Forestry Technical Specialist

If you are in individual with strong communication skills along with a background in forest management than you may want to consider this challenging opportunity with the Regional Operations Division at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.

What can I expect to do in this role?

You will be responsible for:
• administering forest resource license and Bills of Landing
• participating in work program activities (e.g. monitoring forest road use strategies, administering forest roads funding programs, supporting Independent Forest Audits), organizing field projects, controlling budget expenditures, monitoring progress and results of projects
• ensuring consistent application of legislation, regulations, policies and procedures
• providing technical expertise and group leadership through consultation, negotiations, and conflict resolution
• supporting the preparation and implementation of compliance plans, conduct field inspections and investigations and provide testimonial evidence in court and legal tribunals
• supporting long range planning teams by providing technical expertise
• communicating forest management program information to the public, clients, partners, resource industries and Aboriginal peoples by making presentations, attending meetings, speaking to the media, drafting media releases, preparing technical reports, correspondence, briefing notes and Minister's letters, and responding to information and data requests
• participating in the delivery of other district resource management programs (e.g. Lands and Waters, Fish and Wildlife, Aggregates)

How do I qualify?

Mandatory requirement:

• Valid driver's licence to travel to rural or remote sites.

Legislative knowledge:

• You have in-depth knowledge of forestry legislation (e.g. Crown Forest Sustainability Act).
• You have general knowledge of fish, wildlife, lands, waters, and aggregate resources related legislation and regulations (e.g., Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, Federal Fisheries Act, Public Lands Act, Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act, Aggregate Resources Act).
• You are able to comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations.

Specialized knowledge:

• You demonstrated knowledge of forest management operations and techniques to design, organize and audit forestry field projects and operations by attending site inspections, consulting with partners/stakeholders and reviewing progress and results to meet resource sustainability objectives.
• You are able to apply your knowledge of enforcement and compliance procedures to conduct or participate in operational audits of resource industries by determining level of adherence to operating approvals, investigate infractions and provide technical information as a witness in cases of non-compliance.
• You have knowledge of administrative practices, policies and procedures to initiate, draft and audit contracts and partnership agreements (e.g. road funding programs with Sustainable Forest licensees), to review applications and legal submissions, to review site plans/amendments and to recommend approval of licenses and permits.

Communication and interpersonal skills:

• You have strong interpersonal skills to make presentations and participate in public meetings and public consultation processes as a ministry representative.
• You demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills to conduct media interviews, respond to public inquiries, prepare briefing notes, draft Minister's letters and press releases and write technical reports.
• You demonstrate good judgment, tact and diplomacy to interact with staff, industry, local citizen's committees, resource users and the general public to promote understanding and discuss sensitive resource decisions and facilitate resolution of resource management conflicts.
• You have outstanding collaboration skills to work with external clients/partners (e.g. community advisory groups, forest industry, local roads boards ) in the decision making process requiring you to facilitate meetings and establish partnerships/contracts with groups holding conflicting views while promoting an understanding of ministry resource management policies.

Planning and, coordination skills:

• You demonstrate strategic planning and coordinating skills to provide technical input to land use and resource management planning processes.
• You are able to apply your project management skills to plan, coordinate and control project expenditures, and make decisions on resource management programs by identifying standards, establish resource needs, production targets, and arrange for the programs to be monitored and/or evaluated.
• You demonstrate good time-management skills to be able to coordinate several processes/projects occurring simultaneously.

Analytical and problem solving skills:

• You have proven analytical and problem solving skills to review and analyze data, identify compliance issues, and recommend resource management priorities and allocation actions.
• You demonstrate solid evaluation, interpretation and problem-solving skills to review and interpret forest management variables used to design management prescriptions for habitat protection or to minimize site disturbance; evaluate and develop training plans and compliance strategies by reviewing annual project/program implementation, identifying shortfalls and/or deficiencies in target achievement and determining corrective action.

Computer skill:

• You demonstrate proficiency of personal computers/software including word-processing, data base, electronic mail, internet and spreadsheet applications to prepare correspondence and reports; input and retrieve data; prepare budgets and track expenditures; use internet and e-mail.

Please be advised that the results of this competition may be used to form an eligibility list of qualified candidates to potentially fill future vacancies represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU). In accordance with the Collective Agreement, eligibility lists are shared with OPSEU representatives. By applying to this competition, you are providing consent that your name may be shared with OPSEU representatives.

All external applicants (including former employees of the Ontario Public Service) applying to a competition in a ministry or Commission public body must disclose (either in the cover letter or resume) previous employment with the Ontario Public Service. Disclosure must include positions held, dates of employment and any active restrictions as applicable from being rehired by the Ontario Public Service. Active restrictions can include time and/or ministry-specific restrictions currently in force, and may preclude a former employee from being offered a position with the Ontario Public Service for a specific time period (e.g. one year), or from being offered a position with a specific ministry (either for a pre-determined time period or indefinitely). The circumstances around an employee's exit will be considered prior to an offer of employment.

Remember: The deadline to apply is Monday, August 14, 2017 11:59 pm EDT. Late applications will not be accepted.

We thank you for your interest. Only those selected for further screening or an interview will be contacted.