Recreational Grants Manager

The Department of Natural Resources encourages all applicants to upload a current resume and cover letter to their online application. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Parks, Forests, and Preserves Bureau is seeking a strategic leader passionate about expanding public access to parks, trails, and outdoor spaces by managing our centralized recreational grant portfolio, which accounts for approximately $20 million in annual funding. Team members choose to build long-term careers with the DNR because they value knowing that their daily work makes a direct difference for our customers. We foster a close, family atmosphere by working alongside dedicated people who share common interests and unified goals. If you find fulfillment in making progress toward tangible goals, seeing the real-world results of your work, and staying engaged with a wide variety of meaningful projects, this role offers a unique opportunity to shape Iowa’s outdoor recreation landscape. This position serves as the DNR's primary subject matter expert and strategic point of contact for multiple high-impact recreational grant programs, including the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP), Saving America’s Treasures, Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI), and the Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) and Snowmobile programs. Primary Job Duties & Responsibilities Local-Side Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) & Federal Grants Management

• Direct and administer the local-side LWCF program (approximately $2.1M annually) and the ORLP program (up to $15M) for city and county park agencies.
• Provide technical guidance, grant consultation, and application training to local municipalities.
• Ensure application systems and Iowa's Open Project Selection Process meet National Park Service (NPS) criteria and align with priorities identified in Iowa's Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP).
• Coordinate grant review committees, authorize annual grant allocations in collaboration with Budget and Finance, and ensure processing of grant agreements and reimbursements.
• Review, draft, and enforce Administrative Rules governing the LWCF program.
• Serve as the primary liaison with the NPS, the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and local applicants for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance, Section 106 clearances, and tribal consultations.
• Conduct pre-inspection visits for potential grant applications, as well as final and annual project inspections required by the NPS.
• Coordinate additional federal grant opportunities, including Saving America’s Treasures and the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) program.

Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) & Snowmobile Grant Program Leadership

• Direct all phases of the OHV Grant Program (up to $1.25M annually), including applicant training, evaluation criteria development, grant review and selection committee, spending plan development, and project close-out.
• Manage the cooperative agreement with the Iowa State Snowmobile Association (ISSA) to ensure the partner administration of grant funds complies with Iowa Code, Administrative Rules, and contract terms.
• Direct major equipment procurements exceeding $500,000 annually.
• Serve as the DNR Project Manager for the Federal Recreational Trails Grant Program, authoring and submitting federal applications while maintaining compliance.
• Review, draft, and enforce Administrative Rules governing the OHV and Snowmobile programs.
• Assist the Communications, Outreach, and Marketing Bureau in coordinating statewide safety and education programs, developing curriculum standards, and managing online safety course vendors.
• Direct the negotiation and compliance oversight of land leases and cooperative agreements with program sponsors and landowners.
• Manage operational support for Law Enforcement officers assigned to OHV and snowmobile enforcement, track incident data, and direct the procurement of safety gear and vehicles.
• Serve as the inter-agency liaison on multi-agency policy initiatives with the Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Public Safety (DPS), and Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB).

State-Side LWCF Grants & Capital Infrastructure Planning

• Administer the state-side LWCF grant program, allocating approximately $2.25M annually for state parks.
• Direct the integration of LWCF funding into the annual Parks Bureau capitals budget to support one-to-five-year infrastructure plans.
• Provide high-level direction to the Parks Bureau Management Team regarding project feasibility and annual allocations.
• Oversee project design concepts in coordination with park staff, engineering staff, and key stakeholders to ensure construction plans meet national NPS standards.
• Serve as the official liaison with the Office of the State Archaeologist (OSA), SHPO, and NPS to direct bureau compliance for state-side mitigation.

Legislative Advisory & Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as the primary technical advisor to the Agency Legislative Liaison regarding assigned grant programs.
• Independently author legislative fiscal impact notes and complex policy analyses.
• Represent the Department at legislative subcommittee meetings, administrative rules committee meetings, and deliver formal presentations to public stakeholders.
• Manage complex public inquiries and advise county recorders, local clubs, and department leadership on program matters.

Essential Functions

• Formulates and authorizes annual grant allocations for the statewide recreational grants portfolio to ensure the strategic distribution of up to approximately $20M in funding.
• Drafts fiscal impact analyses and fiscal notes to advise the Legislative Liaison and leadership on the operational and budgetary implications of proposed legislation.
• Represents the Department at the State Capitol during legislative subcommittee and administrative rules committee meetings to provide technical information and programmatic expertise.
• Directs the strategic execution of the centralized recreational grants programs, overseeing both local and state-side operational segments.
• Interprets and ensures compliance with federal and state regulations, including National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).
• Integrates recreational grant funding into the annual Parks Bureau capitals budget for one-to-five-year long-term infrastructure planning.
• Develops and implements administrative rules and agency policies governing recreational grant eligibility and selection criteria.
• Maintains and manages digital grant application and evaluation systems to ensure transparency and integrity in the project selection process.
• Directs the strategic management of the OHV and Snowmobile grant programs, including administration of cooperative agreements, oversight of registration funds, and providing technical guidance to stakeholders.

Critical Job Competencies Accountability, Integrity, High Productivity, Communication Skills, Team Player, Customer Focus, Attention to Detail, Computer Skills, Interpersonal Skills, Common Sense, Collaboration, Self-Management, Budgeting, Problem Solving, Technical Skills. 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.

• Flexible work schedules (as approved by the supervisor).

• Opportunities for hybrid telework (as approved by the supervisor).

• Workout/Gym facilities available onsite at 6200 Park Ave.

Comments This position requires a valid driver's license and the ability to travel and work occasional weekends. 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 [email protected]. 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. 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 all 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. For more information, please visit www.e-verify.gov. 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. Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:

1. Seven years of full-time work experience in the administration or operation/execution (i.e., providing consultation and/or technical assistance to stakeholders, research and analysis, or enforcement of program guidelines/policies/procedures) of a program (i.e., the provision of a service or an administrative oversight/enforcement responsibility).

2. All of the following (a, b, and c): a. One year of full-time work experience in the administration or operation/execution (i.e., providing consultation and/or technical assistance to stakeholders, research and analysis, or enforcement of program guidelines/policies/procedures) of a program (i.e., the provision of a service or an administrative oversight/enforcement responsibility); and b. A total of four years of education and full-time experience (as described in part a), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university course work in any field equals one year of full-time experience; and c. A total of two years of graduate-level education and full-time experience (as described in part a), where twenty-four semester hours of accredited graduate college or university course work in any field equals one year of full-time experience.

3. Graduation from an accredited school of law.

4. Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes nine months of full-time work as a Program Planner 2 or twenty-seven months of full-time work as a Program Planner 1.

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