Administrative Forester (Forester)

POSITION PURPOSE:

Manage the Northwest Timberlands (NWT) Division’s real property rights and records.  This includes: granting, obtaining and administering access rights burdening and for the benefit of NWT property; maintaining property records, documents, and data; overseeing property line surveying and protecting NWT property from encroachment; assisting with property transaction due diligence; and other project work as assigned.  This position adds value to NWT property by: negotiating favorable rights and fees for access, land use, and transactions; navigating county regulations to benefit transactions and NWT tax basis; supporting foresters and legal counsel by providing timely research and interpretation of deeds and other property documents; and providing timely and accurate data to forester’s desktops.  

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: (other duties may be assigned)

• Develops, updates, and maintains real property rights records, including but not limited to: deeds, easements, road use permits, access permits, land use agreements, leases, and property transactions.  This includes digital document creation and retention, data attribution to appropriate system(s), and maintaining key linkages to a spatial Geographic Information System (GIS).
• Negotiates and administers easements, access permits, land use agreements, leases, and transactions on behalf of NWT.
• Ensures that easements and agreements are reviewed by Green Diamond’s legal department and executed in a manner consistent with company guidelines.
• Prepares quality maps for easements, permits, leases, and transactions.
• Scans and archives historic property records according to NWT standards and policy.
• Maintains accurate property rights records, updating data and documents as necessary.
• In coordination with Timberland Services Manager, Forest Inventory Manager, and Green Diamond legal counsel, identifies and reconciles property rights discrepancies between various sources.
• Performs research and provides administrative support for real property records, deeds, easements, access permits, land use agreements, leases, and transaction related needs.  Gathers data from a variety of sources, including but not limited to: State and County records, title reports, NWT GIS layers, deeds and property right documents located in the Shelton vault.
• Performs due diligence and title searches to understand exceptions and minimize hindrances to title, especially understanding access benefits or restrictions.
• Assist with potential transactions that primarily benefit NWT’s timber management business or resolve encroachments.
• Understands land zoning, tax classifications, and continuing forestland obligations and makes recommendations for transactions and encroachment resolution.  Applies for and tracks Designated Forest Land tax program.
• Assists the Timberland Services Manager in developing, maintaining, and tracking a variety of projects associated with real property and business development opportunities.
• Administers contracts and oversees contractors for Green Diamond’s property line surveying.  Negotiates with neighbors for cutting line agreements in lieu of surveys where possible.
• Identifies and tracks boundary line disputes and adverse possession claims.  Recommends resolutions and negotiates with neighbors for favorable reconciliation.
• Protects NWT’s roads from illegal use, overburdened easements, and prescriptive rights claims.
• Acquires and manages County Road Takeoff permits as required to support harvesting operations.
• Updates system for truck haul routes and rates for upcoming harvest units.
• Maintains historic bridge, engineering, survey, and corner records.
• Communicates directly with neighbors, sometimes over uncomfortable topics such as encroachment or timber theft.  This position is the primary point of contact for all neighbor requests.
• Assist with Special projects as assigned.
• Participates in regular NWT departmental staff meetings, and /or provides monthly summary of activities to the Timberland Services Manager for inclusion in monthly Departmental Status Report.
• Maintains knowledge and skills through participation in professional organizations and attending appropriate seminars.
• Provides support to all levels of operations and manages multiple project requests in a manner that ensures timely and quality research and analysis.
• Works independently with little or no supervision to accomplish day-to-day tasks.
• Maintains flexibility in a rapidly changing business climate to accomplish special projects and provide input that enhances the quality of area management decisions.
• Works collaboratively with representatives from legal, public affairs, human resources, administration and other internal support groups.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:

• Requires an exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Requires excellent negotiation skills and communication skills.
• Bachelor's degree in Forestry, GIS, Biology, or related Natural Resource field; or in Planning, Real Estate or other real property related fields.
• Five years of professional forestry experience; forest property management is desirable.  Other real property management experience will be considered for relativity.
• Experience working with real property rights, deeds, agreements and/or transactions.
• Strong personal computer skills (Excel, Word, Adobe, ARC/GIS).
• Proven ability to influence behavior through effective negotiation skills.
• Ability to negotiate a consensus agreement when faced with differing priorities, time frames, goals and personalities. Ability to negotiate agreements favorable to Green Diamond.
• Understanding of principles and terminology related to easements, property deeds, legal descriptions, subdivision of land, land use planning, zoning, and parcel development.
• Understanding of forest management principles and ability to apply those principles in the context of real property rights.
• Experience using GIS mapping tools.  Ability to generate high quality presentation grade cartographic products is desired.
• Ability to be highly motivated and self-directed. Ability to work independently and maintain a high level of productivity without close supervision.
• Ability to develop and manage within pre-approved budgets and plans.
• Works with integrity, trust and commitment, setting an example for others.  
• Assures a safe workplace.  Takes personal initiative and an aggressive responsibility to insure ongoing safe behaviors through implementation and active participation in the company safety program with a goal of no recordable accidents.
• Effective and professional relationships with co-workers within immediate work group, outside the immediate department, and with key contacts outside the company.
• Effective and productive communications skills; speaks well, communicates ideas clearly; writes well, clearly and concisely; is approachable and open to discussion; able to handle difficult conversations with sometimes irate or unreasonable neighbors in a calm fashion.
• Ability to work creatively at repetitive tasks – stay focused and motivated to find better methods of utilizing available technology to improve efficiency and accuracy.  Able to perform sedentary work at the computer for multiple hours.
• Regular and punctual attendance with willingness to provide moderate overtime if needed.
• Conducts self in a professional manner at all times.  Treats others with respect at all times.  Does not tolerate discrimination based on race, gender, religion, ethnic background, or national origin.  Shares knowledge with others and participates in mentoring.
• Manages multiple priorities professionally with minimum disruption to others.  Organized and proactively manages environment.  Responds to unexpected challenges successfully without losing track of daily responsibilities.  Prioritizes workload in order of importance.  Reliably follows through with job assignments.
• Learns, applies and retains new methods and information.  Creative in solving problems. Exhibits a “can do” attitude with a positive approach to challenges.  Views obstacles as opportunities to learn and grow.
• Valid Washington driver’s license.

Desired:

• Formal training in ArcGIS.
• GIS Certificate.
• Experience using Microsoft data management software (Access, SQL-Server) in a work environment.
• Formal training in Structured Query Language (SQL).

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• This position is located in our Shelton, WA office. 
• Normal office environment with moderate noise levels, occasional lifting, regular walking, sitting, bending, twisting, standing and reaching.
• Occasional travel to various locations in proximity to the Shelton office requiring a vehicle and ability to drive. 
• Ability to tour logging operations, attend training and company functions.
• Ability to perform consistent work on a PC.
• Must maintain punctual and regular attendance and present appropriate professional appearance at all times.
• Requires the use of standard safety equipment in regulation with GDRCo.
• This position is a Physical and Mental Requirement Classification 1.