TITLE 1200 - ORGANIZATION
FOREST SERVICE MANUAL
MISSOULA, MONTANA
FSM 1200 – ORANIZATION
R1 Supplement 60
Effective November 1982
CHAPTER 1220 ORGANIZATION AND POSITION MANAGEMENT
1222.13 - Regional Forester's, Station Director's, and Area Director's Approval. R. F.
McLaughlin, Leader, Administrative Management Group, is authorized to sign organization
charts "for" the Director, Administration (in the reveiw block, FSM 1239--71--R-1).
1223 - TITLES
1223.03 - Policy
1. Documents and correspondence will be signed in accordance with authorities delegated
to positions and those delegated to named-designated individuals (FSM 1236.14--R-l).
2. Regional Office and Forest reading files will be periodically reviewed for compliance
with signing authorities described in FSM 1230.3--R-l.
3. Titling rules and practices in FSM 1223.1--R-l will be followed in Region 1.
Occasionally situations may be encountered that require modification to approved titles.
Exceptions require special approval by the Regional Forester and/or the Deputy Regional
Forester (FSM 1222.27).
1223.04 - Responsibility. The Administration Staff is responsible for spellistering a uniform
system of titling practices and for coordinating titling proposals.
Forest Supervisors are responsible for insuring that the Region 1 system of titling practices is
administered on the Forest.
1223.1 - General Rules for Titles. Standardized titling rules and practices enhance: (1) the
understanding of operating and structural relationships within an organization; and (2) the
understanding, proper use, and acceptance of assigned responsibilities and related signing
authorities. Use of common titling practices also tells people how their present position relates
to other positions for purposes of career planning, evaluation of job opportunities, and evaluation
of the work experience of other employees.
Deputy. Used only for full alter ego positions having the same delegated authorities and
responsibilities as their supervisors. In Region 1, Deputy positions must report to the Regional
Forester or a Forest Supervisor. Deputy positions are generally established only when their
supervisor's nondelegable workload exceeds 1 workyear.
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TITLE 1200 - ORGANIZATION
Assistant. Used only for positions that have a formally delegated portion of their supervisor's
authorities and responsibilities (if the position is supervised by a line officer, the assistant will
have line authority; if not, the assistant will be a staff position). In Region 1, assistant positions
must report to a line officer (at Regional, Forest, and District levels) or to a Staff Director. Note:
The general rules for the use of the title "assistant" should be compared with the use of the "staff
assistant" titles (as defined in paragraphs 6 and 7 of the "Specific Region 1 Organization Titling
Practices" section below).
Assistant positions are usually "span of control reducers." The need for assistants normally arises
when: (1) the type or volume of work suggests grouping subordinate units under one
intermediate supervisor; and (2) when the coordination and/or accomplishment of work will be
improved through the further delegation of existing authorities. Exceptions to the use of an
assistant position/title as a "span of control reducer" will only be allowed in response to unique
opertional situations (i.e., in Timber Management to facilitate delegation of Regional Forester
timber sale signing authority, etc.).
Care should be exercised when establishing assistant positions; as they can introduce extra
layering within an organizational structure, suppress grade levels, and be costly. In the Regional
Office, Assistant Directors may supervise a combination of Group Leaders, Staff Specialists,
Specialists, and/or Section Heads (see below); however, as a minimum, an Assistant Director
must supervise at least three professionals, two of whom must be Group Leaders. An Assistant
position cannot be created when a Deputy position has been established within a unit.
Specific Region 1 Organizational Titling Practices
1. Deputy
(specify title of supervisor). Titles of deputy positions will
include the title of the supervisor, such as Deputy Forest Supervisor. Deputy Forest Supervisor
positions may not be established on Forests with a program organization (see FSM 1221.31).
2. Assistant
,
(specify title of supervisor and the
assigned portion of the supervisor's responsibility). Titles of assistant positions will include the
title of the position's supervisor and specify the assigned portion of the supervisor's
responsibility, such as Assistant Director, Engineering Technical Services.
