Urban Forest Supervisor

City of Santa Monica•Santa Monica, CA

About The Position

The Urban Forest Supervisor oversees and monitors contract services for maintenance of the City’s urban forest and supervises, coordinates, and reviews the work of assigned urban forest staff. The position works under the general supervision of a Public Landscape Administrator or designated management staff and provides technical supervision to assigned employees. The role ensures that the City’s Urban Forest Master Plan vision and guiding principles are carried out through systematic operations. It oversees urban forest pruning and planting programs, performs tree risk assessments, responds to emergencies, reviews construction plans and projects for tree-preservation compliance, evaluates tree health, and helps maintain the City’s urban forest GIS inventory. The position also supervises staff and contractors, participates in contract and budget administration, prepares reports, and serves as a liaison for urban forestry matters.

Requirements

Associate degree, 60 semester units, or equivalent college-level coursework in landscape architecture, urban forestry, arboriculture, horticulture, or a closely related field; additional recent related work experience may substitute year for year.
Six years of recent paid work experience maintaining an urban forest, including mature-tree risk assessment and management of tree-pruning operations.
Two years of the required recent paid work experience must include direct supervision of tree-pruning operations.
Valid Class C driver license, or ability to use an alternative method of transportation when needed to perform essential job functions.
Certified Arborist certification from the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA).
ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ).
Ability to obtain ISA Board-Certified Master Arborist (BCMA) certification within six months of hire.
Knowledge of arboriculture and tree-risk-assessment principles, policies, and practices.
Knowledge of urban forestry operations, including cyclical pruning and planting, and maintenance principles for turf and landscaped areas.
Knowledge of tree and pest identification, including recognition and treatment of tree and soil diseases.
Knowledge of contract preparation and administration, research and report-writing techniques, business English, recordkeeping, scheduling, applicable laws and regulations, occupational hazards, safe work practices, supervision, leadership, coordination, and customer service.
Ability to select, supervise, motivate, train, schedule, prioritize, and evaluate staff; coordinate, monitor, and inspect contractor work; and develop and enforce urban-forest contract provisions.
Ability to provide technical information and advice about trees and public landscapes; develop policies and procedures; contribute to budget preparation and administration; and interpret and apply policies, laws, and regulations.
Ability to conduct research, analyze information, make recommendations, and prepare and present clear and concise records and reports.
Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing; interact tactfully and discreetly with customers; and maintain effective working relationships with City employees, contractors, external agencies, and the public.
Ability to work with people from diverse social, cultural, and economic backgrounds and with varied work styles, personalities, and approaches.
Ability to provide effective customer service and use a chainsaw and other common urban forestry hand and power tools.
Skill in leading and coordinating the work of others, reading, writing, communicating at an appropriate level, and using a personal computer and applicable software.
Graduation from an accredited college is specified for the education pathway; applicants with foreign college coursework or degrees may be required to provide U.S. credential-equivalency verification and attach diploma or transcript copies.

Nice To Haves

Recent, related public agency work experience is desirable.

Responsibilities

Ensure the vision and guiding principles of the City’s Urban Forest Master Plan are delivered through strategic and systematic operations.
Enforce ISA and ANSI specifications for pruning, removal, planting, and replacement.
Supervise and coordinate pruning and planting programs for trees in City parks, streets, parkways, and other City-administered landscaped areas.
Recommend pruning frequencies and ensure planting follows species designations in the Urban Forest Master Plan.
Perform tree risk assessments, including advanced assessments, and recommend tree work.
Use wood-testing technology to map weak and decayed wood in standing trees.
Respond to urban forest emergencies.
Review and comment on construction plans, drawings, calculations, and reports for conformance with tree-preservation guidelines and the Urban Forest Master Plan, submitting comments within required timelines through the City’s plan-check system.
Monitor construction projects affecting the urban forest and ensure compliance with City tree-preservation guidelines.
Perform final inspections of construction projects to verify public trees were not adversely affected.
Diagnose and evaluate tree health and recommend treatment for diseased trees.
Help maintain the City’s urban forest GIS inventory, track and monitor inventory information, and produce reports as required.
Select, schedule, supervise, and review assigned employees; approve overtime and vacation requests; monitor attendance and timecards; and evaluate performance.
Train assigned employees and coordinate training in proper work methods and procedures.
Inspect work sites periodically for compliance with City and department goals, objectives, policies, and procedures.
Direct and monitor urban forestry and landscape maintenance contractors, ensure compliance with contract terms, resolve discrepancies, and correct deficiencies.
Review and approve requisitions promptly.
Participate in developing contract specifications and Requests for Proposal, reviewing proposals, interviewing bidders, and checking references.
Monitor contract progress according to City policies and procedures.
Participate in preparing project and contract-service budgets; prepare labor and material cost estimates; submit requisitions for equipment, materials, and supplies; review invoices; monitor expenditures; and make budget recommendations.
Conduct research and prepare and maintain reports, records, and correspondence.
Serve as a liaison among City departments, the Urban Forest Task Force, contractors, and other customers on urban forestry matters.
Respond promptly and professionally to inquiries, complaints, and requests for information about City trees from staff, external agencies, business owners, residents, and the public.
Perform other related duties as assigned.