Initial Posting Date:

08/15/2025

Application Deadline:

09/01/2025

Agency:

Watershed Enhancement Board

Salary Range:

$4,207 - $5,842

Position Type:

Employee

Position Title:

Grant Support Specialist (Administrative Specialist 2)

Job Description:

Working Title:  Grant Support Specialist

Classification: Administrative Specialist 2

Position Type: Permanent

Representation: SEIU represented

FLSA Status: Non-exempt, eligible for overtime with manager pre-approval

Monthly Compensation: The monthly salary range before PERS* will be $4,207-$5,842 | after PERS* will be $4,499-$6,245

Work Location: Salem Office, 775 Summer St. NE Suite 360, Salem Oregon 97301

Hybrid/Remote Work: This position is primarily in an office setting though a hybrid work schedule is possible based on agency needs

About the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board

OWEB's mission is "to help create and maintain healthy watersheds and natural habitats that support thriving communities and strong economies." OWEB operates a grant program that supports local, voluntary partnerships to restore and protect fish and wildlife, improve water quality and enhance watershed health.

OWEB awards over $150 million per biennium in grants and manages an ongoing workload of previously awarded grants of approximately $183 million. OWEB works closely with landowners and local, state, tribal, and federal agencies to advance OWEB's mission and the goals of the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds.  OWEB is responsible for reporting on its grant program and on the progress of implementing efforts under the Oregon Plan.

The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) is a state agency that provides grants to help Oregonians take care of local streams, rivers, wetlands, and natural areas. Community members and landowners use scientific criteria to decide jointly what needs to be done to conserve and improve rivers and natural habitat in the places where they live. OWEB grants are funded from the Oregon Lottery, General funds, federal funds, and salmon license plate revenue, among other funding sources. The agency is led by an 18-member citizen board drawn from the public at large, tribes, and federal and state natural resource agency boards and commissions.

Our Vision

The vision of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) is that OWEB is a leader in the conservation of Oregon's natural resources and enjoys strong public support for its contributions to community-based conservation, watershed health, and local economies.

Mission

To help protect and restore healthy watersheds and natural habitats that support thriving communities and strong economies.

Core Values

OWEB staff worked together to develop the following culture statement: We are dedicated to OWEB’s mission and take great pride that our programs support watershed health and empower local communities. Our work is deeply rewarding, and we are passionate about what we do. Our team is nimble, adaptable, and forward thinking, while remaining grounded in the grassroots history of watershed work in Oregon. With a strong understanding of our past, we are strategic about our future. We believe in working hard, while keeping our work environment innovative, productive, and fun. We are collaborative, both with each other and with outside partners and organizations. We place great value in continually improving what we do and how we do it.

OWEB is committed to creating a workplace culture that understands and appreciates differences among people and is welcoming and inclusive to all. By fostering fairness and equity in its work culture, the Department strives to improve services for all Oregonians. We acknowledge that not all people have experienced equitable opportunities or fair treatment. We are committed to increasing our awareness and understanding of historic injustices and building a foundation for meaningful change. We value a wide range of professional and lived experiences, and people of underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to apply.

About our Team 

The Business Operations section of OWEB includes the administrative services team, fiscal services, and software development staff. The administrative services team provides programmatic grant support as well as general administrative services to all agency staff, provides customer service to all OWEB grantees and partners, and responds to public requests. The fiscal services team processes all payments, reviews contracts, trains grantees on fiscal administration, develops and executes the agency budget, and is the primary contact on state and federal audit and fiscal related issues. The software development staff provide application development for OWEB’s inhouse software and systems including the OWEB grant management system (OGMS), grantee facing dashboards, the grant application review module among others. 

About the Position 

The purpose of this position is to provide administrative support to all OWEB program areas as part of an administrative support team.  A primary focus for the position is on creating, revising, routing, tracking, and filing the agency’s grant agreements and other grant-related documentation. The position collaborates on the management of grant files and the transfer of records to the state records center. The position also responds to grantee phone calls and coordinates and monitors grant payment information with project managers. The position will work with staff to provide support for board members and board meeting logistics as needed. The position may process grant payment requests received from grantees for specific grant programs and interpret grant agreements and agency rules in coordination with agency funding partners, OWEB staff, and grantees. 

Some daily tasks could look like:

• Coordinating grant agreements and grant documents with agency staff to ensure the documents are appropriate for program types and complete.
• Drafting and processing grant agreements and grant documentations in physical and electronic filing locations.
• Coordinating with staff in the development of grant agreement templates and document changes.
• Managing and maintaining data storage and retrieval systems for grant program activities and other program needs.
• Providing oversight for grant agreement and grant document compliance with state and federal grant compliance.
• Reviewing OWEB staff travel expense detail sheets for accurate and timely travel reimbursement- This includes compiling the required authorizations, documentation, receipts and confirming per diem rates and allowable expenses for reimbursement in compliance with agency and statewide policies.
• Overseeing conference and training registrations and ensuring proper billing and expense justifications.
• Preparing and submitting legal advertisements and posts public notices and maintains public notices.

