Roadside Manager - Under Conservation

Responsibilities and Skills:

Weed Commissioner:

• Assumes all responsibilities of the Benton County Weed Commissioner through annual appointment by the Benton County Board of Supervisors.
• Develops a program of noxious and invasive weed control to effectively implement Iowa Code Chapter 317.
• Investigates and addresses noxious weed complaints.
• Enforces all local, state, and federal laws pertaining to the operation of Weed Commissioner within Benton County.

Land Management:

• Planting and management of existing and future vegetation communities in graded, cleaned out, or otherwise disturbed sites where soil stabilization is needed on county ROW and BCCB areas.
• Proper utilization, operation, maintenance, and repairs of all agency equipment (tractors, vehicles, UTVs, chainsaws, mowers, hydroseeder, etc.).
• Ability to safely operate a variety of hand and power tools including, but not limited to, chainsaws, brush cutters, pole pruner, and sprayers.
• Development of a program of public information and education to promote public understanding of IRM and land use that contributes to the goals of the Iowa Roadside Management program.
• Inventorying, documenting, and managing plant communities and trends along county rights-of-way to promote diversity and continued health.
• Control noxious and non-noxious herbaceous and woody vegetation (chemical, mechanical, biological) in ROW and BCCB areas.
• Habitat restoration and management (prairies, ROW, woodlands, wetlands).
• Record keeping (chemical, daily work logs, equipment, etc.).
• Plans and conducts prescribed burns on ROW and BCCB areas.
• Assist with production, harvest, and processing of native prairie plant seeds for use in roadsides and BCCB areas.
• Serves as the trainer/inspector/manager of the seeders, tractors, mowers, sprayers, and other roadside management equipment.
• Attends state and regional conferences related to the field.
• Enforces all local, state, and federal laws pertaining to the operation of roadside vegetation management within Benton County.
• Other duties as assigned by the Benton County Conservation Director.

Managerial and Administrative

• Establishes a long-term plan for roadside development that incorporates the goals and objectives of the Benton County Conservation and Secondary Roads Departments, including long-term budgeting for capital expenditures.
• Compiles monthly and annual work activity reports for the tasks completed to the Director and BCCB.
• Supervises staff including, but not limited to, assigning, checking, planning and approving the work schedules of full-time, seasonal, and volunteers. Maintains confidentiality of information.
• Establish and manage annual roadside budget, purchase and provide equipment, ensure reliable financial accounting across all line-items while working closely with Conservation Department, Secondary Roads, Auditor’s Office, and Human Resources.
• Successfully write and manage local/state/federal grants and seek creative funding options.
• Builds sustainable relationships with key stakeholders and county officials, park users, community members and the public. Regularly attends County Board of Supervisors, Conservation Board and other pertinent meetings.
• Establish Benton County Conservation as a go-to resource for conservation land management in Benton County.
• Operates Microsoft Windows and Suite, GIS/GPS equipment, and promotes Benton County Conservation using web-based tools such as conservation related websites, social media, and public programing.
• Ability to respond effectively to sensitive inquiries or complaints.
• Ability to read, analyze, interpret, and produce complex professional documents
• Ability to communicate verbally and in writing to prioritize job activities to achieve maximum overall results.
• Ability to create a positive work culture that promotes trust, accountability, open communication, and excellence while fostering individual and departmental achievements, and provide support for individual staff development and goals.
• Other duties as assigned by the Benton County Conservation Director.

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily as listed above. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education & Experience:

• Must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university with major course work in a natural science field or a related field and 1-year of relevant experience; or an associate’s degree in a conservation related course and minimum 3-years of relevant conservation field experience; or relevant experience equivalent to the previous mentioned education and experience.
• Must have certification as an Iowa Commercial Pesticide Applicator Category 6, upon hire.
• Additional Pesticide Applicators Certification Categories of 1A, 2 and 3OT, or become certified in additional categories within 1-year of hire.
• CPR, Basic First Aid, and AED or obtain certification within 6 months of hire. 
• S-130 and S-190 Introduction to Wildland Fire behavior training or obtain certification within 1-year of hire.
• Possession of a valid Iowa Commercial Driver’s License (Class A, manual) with air brake and tanker endorsement or obtain license and endorsements within 1-year of hire.

Preferred Skills

• Previous experience in IRM programming.
• Experience managing personnel.
• Experience in the public sector, budget work, public meetings, etc.
• Experience with equipment maintenance.

Physical Demands/Work Hours:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, grasp, handle or feel; climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, push or pull and reach with hands and arms. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, regularly lift and/or move up to 20 pounds and occasionally exert up to 50 pounds of force to move objects. The visual requirements for this position are similar to those classified of skilled tradespeople (ie: carpenters, technicians, plumbers, painters, mechanics, etc.).

Average working days are 7:00am - 3:30pm, Monday - Friday. This position will sometimes require working overtime, including non-traditional hours. Particularly during burn and spray seasons. Must be able to work weekends, holidays, and irregular or special event hours as necessary or assigned.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The worker is subject to both inside and outside environmental conditions. The worker is subject to extreme cold and extreme heat. The worker is subject to hazards including moving mechanical parts, handling chemicals, electrical current, working on scaffolding and high places. Frequently this position is required to travel to transport equipment and to attend meetings.

TO APPLY:

Apply online at www.bentoncountyia.gov/employment or by emailing all application materials to HR Director, Sue Wilber at swilber@bentoncountyia.gov

To be considered, all documents must be included; Benton County application, resume, letter expressing interest in the position, current pesticide applicators license #, at least two professional references, and any other certifications.

Applications due by March 11, 2024.

THE ABOVE DECLARATIONS ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE AN “ALL-INCLUSIVE” LIST OF THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE JOB DESCRIBED OR OF THE SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED TO PERFORM THE JOB. RATHER, THEY ARE INTENDED ONLY TO DESCRIBE THE GENERAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE JOB.

Benefits:

• IPERS retirement with 6.29% employee contribution and 9.44% employer contribution
• 9 paid holidays
• Vacation time, sick time, and 2 floating days off
• Health Insurance as low as $180 per pay period for a family plan
• Dental insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Accident and Critical Illness Insurance
• Flex Spending Accounts
• Wellness program with opportunity to earn up to $350 in incentives and a discount on your health insurance
• EAP

*THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN EMPLOYMENT AT BENTON COUNTY*

Return Application To

Sue Wilber via email at swilber@bentoncountyia.gov or 811 D Avenue Vinton, IA 52349