GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT

Address:  5000 West Carefree Highway, Phoenix, Arizona 85086

Salary: $56,098 - $100,989 

Grade: 24

Closing Date: 07/29/2025

Be the driving force behind Arizona’s sport fisheries! As the Statewide Sportfish Program Manager, you’ll coordinate statewide stocking strategies, fish population monitoring, fisheries regulations and statewide angler surveys, and angler outreach efforts while shaping the future of fishing in our state. Work with passionate teams, manage key budgets, and help deliver unforgettable experiences for Arizona’s anglers.

Under the supervision of the Aquatic Wildlife Branch Chief, this position executes statewide coordination of sportfish management including management strategies by water, stocking strategies including species prioritization and allocations, monitoring strategies, collaboration with hatcheries and outside vendors, and statewide budget management, implementation planning, and reporting.

Specific duties include, but are not limited to:

- Works closely with the Regional Program Managers, Hatchery Administrator, and the Community Fishing Program Coordinator to coordinate and oversee statewide sportfish management including management strategies by water, cold and warm water vision documents, stocking strategies including species prioritization and allocations, monitoring strategies. Oversees sport fish budgets, implementation plans, and reporting requirements. Lead for the Department’s Standard Fish Sampling Protocol manual, periodic revisions, and ensures compliance with the manual. Coordinates and oversees the Commission Order 40 process for fishing regulation changes and develops effective communication with the angling public for proposed regulation changes. Coordinates and oversees periodic statewide angler surveys. Works with the Development Branch and regional biologists on fishing access improvement projects. Lead for implementing projects to implement cormorant conflict management actions. Collaborates with state counterparts.

- Works with the Reservoir Habitat Program Manager and regional biologists to develop strong working relationships with angling groups and clubs. Participates in roundtable discussions with anglers. Works with the Reservoir Habitat Program Manager, Community Fishing Program, and regional programs on identifying reservoir fish habitat projects. Supports regional programs to identify and implement stream habitat projects to enhance sport fisheries and angling opportunities.

- Co-leads the development of the periodic statewide sport fish stocking proposals and consultations with the Statewide Native Aquatics Program Manager. Works with Community Fishing Program and regional programs on revisions to the stocking consultation or the development of new stocking proposals. Works with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the evaluation of these projects. Assists regional programs with the Department’s piscicide treatment planning and procedures process for proposed treatments that benefit sport fisheries. May assist on piscicide treatments that benefit sport fisheries. Works with other programs and Colorado River basin states on statewide approach to preventing illicit movement of fish.

- Administers record fish contests. Works with the Information, Education and Recreation Division on communications with the angling public and R3 activities. Works with IT and regions on supporting Fish and Boat AZ application.

- Serves periodically as acting Branch Chief, on Department teams, and conducts other duties as assigned. Supervises 1 FTE.

The candidate will have knowledge in personnel management and supervision rules and regulations; interpersonal relations techniques; strategic planning processes and application; budget administration, development, monitoring & amendment procedures; evaluating staffing needs; federal, state and local agency roles and functions relative to wildlife management and environmental issues; knowledge of lakes, streams, rivers, fish and aquatic wildlife resources; Southwest ecosystems; fisheries biology, ecology, application of management and conservation principles and concepts; frog and snake biology, ecology and management; fisheries investigation techniques and collection procedures; scientific and agency grammar and writing techniques; vehicle, watercraft and miscellaneous equipment operation, safety and maintenance; environmental compliance procedures and application; NEPA, ESA, mitigation development and reporting and Endangered Species Act regulations and policies with an emphasis on Sections 7, 9 and 10.

Candidates will be skilled in fact assessment and complex/technical/administrative decision-making, oral, verbal and written communications, coordination, organization, leadership outreach, critical thinking and negotiation, project planning and execution, work management and leadership and time management, data gathering, applying standardized sampling techniques and fishery/general aquatic wildlife management and research principles, and techniques in field and laboratory setting, and perform statistical analysis, evaluation and interpretation; applying wildlife and habitat management techniques; evaluating effectiveness of management actions and adapting to constantly changing priorities and work assignments.

The candidate will be able to adapt to changing priorities and work assignments, identify and translate priorities into action through directed resource deployment, negotiate, facilitate, work well with others while motivating and leading others, organize, plan for and coordinate complex projects involving multiple stakeholders (internal and external), critically and evaluate actions and make sound judgements and decisions, work independently or in a group environment to solve problems and make recommendations and decisions regarding controversial or high profile issues, demonstrate leadership.

The candidate must have a Bachelor's degree in a wildlife science or related field.

Employment may be contingent upon completion of a post-offer medical/physical examination and the agency’s ability to reasonably accommodate any restrictions.
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 nor 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.

All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).

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.