Recreation Manager

State of Montana•Great Falls, MT

17h•Onsite

About The Position

THE OUTSIDE IS IN US ALL. Please remember to attach the required documents Cover Letter, Resume and References listed in this announcement. Applications missing the requested documents will be considered incomplete and may not progress further in the process. Documents not requested will not be considered in the recruitment process. The State Application is not a substitute for a Resume. This position closes at 11:59 PM Mountain Time on March 4th, 2026. You must apply through the State of Montana Career site. Identity of applicants who become finalists may be released to the public if the Department deems it necessary. Employees who exceed 1,040 hours in a calendar year are also provided health, dental and life insurance. Other benefits include retirement, paid vacation, sick and holidays. This position may be covered by a VEBA (Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association). A successful applicant will be subject to a background investigation. Women and minorities are under-represented in this job category and are encouraged to apply. Special Information: This Recreation Manager position is a full-time permanent position within the Parks and Outdoor Recreation Division of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP). The position will have responsibility for a management district consisting of Giant Springs and Ackley Lake State Parks and Widow Coulee, Carter Ferry and Loma Bridge Fishing Access Sites (FAS). The position will be based at Giant Springs State Park in Great Falls, Montana. The position will require a willingness to work irregular hours including evenings, weekends, and holidays, particularly during peak recreational periods (May through October). Giant Springs State Park is a gem in the Montana State Park system. The park is situated just outside of Great Falls along the banks of the Missouri River and is comprised of 4,600 acres of diverse land (a large portion of this being NorthWestern Energy land on which FWP manages recreation use through an agreement). The park’s landscape varies from dense trees and manicured lawns to natural prairie. Giant Springs is home to much more than just its namesake springs, it also boasts over 30 miles of the River’s Edge Trail system (both paved and single track), a neighboring fish hatchery, a thriving education/interpretation program, a full slate of special events, and a rich history. This State Park is loved and cherished by many, often ranking as Montana’s most visited state park (averaging over 460,000 visitors annually). Visitors engage in a variety of recreational activities including fishing, hiking, biking, hunting, picnicking, bird watching, photography, and simply enjoying nature. Ackley Lake State Park is an oasis in the farmlands of Central Montana. Located near Hobson, MT, this State Park offers camping, fishing, boating, swimming, and birdwatching. Ackley Lake State Park consists of 26 first-come-first-served campsites (no power, water or sewer) that are full most peak season weekends, a swimming area, and two boat ramps. Ackley Lake State Park has an active friend’s group that assists FWP in various capacities including fundraising and volunteer work. Carter Ferry and Widow Coulee FAS are day use sites that provide access to the Missouri River, below Morony Dam. Loma Bridge FAS is a day use site located at the confluence of the Marias and Teton Rivers. Great Falls is located on the Missouri River in the heart of Montana. Great Falls is a haven of rich arts, culture, and history and is centrally located to provide ample outdoor opportunities, entertainment, health care, and shopping. Home to nearly 60,000 residents, Great Falls is the third largest city in Montana. Nearly every outdoor activity available in Montana is accessible in or around Great Falls, including hiking, road and mountain biking, hunting, fishing, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and wildlife viewing. The city offers an extensive hiking and biking trail system along the river, 4 golf courses, two-disc golf courses, a minor-league baseball stadium, multiple city parks, two state parks, and one national wildlife refuge. This recruitment process will require applicants to: complete the State of Montana Employment application, provide a one-page cover letter and provide 3 references. Job Duties: This Recreation Manager position is ideal for candidates looking for a fast-paced and challenging opportunity. The Giant Springs management district consists of complex and busy recreation sites that require the Manager to have excellent communication skills, the ability to stay organized, the capability to build and maintain relationships with stakeholders, and the capacity to effectively supervise and lead assigned employees. This collection of stakeholders (consisting of at least a dozen groups) includes neighboring landowners, partners, friends groups, clubs, government organizations, various FWP divisions, and volunteer groups that require consistent communication and coordination by the Recreation Manager. This position will supervise up to 6 employees (Recreation Ranger, Recreation Technician(s), Intern, and AmeriCorps Member(s)) and will be responsible for recruiting, hiring, training, supervising, evaluating, and disciplining staff while carrying forward the Region’s culture of hard work, communication, empowerment, and quality customer service. This position will oversee the robust Giant Springs State Park interpretation and education program which includes managing and participating in the delivery of interpretive and education programs, overseeing the development of site interpretive and educational program materials, assigning staff to assist with the interpretation and education program, and monitoring/coaching staff as necessary. This position will be responsible for the Giant Springs Ranger Station which includes overseeing and coordinating administrative functions such as fee collection, banking, remittance processing, special recreation permit and commercial use permit administration, incident reporting, authorized purchases, enterprise sales and inventory, day use site reservations/registration processes, ensuring the station is adequately staffed, and that staff are providing exceptional customer service. This position will routinely perform light-duty maintenance tasks including groundskeeping (string trimming, landscaping, snow removal…), janitorial services, and minor repairs as needed. This position will take the lead on trail maintenance including monitoring trail conditions, developing trail maintenance plans, and leading trail work activities. Additional responsibilities associated with this Recreation Manager position are listed below.

Requirements

The knowledge, skills, and abilities of this position are normally attained through a Bachelor’s Degree in Park Management, Resource Conservation, Outdoor Recreation, or a related field and at least 2 years of job-related experience.
Other combinations of education and experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Responsibilities

Manages recreational use to meet visitor needs and to help prevent or resolve user conflicts.
Provides resource stewardship in a proactive manner.
Monitors impacts to site infrastructure and heritage, cultural or natural resources, safety issues, and develops solutions with relevant staff and regional leadership to correct or mitigate problematic impacts.
Manages and prepares a variety of memorandums of understandings and agreements while following all purchasing, contracting and other policy guidelines.
Communicates site and facility maintenance needs to the regional maintenance staff.
Helps Regional Recreation Manager inform and implement budgets. Provides management and oversight of awarded grants.
Supports site planning processes for visitor use and resource stewardship. May include preparing environmental analyses of proposed projects at assigned sites.
Leads public meetings and presentations as it relates to development and management of sites, planning processes, and adjacent landowner issues.
Coordinates collection of visitation data, and visitor surveys.
Identifies and applies for grants and other financial opportunities, and provides oversight of personal service contracts, and other agreements.
Patrols assigned units via motor vehicle, foot, watercraft, or bicycle, as necessary, to monitor visitor activities and resource conditions.
Explains and interprets rules, policies, and laws to public.
Provides information to assist FWP Wardens and other law enforcement agencies in the enforcement of laws, rules, and regulations.
Addresses and resolves visitor conflicts and complaints.
Manages and coordinates site or area restrictions and closures, including emergency closures, fire restrictions, etc.
Ensures safety of staff and visitors.
Instructs staff on use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety programs. Ensures safety training is completed in accordance with FWP's Safety and Health Policy.
Prepares, implements, and updates site emergency operations plans.
Assists local and state emergency services personnel in site-specific incident response and management, first aid, search and rescue, law enforcement, and emergency services. Acts as incident commander until relieved by proper authority.
Identifies hazardous conditions and maintenance needs and communicates needs to regional maintenance staff, as well as triaging and communicating as required for public and staff safety.
Serves on division, agency and interagency committees, task forces and working groups.
Works with staff and the local community to develop and offer special events at recreation sites within management district.