Director, Urban & Community Forestry, Pacific Northwest

American Forests• US,

7d•$90,000 - $95,000•Remote

About The Position

American Forests is hiring a Director, Urban & Community Forestry, Pacific Northwest to lead efforts to advance tree equity across Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. The field-facing role serves as the organization’s lead relationship-holder in the region, working with state, tribal, and local governments, utilities, and community-based organizations to assess needs and provide GIS, policy, planning, and financing resources. The Director identifies partners for deeper, funded engagements and helps secure public and philanthropic funding for on-the-ground impact. The Director builds and maintains regional relationships, assesses urban forestry needs, develops and delivers programs and projects, coordinates support from American Forests’ broader Urban & Community Forestry team, and pursues funding opportunities. The role requires knowledge of the Pacific Northwest’s political and urban forestry landscape and the ability to work within city and state government systems while advancing technical assistance toward lasting, funded partnerships. The position owns a portfolio of city and state partnerships; coordinates technical service delivery; co-leads the Washington State Tree Equity Collaborative; supports regional subgrantees; and designs peer-learning events, workshops, and technical assistance sessions. It also develops partnerships and funding opportunities, manages regional project information and budgets, contributes to communications, and supervises the Manager, Urban Forestry, California. The role is remote within Washington, Oregon, or Idaho, with Seattle or Portland metro highly preferred, and may require up to 25% travel throughout the U.S., including to the organization’s Washington, D.C. headquarters.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in arboriculture, landscape architecture, forestry, or a related field, or equivalent education and experience providing the required knowledge and ability.
5–7 years of professional experience in urban forestry, urban planning, or environmental program management.
Professional experience in urban forestry, urban planning, or environmental program management in the Pacific Northwest.
Established relationships with municipal and state agencies, state urban and community forestry councils, regional USFS coordinators, community-based organizations, and funders.
Ability to own a portfolio of government or nonprofit relationships, diagnose partner needs, develop scoped engagements, navigate organizational politics and procurement processes, and move relationships toward outcomes.
Working knowledge of the federal and state funding landscape in the Pacific Northwest, including IRA urban forestry programs, CDBG, EPA EJ grants, and state programs, sufficient to advise city partners.
Experience designing and leading peer-learning workshops, technical working groups, and city cohort sessions.
Ability to present clearly and credibly to elected officials, city staff, funders, and community members.
Ability to manage complex projects remotely, track KPIs, manage grant budgets, and coordinate across time zones.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including comfort with media, public speaking, and funder-facing reporting.
Ability to travel up to 25% throughout the U.S., including to American Forests’ headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Nice To Haves

ISA Certified Arborist or Certified Urban Forest Professional certification.
Established relationships with regional partners and funders, as described in the qualifications.
Seattle or Portland metro-area location is highly preferred.

Responsibilities

Own a portfolio of 5–8 active city and state partnerships across Washington, Oregon, and Idaho; conduct needs assessments, develop scopes of work, and manage contracts and projects.
Coordinate technical services with Urban Forestry team specialists in GIS, policy, planning, financing, and workforce; engage government departments and community members in developing tree-related programs, policies, and projects.
Co-lead the Washington State Tree Equity Collaborative, including coalition coordination, city outreach, and in-person convenings.
Support IRA-funded subgrantee partners in the region in achieving their goals.
Design and lead peer-learning events, workshops, and technical-assistance sessions for city staff and regional partners.
Identify cities ready for deeper engagements with American Forests and advance those conversations.
Cultivate relationships with municipal and state agencies, state urban and community forestry coordinators, regional USFS program managers, and community-based organizations, in collaboration with the Resilient Forests and Policy teams.
Collaborate with Philanthropy, Urban Forestry leadership, and Finance & Operations on proposals, donor communications, and fundraising supporting regional, state, and city efforts.
Manage regional project information using Airtable and Microsoft Office tools, including project budgets and narratives.
Support Finance & Operations in developing and managing budgets for grant proposals, contracts, and subawards.
Serve as a resource for internal and external communications about American Forests’ urban forestry impact in the Pacific Northwest.
Manage and oversee the Manager, Urban Forestry, California, providing guidance, supervision, and coordination.
Manage complex projects remotely, including tracking KPIs, managing grant budgets, and coordinating across time zones.