OPS ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST III - 37979073

Requisition No: 846066 

Agency: Environmental Protection

Working Title: OPS ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST III - 37979073

 Pay Plan: Temp

Position Number: 37979073 

Salary:  $20.00-22.00/hour depending on experience 

Posting Closing Date: 03/04/2025 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

OPS Environmental Specialist II - 37979073

State of Florida

Department of Environmental Protection

Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection

Coral Protection and Restoration Program

Open Competitive

PAN is pending to reclassify to Environmental Specialist II. 

Our Organization and Mission:

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is the state’s lead agency for environmental management and stewardship - protecting our air, water and land. The vision of DEP is to create strong community partnerships, safeguard Florida’s natural resources and enhance its ecosystem.

The Work You Will Do:

The Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection’s (ORCP) Coral Protection and Restoration (CPR) Program is seeking to hire a full-time OPS Environmental Specialist II (working title: Program Assistant). This position is a core member of the CPR Program and will provide technical, planning, procedural and budget recommendations to the leadership team. The CPR Program is primarily responsible for guiding national and state coral reef policy to ensure effective state-wide coral reef-related authorities, policies and procedures; providing leadership for disease and bleaching response, restoration of Florida’s Coral Reef, and regional water quality priorities; and effectively administering state funding for Florida’s Coral Reef priorities.

The Difference You Will Make:

The Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection Program strives to achieve a synergized and unified goal of protecting and restoring Florida’s Coral Reef by ensuring optimal quality, longevity, and health of these resources over time.

How You Will Grow:

DEP encourages its leaders to constantly innovate and seek efficiencies. We believe in supporting and encouraging you as you take on important and often complex projects while offering you the opportunity to gain valuable experience quickly.

Where You Will Work:

This position is being offered in Dania Beach, FL: Dania Beach is Broward County’s first city and has an award-winning beach, pier and marina location you'll want to discover! The city is located immediately south of the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Port Everglades, and the Broward County Convention Center.  Boasting proximity to the coast and centrally located to popular tourist destinations in both Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Dania Beach is a highly desirable location for both those seeking their first job or those ready to enter the next exciting chapter in their career. The DEP office is located at Nova Southeastern University’s Guy Harvey Oceanographic Center within the state's award-winning Von D. Mizell and Eula Johnson State Park. Also, with no state income tax, Florida is a great place to work regardless of where you find yourself on the career ladder. 

The OPS Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State’s benefits package for eligible OPS employees include:

• Participation in state group insurance.  For more details consult with PeopleFirst at 877-562-7287 or visit: https://www.mybenefits.myflorida.com/health/eligibility_and_enrollment/ops_employees
• Participation in the Florida Deferred Compensation Plan (457b).  For additional details and online enrollment visit MyFloridaDeferredComp.com. 
• State of Florida 401(a) FICA Alternative Plan (tax deferred Retirement Savings Plan). (For more information, please click Social Security Alternative Plan (aigrs.com) and read OPS Social Security Alternative Plan;
• Flexible Spending Accounts;

For a more complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

Pay:

$20.00 - 22.00 hourly (40 hours/week) depending on experience

Your Specific Responsibilities:

In carrying out the duties of this position, the incumbent is expected at all times to be aware of and abide by the Department’s Standards of Conduct, as well as any and all departmental and/or work unit rules, directives, policies, procedures, and/or general orders applicable to performing the duties of this position.

The Program Assistant position is a core member of the Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection’s (ORCP) Coral Protection and Restoration (CPR) Program and will provide technical, planning, procedural and budget recommendations to the CPR leadership team. In consultation with the Program Administrator and Budget Manager, performs the following:

Administrative (30%): technical support including meeting scheduling and note taking. Orders office supplies and manages all incoming and outgoing shipments and mail services using CPR’s FedEx account. Assists with property inventory administration (surplus, transfers, new property, etc.) for the CPR Program. On a monthly basis, routes usage and fuel purchase information for entrance into the state system for CPR Program vehicles and vessels. Routes monthly mobile device usage certifications as well as office lease invoices for processing. Assists with onboarding of new employees within the CPR program, as needed.

Contract Management (30%): Develops and manages contract agreements (Purchase Orders) related to Florida’s Coral Reef communications, branding, and messaging as well as other contract agreements, as assigned. Provides technical/budgetary assistance in the development and review of other agreements related to Ecosystem Restoration, Disturbance Response, and/or Water Quality, as needed. Maintains, develops, processes, and reports on the status of assigned projects from start to completion. Reviews project deliverables and processes change orders and invoices within the state’s e-procurement system, MyFloridaMarketPlace, as needed and for assigned projects. Updates assigned budgets and expenditures using Excel or other budget tracking system to reconcile and maintain accurate record accounts.

Purchasing (20%): Prepares and administers purchase order requisitions and assists with other program procurement as assigned. Reviews and submits electronic invoices and all supporting documentation to ensure timely payment to vendors. Ensures that expenditures are made according to agreement requirements. Makes purchases via state purchasing card (p-card) as authorized and applies correct funding codes through the P-card Works system, then submits and records the charges. Obtains competitive bids from registered vendors for goods and services using e-quote or other methods, as required. Assists in locating registered vendors and licensed contractors to provide services and consults on service contracts and maintenance agreements.

Communications (10%): Manages content, updates, and maintenance of the DEP CPR website and assists development of the Florida’s Coral Reef website. Works with the Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection’s Southeast Regional Communications liaison, as appropriate, to ensure timely review and finalization of CPR-related communications products. Solicits, writes, and reviews social media content for the CPR Program and CPR-funded projects. Reviews and edits documents to ensure Section 508 compliance, as assigned. Coordinates and submits weekly and quarterly program progress reports.

Travel Assistance (5%): Creates Travel Authorization Requests and post-travel payment processing for program staff and contractors, as needed. Also makes travel arrangements for flights, hotels, rental cars or other miscellaneous travel related, when needed.

Other (5%): May aid in the event of an emergency at DEP field offices, including pre-storm preparation, post-storm clean-up and replacement of stored goods to ready field office for operation after a storm; or other services assigned. With supervisor approval, may voluntarily support boating and snorkeling operations. Performs additional duties and special projects, as assigned.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Knowledge of and experience with contract management, purchasing and invoice processing.
• Knowledge of and ability to interpret and apply related policies, procedures, principles, and practices.
• Skilled in organization and time management.
• Skilled in the use of computer applications, particularly Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe Acrobat.
• Skilled in mathematics and analytics.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to review and monitor policies and procedures for compliance with applicable requirements.
• Ability to analyze and solve problems.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to prepare and critique technical documents.
• Ability to plan, organize and prioritize work assignments for successful, timely completion.
• Ability to use a database and spreadsheets to analyze information and generate reports, charts and graphs.
• Ability to evaluate and analyze data relating to financial management activities.
• Florida Certified Contract Manager Certification or ability to obtain within 1 year of hire.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental, biological, or natural sciences or accounting, bookkeeping, or business/finance from an accredited university or college and one year of verifiable related experience; or any combination of post-secondary education or verifiable related experience for a total of five years.
• Ability to accurately manage a large budget; understand and apply applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures relating to state procurement and contracts; formulate policies and procedures; prepare fiscal reports.
• Knowledge of environmental issues, especially as they relate to the coral reef ecosystem and water quality issues in Florida.
• Valid Driver License and ability to travel locally and occasionally long distance.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of State of Florida’s procurement procedures and policies and accounting principles.
• Experience with contract management and procurement.

This position is designated as a Position of Special Trust in accordance with DEP-422 (Positions of Special Trust or Responsibility). Any applicant being considered for employment must successfully complete a Level 2 State and National criminal history check as a condition of employment before beginning employment, and also be screened in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, F.S.  No applicant may begin employment until the background screening results are received, reviewed for any disqualifying offenses, and approved by the Agency.  

DEP is committed to successfully recruiting and onboarding talented and skilled individuals into its workforce. We recognize the extensive training, experience, and transferrable skills that veterans and individuals with disabilities bring to the workforce. Veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact our recruiter for guidance and answers to questions through the following email addresses:

HR_VeteransPreference@dep.state.fl.us

HR_Recruitment@FloridaDEP.gov

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.