Urban Forestry Program Lead: Canopy & Resilience

City of Newark; Newark (NJ); On-site; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Excellent benefits package

Job summary

City of Newark seeks an Urban Forestry Program Manager to lead Tree Operations, planning, and preservation across the city. You will supervise field staff, coordinate with contractors, and advance community forest initiatives to expand canopy and climate resilience.

The role requires a Bachelor's in a related field with 3+ years in urban forestry, plus ISA certification within 6 months. Experience with GIS and grant administration is a plus. Excellent benefits accompany civil service employment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Arboriculture, Forestry, Urban Forestry, Horticulture, Environmental Science, Natural Resources, Landscape Management, or related field preferred.
• Minimum of three years of experience in urban forestry, arboriculture, tree inspection, or municipal tree management
• Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered.
• ISA Certified Arborist required within six (6) months of appointment if not currently held

Responsibilities

• Oversee Tree Operations Unit including field personnel, contractors, consultants, and seasonal staff.
• Develop and implement Tree Work Plan, and performance metrics.
• Administer permitting, compliance, and development review for public trees.
• Develop project scopes, RFPs, and manage contracts and grants.
• Maintain tree inventories and use GIS, GPS, i-Tree for planning and reporting.
• Engage community, partner with agencies, and represent City at meetings.

Skills

Arboriculture

Urban forestry

Project management

Leadership

Budgeting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Arboriculture or related field

Master's degree in Forestry / Urban Forestry (preferred)

ISA Certified Arborist (required within 6 months)

Tools

GIS

GPS technology

i-Tree

Asset management software

Job description

City of Newark seeks an Urban Forestry Program Manager to lead Tree Operations, planning, and preservation across the city. You will supervise field staff, coordinate with contractors, and advance community forest initiatives to expand canopy and climate resilience.

The role requires a Bachelor's in a related field with 3+ years in urban forestry, plus ISA certification within 6 months. Experience with GIS and grant administration is a plus. Excellent benefits accompany civil service employment.