December 23, 2009
General Information
For Applicants applying for Executive Director
Grand Staircase Escalante Partners
GRAND STAIRCASE ESCALANTE PARTNERS
Grand Staircase Escalante Partners (GSEP) is a membership-driven non-profit [501 (c) (3)] organization with an offices located in Kanab and Escalante. GSEP was organized in 2003 and through a Financial Assistance Agreement is the official advocate organization of Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument (GSENM). This organization survives by grants, membership, and donations.
See the Partners Website at http://www.gsenm.org/
Office Details: The Grand Staircase Escalante Partner’s Office is located in the BLM Headquarters Office for the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument (GSENM) at 190 East Center Street, Kanab, Utah 84741. The Partners has a laptop available for the Executive Director (Director) but most of the office equipment is property of the BLM, including a BLM computer. Because of this the Director must successfully obtain a Department of the Interior security clearance. This is a two to six month process and involves a detailed application, fingerprints and providing former places of residence, and references.
The Director is able to check out a government vehicle for official use of the Partners. The Director must take an online Defensive Driving Course prior to driving government vehicles. The government vehicle and computer can not be use for lobbying or fund raising activities.
Partners Projects: There are several exciting projects currently underway with GSEP. The current two major projects are establishing a Science Center and Educational/Native Plant Restoration.
The Partners is establishing a Science Center in Escalante that eventually will have three labs and three field camps scattered throughout the monument. A contractor has been hired for six months to organize and establish basic programs and procedures for this Science Center. In the Summer 2010, the Board expects to hire a permanent Science Director for this Center.
The Board has also hired an Educational Specialist that works part time with high school students on a native plant restoration project and will work with elementary school groups that take field trips to the Monument in the spring and fall. This position is also expected to grow into a permanent, fulltime position if funding can be obtained.
Currently the one fulltime staff member is hired as the Director of Programs and has been running the conservation programs and projects that GSEP has been involved in the last three years. Once the Executive Director has been hired, this position will end. There may be the need for a part time administrative position to assist the Executive Director if operational funding is obtained.
GSEP Budget: In the recent past the GSEP annual budget varied from $50,000 to $400,000. The 2010 budget is approximately $300,000. The GSEP Board of Directors envisions the organization growing and evolving with the establishment of the Executive Director. The incumbent should also have a vision for growing the GSEP organization and increasing support and advocacy for GSENM.
Director’s Salary and Benefits: The salary for the Executive Director ranges between $38,000 and $50,000 depending upon the experience the selected applicant brings to the position. The position is exempt from the Fair Labor Standard Act. The Director is expected to schedule his/her workload and arrange for vacation time and two days off during the week. Sick time can be worked out with the President of the Board.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WORKING CONDITIONS
Most of the work will be in an office setting that is located in the National Monument’s headquarters office in Kanab. The office space is shared with other GSEP employees, volunteers or interns. However, to fully understand the monument and how to establish and implement advocacy plans and conservation projects, the incumbent is required to familiarize himself/herself with the interior of the Monument. This requires the ability and interest to drive 4-wheel drive vehicles, hike, camp, or be involved in other outdoors activities. Summer temperatures in the Kanab area can approach 100 degrees and winter temperatures can be in the low teens. There is little snow in Kanab but the higher elevations and the town of Escalante can see several inches of snow and colder temperatures.
GRAND STAIRCASE ESCALANTE NATIONAL MONUMENT
In 1996 this 1.8 million acre Monument was the first national monument given to the Bureau of Land Management to manage for its scientific and educational values. The Monument in southwest Utah was established by President Clinton amid a sea of controversy that to some extent continues today. For more information go to website: http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/grandstaircase-escalante.html . There are four BLM visitor centers in communities adjacent to the Monument. They are at Big Water, Kanab, Cannonville and Escalante.
KANAB:
Kanab, Utah is in the center of Utah's scenic Southwest it is located just north of the Arizona border, 70 miles east of St. George. Traveling along Scenic Byway U.S. 89 puts you less than 90 minutes from Bryce, Zion, and Grand Canyon National Parks; Pipe Springs and Cedar Breaks National Monuments; and Coral Pink Sand Dunes and Kodachrome Basin State Parks are also nearby. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area - better know as Lake Powell – is about 70 miles east of Kanab.
Kanab has a population of approximately 4,000. Basic services including dental, hospital, medical clinic are available. There are also elementary, middle and high schools. A variety of rental houses are available or currently several houses are for sale at a variety of conditions and prices. For more information on Kanab please visit websites http://kanab.utah.gov/, www.travelwest.net/cities/kanab/ and http://www.kanabguide.com/ . Cedar City (pop. 20,500) and St. George (pop. 49,700) are approximately 70 miles from Kanab and offer a full range of services, stores, universities, cultural events, medical facilities, and entertainment.
Click here for a list of Performance Standards
Click here for a description of the Executive Director Position
