Forest Practice Unit Manager

Job Description and Duties

Please note, the Water Boards do not participate in E-Verify.

The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Board) provides regulatory oversight of a wide variety of activities that pose a threat to the region’s surface and ground water. The Board’s Redding office has a tight-knit management team and highly capable staff that together aim to influence practices and policies statewide to achieve water quality protection and restoration goals.

We are looking for a motivated and experienced candidate to fill a Senior Environmental Scientist (Sr. ES) (Supervisory) position that supervises staff responsible for providing regulatory oversight of challenging timberland management and wildfire related activities in the Forest Practice Unit. The incumbent will work closely with internal and external partners to integrate geological, environmental and watershed management expertise so that timberland management activities meet the goals of achieving and maintaining high quality waters for the benefit of current and future generations. The incumbent will successfully work with engineers, geologists, environmental scientists, managers, and legal counsel from diverse backgrounds.

The position is located at 364 Knollcrest Dr. Ste 205, in Redding, CA 96002.

Duties:

Under the general direction of the Division Chief, the incumbent will plan, coordinate, direct, and supervise staff charged with the following components of the Forest Activities Program:

• Permitting/permit compliance
• Permit development
• Research/Monitoring
• Outreach
• Planning
• Enforcement

The incumbent will oversee unit staff efforts to permit and regulate discharges of waste (pollution) from forestland management activities conducted on non-federal lands throughout the region. The incumbent will participate in and oversee staff in the conduct of the above listed activities to ensure understanding of state and regional board permitting requirements and in the pursuit of compliance activities and enforcement actions against those found in violation.

The incumbent will work closely with the Division Chief and Program Manager to implement board priorities, manage unit workload, and meet annual program work plan goals. The incumbent will be responsible for developing and maintaining an efficient, capable, and knowledgeable technical unit and must have the necessary skills to hire, train, mentor, coach and manage a diverse, multi-disciplinary staff working in a challenging, complex program to protect and enhance water quality throughout the Board’s region.

Other duties include oversight of complaint response; responding to public information requests; preparation and presentation of informational items, permitting, and enforcement actions before the Regional Water Board and State Water Board; participation in committees; participating in and leading public meetings; and coordination with other programs and agencies to efficiently implement the Board’s priorities. Communicate with appropriate internal program managers, provide feedback and status updates on annual program work plan goals/commitments. Coordinate with, support, and contribute to the Redding management team in achieving team goals.

Additional information:

Candidates must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. If the position requires driving, you must possess a current and valid driver’s license. Please Do Not include full Social Security Number, method of eligibility, and LEAP information in your application package.

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Working Conditions

Positions at the Water Boards may be eligible for telework with in-person attendance based on the operational needs of the position and might be expected to comply with after July 1, 2026.

In accordance with the Statewide Telework Policy and GC 14200, the successful candidate must reside in California upon appointment. Proof of residency may be required.

Salary Information - CalHR salary rules allow appointment at the entrance rate (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 2, § 599.673) of a classification. For classes with alternate ranges, placement is based on education/experience. E mployees appointed to the Attorney or Water Resource Control Engineer classification will receive Recruitment Higher Above Minimum (HAM) rate in accordance with the approved

In addition, note: Effective July 1, 2025, the State of California implemented the Personal Leave Program 2025 (PLP 2025) which reduces an employee’s monthly salary in exchange for leave credits. Employees appointed to this classification will have their monthly salary reduced and will accrue hours of PLP 2025 on the first day of each pay period in accordance with the applicable The salary range(s) included on this job posting do not reflect the reduction in pay.

Special Requirements

In order t o be considered for this position, you must include the following:

• RPA# 25-157-037 in the “Examination or Job Title(s)” section of the State application when submitting a hardcopy application.
• Photocopies of degree and official transcripts (if needed to establish eligibility).

Must have Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisory) list, transfer, or reinstatement eligibility and be reachable on the certification list. Here is the link to th e exam: .

An applicant with a college degree obtained outside the United States that does meet accreditation standards must have education records evaluated by a credentials evaluation service. Evaluation of education records will be due during final minimum qualification evaluation of candidate(s). A link of accepted evaluation agencies can be found here: .

Electronic submittal of applications and attachments through jobs.ca.gov is preferred. Emailed or faxed applications will not be accepted. You are required to complete employment history on the application form (STD. 678), including work experience, dates, hours worked, contact names and phone numbers of supervisors on the state application. Applicants who fail to submit a completed STD. 678 may be disqualified.

In the hiring interview, the panel will consider education, experience, personal development, personal traits and fitness for the job. In appraising experience, more weight may be given to the breadth of pertinent experience and evidence of the candidate's ability to accept and fulfill increasing responsibilities than to the length of his/her experience. For additional information, you may refer to the class specification.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

• Knowledge and experience in one or more of the following: watershed assessments; environmental impact mitigation; water resource science; and monitoring land and/or forestland management activities for resource protection.
• Strong planning, organizational, and project management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to supervise and provide effective leadership to a diverse team of professionals.
• Research, analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills and experience.
• Experience developing technical documents, reports, recommendations, and summaries of findings based on field observations.
• Experience and ability to promote effective collaborative relationships with those from diverse backgrounds.
• Experience with conflict resolution.
• Experience working collaboratively with stakeholders and others from diverse backgrounds.
• A working knowledge of forestland management principles and California’s Forest Practice Act and Rules.
• Experience with managing multiple priorities and assignments while considering staff capabilities, strengths, and career goals.

These are not required qualifications, and candidates who do not meet every desirable qualification are still encouraged to apply.

Benefits

Water Board employees may be eligible for benefits. Health benefits and leave programs are available for most permanent, full-time employees, and some permanent, part-time employees. Benefit eligibility may depend on length of service and may be subject to collective bargaining agreements negotiated between the State of California and employee organizations that define wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment. and

Statement of Qualifications (SOQ)

A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) must be submitted along with the State Application and serves as documentation of candidate’s ability to present information clearly and concisely in writing. It should be typed, no more tha n two (2) pages in length, using Arial font , no smaller than 11 pt , and normal margins.

Your SOQ must answer/address the following:

1. Summarize your interest in this specific position, and the knowledge, abilities, and experiences that make you uniquely qualified based on the job duties (see attached duty statement) and the desirable qualifications listed above.
2. Describe your experience with and knowledge of timberland management activities, California’s Forest Practice Act and Rules, and related water quality issues and impacts.
3. In your opinion, explain the keys to developing and leading a capable, unified team.
4. Describe your project and time management skills and how you have/would use them to coordinate, track, and manage a team of multi-disciplinary technical staff working in a dynamic program (plan, organize, direct, follow-through, etc.).
5. Please describe your experience establishing effective relationships for multi-agency/stakeholder collaboration.

Candidates who do not meet every Desirable Qualification are still encouraged to apply and submit an SOQ addressing the above.

Applications received without the SOQ addressed as stated may not be con sidered.

For guidance on writing effective SOQs, visit: Work4CA: How to Write a Statement of Qualifications . Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be useful in the development of written responses; however, it is important to use these tools responsibly and ethically. Failure to comply may result in disqualification.

Note: Resumes, letters, and other materials will not be evaluated or considered as a response to the SOQ.

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is required and must be included.
• Statement of Qualifications - Please see below for specific requirements.
• Other - Cover Letter is required and must be included.