GAME AND FISH DEPT

Address:  5000 W Carefree Highway, Phoenix, Arizona 85086

Salary: $84,823 - $154,198 

Grade: 29

Closing Date: 05/04/2025

AGENCY INTERNAL ANNOUNCEMENT - MUST BE CURRENT AZGFD EMPLOYEE

SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR - GF
“Special Assistant to the Director - Game and Fish”
DIRECTOR’S OFFICE DIVISION / HEADQUARTERS / PHOENIX, AZ BASED
FLSA-Exempt / SALARY GRADE 29 ($84,823 - $154,198)
CLOSING DATE: 05/04/2025

The Special Assistant to the Director (SATD) reports to the Director and coordinates and performs various special projects and duties, including those of a confidential nature as assigned by the Director. This position coordinates and facilitates engagement with a wide variety of constituents with various interests and carries out initiatives on behalf of the Director. The SATD also acts on behalf of the Director in a variety of forums and capacities.

Typical job duties of the SATD include, but are not limited to the following activities:

- Serves as a member of the Department's Executive Staff, Leadership Team and Audit Team. Acts on behalf of and represents the Director with key constituents, stakeholders and partners including presenting agency and commission positions on key issues;

- Serves as the Department’s Custodian of Records, including coordination of all public records requests, ensuring timely and accurate responses, and coordinating and training staff on records retention requirements and standards;

- Supervise the Compliance and Strategies Branch Chief including all functions related to Federal Aid, agreements, audit, strategic planning, reporting, rulemaking and administration of the Heritage Fund and partnership agreements;

- Serve as liaison to Commission on rule making issues including timelines for review and formal rule making, may serve as rule making team sponsor. Serve as lead for the Department’s Strategic Initiative Committee;

- Serve as lead for DOHQ employee engagement processes and represent the Director as needed. Serve as DOHQ Budget Administrator overseeing all work unit budgets;

- Coordinates annual AFWA and WAFWA award nominations. Coordinate and mentor Leadership Team peer groups. Provide oversight for agency implementation of new rules and statutes ensure deadlines and deliverables are met;

- Prepares correspondence, reports, position papers and other materials regarding high level and confidential issues.

The candidate should have knowledge of: Department’s mission and Director’s vision, goals and objectives; Department's organizational structure and Commission process, rules and orders; legislative process and lobbying; ARS titles 5,17, 28, 35, 41 and the Arizona Administrative Code pertaining to AZGFD; State budgeting; Wildlife Management principles; public and departmental policy.

The candidate should have skill in: Effective oral and written communication; collaboration, negotiation and mediation; problem-solving and decision-making; adaptability; management, leadership and mentoring; team building; technology oriented; project management and planning; creative problem solving; statistical and needs assessment analysis.

The candidate must have the ability to read, comprehend and summarize complex material, express ideas clearly and succinctly verbally and in writing; ability to plan and coordinate activities involving diverse groups and the media; ability to work under pressure, including short time frames and frequent changes in priorities.

The preferred candidate will have a bachelor’s degree in wildlife management, natural resources, business administration or management, or public management with 4 years of experience in program management, public administration, strategic and operational plans or in an executive level position in a public agency.

Must be a current AZGFD employee to apply.

If this position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job, then the following requirements apply. Any employee operating a motor vehicle on State business must possess and retain a current, valid class-appropriate driver’s license, complete all required training, and successfully pass all necessary driver’s license record checks. The license must be current, unexpired, and neither revoked or suspended. Employees who drive on state business are subject to driver’s license record checks, must maintain acceptable driving records, and must complete all required driver training. An employee who operates a personally owned vehicle on state business shall maintain the statutorily required liability insurance (see Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) R2-10-207.11).

If this position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job to conduct State business, then the following requirements apply: Driver’s License Requirements.

The Arizona Department of Administration offers a comprehensive benefits package to include:
Sick leave
Vacation with 10 paid holidays per year
Paid Parental Leave-Up to 12 weeks per year paid leave for newborn or newly-placed foster/adopted child (pilot program).
Health and dental insurance
Retirement plan
Life insurance and long-term disability insurance
Optional employee benefits include short-term disability insurance, deferred compensation plans, and supplemental life insurance

Learn more about the Paid Parental Leave pilot program here. For a complete list of benefits provided by The State of Arizona, please visit our benefits page

If you have any questions please feel free to contact Milani Barron at mbarron@azgfd.gov for assistance. The State of Arizona is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer.