Lead Specialist, Vegetation Strategy

natgridProd • City of Syracuse, NY

10d • $112,000 - $131,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

National Grid is hiring a Lead Vegetation Strategy Specialist for their Electric Operations department. This role is crucial for transforming how vegetation programs are planned, analyzed, and optimized, using data, digital tools, and emerging technologies to make system-wide decisions. The company is focused on building a smarter, more resilient energy system, and vegetation strategy is a key component of this future. The position is located in Syracuse, Buffalo, or Albany, NY.

Requirements

• Strong knowledge of how vegetation impacts electric distribution system reliability.
• Background in arboriculture, forestry, or a related natural resources field.
• Experience applying data analysis and modeling to inform decisions and optimize performance.
• Ability to synthesize complex data into clear, actionable insights.
• Familiarity with vegetation management operations and industry practices.
• Experience working with large datasets and business analytics tools.
• Proven ability to influence stakeholders and drive improvement across teams.
• Bachelor's degree in Arboriculture, Forestry, Urban Forestry, or a related field (or equivalent experience) required.
• 5+ years of relevant experience required.
• Valid driver’s license and willingness to travel as needed required.

Nice To Haves

• ISA Arborist Certification preferred (or ability to obtain within one year).
• 10+ years of relevant experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and enhance vegetation management strategies for cycle pruning and hazard tree programs to improve reliability and operational effectiveness.
• Analyze performance trends, identify root causes of vegetation-related issues, and translate findings into actionable improvements.
• Prioritize programs and recommend targeted investments that strengthen system resilience and reduce risk.
• Partner with Forestry Operations to develop annual work plans and ensure alignment with reliability goals.
• Help shape and deploy next-generation tools, data systems, and remote sensing technologies to modernize vegetation management.
• Prepare and support key regulatory filings (e.g., NY PSC reports) and ensure compliance with evolving regulatory standards.
• Review and refine technical specifications, policies, and governance practices to align with industry best practices.
• Collaborate with organizations such as IEEE, EPRI, and UAA to influence and adopt cutting-edge approaches to vegetation-related reliability.

Benefits

• The position has a career path which provides for advancement opportunities within and across bands as you develop and evolve in the position; gaining experience, expertise and acquiring and applying technical skills.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior