Director of Western Timberlands- Forestry Leadership role!

Director of Western Timberlands – Chester, CA

Salary: 150K-180K per year year plus potential bonus of ~15%, generous benefits, PTP, 401K + 6% match, company HOUSING provided

Travel: 1 week per month in Lakeview, OR

About the Company and Role

A long-term, privately owned and operated forest management and wood products manufacturer in Chester, CA is growing and creating a new Director of Western Timberlands. You will lead all western lands in California and Oregon (Almanor, Lakeview, and newly acquired Northeast California lands), own timberlands results and log supply to the mill, and lead 2–3 years of post-Dixie Fire reforestation and recovery in Chester.

What You'll Do

• Lead two states: Supervise the Chester and Oregon managers and unify two long-tenured, separately run teams.


• Own the mill relationship: Own log flow and delivery targets and partner closely with the Director of the Mill; the mill and timberlands keep separate financials but feed each other.


• Support procurement: The Procurement Manager runs log procurement and harvest planning and reports to you.


• Run the budget and P&L: Including capital planning and land acquisition and valuation analysis.


• Keep the company compliant: FSC audit (with a VP), auditor questions, federal contracts, and California RPF sign-off on binding timber purchase proposals (RPFs on staff; ideally you hold one too).


• Lead Chester's recovery: Heavy reforestation over 2–3 years, plus succession planning for two retirements within five years, mentoring a newly promoted manager and early-career hires.


• Get into the woods: Valuation, yield, and land assessment as needed.


• Tools: Mostly Teams, Excel, and Word, plus two internal systems learned on the job.

What You'll Bring

• Degree in forest management or natural resources


• Western softwood experience (white fir, ponderosa pine), typically from Oregon, Washington, or California


• 7+ years of leadership (10 preferred), with a progressive path from field forestry


• Deep command of timber, land, and yield


• Relationship builder with long-tenured teams and the mill; tactful change leader who develops people and supports succession


• Willing to live in or relocate to Chester, CA

Preferred

• California Registered Professional Forester (RPF) license


• Background with CAL FIRE, Sierra Pacific, Green Diamond, or similar; reforestation or post-fire recovery leadership

***************RELO CANDIDATES WELCOME - WA, CA and OR **************

Please Note: This position is open to candidates who are authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future visa sponsorship. We are not able to consider C2C arrangements or third-party submissions.