digital records archiving and coordinate public records request compliance.
• Direct the bureau’s EPA Quality Management Plan (QMP), overseeing Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPPs), SOPs, QA/QC audits, and data governance.

Essential Functions

• Evaluates and designs multi-year financial projection models and budget tracking systems across bureau funding sources.

• Analyzes state statutory and administrative code regulations to advise bureau management on fee structures and financial policy decisions.
• Directs end-to-end project management for complex, statewide special projects and continuous process improvement initiatives.
• Oversees the administration of federal grants and contracts, including proposal development, execution tracking, and reporting.
• Manages the bureau’s EPA Quality Management Plan (QMP) framework, overseeing QAPP/SOP compliance, quality audits, and environmental data governance.
• Facilitates the administrative rulemaking process across bureau sections, coaching staff on rule-drafting standards and coordinating with legal counsel.
• Evaluates bureau project plans and operational initiatives against budget parameters, tracking milestones to advise leadership on fiscal impacts and resource needs.

Critical Job Competencies

Accountability, Integrity, High Productivity, Team Player, Communication Skills, Customer Focus, Interpersonal Skills, Self-Management, Computer Skills, Technical Skills (Budget & Grant Administration, Collaborative Facilitation).

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.

Water Quality Bureau Webpage

Ensure you are kept up-to-date of this position by checking your email regularly for emails from [e-mail]. This is a system generated email from the DAS application system and it may be sent directly to your Junk/Spam folder.

DNR Application Tips

For more information about DNR Employment Opportunities and position specific notices, please visit the DNR Employment website.

The State of Iowa is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

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.

Selectives

Budgeting

6 months’ experience, 12 semester hours, or a combination of both in preparing, analyzing budgets; and providing advice/technical assistance with cost analysis, fiscal allocation, and budget preparation.

AND

Business

• Accounting
• Actuarial science
• Auditing
• Banking
• Economics
• Grant writing
• Grant management
• Finance
• Marketing
• Management
• Personnel
• Public administration
• Management analysis
• Retail business
• Statistics
• Computer science
• Computer information systems
• Business education
• Political science

Minimum Qualification Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in any field, and experience equal to three years of full-time work in project management; management analysis; data science; business systems analysis; or professional-level program administration, development, or operations.
• All of the following (a and b):
• Three years of full-time work experience in project management; management analysis; data science; business systems analysis; or professional-level program administration, development, or operations; and
• A total of four years of education and/or full-time experience (as described in part a), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university coursework in any field equals one year of full-time experience.
• All of the following (a, b, and c):
• One year of full-time work experience in project management; management analysis; data science; business systems analysis; or professional-level program administration, development, or operations; and
• A total of four years of education and/or full-time experience (as described in part a), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university coursework in any field equals one year of full-time experience; and
• A total of two years of graduate-level education and/or full-time experience (as described in part a), where twenty-four semester hours of accredited graduate college or university coursework in business administration, industrial management, statistics, natural science, or a closely-related field equals one year of full-time experience.
• Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes six months of full-time work as a Management Analyst 2 or two and a half years as a Management Analyst 1.