Boise, Idaho
New York, New York
Tucson, Arizona
Rochester, New York
Posted: 23-Dec-25
Location: Boise, Idaho
Type: Full Time
Salary: $42.32 - 47.61/hour
Categories:
Salary Details:
State Historic Preservation Office Administrator
The State Historic Preservation Office, a division of the Idaho State Historical Society, has an open full-time classified position for the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) Administrator.
The State Historic Preservation Office Administrator oversees the required responsibilities of the State Historic Preservation Office of the Agency and serves as the Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer. Serves as project management for special ISHS initiatives and other projects as assigned.
If you are interested in the position, please apply here:
https://statecareers.idaho.gov/jobs/17158676-state-historic-preservation-office-administrator
Application deadline is January 18, 2026, at 4:59 pm Mountain Time.
About Us
Be part of an organization that makes history every day! Join a highly motivated team in a fast-paced environment dedicated to inspiring, enriching and engaging all Idahoans by leading the state in preserving, sharing and using history and cultural resources relevant to today to inform and influence the future.
The Idaho State Historical Society is a trusted guide through the state’s history and how it has shaped every aspect of our lives, our land, our communities, our government and our people. Created in 1881 and established as a state agency in 1907, the Idaho State Historical Society (ISHS) is an extraordinary system of cultural and historic resources comprised of the Idaho State Museum, Idaho State Archives, Idaho State Historic Preservation Office, Old Idaho Penitentiary and Historic Sites Program.
Summary
The State Historic Preservation Office Administrator oversees the required responsibilities of the State Historic Preservation Office of the Agency and serves as the Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer. Serves as project management for special ISHS initiatives and other projects as assigned.
Duties & Essential Job Functions
Administration
- Provides counsel to the ISHS State Historic Preservation Officer/Executive Director and to the other members of the Leadership Team on historic preservation and department-wide matters, including priorities, policy, legislation, organization, personnel, planning and budget.
- Manages Division’s budget to ensure funds are managed in a fiscally responsible way to maximize the programs’ effectiveness and accountability.
- Develops and monitors strategic and annual work plans for the Division to ensure appropriate completion of projects and goals.
- Manages staff effectively and in accordance with the appropriate policies, including recruiting and hiring, mentoring, and training, performance evaluations, and terminations.
- Provides ISHS Trustees requests for action on historic preservation matters.
- Represents the State Historic Preservation Office on matters affecting historic and archaeological resources.
- Collaborates with the State Historic Preservation Officer/ISHS Executive Director to communicate/liaison with the Governor’s Office and at various meetings or other communication with legislators, agency heads, elected officials, congressional members, organizations, and individuals.
- Participates in ISHS inter-and intra-agency task forces or working groups.
- Participates in ISHS legislative issues, including preparation and presentation of testimony, directs responses to legislators, preparation and revision of budget and concept documents, and coordination of ISHS efforts related to historic preservation programs.
- Provides information, advice, and assistance to the ISHS ED and Leadership Team in matters related to cultural resources within ISHS properties, with an emphasis on achieving balanced solutions that serve the needs of the department and its resources.
State Historic Preservation Office Duties
- Oversees the management of statewide federal and state mandated historic preservation programs under the Historic Preservation Act, ID 67-41 and 46, and the Archaeological Survey of Idaho.
- Advances positive, collaborative relations with tribal, federal, state, county, and local governments and related stakeholders.
- Ensures compliance with all statutory program requirements.
- Creates long and short-term plans.
- Determines program priorities and policy in consultation with the ISHS ED/SHPO.
- Plans, monitors, implements, and adjusts annual budget.
- Assigns staff work priorities and allocates resources for project implementation.
- Investigates and resolves problems or disputes in all program areas, involving parties outside the agency when necessary.
- Participates in the preparation of legislative proposals and testimony.
- Approves applications for federal tax incentives for historic properties.
- Acts as the Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer. Negotiates, reviews, and prepares agreements relating to federal and state cultural resource laws.
- Nominates properties to the National Register of Historic Places; oversee the State Historic Sites Review Board.
- Awards federal pass-through grants.
- Participates in federal regulatory and policy task forces at state and national level.
- Certifies local governments for participation in the Certified Local Government program.
