Initial Posting Date: 02/13/2025
Application Deadline:03/17/2025
Agency:Water Resources Department
Salary Range:$6,667 - $10,311
Position Type:Employee
Position Title:Water Rights Section Manager (Natural Resource Protection and Sustainability Manager 1)
Job Description:Working Title: Water Rights Section Manager
Classification: Natural Resource Protection and Sustainability Manager 1
Position Type: Permanent, Full-time
Representation: Management Service Supervisory
FLSA Status: Exempt
Monthly Compensation: The monthly salary range before PERS* will be $6,667-$10,311 | after PERS* will be $7,128-$11,028.
Work Location: North Mall Office Building, 725 Summer St. NE Suite A, Salem Oregon 97301.
Relocation Expense: This position may be eligible for relocation assistance for the successful candidate. The final amount offered will vary based on the location of the candidate.
Hybrid/Remote Work: Hybrid (in the office and at remote work) is generally a standard offering for this position, though subject to supervisor approval. Due to the nature of stakeholder engagement for this position, full time remote work is not possible as the position must be available to attend meetings in Salem, Oregon and around the state. This position is expected to work from the office once or twice a week (usually Tuesdays) or more frequently as needed to meet with staff and fulfill other business needs.
About the Oregon Water Resources Department The Oregon Water Resources Department is committed to creating a workplace culture that understands and appreciates differences among people and is welcoming and inclusive to all. By fostering fairness and equity in its work culture, the Department strives to improve services for all Oregonians. We acknowledge that not all people have experienced equitable opportunities or fair treatment. We are committed to increasing our awareness and understanding of historic injustices and building a foundation for meaningful change. We value a wide range of professional and lived experiences, and people of underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Our Vision The vision of the Oregon Water Resources Department is to assure sufficient and sustainable water supplies are available to meet current and future needs.
Core Values Integrity - We are accountable for all that we do. We act with honesty and promote transparency.
Service - We are dedicated to providing outstanding service and treating everyone equitably in our management and stewardship of state resources.
Technical Excellence - We base our resource decisions on law, science, and expertise.
Teamwork - We are united in our mission, relying on one another and working together with the communities we serve.
Forward-Looking - We seek innovative and practical solutions to the water challenges of today and tomorrow.
2019-2024 Strategic Plan
The Oregon Water Resources Department's strategic priorities for 2019-2024 are to:
- Modernize our management of Oregon's surface water and groundwater resources to meet instream and out-of-stream uses
- Work to secure Oregon's instream and out-of-stream water future in the face of increasing water scarcity
- Foster a forward-looking team dedicated to serving Oregonians with integrity and excellence
About our Team The Water Right Services Division is responsible for the evaluation of all water right, transfer, extension of times, instream lease, allocation of conserved water and limited license applications. In addition, the Division administers the following water right-related programs: water right certification; permit cancellation; adjudication of pre-1909 vested water rights; water management and conservation plans; hydroelectric licensing; water right information and customer service; and water right program and policy development.
The Division is responsible for public notice of applications and for responding to public interest inquiries and concerns. The Division receives and evaluates comments and protests concerning proposed water uses. The Division must ensure coordination with local governments and other state and federal agencies concerning proposed water allocations. Final determination of water right related applications involves a legal property right and may involve litigation in Oregon or federal court.
The person in this position must perform position duties in a manner which promotes customer service and harmonious working relationships, including treating all people courteously and respectfully. Engage in effective team participation through willingness to assist and support co-workers, supervisors, and other work-related associations. Develop good working relationships with division and agency staff through active participation in accomplishing the agency mission, cross-divisional group projects, and identifying and resolving problems in a constructive, collaborative manner. Demonstrate openness to constructive feedback and suggestions to strengthen work performance. Contribute to a positive, respectful, and productive work atmosphere.
About the Position Water Rights are complicated documents with legal and property-value implications that affect virtually all human endeavor directly, including the following types of water uses: municipal, irrigation, agricultural, industrial, domestic, instream, wildlife habitat, power generation and mining to name a few. As such, they are a critical aspect of economic activity and maintenance of ecosystem service in Oregon. Applications for water use are technically and administratively complex and require skilled professionals to process those applications through completion.
This position supervises those staff and is directly responsible for all new allocations of water in Oregon. To manage allocations of Oregon's water according to water law, the position must successfully synthesize disparate information from different fields of expertise (e.g., scientific, geographic, geologic, hydrologic, legal). The position also supervises staff who provide a wide variety of customer service, including water-right research, for the lay public, realtors, agents, agencies, politicians (modes: phone, in writing and face-to-face). Assumes the role of Division Administrator when the Administrator is absent.
A day in the life: - Supervise section staff with responsibility for accepting, reviewing, and processing applications for new water use authorizations,
- Provide oversight and guidance to staff responsible for customer service inquires and public information needs,
- Develop technical guidance, policy, and procedures; provide training, where needed,
- Facilitate weekly team meetings,
- Develop annual production goals, conduct performance reviews, and implement programmatic improvements,
- Participate in the Department's Management Team, providing briefings and updates,
- Liaise with other internal agency teams, other state agencies, and external water partners, including supporting the Director's Office as needed,
- Support the agency's legislative session work.
