GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT DIVISION / RESEARCH BRANCH / PHOENIX BASED
5000 W. Carefree Hwy. Phoenix, AZ 85086

Salary: $20.67 - $24.71/hr 

Grade: 19

Closing Date: 1/7/2026

PROGRAM PROJECT SPECIALIST 2
“Program Project Specialist 2”
WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT DIVISION / RESEARCH BRANCH / PHOENIX BASED
FLSA-Non-Exempt / GRADE 19 / HIRING HOURLY RANGE $20.67 - $24.71/hr

Research Branch Mission:
To conduct robust research and provide scientific information to inform and support the sound management and professional stewardship of Arizona’s fish and wildlife resources, and to ensure the credibility of the Department’s science.

Research Branch Vision:
To be recognized as the Department’s lead source of scientific information both internally and externally. To be widely recognized for scientific and technical expertise, which enhance Department efficiency, decision making, and credibility, by maintaining the professional excellence of its staff, quality of its processes, and credibility of its science.

Are you a strategic problem-solver who thrives on organization, coordination, and continuous improvement? Do you enjoy making complex operations run smoothly while supporting meaningful public-sector work? If so, this role offers a unique opportunity to play a central leadership role within a dynamic Research Branch.

Under the direction of the Branch Chief, the Program Project Specialist 2 ensures the branch operates efficiently, remains compliant, and collaborates effectively across departments and with external partners. This position blends supervision, systems expertise, and process improvement to support high-impact research and public service outcomes. This position is critical to the success of the Research Branch. You will be the go-to expert for administrative operations, budget tracking, procurement, agreements, records management, and internal coordination—allowing researchers and program staff to focus on their core mission. Your work will directly improve efficiency, accountability, and collaboration across the branch and department.

This role is ideal for a professional who enjoys being at the center of operations and takes pride in keeping complex organizations running smoothly. A strong candidate is both detail-oriented and big-picture focused, able to manage day-to-day administrative responsibilities while also identifying opportunities to improve systems and processes.

Under the direction of the Branch Chief, this position coordinates and manages administrative and operational functions to support efficient branch operations and effective collaboration with internal and external partners. Responsibilities include supervising an Administrative Assistant 3; tracking budgets in Arizona state systems; supporting the development, entry, and tracking of agreements; maintaining standard administrative work documentation; assisting with reporting requirements; leading procurement activities; managing the branch’s vehicle fleet and fixed assets inventory; overseeing records retention and archived documents; serving as the Department’s Grants.gov lead; supporting staff with travel and risk management documentation; maintaining branch internet and intranet pages; serving as the branch lead for agreement entry and tracking in the eCivis system; and performing other duties as assigned.

Major duties include:

• Reviews, evaluates, and analyzes policies and procedures, develops standard work documentation, makes recommendations to the Branch Chief on administrative, budget, and purchasing issues. Supports Commission processes (correspondence and memos). Serves as branch lead on archive management and record retention.

• Tracks budgets in state-wide AZ system. Supports purchasing needs of the Research Branch. Manages branch procurement processes. Addresses and/or investigates and implements purchasing requests by staff and implements and tracks purchases through the state-wide AZ procurement system.

• Assists with development and management of agreements. Tracks agreement reporting requirements. Serves as the Branch's lead on entering and tracking contracts in the eCivis system, and serves as the liaison for program managers to track and report contract activities within this system. Serves as Department lead for entering proposals and agreements into Grants.gov

• Supervises an Administrative Assistant 3 position.

• Manages the Branch's fixed assets inventory, and manages the Branch's vehicle pool, including managing vehicle use and maintenance.

• Assists with Department, State, and Federal planning and reporting requirements.

• Maintains the Branch's intranet and internet websites.

• Interfaces with other work units and external entities to analyze and resolve branch related problems or challenges.

• Plans and develops methods for improvement of operations, processes, and implements the Research Branch's mission. Coordinates and participates in branch meetings and staff meetings, and serves on Department teams.

• Other duties as assigned.

This position may require in-state and out-of-state travel, including overnight and weekend travel.

The ideal candidate will have knowledge of branch goals, key measures and objectives, operations, potential, and constraints; Department policies and procedures; State and Federal programs and resources in area of assignment; office management and supervision; principles and practices of project management and organization; networking and effective communication and outreach techniques; fiscal management, budget development and tracking in AZ system, accounting principles and operation; report preparation; personnel and procurement policies and procedures; negotiation skills and conflict resolution; and office technology tools.

Skills in procedure and policy development, managing multiple and varied complex administrative functions; analysis and interpretation of data/information; extensive communication skills; effective and efficient organization skills; effective ability to provide guidance and expertise; discretion and independent judgment; project management; working independently with little direct supervision; problem solving and conflict resolution; information inquiries; listening skills.

Ability to manage priorities and multi-task; to produce high standards of work and quality control; to access, review, and manage budgets; to use independent judgment; to communicate effectively both verbally and in written form; to maintain confidentiality, to learn quickly; to work well as part of a team.

The ideal candidate will have at least one year experience in a business administration position or hold a degree in business administration.

This position requires driving a vehicle as an essential function of the job, and the following requirements therefore 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).

Our work environment offers training opportunities and encourages career development.

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 State of Arizona offers an outstanding comprehensive benefits package including:

* 13 days’ of vacation
* 12 sick days
* 10 paid holidays
* Participation in the nationally recognized Arizona State Retirement System
* Superior health care options
* Vision care, dental care, pharmacy benefits, and flexible spending account (options available)
* Life, long-term disability, and short-term disability insurance options are available
* Many more benefit programs are available

By providing the option of a full-time or part-time remote work schedule, employees enjoy improved work/life balance, report higher job satisfaction, and are more productive. Remote work is a management option and not an employee entitlement or right. An agency may terminate a remote work agreement at its discretion.

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

Positions in this classification participate in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS). Please note, enrollment eligibility will become effective after 27 weeks of employment.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact Nicole Baker at nbaker@azgfd.gov for assistance.