Recreation Program Assistant – FULL-TIME, TEMPORARY
OPENING DATE: April 28, 2021
CLOSING DATE: May 12, 2021 by 11:59 pm MST
Do you take pride in helping people enjoy the outdoors as much as you do? Do you love long drives exploring the Western Slope? Are you always looking for your next chance to get outside?
We want you!
The Colorado State Land Board is looking for a Recreation Program Assistant to join our team. We have nearly one million acres of land that is publicly accessible in limited, seasonal, site-specific ways. We need your outstanding administrative skills coupled with your passion for the outdoors to help us ensure each property’s public access specifications are properly posted.
What is the State Land Board?
The State Land Board is a constitutionally created agency (1876) that manages a $4 billion endowment of assets for the intergenerational benefit of Colorado’s K-12 schoolchildren and public institutions. At 144 years old, we take pride in being especially entrepreneurial and business-savvy. We compete in the private sector markets daily and generate more than $100 million in revenue annually.
We are the second-largest landowner in Colorado and generate revenue on behalf of beneficiaries by leasing nearly three million surface acres and four million subsurface acres for agriculture, grazing, recreation, commercial real estate, rights-of-way, renewable energy, oil, gas, and solid minerals.
What trust land is publicly accessible and why?
The State Land Board owns 2.8 million acres of land in Colorado. (That’s four percent of our state’s 66.5 million acres.) This land — called trust land — is not open to the public. The public can access trust land only when the property is leased for public recreation.
Our largest access program is Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Public Access Program (PAP). Through this access agreement between Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the State Land Board, public hunters and anglers have access to 770,000 acres (soon to be 980,000 acres) for these specific uses. CPW is responsible for ensuring that sportsmen comply with the rules and regulations of the lease, but there is plenty of administrative work on our end as the landowner.
By the numbers:
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2.8 million acres of trust land in Colorado earns revenue for public schools.
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98% of trust land is leased for agriculture.
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38% is leased for recreation.
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770,000 acres of trust land enrolled in the Public Access Program, which provided seasonal and limited access to trust land to hunters and anglers.
(Soon to be 980,000 for the fall 2021 season.) -
300,000 acres of trust land is leased for private recreation.
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And only one (1) very busy Recreation Program Manager. (Cue our desire to hire a program assistant!)
The job opportunity
This is a full-time, temporary position slated for May through September 2021 offering $20/hour. Please view the state’s HR benefits page closely to understand what is and isn’t included as a temporary employee.
Under supervision and close collaboration with the Recreation Program Manager, you’ll help us inform the public about which trust land properties are publicly accessible and assist with private recreation lease contracts. You’ll spend plenty of time getting your boots dirty on our beautiful properties across the state, but you will certainly also spend time at your desk doing lots of administrative paperwork. Specific duties include:
Assist with the administration of the Public Access Program (40%)
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Prepare new Access Plans related to the Public Access Program
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Convert old Access Plans to our new and improved format
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Use our asset management software (Netsuite platform) to correctly identify and update asset information
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Scan and file historic Public Access Program communication.
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Assist with monitoring and coordinating Enhancement Fund projects.
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Liaise with staff at Colorado Parks and Wildlife on behalf of the State Land Board.
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Respond to inquiries from the public pertaining to the PAP.
(Applicant tip #1: familiarize yourself with the PAP before applying to this job!)
Assist with the on-site inspections of properties enrolled in the Public Access Program (20%)
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Travel the state to inspect or monitor highly trafficked properties or properties of concern. Liaise with on-site lessees or local community members.
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Travel around the state to assist CPW with on-site signage installation at high-use properties.
(Applicant tip #2: study up on the PAP before applying to this job!)
Assist with private recreation lease oversight and records management (35%)
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Monitor expiring leases and prepare GIS maps for advertisements.
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Assist with recreation lease auctions.
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Get your boots dirty during site inspections and field data collections.
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Be the chauffeur on road trips. You will be expected to drive all around the state solo or with team members (COVID parameters pending).
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Assist with film/photography postings on Colorado Film Commission website.
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Accompany the recreation program manager at meetings with other land management agencies (USFS, BLM, CPW).
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Enthusiastically help current customers and prospective customers with basic inquiries.
Other duties as assigned (5%)
No job description is complete without the ubiquitous ‘other duties as assigned’ line, right?
Even though this is a temporary position, you will be integrated into our agency’s day-to-day operations. You will have time to shadow or assist our team members and take part in team and all-staff meetings.
(Applicant tip #3: did we mention that you shouldn’t bother applying unless you’ve familiarized yourself with PAP?)
What can you expect from us in return for your hard work?
We are a lean team of 45 staff members that places significant emphasis on promoting and maintaining a positive work environment. We get our work done, and we have fun doing it. We take pride in knowing our work is stewarding Colorado’s land and helping fund public schools.
Your location can be flexible or virtual (you will have a workspace in our Denver office, but access to the office will depend on pandemic work-from-home precautions). That said, you will be expected to have regular meetings (virtual or in person) with team members during regular business hours (M-F, 8-5). This position will have frequent overnight travel expectations to visit properties across the state. You will be expected to drive a state fleet vehicle regularly.
We can offer $20/hr for 40hrs/week for up to four months.
What attributes are we looking for?
This position is best suited for a person eager to learn about outdoor recreation management, long-term planning and the outdoor industry. Applicants with an undergraduate or graduate degree in outdoor recreation, natural resources, tourism, marketing, landscape architecture, regional planning, or a related field are encouraged to apply. Likewise, pertinent professional experience can substitute a degree.
At a minimum, you need the following:
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Demonstrated 1-2 experiences in the outdoor recreation industry.
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Demonstrated proficiency in microsoft suite and google suite products.
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Valid Colorado Driver’s License.
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Demonstrated basic understanding of the Public Access Program.
You get bonus points if you can demonstrate the following:
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Familiarity with Colorado public lands.
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Proficiency in the ESRI suite of tools, including: ArcGIS, ArcMap, Desktop, Online, ArcPro, Collector, Server, and others.
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Knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite
To be successful as a member of this agency, you’ll have these professional traits and skills:
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Good written and oral communication with the ability to convey information to others effectively and efficiently
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Independent yet also a team player, proactively helps others
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Strong interpersonal skills
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Customer-service mindset, respectful, helpful
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Proactive, takes initiative, self motivated
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Possesses good problem solving skills, seeks to understand alternatives, employs logic and good judgment
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Self confident and self aware
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Great work ethic: results oriented, disciplined, conscientious, thorough, and diligent
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Honest, trustworthy, dependable
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Enthusiastic, energetic, optimistic, positive attitude
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Organized and professional
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Adaptable and open to change
APPLY
We hope this sounds like you. To apply, email abraham.medina using the subject line RECREATION PROGRAM ASSISTANT APPLICATION. The email must include:
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Current resume/CV
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Cover letter explaining 1) why you are interested in this position and 2) your availability and preferred start date.
We appreciate your enthusiasm, but please do not inquire about the position by phone. We will provide updates to all applicants via email throughout the application process.