You can view the full position description here Preferred Qualifications - Knowledge of the principles and practices of budgeting and financial management as it relates to program management.
- Experience with interpreting and applying administrative rules and statutes.
- Skill in written communication, professional writing and analyzing general, statistical and technical reports.
- Experience in employee relations and leadership with the proven ability to manage a team, including planning, organizing, directing, motivating, monitoring and decision making.
- Proven ability to facilitate and lead meetings and excel in public speaking techniques.
- Skill in supervising, including planning and assigning work according to the nature of the job to be accomplished, the capabilities of subordinates and available resources; controlling work through periodic reviews and/or evaluations; determining subordinates' training needs and arranging for such training; motivating subordinates to work effectively; determining the need for disciplinary action and either recommending or initiating disciplinary action.
- Skill in organizing work by establishing operating and/or reporting relationships and by assigning the work accordingly.
We are most interested in finding the most qualified candidate for the job, and that candidate may not meet every one of our listed preferred qualifications. Paid and unpaid experience may count towards the preferred qualifications. If you are excited about this position, we encourage you to apply. If you are unsure as to whether you meet the preferred qualifications of this position, please contact us to discuss your application.
Minimum Qualifications Five years of lead work, supervision, or progressively related experience; OR two years of related experience and a bachelor's degree.
Related experience:
Supervision, management or leading a program, section, unit, or team which may include a) development of program rules and policies, b) development of long- and short-range goals and plans, c) program evaluation, and d) change management.
Working Conditions This position is located in Salem, with remote telework flexibility. Work conditions consist primarily of desk work located at a computer terminal for long periods of time, including a considerable amount of reading and analyzing documents. The position requires occasional overnight travel, attendance at evening and weekend meetings, and hearings. An acceptable driving record is required. Overnight travel for 4 to 5 consecutive nights once a year, typically in October, is expected to help train Certified Water Right Examiners throughout the state or to attend a gathering of water experts from the western U.S.
Regular attendance, either at the office in Salem or while teleworking from an approved location, is an essential function required to meet the demands of this job and to provide necessary services.
What's in it for you? In addition to offering a culture of care and inclusivity and working among a highly skilled team to dive into meaningful work, we also offer a competitive benefits package that includes:
- Exceptional medical, vision and dental plans with employees paying 1 to 5% of the total premium.
- Leave accrual starting at 8 hours of sick and 8 hours of vacation leave per month, with your vacation leave accruals increasing every 5 years.
- Access to an additional four days of discretionary leave - 3 days of personal business leave and one day of Governor's Leave each year.
- Eleven paid holidays per year.
- Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) including a pension and employer contributions to the Individual Account Program.
- Optional benefits (such as term life insurance, long-term and short-term disability, long-term care, health and dependent care flexible spending accounts, enrollment in the Oregon Savings Growth Plan, a deferred compensation program with a wide variety of investment options).
- The opportunity to receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (must qualify).
Application Requirements Please ensure to provide your resume and cover letter for full consideration. Please monitor both your email and Workday account for updates regarding this recruitment. You may be asked to submit additional information after initial application. If you have questions about this job posting, please contact Human Resources at WRD_DL_HR@water.oregon.gov.
Current State of Oregon employees must apply through your employee Workday account.
Important Information PERS Salary Information * NON-PERS ELIGIBLE (Includes most new hires to state government. Employees typically gain PERS eligibility after six months of state service. PERS ELIGIBLE (Typically current or former employees of Oregon state or local government, public schools, universities, etc.) The salary listed will state base monthly salary, which is BEFORE PERS.
Accommodations If you need assistance to participate in the application process, including an accommodation request under the American with Disabilities Act, we invite you to contact the recruiter for accommodation requests under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), application questions or job-specific questions please contact our HR team at wrd_dl_hr@water.oregon.gov.
Future Vacancies This applicant pool may be used to fill additional vacancies as they occur over the next three (3) months.
Work Authorization The Oregon Water Resources Department does not offer visa sponsorships. Within three days of hire, all applicants will be required to complete the US Department of Homeland Security Form I-9, confirming authorization to work in the United States.
Veterans If you are an eligible veteran and you meet the qualifications, veterans' preference points will be added to your score. For more information on veterans' preference points visit www.oregonjobs.org and select Veterans resources under Resources. Please do not attach veteran documentation to your initial application, after you have applied you will be sent a task in your Workday account to provide your veteran documentation at that time.
Application Review Process In addition to your related work experience and education, we will use both the minimum and desired qualifications above to determine whom to interview. Please make sure all your relevant qualifications are clearly demonstrated in your application materials. Your application materials may be evaluated on spelling, grammar, punctuation, attention to detail, and presentation.
The Oregon Water Resources Department is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer Committed to Workforce Diversity.
