URBAN FOREST SUPERVISOR

City of Santa Monica; Santa Monica (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Santa Monica seeks an Urban Forestry Supervisor to oversee contract services for maintaining the City’s Urban Forest. You will supervise staff, coordinate pruning, planting, and risk assessments, and ensure compliance with the Urban Forest Master Plan.

You will review plans, manage budgets, and liaise with contractors and City departments. Strong ISA certification and six years in urban forestry, with two years supervisory experience, are preferred for this role.

Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited college with an associate’s degree in landscape architecture, urban forestry, Arboriculture, or Horticulture; other related study substitutions may apply.
• Six years of recent, paid work experience in urban forest maintenance including mature tree risk assessment and pruning operations; supervision experience required for at least two years.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and monitor contract services for the City’s Urban Forest maintenance.
• supervise the urban forest pruning and planting program across City parks, streets, and landscaped areas.
• Perform tree risk assessments and use wood testing technology to map weak/decayed wood.
• Respond to urban forest emergencies and advise on risk mitigation.
• Review construction plans for tree preservation and monitor adherence to guidelines.
• Monitor active projects for adherence to tree preservation policies and perform final inspections.
• Maintain the urban forest inventory GIS database and generate reports.
• Direct and supervise staff, approve overtime/vacations, and evaluate performance.
• Coordinate training for staff and oversee contractors to ensure contract compliance.
• Participate in developing contract specs, RFPs, budgets, and cost estimates; review invoices and expenditures.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Contract administration

Tree knowledge

Public service

Education

Associate degree in landscape architecture / urban forestry / Arboriculture / Horticulture

Tools

GIS software

Microsoft Office

Wood testing technology

Job description

Oversees and monitors contract services for the maintenance of the City’s Urban Forest. Supervises, coordinates and reviews the work of assigned urban forest staff.

Works under the general supervision of a Public Landscape Administrator or designated management staff. Exercises technical supervision over assigned staff.

• Ensures the vision and guiding principles of the City's Urban Forest Master Plan are delivered through strategic and systematic operations. Enforces International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and American National Standard Institute (ANSI) specifications for pruning, removal, planting, and replacement.

• Supervises and coordinates the urban forest pruning and planting program for trees located in City parks, streets, parkways, and other City-administered landscaped areas. Makes pruning frequency recommendations and ensures planting is consistent with the species designations in the Urban Forest Master Plan.

• Performs all levels of tree risk assessment, including advanced, and makes tree work recommendations. Uses wood testing technology, to map weak and decayed wood in standing trees.

• Responds to urban forest emergencies.

• Reviews and comments on construction-related plans, drawings, calculations, and reports to ensure conformance with the tree preservation guidelines of and the Urban Forest Master Plan. Submits appropriate comments within allotted timeline into the City’s plan check system.

• Monitors all active construction projects impacting the urban forest and ensures adherence to the City’s tree preservation guidelines. Performs final inspections of construction projects to confirm that public trees have not been adversely impacted by the development.

• Diagnoses and evaluates the health of trees and proposes recommendations to treat diseased trees.

• Participates in maintaining the City’s urban forest inventory GIS database. Tracks, monitors, and produces reports on the inventory as required.

• Selects, schedules, supervises, and reviews the work of assigned employees. Reviews and approves overtime and vacation requests; monitors attendance and timecards for accuracy; and evaluates employees’ work performance.

• Trains and coordinates training activities for assigned employees in proper work methods and procedures. Inspect work sites on a periodic basis to ensure compliance with City and department goals, objectives, policies, and procedures.

• Directs and monitors the work of urban forestry and landscape maintenance contractors to ensure compliance with contractual terms and conditions and resolves discrepancies and corrects deficiencies. Promptly reviews and approves submitted requisitions.

• Participates in the development of contract specifications and Requests for Proposal (RFPs). Reviews contract proposals, interviews bidders and checks references. Monitors contract progress pursuant to City policies and procedures.

• Participates in the development and preparation of assigned project and contract service budgets. Prepares cost estimates for materials and labor and submits requisitions for equipment, materials, and supplies. Reviews invoices, monitors expenditures and makes budget recommendations.

• Conducts research and prepares and maintains a variety of reports, records, and correspondence.

• Serves as a liaison between City departments, the Urban Forest Task Force, contractors, and other customers regarding urban forestry.

• Responds to inquiries, complaints and requests for information involving City trees from staff, external agencies, business owners, residents, and the public in a prompt and professional manner.

• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

• Principles, policies and practices of arboriculture and tree risk assessment

• Urban forestry operations including cyclical pruning and planting

• Maintenance principles of turf and landscaped areas

• Tree and pest identification, including tree and soil disease recognition and treatment

• Contract preparation and administration

• Research and report writing techniques

• Business English, spelling, punctuation, and grammar

• Recordkeeping and scheduling methods

• Applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations

• Occupational hazards and safe work practices

• Principles and practices of supervision

• Effective leading and coordinating techniques

• Effective customer service techniques

Ability to:

• Select, supervise, motivate, and train staff, including scheduling, prioritizing and evaluating the work of others

• Coordinate, monitor and inspect the work of contractors

• Develop and enforce contract specifications and provisions related to urban forest management

• Provide technical information and advice regarding trees and public landscapes

• Develop policies and procedures

• Contribute to budget preparation and administration

• Interpret and apply policies, laws, and regulations

• Conduct research, analyze information, and make sound recommendations

• Prepare and present clear and concise records and reports

• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing

• Interact effectively with tact and discretion with various customers

• Establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relationships with City employees, contractors, external agencies, and the public

• Work with persons from diverse social, cultural, and economic backgrounds as well as a variety of work styles, personalities, and approaches

• Provide effective customer service

• Use a chainsaw and other common urban forestry hand and power tools.

Skill in:

• Leading and coordinating the work of others.

• Reading, writing, and communicating at an appropriate level.

• Using a personal computer and applicable software applications.

Education, Training and Experience:

• Graduation from an accredited college with an associate’s degree or 60 semester units or the equivalent of college level course in landscape architecture, urban forestry, Arboriculture, Horticulture, or a closely related field. Additional recent, related work experience may substitute for the educational requirement on a year for year basis.
• Six (6) years of recent, paid work experience in the maintenance of an urban forest which has included mature tree risk assessment and managing tree pruning operations.
• Two (2) years of the recent, paid work experience must include directly supervising tree pruning operations.
• Recent, related public agency work experience is desirable.

Licenses and Certificates:

• Possession of a valid Class C driver license or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.
• Certification as a Certified Arborist by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA).
• Holder of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ).
• Certification as a Board-Certified Master Arborist (BCMA) by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) within six months upon hire

Inclusion & Diversity Statement

The City of Santa Monica is a progressive, inclusive and culturally rich community. As leaders in public service, we strive to be an employer of choice by attracting and retaining a highly talented workforce where people of diverse races, religions, cultures and lifestyles thrive. Our goal is to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where our staff are empowered to perform at their highest level and where their differences make a positive impact.

The City is an equal opportunity employer and strives to build balanced teams from all walks of life without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, ancestry, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state and/or local law. We aim to create a workplace that celebrates and embraces the diversity of our employees. Join us!