Washington State ESD
Park Area Manager (Park Ranger 4) Wenatchee Valley Area
Washington State ESD, Seattle, Washington, us, 98127
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
Job Title: Park Area Manager (Park Ranger 4)
Location: Lincoln Rock State Park, East Wenatchee, WA. No housing available.
Salary: $78,912 - $106,104 Annually
Close/Review: January 4 , 2026, at 11:59pm, but applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis starting December 28, 2025, at 11:59pm. We strongly recommend applying as soon as possible.
Position Status: This is a full-time permanent position.
This opportunity is internal and available to current Parks employees only.
Are you ready to take the next step in your career with Parks? This position offers an exciting opportunity to advance into a critical leadership role for Washington State Parks. The Park Area Manager (Park Ranger 4) plays a vital role in providing expert level input on projects, policy, procedure, rules, and regulations from a front-line operational perspective. They are responsible for a collection of parks, properties, trails and facilities, and the Parks staff assigned to their area. The Ranger 4 is the bridge between leadership and field staff.
Park Area Managers provide leadership and assistance to ensure that facilities and grounds are well maintained, operations run smoothly, and employees are positively engaged. The Area Manager oversees a variety of parks and state lands in the Wenatchee Valley Area, which includes Lake Wenatchee, Wenatchee Confluence, Lincoln Rock, Daroga, Squilchuck, and Peshastin Pinnacles State Parks. This position reports to the Eastern North Region Manager. The duty station for this position is at Lincoln Rock State Park.
This position is not eligible to telework, as physical in-office presence is required to perform essential functions.
Lincoln Rock State Park and the Wenatchee Valley Area Lincoln Rock State Park is a favorite summer destination known for its friendly community vibe and scenic beauty. Located just above Rocky Reach Dam, the park offers shaded campsites and cozy cabins, along with a boat launch on Lake Entiat. The park hosts a seasonal concession stand, watercraft rentals, boat moorage, standard and deluxe cabin rentals, and a group camp. Lincoln Rock State Park is located approximately 15 minutes outside of Wenatchee, WA, offering work, school, shopping, recreation and cultural opportunities for your family.
This position offers the opportunity to lead and manage a diverse group of parks that benefit from strong community and partner engagement. The area is growing, with the exciting opportunity to expand parks operations to nearby partner parks and new capital projects to better connect our parks to their communities.
Every day is unique for Park Area Managers, and applicants should be ready to deal with a wide variety of complex, ever changing issues – from engaging with stakeholders and partners, to long term capital planning, tribal engagement, lease management, maintenance planning, law enforcement response and strategies, and crisis management. Staff include Park Rangers (law enforcement and non-law enforcement), construction and maintenance positions, Park Aides, Interpretive programs, and an administrative position.
Responsibilities
Facilitate the identification, planning, and oversight of all park activities as required to fulfill the mission/vision of the park area, division, and agency:
Manage area budgets; ensure fiscal accountability and compliance with agency.
Develop, submit for review, and maintain Operational Planning & Reports.
Independently operate Park vehicles to carry out job duties.
Provide direction and oversight for all maintenance functions in the area and coordinate with other Agency staff as needed:
Work with area Construction & Maintenance Supervisor to set maintenance priorities for area.
Develop and maintain biennial plan for area maintenance needs.
Ensure required maintenance safety training and procedures are met by all area staff.
Develop and manage area equipment and project budgets in cooperation with region and statewide priorities.
Oversee contract management at your location.
Supervise direct reports and assure they are following all applicable agency policies and procedures, statewide rules and regulations, and the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Provide leadership in park area and participate in leadership opportunities in the division and agency:
Understand and support agency and division mission and vision.
Create and maintain area mission and vision in alignment with agency and division goals.
Proactively communicate with staff in a positive and supportive manner.
Actively participate in agency wide peer group meetings.
Seek opportunities to demonstrate innovation and leadership within assigned area.
Represent State Parks at meetings, in collaboration with agency programs, and in all facets of public engagement.
Participate in Law Enforcement activities.
Required Qualifications
Four (4) years of experience in a natural resource, recreation field, or as a commissioned law enforcement officer.
Three (3) years of supervisory experience.