- Reviews and comments on federal cultural resource regulation and federal appropriations and policy issues.
- Works with local government officials, congressional members and their staffs, state and federal agency heads and staff, and tribal governments on cultural resources issues and policy.
- Gives speeches or otherwise addresses community groups, professional organizations, special interest groups, or members of the public on agency programs and policies relating to cultural resources.
Program Management
- Coordinates the delivery of outreach, education, and public information programs to make the work of the office more relevant to constituent needs and demands. Serves as a point of contact for media inquiries.
- Directs the development and delivery of accurate cultural resource information using databases, filing systems, and other technologies, as appropriate.
Supervision
- Supervises SHPO personnel, hires and trains new employees, resolves employee disputes, responds to grievances, and initiates disciplinary action when necessary.
- Oversee contract work; monitors work to ensure accuracy and conformance to department and national standards.
Promoting Responsible Government and Special Functions
- Serves on the Agency Leadership Team and participates in organizational development, including timely strategic planning, conflict resolution, accountability practices, and decision-marking in accordance with industry bet practices, enhancing board and staff development, creating a highly productive and positive work environment, and monitoring agency performance
- Provides strategic direction to the Agency through participation on select agency and partner organization committees as outlined in the strategic plan.
- Administers and may serve on select regranting committees and make critical funding decisions for partners and other entities across the state.
Other Functions
- Provides support to agency public programs and outreach efforts
- Some weekend and/or evening hours will be scheduled
- Some in- and out-of-state travel required
- Performs other duties as assigned
Minimum Qualifications (Required)
Experience:
- Management practice- Typically gained through completion of two classes of upper division college-level coursework equivalent to "Management and Organizational Theory" and "Personnel or Human Resource Administration" that covered all the essential elements of management: OR at least two (2) years’ experience in a job situation with responsibility for all the essential elements of management or advising management in all five areas. These five elements deal with planning, organizing, commanding (leading), coordinating, and controlling.
- Budget development and monitoring-Typically gained by at least two (2) years of work experience evaluating cost estimates and developing and monitoring budgets for long-range planning, staffing, and equipment needs, OR successful completion of core requirements for a bachelor’s degree in finance or accounting.
- Researching, writing and implementing policies and procedures- Typically gained by at least two (2) years of work experience that required researching, writing and implementing day-to-day operational policies and procedures for a program or unit.
- Compiling, organizing and analyzing technical or programmatic information, defining alternatives and preparing recommendations for senior management, administrators, or governing boards- Typically gained by at least two (2) years of experience in a job situation where you routinely performed all of the research and analyzed the components listed above. Examples of qualifying background include developing feasibility studies, environmental impact studies, or other comparative analysis of different alternatives and selection of a recommended alternative.
MQ Specialties (Required)
Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualifications Standards requires individuals working on historic preservation projects to meet specific educational and experience criteria for their respective fields, such as history, architectural history, and archaeology. The standards generally require a graduate degree or a bachelor's degree combined with a certain amount of professional experience in a relevant field, and in some cases, a state license.
Core qualifications by discipline
- Graduate degree: A graduate degree in history, or a closely related field like American Civilization, Public History, or a similar discipline, with coursework in American history plus at least five (3) years of full-time professional experience in research, writing, or teaching in American history with a historical organization or agency, or through substantial contributions via research and publication OR Bachelor's degree plus experience: A bachelor's degree plus at least four (4) years of full-time professional experience in research, writing, or teaching in American history with a historical organization or agency, or through substantial contributions via research and publication.
- Five (5) years of full-time professional experience working in or managing SHPO programs.
- Three (3) years in supervising subordinates, including hiring, development of annual work plans, performance evaluations, and personnel actions.
Special Guidelines
PRESERVATION FEDERAL: National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended and implementing regulations. These include NPS-49 (program administration); 36 CFR 60, National Register of Historic Places; 36 CFR 61 Procedures for Approved State and Local Government Historic Preservation Programs; 36 CFR 800 Protection of Historic and Cultural Properties; 36 CFR 67 Historic Preservation Certifications; Archaeology and Historic Preservation: Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines; and Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.
PRESERVATION STATE: Idaho Code Chapters 67-4113-4122 and 27-502 which address a variety of programs and responsibilities related to historic sites, and archaeology.