3. Staff Director. Reports to the Regional Forester. Such positions have staff
responsibility for managing and administering broad programs, functions, and/or activities
assigned to a Staff Unit.
Directly supervises at least three Assistant Directors, Group Leaders, Staff Specialists,
Specialists, and/or Section Heads--or a combination thereof. Title should specify assignment of
responsibility, such as Director, Engineering.
4. Group Leader. In the Regional Office, reports to a Staff Director or Assistant
Director; on a Forest, reports to a Forest Staff or Program Officer (see 10 and 11 below); Forest
Supervisors may elect to use either Group Leader or Branch Chief (see 12 below) title but not a
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TITLE 1200 - ORGANIZATION
mixture of both. Responsible for a group of functions and/or activities within the broad range of
responsibilites assigned to a Staff Director, Assistant Director, Forest Staff Officer, or Forest
Program Officer. Directly supervises Section Heads and/or Specialists. Positions must supervise
a minimum of three people, two of whom should be professional or technical positions. Title
should reflect assigned work, such as Leader, Contracting Group.
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TITLE 1200 - ORGANIZATION
5. Section Head. In the Regional Office, reports to a Staff Director, Assistant Director, or
Group Leader. On a Forest, reports to a Forest Staff/Program Officer, (see 10 and 11 below) or
Group Leader/Branch Chief (see 4 above and 12 below). Responsible for a specific set of tasks
and/or activities formally assigned by the Section Head's supervisor. Directly supervises at least
three or more subordinate specialist or technical positions. Title should describe assigned work,
such as Head, Office Services Section.
6. Staff Assistant "for" (Responsible for specific activity). In the Regional Office reports
to the Regional Forester or the Deputy Regional Forester. On a Forest reports to the Forest
Supervisor. Responsibility normally involves coordination of a specific activity between and/or
among numerous organizational units. Title should specify the title of the position's supervisor
and the nature of responsibility assigned, such as: Staff Assistant to the Regional Forester, Civil
Rights.
Such positions provide special support and/or emphasis for a specific activity and generally do
not supervise any subordinate positions; if subordinate positions do exist they are usually clerical
or technical in nature.
7. Staff Assistant "to" (Responsible for providing administrative support). In the Regional
Office, reports to a Staff Director. On a Forest reports to a Forest Supervisor or Forest Staff/
Program Officer. Responsibilities normally involve providing general administrative and/or other
broad staff support to the incumbent's supervisor; i.e., coordination of PPB and budgetary
activities, etc. Such positions are justified on the basis of unit need and workload. Title should
specify the appropriate organizational unit or supervisor, such as: Staff Assistant to the Director,
Engineering.
Staff Assistant positions provide general coordination and/or analytical staff support for a variety
of activities and generally do not supervise any subordinate positions; if subordinates do exist
they are usually limited to one or two clerical or technical positions.
8. Staff Specialist. In the Regional Office, reports to a Staff Director or an Assistant
Director. On a Forest, reports to Forest Staff/Program Officer. Staff specialist positions provide
coordinated advice, leadership, and assistance in the form of specific staff recommendations and
may supervise or coordinate the work of subordinate professional specialists. Title should
describe assigned work or responsibilities, such as Regional Staff Specialist, Hydrology, Forest
Staff Specialist, Silviculture, Forest Staff Specialist, Recreation, etc. "Staff Specialists" differ
from 'specialists" in that they are usually supervisory positions responsible for producing fully
coordinated staff work; such work generally supports broad Regional or Forest programs and
activities or multiple projects as opposed to technical advice/input related to specific projects of
planning activities.
9. Specialist. Professional, technical, or scientific positions reporting directly to an
organizational unit supervisor at any level. Provides specific technical advice and assistance to
line officers, staff officers, their immediate supervisor and/or other people; generally responsible
for professional/technical work relating to specific projects. Specialists use either their Office of
Personnel Management (OPM) classification series title or may use an approved working title
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TITLE 1200 - ORGANIZATION
which is descriptive of responsibility, such as Soil Scientist, Forester, Silviculturist, or Law
Enforcement Officer.