Valid unrestricted (except for corrective lenses) driver's license.
Desired Qualifications
Bachelor's degree with 24 qtr./18 semester hours in parks and recreation, history, or natural resource field.
Three (3) years of experience as a park ranger, commissioned law enforcement officer, or equivalent experience in a natural resource field.
Two (2) years of experience supervising other supervisors.
Project planning experience.
Core Competencies
Workload Management
- Organize, prioritize, and effectively delegate work, focusing on results and desired outcomes and how best to achieve them. Effectively handle competing priorities and urgent situations, making sound decisions within short timeframes, and taking appropriate action. Remain acutely aware of timeframes and ensure deadlines are successfully met. Successfully motivate others to achieve goals within stated timeframes.
Building Collaborative Relationships
- Develops, maintains, and strengthens partnerships with others inside or outside the organization who can provide information, assistance, and support. Recognizes the business concerns and perspectives of others while maintaining focus on agency mission and goals. Expresses gratitude and appreciation to others who have provided information, assistance, or support.
Interpersonal Influence
- Influence others within the organization to be excited, enthused, and committed to furthering the organization's objectives. Facilitate development of shared mission, vision, and key values and use those principles to guide actions. Set clear, reasonable expectations and follow through. Address problems and issues in an open, constructive, and respectful manner that maintains the dignity of all.
Fiscal Accountability
- Follows fiscal guidelines, regulations, principles, and standards when committing fiscal resources or processing financial transactions. Responsibly allocates and accounts for the use of fiscal resources, weighing alternatives and their benefits. Monitors budget usage and ensures critical costs are covered. Seeks ways to reduce costs.
Learning and Growth
- Adapts to change and applies new approaches, learns to navigate systems, processes, tools, and technology, and increases and develops knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Takes Action to Meet the Needs of Others
- Collaborates with others to overcome challenges and find solutions, increases access, opportunities, and positive outcomes for others, and helps and supports people and communities from all backgrounds.
Note This position requires the legal ability to operate a motor vehicle in the state of Washington. Applicants must possess a valid, unrestricted driver's license at the time of appointment and maintain it as a condition of employment.
How to Apply To ensure consideration, please complete the online job application and profile at careers.wa.gov. You must attach in your application the following:
Letter of interest specifically addressing the qualifications listed in the announcement.
Current resume in chronological order.
All requested materials must be submitted. Incomplete or late application materials will not be accepted. Failure to follow application process may disqualify you from further consideration.
The information provided in your application must support your selected answers in the application questions. Answers will be verified, and documentation may be required. Responses not supported in your application will disqualify you for consideration of employment from this recruitment.
Veteran Preference To take advantage of veteran preference, please do the following:
Attach a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 long-form copy), NGB 22, or USDVA signed verification of service letter.
Please black out any PII (personally identifiable information) data such as social security numbers. Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.
For more information on Veteran's Preference and instructions on how to check your eligibility, click here.
About Parks Want to join a great organization? The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission manages one of the largest, most diverse—and most beautiful—parks systems in the country. With more than 120,000 acres, the system includes 124 developed parks, including 19 marine parks, 11 historical parks, 35 heritage sites, 13 interpretive centers and approximately 500 miles of long-distance recreation trails. Parks is staffed with nearly 1,000 employees (summers), who are some of the most passionate employees you'll find anywhere. For more information on Washington State Parks, click here.
Note: This position is covered by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE). Once the listed position(s) is (are) filled, this recruitment announcement may also be used to fill additional position(s) for up to sixty (60) days.
Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment.
Diversity Policy Statement The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to build a workplace culture that is welcoming and inclusive in which all employees feel respected and empowered to bring their unique ideas to the agency. At State Parks, we believe that embracing diverse backgrounds and experiences is essential to growing a strong workforce. We encourage applicants underrepresented in natural resources and outdoor recreation fields to apply, including but not limited to women, Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC), individuals with disabilities, neurodivergent individuals, disabled and Vietnam era veterans, persons over 40 years of age, and individuals who identify as a part of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the human resources office at 360 902-8565. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.
For information about the recruitment process and qualifications, please contact Nikki Williams at Nikki.Williams@parks.wa.gov or 360 902-8678.