This is not an all-encompassing list.

Minimum Qualifications

We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may not meet every one of our listed preferred qualifications. Lived experience may count towards the preferred qualifications. If you are excited about this position, we encourage you to apply. If you are unsure as to whether you meet the preferred qualifications of this position, please contact us to discuss your application.

Three years of secretarial or administrative support experience that includes coordinating office procedures, preparing narrative and statistical reports, and administrative data collection and analysis; OR

An associate degree in general office occupations and two years of secretarial or administrative support experience that includes coordinating office procedures, preparing narrative and statistical reports, and administrative data collection and analysis; OR

An equivalent combination of education and experience.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience preparing and tracking a variety of grant documents and administrative related grant processes.
• Knowledge and applied ability to administer prescribed guidelines and statutes for individual grants and program documents.
• Experience and proficiency with computerized records management and desktop applications, including Microsoft software.
• Proficient in proofreading, editing, typing and compiling a variety of documents with close attention to detail and accuracy.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and in collaboration with others to meet deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with a diversity of audiences.

We are most interested in finding the most qualified candidate for the job, and that candidate may not meet every one of our listed preferred qualifications. Paid and unpaid experience may count towards the preferred qualifications. If you are excited about this position, we encourage you to apply. If you are unsure as to whether you meet the preferred qualifications of this position, please contact us to discuss your application. 

Working Conditions 

Primarily an office setting, but overnight out-of-town travel may be required for trainings and Board meetings. The job also entails meeting frequent and multiple deadlines for mailings, meetings, grant processing, and correspondence. A varying workload may require some overtime work. Duties often vary and require knowledge of statutes, administrative rules, program processes, and procedures. A high degree of independence and independent judgment is required in selecting appropriate actions. Occasional lifting up to 25 lbs.

What’s in it for you?  

  

In addition to offering a culture of care and inclusivity and working among a highly skilled team to dive into meaningful work, we also offer a competitive benefits package that includes:   

• Exceptional PEBB insurance with medical, vision and dental plans with employees paying 1 to 5% of the total premium.  
• Leave accrual starting at 8 hours of sick and 8 hours of vacation leave per month, with your vacation leave accruals increasing every 5 years.  
• Access to an additional four days of discretionary leave - 3 days of personal business leave and one day of Governor’s Leave each year.  
• Eleven paid holidays per year.  
• Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) including a pension and employer contributions to the Individual Account Program.   
• Optional benefits (such as term life insurance, long-term and short-term disability, long-term care, health and dependent care flexible spending accounts, enrollment in the Oregon Savings Growth Plan, a deferred compensation program with a wide variety of investment options).  
• The opportunity to receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (must qualify). 

Application Requirements 

Please follow these directions for consideration: 

• Provide a cover letter addressed to the hiring committee that addresses your specific experience with the preferred qualifications above. We are looking for related skills and experience even if they are not directly grant related.

• Provide a resume.

Please monitor both your email and Workday account for updates regarding this recruitment. You may be asked to submit additional information after initial application. If you have questions about this job posting, please contact Human Resources at WRD_DL_HR@water.oregon.gov.  

Current State of Oregon employees must apply through your employee Workday account. 

Important Information  

   

PERS Salary Information   

   

* NON-PERS ELIGIBLE (Includes most new hires to state government. Employees typically gain PERS eligibility after six months of state service. PERS ELIGIBLE (Typically current or former employees of Oregon state or local government, public schools, universities, etc.) The salary listed will state base monthly salary, which is BEFORE PERS.   

Accommodations 

If you need assistance to participate in the application process, including an accommodation request under the American with Disabilities Act, we invite you to contact the recruiter for accommodation requests under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), application questions or job-specific questions please contact our HR team at wrd_dl_hr@water.oregon.gov. 

Future Vacancies      

This applicant pool may be used to fill additional vacancies as they occur over the next three (3) months.     

Work Authorization   

The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board does not offer visa sponsorships. Within three days of hire, all applicants will be required to complete the US Department of Homeland Security Form I-9, confirming authorization to work in the United States.     

Veterans    

If you are an eligible veteran and you meet the qualifications, veterans’ preference points will be added to your score. For more information on veterans’ preference points visit www.oregonjobs.org and select Veterans resources under Resources. Please do not attach veteran documentation to your initial application, after you have applied you will be sent a task in your Workday account to provide your veteran documentation at that time.   

Application Review Process 

In addition to your related work experience and education, we will use both the minimum and desired qualifications above to determine whom to interview. Please make sure all your relevant qualifications are clearly demonstrated in your application materials. Your application materials may be evaluated on spelling, grammar, punctuation, attention to detail, and presentation. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage  

The use of outside resources such as Artificial Intelligence software during the application process (cover letter and resume) and applicant skill assessments, examinations, and/or interviews is prohibited unless otherwise stated by the hiring agency. Unauthorized use of outside resources during the hiring process will result in immediate disqualification.  

  

The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer Committed to Workforce Diversity.