10. Staff Officer (Forest). Reports to a Forest Supervisor. Serves as primary staff officer
and is normally a full member of the Forest management team. Such positions have staff
responsibility for managing and administering one or more functions and/or activities assigned to
the organizational unit. Title should describe assigned functional responsibilities. Examples:
Timber Staff Officer; Forest Engineer; etc. Directly supervises at least three people, two of
whom should be operating professional or technical positions.
11. Program Officer (Forest). Reports to a Forest Supervisor. Serves as primary staff
officer and is a full member of the Forest management team. Such positions have staff
responsibility for coordinating, managing, and administering a variety of related functions and/or
activities (see FSM 1221.31). Title should describe the assigned area of program responsibility.
Examples: Program Officer, Resources; Program Officer, Technical Service/Support; etc.
12. Branch Chief (Forest). Reports to a Forest Staff/Program Officer. Forest Supervisors
may elect to use either Group Leader (see 4 above) or Branch Chief as a title within their
organization, but not both. Responsible for a specific type or set of functions and/or activities
within the broader range of responsibilities assigned to a Staff/Program Officer. Directly
supervises Section Heads and/or Specialists. Position must supervise a minimum of three
people, two of whom should be professional or technical positions. Title should reflect assigned
work, such as Chief, Silviculture Branch.
13. Shared Services Positions. Shared services positions are Forest positions which are
funded, staffed, supervised, and managed through written agreement by two or more Forest
Supervisors or agreement by Forest Supervisors and a Staff Director. The positions are
established to accomplish financed work at the Forest level. Shared service positions are
established to accomplish specialized workloads too small to support a position on a single
Forest. Title should be descriptive of assigned work responsibility, i.e., appraiser, etc.
14. Forest Zone Positions. Forest Zone positions are Forest positions which do Ranger
District work for two or more Districts within one Forest. Location and establishment of
funding, staffing, and supervision are at the discretion of the Forest Supervisor. Title should be
descriptive of assigned work such as Zone Fisheries Biologist. If it is desirable to specify the
location where the work is being accomplished, list the name of the appropriate Forest/Unit
under the Zone position title.
15. Regional Office Zone Positions. Regional zone positions are Regional Officer
positions which are funded, staffed, supervised, and managed by the Regional Office. The
positions may be located at places other than the Regional Office for the purpose of improving
the delivery of Regional Office services or for reduction of cost. Work to be accomplished must
relate directly to Regional Office roles and missions. Title should describe assigned work such
as Zone Sanitary Engineer. If it is desirable to specify the location where the work is being
accomplished, list the name of the appropriate Forest/Unit under the Zone position title.
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TITLE 1200 - ORGANIZATION
1223.2 - Titles Approved for Use
1. Standard titles of organizational units and position titles of individuals in charge of each
unit are approved for use in Region 1 as follows:
Organizational Unit
Region
Unit Title
Office of Regional Forester
Position Title
Regional Forester
Deputy Regional Forester
Staff Assistant to the
Regional Forester
Staff
Director of ______________
Assistant Director of
_____________________
Head, _________________
Section
Forest Supervisor
Deputy Forester Supervisor
(for functional organization
only)
Organization (Program
officer only)
____________ Staff Officer
Leader, _________________
Chief, __________________
Head, ___________ Section
District Ranger
Center Director
Section
Forest
National Forest
Program Officer
Staff
Group
Branch Chief
Section
Ranger District
Job Corps Civilian
Conservation Center
National Recreation Area
Nursery
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Area Ranger
Nursery Superintendent
TITLE 1200 - ORGANIZATION
2. Additional position titles approved for use, as described in FSM 1223.1--R-l are as
follows:
Position Titles
Staff Assistant to_________________________
Staff Specialist
Specialist
Shared Services Position (descriptive of assigned work resp).
Zone______________________________________
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