Wildlife Manager - South

Role Responsibilities

Reporting to the Regional Director, the Regional Wildlife Manager leads diverse and complex programs and teams in southern Alberta to achieve provincial outcomes for stewardship and sustainable use of game and non-game wildlife, recovery of species at risk, and wildlife habitat conservation.

Responsibilities include:

• Lead a diverse team of 15 wildlife biologists, species at risk biologists, and seasonal staff located in several southern Alberta offices; supervise several senior biologists; recruit, and onboard new staff. Responsible for occupational health and safety of workers conducting surveys from aircraft, boats, other vehicles and on foot; wildlife capture and handling, radio telemetry, and other fieldwork. Oversees and delivers annual performance agreements and training plans; reviews leave requests and expenditure reports.
• Collaborate with Branch colleagues in northeastern and northwestern Alberta to ensure provincial coordination in the design, planning, delivery and reporting of wildlife surveys and other programs, and in the review and issuance of authorizations under Alberta’s Wildlife Act (e.g., Wildlife Research Permits and Collection Licences, Damage Control Licences, Wildlife Rehabilitation Permits). Also responsible for overseeing the provision of information and advice to provincial regulators under the Public Lands Act, Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, Forests Act, Land Stewardship Act, Water Act, and other legislation.
• Oversee the completion of briefing notes, work plans, budget forecasts, expenditure reports, equipment inventories, contract agreements, and other materials required by the Regional Director to support informed communication and decisions about wildlife including species at risk in southern Alberta.
• Leverage capacity outside government to expand regional wildlife stewardship programs by establishing, maintaining and growing constructive relationships and agreements with stakeholders including the Alberta Conservation Association, Alberta Wildlife Federation, Alberta Professional Outfitters Society, land trusts and other conservation organizations, municipalities, plus agricultural producers and industrial stakeholders in the forestry, oil and gas, helium, and renewable energy sectors.
• Ensure scientific credibility of wildlife programs by fostering collaborations with universities and other scientific organizations including the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute and fRI Research.
• Advance shared interests in wildlife population assessment and stewardship including the recovery of species at risk by establishing, maintaining and growing relationships with:
  • Provincial colleagues in Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors (mitigate vehicle-wildlife collisions); Lands Branch (habitat conservation); Hunting and Fishing Branch (hunting and trapping regulations); Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Services (human-wildlife coexistence); Operational Services (public inquiries and authorizations); Office of the Chief Scientist (scientific advice), and other government colleagues.
  • Federal colleagues at Environment and Climate Change Canada and Parks Canada Agency.
  • First Nations communities and organizations.

Please click on this link to view the job description for this position.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies: https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.

Position Specific Competencies:

• Systems Thinking: Understands how day-to-day wildlife stewardship actions connect to broader regional and provincial policies, cumulative effects, and sustainable land-use goals.
• Creative Problem Solving: Ability to assess complex wildlife and land-use issues, analyze root causes, and develop innovative, practical solutions that balance conservation, land use, and stakeholder needs. 
• Drive for Results: Takes ownership for delivering key wildlife stewardship programs, monitoring results, addressing risks, and ensuring high-quality outcomes for Albertans.
• Build Collaborative Environments: Fosters strong working relationships with stakeholders, landowners, communities, industry, and local organizations to achieve shared conservation goals.

Qualifications

Requirements

Education:
A post-secondary degree in wildlife management, wildlife conservation, or related discipline.

Experience:
Minimum of six (6) years of progressively responsible experience in wildlife management, wildlife conservation, or related experience, including:

• Planning and implementing wildlife stewardship programs, species monitoring, or habitat conservation projects; or
• Supervising or leading teams of technical or professional staff; or
• Developing and delivering management plans, reports, or policy recommendations.

Other:

• A Valid Class 5 Driver’s License (or equivalent).

Equivalency:
Related experience or education may be considered as an equivalency on a one for one basis.

Assets:

• A graduate degree (e.g., Master’s) in wildlife management, wildlife conservation, or a related discipline.
• Knowledge of Alberta’s legislation, policies, and conservation frameworks.
• Experience working collaboratively with diverse stakeholders, such as landowners, industry, municipalities, and government partners; experience working collaboratively with Indigenous communities.
• Familiarity with emerging wildlife research and monitoring approaches, digital workflows, and reporting.

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification. Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards.

Notes

This position is based in Cochrane, Lethbridge, or Red Deer and is a full-time permanent role working 36.25 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Occasional province-wide travel may be required to support field operations, stakeholder engagement, or emergency response. Some work outside regular business hours may be necessary during environmental emergencies or peak field seasons.

Final candidates will be required to undergo a security screening.

Please submit your cover letter and updated resume. In your resume, clearly indicate the duration of each role by providing the month and year, and specify the employment status (e.g., casual, part-time, or full-time). For example: Customer Service Representative, July 2015 - December 2017, Part-time (20 hours/week).

For your post-secondary education, specify your major, the length of the program, and your year of graduation. For example: Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology, 4-year program, Sept 2014 - June 2018.

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.

Links and information on what the GoA have to offer to prospective employees.

• Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx.
• Management Employees Pension Plan (MEPP) - https://www.mepp.ca.
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits.
• Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive.
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.
• Opportunity to participate in flexible work arrangements such as working from home up to two days per week and modified work schedule agreement.
• Leadership and mentorship programs.