Field Leader, Utility Forestry & Vegetation Ops

NiSource Inc.; Crown Point (IN); On-site; USD 97,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

NiSource Inc. seeks a Field Leader for Forestry Operations to guide a team of contracted crews in Electric and Gas vegetation management. You will manage annual work plans, budgets, safety, and regulatory compliance across projects from $10k to $5M, including emergencies and outages.

The role requires strong leadership, environmental awareness, and stakeholder collaboration. The position emphasizes on-site supervision, 24/7 readiness during storms, and coordination with supply chain to ensure

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required with 4+ years of forestry experience.
• Thorough forestry knowledge, pruning practices, tree biology, and herbicide use.
• Knowledge of gas/electric transmission and distribution systems.
• FERC/NERC guidelines and OSHA/ANSI practices familiarity.
• Valid driver's license required; pesticide applicator lic within 180 days.
• Experience with budgeting, scheduling, and contractor management.

Responsibilities

• Develop and oversee annual work plans for vegetation management.
• Manage contracted workforce and 24-hour on-call crews for service delivery.
• Lead safety inspections, coach crews, and ensure BMP adherence.
• Coordinate with internal/external stakeholders and manage outages.
• Review budgets, extensions, invoicing, and project cost control.
• Ensure regulatory and environmental compliance across projects.
• Prepare bid specs and contract language with procurement.
• Respond to emergencies and coordinate storm recovery efforts.

Skills

Forestry leadership

Budget management

Contractor management

Emergency response

Stakeholder coordination

Safety leadership

Project scheduling

Regulatory awareness

Decision making under pressure

Team leadership

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Bachelor's degree in science, engineering or business-related field

ISA Certified Arborist (preferred)

Tools

Microsoft Office

ESRI ArcGIS

Database/documentation tools

Job description

NiSource Inc. seeks a Field Leader for Forestry Operations to guide a team of contracted crews in Electric and Gas vegetation management. You will manage annual work plans, budgets, safety, and regulatory compliance across projects from $10k to $5M, including emergencies and outages.

The role requires strong leadership, environmental awareness, and stakeholder collaboration. The position emphasizes on-site supervision, 24/7 readiness during storms, and coordination with supply chain to ensure