State Park Manager

Do you enjoy working outdoors, leading a dedicated team, and making a lasting impact on Iowa’s natural resources? The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is seeking an enthusiastic and motivated natural resource professional to serve as the next Park Manager at Lewis and Clark State Park. Located near Onawa in western Iowa, Lewis and Clark State Park is one of the state's premier outdoor recreation destinations. Situated along the shores of Blue Lake, the park offers exceptional camping, boating, fishing, hiking, and wildlife viewing opportunities. Rich in history and natural beauty, the park welcomes thousands of visitors each year and serves as an important gateway to outdoor recreation in the region. This is a unique opportunity to live and work in a beautiful setting while leading the operations, stewardship, and visitor services at one of Iowa’s most popular state parks. What You Will Do: As Park Manager, you will oversee the daily operations, maintenance, public safety, and natural resource stewardship of the park complex. This position offers a unique blend of leadership, hands‑on field work, public engagement, and natural resource management. Key Responsibilities: Assist the district supervisor with day‑to‑day administration of the state parks, including managing park employees’ tasks and workloads, hiring and training of seasonal or temporary employees, managing contract and procurement of goods, services, and rentals. Oversee the park budgets, monthly reporting, revenue, receipts, and inventory of all property, supplies, tools, and equipment. Work to achieve the long‑range goals of the park resource management plan by planning for and performing park maintenance, preventative maintenance, and general construction work to maintain the integrity of facilities and equipment. Include regular inspections of multi‑use trails, natural areas, concession operations, playgrounds, boat ramps and docks to ensure public safety, accessibility compliance, and resource integrity. Represent the Department at public appearances and media requests to promote the state park system, recreational safety, and natural resource management. Assist with creating and implementing interpretive and volunteer programs as required, including interactions with local agencies and stakeholder groups to promote park activities and maintain connections to surrounding communities. Ensure the safety of park visitors, security of state property and facilities, and orderliness within public use areas by answering questions and through enforcement of Iowa DNR Administrative Rules related to parks, boating, and fishing. Attend regular training sessions on enforcement subjects to maintain knowledge of enforcement techniques, equipment proficiency, ensure enforcement‑related incident reports and citations are properly completed, and law enforcement equipment such as radios and duty belts are properly maintained. What We’re Looking For: Passionate about natural resources and outdoor recreation Self‑motivated and able to work independently Skilled in leadership, communication, and problem‑solving Comfortable balancing office administration with hands‑on field work Dedicated to public service and visitor experience Adaptable in a fast‑paced, outdoor environment Residency Requirement: The successful candidate must reside within 30 miles of their assigned state park in accordance with DNR Park Bureau policy. Essential Functions: Manages parks by applying technical knowledge and experience. Maintains power tools and equipment commonly used to maintain buildings and landscapes. Knowledge of principles, theories and practices of parks and recreation and resource management. Performs work both in office environments and outdoors in a variety of extreme weather conditions. Trains other professional staff, technical workers, and volunteers to perform duties; develops and fosters teamwork. Communicates verbally and in writing with DNR staff, management personnel, other state and federal agencies, groups with diverse audiences, other employees, and volunteers. Facilitates public meetings and presentations to diverse groups of stakeholders. Performs work independently with minimal supervision and achieves consistent results. Ensures projects are organized, tracked and completed timely. Utilizes fiscal skills to administer budgets and track expenditures; creates, modifies and manipulates spreadsheets. Uses PC‑based software to complete work. Carries heavy loads (40+ lbs) across great distances and operates a wide variety of motor vehicles. Critical Job Competencies: Accountability, Integrity, High Productivity, Communication Skills, Project Management, Team Player, Interpersonal Skills, Computer Skills, Self‑Management, Customer Focus, Project Management, Technical Skills (park management, mechanical). Benefits: 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 per year. 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). Starting salary at the base of the pay range; additional salary increases may occur after the first six months and then annually. Certifications and Training: Pesticide license (must obtain within first year of hire). Valid driver's license (must obtain upon hire). CPR/First Aid certification (must obtain within six months of hire). Chain Saw Safety Certification (must obtain within first year of hire). Water/wastewater Certification – Grade 1 Water Treatment and Grade 1 Distribution (must obtain within two years of hire). Staff must live within the travel requirement as outlined in the DNR Park Bureau Policy. Drive state vehicles (pick‑up, passenger vehicles) on public and private roadways. E-Verify and Right to Work: 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 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. The State of Iowa is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. 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. Qualifications and Experience: 6 months of experience, twelve semester hours, or a combination of both in the operation and/or maintenance of parks or park recreational services. May have served at a national, state, or county park level. 6 months of experience, 12 semester hours, or a combination of both in one or more of the following: Ecology, Environmental planning, Soil conservation, Biological sciences, Waste water treatment, Forestry, Engineering related to natural resource areas, Outdoor recreation planning, Physical sciences, River basin planning, Geography, Wildlife management. Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification: Graduation from an accredited four‑year college or university with a degree in park and outdoor recreation, natural resource management, biological sciences, hospitality management, or public administration, and experience equal to one year of full‑time work in park operations (may include experience as a park laborer, planner, manager, or ranger). Five years of full‑time work experience in park operations (may include experience as a park laborer, planner, manager, or ranger). A total of five years of education and/or full‑time experience (see above), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university coursework in park and outdoor recreation, natural resource management, biological sciences, hospitality management, or public administration field equals one year of full‑time experience. Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes three years of full time work as a Natural Resource Technician 1 or 2, Park Ranger, or Conservation Officer. #J-18808-Ljbffr State-of-Iow