All applicants with a legal right to work in the United States are encouraged to apply.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Location: Lincoln Rock State Park, East Wenatchee, WA. No housing available.
Salary: $78,912 - $106,104 Annually
Close/Review: January 4 , 2026, at 11:59pm, but applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis starting December 28, 2025, at 11:59pm. We strongly recommend applying as soon as possible.
Position Status: This is a full-time permanent position.
This opportunity is internal and available to current Parks employees only.
Are you ready to take the next step in your career with Parks? This position offers an exciting opportunity to advance into a critical leadership role for Washington State Parks. The Park Area Manager (Park Ranger 4) plays a vital role in providing expert level input on projects, policy, procedure, rules, and regulations from a front-line operational perspective. They are responsible for a collection of parks, properties, trails and facilities, and the Parks staff assigned to their area. The Ranger 4 is the bridge between leadership and field staff.
Park Area Managers provide leadership and assistance to ensure that facilities and grounds are well maintained, operations run smoothly, and employees are positively engaged. The Area Manager oversees a variety of parks and state lands in the Wenatchee Valley Area, which includes Lake Wenatchee, Wenatchee Confluence, Lincoln Rock, Daroga, Squilchuck, and Peshastin Pinnacles State Parks. This position reports to the Eastern North Region Manager. The duty station for this position is at Lincoln Rock State Park.
This position is not eligible to telework, as physical in-office presence is required to perform essential functions.
Lincoln Rock State Park and the Wenatchee Valley Area Lincoln Rock State Park is a favorite summer destination known for its friendly community vibe and scenic beauty. Located just above Rocky Reach Dam, the park offers shaded campsites and cozy cabins, along with a boat launch on Lake Entiat. The park hosts a seasonal concession stand, watercraft rentals, boat moorage, standard and deluxe cabin rentals, and a group camp. Lincoln Rock State Park is located approximately 15 minutes outside of Wenatchee, WA, offering work, school, shopping, recreation and cultural opportunities for your family.
This position offers the opportunity to lead and manage a diverse group of parks that benefit from strong community and partner engagement. The area is growing, with the exciting opportunity to expand parks operations to nearby partner parks and new capital projects to better connect our parks to their communities.
Every day is unique for Park Area Managers, and applicants should be ready to deal with a wide variety of complex, ever changing issues – from engaging with stakeholders and partners, to long term capital planning, tribal engagement, lease management, maintenance planning, law enforcement response and strategies, and crisis management. Staff include Park Rangers (law enforcement and non-law enforcement), construction and maintenance positions, Park Aides, Interpretive programs, and an administrative position.
Responsibilities
Facilitate the identification, planning, and oversight of all park activities as required to fulfill the mission/vision of the park area, division, and agency:
Manage area budgets; ensure fiscal accountability and compliance with agency.
Develop, submit for review, and maintain Operational Planning & Reports.
Independently operate Park vehicles to carry out job duties.
Provide direction and oversight for all maintenance functions in the area and coordinate with other Agency staff as needed:
Work with area Construction & Maintenance Supervisor to set maintenance priorities for area.
Develop and maintain biennial plan for area maintenance needs.
Ensure required maintenance safety training and procedures are met by all area staff.
Develop and manage area equipment and project budgets in cooperation with region and statewide priorities.
Oversee contract management at your location.
Supervise direct reports and assure they are following all applicable agency policies and procedures, statewide rules and regulations, and the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Provide leadership in park area and participate in leadership opportunities in the division and agency:
Understand and support agency and division mission and vision.
Create and maintain area mission and vision in alignment with agency and division goals.
Proactively communicate with staff in a positive and supportive manner.
Actively participate in agency wide peer group meetings.
Seek opportunities to demonstrate innovation and leadership within assigned area.
Represent State Parks at meetings, in collaboration with agency programs, and in all facets of public engagement.
Participate in Law Enforcement activities.
Required Qualifications
Four (4) years of experience in a natural resource, recreation field, or as a commissioned law enforcement officer.
Three (3) years of supervisory experience.
Valid unrestricted (except for corrective lenses) driver's license.
