Park Manager

Only applicants who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements and Selective Requirements (listed below) will be placed on the eligible list.

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) encourages all applicants to upload a current resume and cover letter to their online application.

Position Overview:

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is seeking a highly motivated and skilled individual to serve as the Park Manager for Nine Eagles State Park. This position is a unique opportunity for someone who is passionate about natural resource stewardship, park operations, and public service. As Park Manager, you will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of park management, including maintenance, visitor services, budgeting, staff supervision, and conservation practices. The successful candidate will be required to live within 30 miles of the park as outlined in DNR Park Bureau policy.

About Nine Eagles State Park:

Nestled in the rolling hills of southern Iowa near Davis City, Nine Eagles State Park offers over 1,000 acres of stunning natural beauty, including mature forests, rugged ravines, and the serene Nine Eagles Lake. The park is a hidden gem for outdoor enthusiasts, offering camping, fishing, hiking, equestrian trails, wildlife viewing, and winter recreation. Its peaceful, secluded setting makes it a popular destination for both local visitors and those looking to escape the bustle of urban life. Park amenities include a reservable cabin and over 50 camping sites.

Nine Eagles is part of a region rich in history and rural charm. The surrounding Decatur County area offers a strong sense of community, a low cost of living, and access to excellent, year-round outdoor recreational opportunities.

Your role as a State Park Manager will be to:

Assist the district supervisor with day-to-day administration of the park, including managing the work of other park employees, hiring & training of seasonal/temporary staff, managing contracts and the procurement of goods, services, and rentals, overseeing park budgets, completing monthly reporting of expenses and receipts, and maintaining 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. This will include regular inspections of multi-use trails, natural areas, concession operations (if applicable), 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 the 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.

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. Facilitate 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.

- Carries heavy loads (40 lbs.+) across great distances and operates a wide variety of motor vehicles.

- Uses PC-based software to complete work. Fiscal skills to administer budgets and track expenditures. Spreadsheet skills to create, modify and manipulate data.

- Adjusts to changes, work pressures, or difficult situations. Demonstrates initiative, customer service and team orientation, and displays high standards of ethical conduct. Maintains regular attendance.

Critical Job Competencies

Accountability, Integrity, High Productivity, Communication Skills, Project Management, Team Player, Interpersonal Skills, Computer Skills, Self-Management, Customer Focus, Project Management and Technical Skills (Park Management, Mechanical)

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.

Comments

Special Requirements:

Commercial Driver’s License - CDL (must obtain within first six months of hire for Wapello Park only)

Pesticide Applicator’s License (must obtain within first six months of hire)

Maintain/Obtain valid Driver's License. (must obtain upon hire)

Water/Wastewater Certification (must obtain within first six months of hire) (Beeds and Wapello Parks only)

CPR/First Aide Certification (must obtain within first six months of hire)

Chain Saw Safety Certification (must obtain within first year of hire)

Defensive Tactics Training (must obtain within first year of hire)

Staff must live within the travel requirement as outlined in the DNR Park Bureau Policy.

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.

Ensure you are kept up-to-date of this position by checking your email regularly for emails from . 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.

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

914 Park and Recreation Management

6 months’ experience, twelve semester hours, or a combination of both in the operation and/or maintenance of parks or park recreational services. May have commonly been served at a national, state, or county park level.

OR

450 Natural Resources

6 months’ experience, 12 semester hours, or a combination of both in one or in a combination of more than one of the following: • Ecology • Environmental planning • Soil conservation • Biological sciences • Waste water treatment • Forestry • Engineering related to natural resource areas (dams, sanitary engineers, etc.) • Outdoor recreation planning • Physical sciences • River basin planning • Geography • Wildlife management

Minimum Qualification Requirements

Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:

1) 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).

2) Five years of full-time work experience in park operations (may include experience as a park laborer, planner, manager, or ranger).

3) A total of five years of education and/or full-time experience (as described in number one), 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.

4) Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes three years of fulltime work as a Natural Resource Technician 1 or 2, Park Ranger, or Conservation Officer.

For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description.

Additional Qualification Requirements

Within a period of time after hire, as determined by the appointing authority, employees in this class may be required to obtain one or more of the following certificates, licenses, or endorsements:

• A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and endorsements

• Pesticide Applicator - by the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

• Certified Water and Wastewater system operator

First Aide/CPR will be required within a specified period of time as determined by the appointing authority.

O.C. spray, handcuffing, and defensive tactics training will be required within a specified period of time as determined by the appointing authority.