Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To implement field programs and provide monitoring and auditing of compliance with natural resources acts, regulations, policies, and guidelines related to forestry, fish and wildlife, lands, waters and aggregates programs. To provide input to and assist with maintaining resources information systems and promote awareness of resource management and protection. To provide customer service to internal and external clients.

Duties / Responsibilities :

1. Conducting operational field program activities such as carrying out site inspections and field surveys on foot, in vehicles, boats or aircraft; organizing, scheduling and coordinating human and equipment needs for resource management projects such as fish stocking, wildlife surveys, nuisance animal management and Crown dam operations and maintenance; providing technical guidance to assigned employees and public; collecting and inputting data such as silvicultural effectiveness monitoring, water crossing assessments; reviewing resource industry plans and work schedules such as forest management plans and annual work schedules; providing input to operational plans such as broad scale fisheries monitoring to ensure operations are within guidelines and policies.

2. Conducting field inspections and audits such as forest operations and work permits to monitor client (e.g. resource contractors, industry, licensees) compliance with specific natural resources management acts, regulations and related ministry policies and guidelines by: analyzing client reporting documents; identifying infractions/deviations from approved activity (e.g. work permits) and taking and/or recommending action in cases of noncompliance (e.g. stop work order).

3. Providing leadership to assigned students and unclassified staff on behalf of supervisor, including assigning daily work, monitoring the quality and quantity of work, reporting on progress; ensuring staff compliance to the Occupational Health & Safety requirements that apply to the work.

4. Performing technical activities such as gathering, assembling and compiling technical information for databases; preparing reports and making recommendations on related matters (e.g. Crown land disposition activities including leases, work permits, forest operation inspection reports, and water control structure operation).

5. Assisting with administrative matters such as budget preparation, licensing, monitoring expenditures, auditing and reporting on contractor performance such as Crown road maintenance, forest resource licensing, silviculture projects and advising of any problems/issues. Keeping records up to date; responding to inquiries.

6. Supporting resource management partnerships and initiatives (e.g. with municipalities, Conservation groups, Fish and Game Clubs, resource industry) by providing technical expertise and advice to those involved and promoting sustainable resource development education and awareness.

7. Other duties: Management has the right to assign additional duties.


The incumbent shall work in compliance with the Occupational Health and safety Act and its regulations and any workplace practices as directed by the employer. The incumbent shall ensure that workers take precautions to protect the health and safety of themselves and others by complying with such
acts, codes, policy, procedures or accepted workplace practices as may be appropriate. The incumbent shall advise workers of actual and potential dangers in the workplace and take the required precautions.

Staffing and Licencing :

Valid Ontario Class 'G' driver's license to visit sites, usually in rural and/or remote settings

Knowledge :

Knowledge and understanding of resources management and ecological sustainability principles and practices required to organize and conduct field inspections, surveys and projects such as aggregate pit inspection, lake surveys by providing program specialist(s) with site specific technical data for
making resource allocation decisions; to promote resource management awareness and education by participating in resource management partnership projects such as deer feeding projects with Fish and Game Clubs; to provide technical advice to conservation groups, resource management industry staff and provide technical input to program specialists.
Knowledge of ministry and related government legislation, policies, procedures, directives and guidelines (e.g. Crown Forest Sustainability Act, Public Lands Act, Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act, Aggregates Resources Act, Fish & Wildlife Conservation Act, Endangered Species Act) to provide general information to internal and external clients; to monitor, audit, assess and document compliance during field inspections, to issue a stop work order and recommend laying charges in cases of non-compliance.
Knowledge of data management standards and operating practices for information gathering (e.g. data collection and inventory techniques, data preparation and entry/digitizing) to collect and input data , ensuring complete, accurate information is available for land use planning, the Geographic
Information system and Natural Resources Values Information system.
Knowledge of relevant administrative policies, procedures and best practices (e.g. budget, estimates, procurement) as well as work plan procedures to track project expenditures to ensure approved budget is not exceeded; and provide input into the budget planning process to provide information about funding required for planned projects (e.g. specialized equipment costs, unit price estimates for contract work).
Knowledge of field equipment operations to perform field maintenance, manipulation of water control devices, adjustments and repair of equipment such as global Positioning System locators, hand held data computers, weather stations, vehicles, outboard motors and boats, all-terrain vehicles in accordance with user's manuals (e.g. change spark plugs, tires, adjust fuel mix), to provide calibration or to return equipment to appropriate formal maintenance location from field operations.
Knowledge of personal computers/software including word-processing, data base, electronic mail, internet and spreadsheet applications to prepare correspondence and reports, input and retrieve data, and track expenditures; use internet and e-mail.
Good working knowledge of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and those regulations made under the act that apply to the workplace and the work being performed.

Skills :

Analytical and problem solving skills to make project-level decisions to determine the nature and extent of resource user compliance by measuring impact on resource (e.g. determining nature and extent of over harvesting of timber through both site inspection and computer data analysis) and recommending a course of action in the cases of non-compliance; review standards, policies and procedural guidelines, acts and regulations to determine the approach to a task or to resolve an issue, or to apply them to resource operations in field conditions (e.g. determining road locations/bridge crossings); resolve technical problems in operational field situations by gathering/analyzing information on site, determining options, selecting a course of action and documenting position/rationale (e.g. cut inspection with wasteful practices such as high stumps, unmarked trees cut); and to deal with issues and problem situations, particularly in remote field situations (e.g. providing temporary/remedial solutions to stream bed siltation near construction site).
Interpersonal skills to build effective working relationships and liaise effectively with wide variety of clients/partners (e.g. municipalities, consultants, cottage associations) and the public and deal with diverse requests and concerns related to forestry, fish and wildlife, lands, waters and aggregates
programs.
Group leadership skills to assign work to students and unclassified staff on behalf of the supervisor, including assigning daily work, providing
advice/guidance for problem resolution, monitoring the quality and quantity of work, and reporting on progress.
Oral/written communication skills to respond, both orally and in writing, to resource industry and public inquiries on matters such as reports, resource data and maps; make presentations, communicate and share information with professional staff and clients in resource management programs and
partnerships to further understanding of projects; conduct field tours and represent the ministry at displays; and to present information/ideas and recommendations when dealing with non-compliance by industry, resource contractors and licensees.
Planning and coordinating skills to organize, schedule and coordinate human and equipment resources (e.g. boats/motors, pumps, vehicle transportation) for resources management and field projects (e.g. Crown dam maintenance, fish stocking, Crown Lands or Aggregates inspections) with resource agencies involved in natural resources management and the public.

Freedom of Action :

Job requires working within established practices and procedural controls, ministry/government resource management policies, legislation, guidelines and directives, legislation when making decisions on project-level procedures such as project data collection and stop work orders related to specific program disciplines (e.g. forestry, wildlife, fisheries, aggregates, lands, waters).
Job is responsible for conducting operational field program activities/projects such as carrying out site inspections and field surveys on foot, in vehicles, boats or aircraft, including organizing, scheduling and coordinating human and equipment needs; providing technical guidance to assigned employees;
collecting and compiling technical data, preparing reports and making recommendations on related matters. Job requires providing ongoing updates to manager and other team members through regular meetings, discussions and periodic reviews, to deal with problem area. Work is reviewed for progress and results by supervisor, especially any actions directly related to resource allocation decisions (e.g. fish surveys).