Desired Qualifications
Bachelor's degree with 24 qtr./18 semester hours in parks and recreation, history, or natural resource field.
Three (3) years of experience as a park ranger, commissioned law enforcement officer, or equivalent experience in a natural resource field.
Two (2) years of experience supervising other supervisors.
Project planning experience.
Core Competencies
Workload Management
- Organize, prioritize, and effectively delegate work, focusing on results and desired outcomes and how best to achieve them. Effectively handle competing priorities and urgent situations, making sound decisions within short timeframes, and taking appropriate action. Remain acutely aware of timeframes and ensure deadlines are successfully met. Successfully motivate others to achieve goals within stated timeframes.
Building Collaborative Relationships
- Develops, maintains, and strengthens partnerships with others inside or outside the organization who can provide information, assistance, and support. Recognizes the business concerns and perspectives of others while maintaining focus on agency mission and goals. Expresses gratitude and appreciation to others who have provided information, assistance, or support.
Interpersonal Influence
- Influence others within the organization to be excited, enthused, and committed to furthering the organization's objectives. Facilitate development of shared mission, vision, and key values and use those principles to guide actions. Set clear, reasonable expectations and follow through. Address problems and issues in an open, constructive, and respectful manner that maintains the dignity of all.
Fiscal Accountability
- Follows fiscal guidelines, regulations, principles, and standards when committing fiscal resources or processing financial transactions. Responsibly allocates and accounts for the use of fiscal resources, weighing alternatives and their benefits. Monitors budget usage and ensures critical costs are covered. Seeks ways to reduce costs.
Learning and Growth
- Adapts to change and applies new approaches, learns to navigate systems, processes, tools, and technology, and increases and develops knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Takes Action to Meet the Needs of Others
- Collaborates with others to overcome challenges and find solutions, increases access, opportunities, and positive outcomes for others, and helps and supports people and communities from all backgrounds.
Note This position requires the legal ability to operate a motor vehicle in the state of Washington. Applicants must possess a valid, unrestricted driver's license at the time of appointment and maintain it as a condition of employment.
How to Apply To ensure consideration, please complete the online job application and profile at careers.wa.gov. You must attach in your application the following:
Letter of interest specifically addressing the qualifications listed in the announcement.
Current resume in chronological order.
All requested materials must be submitted. Incomplete or late application materials will not be accepted. Failure to follow application process may disqualify you from further consideration.
The information provided in your application must support your selected answers in the application questions. Answers will be verified, and documentation may be required. Responses not supported in your application will disqualify you for consideration of employment from this recruitment.
Veteran Preference To take advantage of veteran preference, please do the following:
Attach a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 long-form copy), NGB 22, or USDVA signed verification of service letter.
Please black out any PII (personally identifiable information) data such as social security numbers. Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.
For more information on Veteran's Preference and instructions on how to check your eligibility, click here.
About Parks Want to join a great organization? The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission manages one of the largest, most diverse—and most beautiful—parks systems in the country. With more than 120,000 acres, the system includes 124 developed parks, including 19 marine parks, 11 historical parks, 35 heritage sites, 13 interpretive centers and approximately 500 miles of long-distance recreation trails. Parks is staffed with nearly 1,000 employees (summers), who are some of the most passionate employees you'll find anywhere. For more information on Washington State Parks, click here.
Note: This position is covered by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE). Once the listed position(s) is (are) filled, this recruitment announcement may also be used to fill additional position(s) for up to sixty (60) days.
Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment.
Diversity Policy Statement The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to build a workplace culture that is welcoming and inclusive in which all employees feel respected and empowered to bring their unique ideas to the agency. At State Parks, we believe that embracing diverse backgrounds and experiences is essential to growing a strong workforce. We encourage applicants underrepresented in natural resources and outdoor recreation fields to apply, including but not limited to women, Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC), individuals with disabilities, neurodivergent individuals, disabled and Vietnam era veterans, persons over 40 years of age, and individuals who identify as a part of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the human resources office at 360 902-8565. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.
For information about the recruitment process and qualifications, please contact Nikki Williams at Nikki.Williams@parks.wa.gov or 360 902-8678.
All applicants with a legal right to work in the United States are encouraged to apply.
#J-18808-Ljbffr