Chief, Green Infrastructure Operations and Maintenance

New York City, NY • Brooklyn, NY

121d

About The Position

The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) protects public health and the environment by supplying clean drinking water, collecting and treating wastewater, and reducing air, noise, and hazardous materials pollution. DEP is the largest combined municipal water and wastewater utility in the country, with nearly 6,000 employees. DEP delivers more than 1.1 billion gallons per day of the highest quality drinking water to 8.5 million NYC residents and more than 1 million people in Upstate New York, and has a wastewater conveyance and treatment system capable of processing over 1.3 billion gallons of wastewater per day to protect the environment and the city's surrounding waterways. DEP is in partnership with various City agencies to construct distributed stormwater management practices, or "green infrastructure", within the City's public streets and sidewalks to manage stormwater runoff and improve water quality in NYC waterbodies. These engineered practices include rain gardens, infiltration basins and porous pavements, and use a combination of techniques to increase stormwater storage capacity and infiltration of stormwater into underlying natural soils. The operations and maintenance of right-of-way rain gardens and infiltration basins are managed by DEP's in-house Green Infrastructure Maintenance Unit within the Bureau of Environmental Planning & Analysis. To date there are over 10,000 green infrastructure practices in maintenance by this unit across Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. More information on the NYC Green Infrastructure Program and locations of green infrastructure practices can be found online: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dep/water/green-infrastructure.page DEP is seeking a Chief of Green Infrastructure Operations and Maintenance to join its team of green stormwater professionals and oversee operations and maintenance for the Agency's green infrastructure. Under direction with great latitude for the exercise of independent initiative and judgment, reporting to the Assistant Commissioner of the Bureau of Environmental Planning & Analysis, the Chief of Green Infrastructure Operations and Maintenance will manage operations and maintenance program for the Agency's green infrastructure portfolio.

Requirements

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college with major study in horticulture, arboriculture, or landscape architecture and four years of full-time, paid experience in horticultural work of which two (2) years must have been in a supervisory, administrative, consultative, managerial, or executive capacity; or
• A satisfactory equivalent. However, all candidates must have at least a high school diploma or evidence of having passed an examination for a high school equivalency diploma and one year of supervisory, administrative, consultative, managerial, or executive experience as described above.

Nice To Haves

• At least 10 years' experience with operations and familiarity with DEP's Green Infrastructure Program.
• Possession of a Motor Vehicle Operator's License valid in the State of New York.
• Master's Degree in Horticulture, Landscape Architecture or related field.
• Thorough knowledge of important operational and landscape work of major scope and having highly visible community impact, involving programs of citywide distributed scale and significant capital costs.
• Excellent management skills including planning, coordination, problem solving and supervision.
• Ability to assess priorities and to properly coordinate projects, supervisors and staff across several facilities.
• Ability to carry out assigned tasks decisively and accurately and work effectively in a team.
• Ability to manage a multi-unit team with the capability to effectively interact with individuals of diverse personality types.
• Maintain organized records.
• Knowledge of City procurement and contracting processes and contract management.
• Excellent written and oral communication and analytical skills and concise reporting skills.
• Maintain principal involvement while adapting to differing approaches on various assignments.
• Ability to work with multiple senior managers and staff teams, while supervising the work of contractors to help achieve the strategic vision of the Department.
• Ability to work diplomatically with the public, governmental officials, professional and technical persons, and other City employees.
• Computer aptitude and working knowledge of work order management systems as well as general Microsoft Office programs such as Excel, Word, and Outlook.

Responsibilities

• Manage operations and maintenance program for the Agency's green infrastructure portfolio.
• Oversee budgeting, planning, organizing, and supervision of overall functions related to routine maintenance and rehabilitation activities of green infrastructure practices.
• Provide direct supervision to deputy chiefs, and administrative staff and ensure high quality leadership and management is in place throughout the unit.
• Staff satellite facilities with responsible managers and in a manner to operate and maintain green infrastructure practices across the city most efficiently.
• Manage personnel matters, working closely with bureau staff to address issues quickly and professionally.
• Ensure guidance and training is in place to provide a pathway for career growth within the unit to retain staff, maintain staff morale and ensure continued success in green infrastructure maintenance and operations.
• Oversee support contract planning and management; coordinate with other bureau staff on equipment and materials needed for conducting field inspections, and routine maintenance, and special projects.
• Ensure regular field surveys and inspections are ongoing to assess the condition of rain garden plantings, including herbaceous perennials, grasses, shrubs and trees, damage from insects, injury and disease and infiltration basin cleaning and operations.
• Establish, review, and maintain unit key performance indicators, provide continuous oversight and recommendations for improved efficiency; prepare written reports for senior staff and regulatory reporting.
• Formulate and implement year-round management plans to enhance efficiency and success of rain gardens and infiltration basins.
• Work with staff, including Landscape Architects and Gardeners to develop new plans for replanting existing rain gardens; review new designs for forthcoming green infrastructure practices from a maintenance and operations standpoint and provide best practice guidance to design and construction teams.
• Engage in plant research to evaluate landscape maintenance techniques, new plant cultivars and varieties, and disease-resistant plants.
• Promote and spread awareness of the NYC Green Infrastructure Program working with community stewardship staff and other bureau staff, attend community meetings as requested.
• Coordinate with other NYC agencies or NGOs involved in siting and or caring for right-of-way green infrastructure.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Senior
• Industry: Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees