Assoc Vegetation Management Program Manager/Vegetation Management Program Manager (Various Locations)

Duke Energy•Charlotte, NC

About The Position

Duke Energy is hiring three Associate Vegetation Management Program Managers or Vegetation Management Program Managers for locations throughout its Carolinas West region. The position is part of the Vegetation Management classification hierarchy; at the associate entry level, employees manage and oversee contractors with close supervision while developing the skills needed to work more independently. The role manages integrated vegetation management programs, including planned maintenance across multiple circuits, system-level herbicide applications, customer-requested work, and hazard tree programs, with the goal of improving customer reliability and meeting regulatory requirements. The position coordinates vegetation management work plans and budgets for a transmission or distribution maintenance area or zone. It monitors contractor safety, adherence to vegetation-management standards, productivity, spending, and completion progress. The role also conducts right-of-way patrols, responds to customer and community concerns, coordinates with internal teams and government agencies, and may coordinate construction clearing. During emergency storm operations, the role leads area vegetation management crews. Work is highly mobile across facilities and field locations, with occasional onsite meetings after onboarding. The employee must live within a reasonable commute—no more than 50 miles one way—of the assigned reporting location. Travel is 15–25%. The hiring manager may fill the role at a higher level depending on the successful applicant’s qualifications. Relocation is at the employee’s expense.

Requirements

For Associate Vegetation Management Program Manager: Associate degree in engineering, forestry, or another related technical discipline and 1–3 years of electrical or vegetation management experience; alternatively, a high school diploma and 1–3 years of experience with an electric distribution and/or transmission utility; alternatively, 4–5 years of electrical or vegetation management experience; or a bachelor’s degree and 0–1 years of electrical or vegetation management experience.
For Associate Vegetation Management Program Manager: Obtain ISA Certified Arborist certification within 2 years.
For Associate Vegetation Management Program Manager: Obtain a pesticide applicator license within 1 year.
For Vegetation Management Program Manager: Bachelor’s degree and 1–3 years of electrical or vegetation management experience; or an associate degree and 3–7 years of electrical or vegetation management experience; or a high school diploma and 3–10 years of vegetation management or utility experience working in distribution and/or transmission.
For Vegetation Management Program Manager: ISA Certified Arborist certification.
For Vegetation Management Program Manager: Pesticide applicator license.
Valid driver’s license.
Ability to work lawfully in the United States without employment-based immigration sponsorship, now or in the future.
Ability to live within a reasonable commute of the posted reporting location, no more than 50 miles one way.
Ability to work at various facilities or field locations; travel requirement is 15–25%.

Nice To Haves

Working knowledge of how vegetation management affects electrical system safety and reliability.
Utility experience, with working knowledge to proficiency.
Bachelor of Science degree in forestry, engineering, or a related field.
ISA Arborist or Utility Arborist certification.
Pesticide license.
Utility experience.
Construction management knowledge.
Demonstrated ability to implement vegetation management methods, processes, and procedures and train and develop other foresters in their implementation.
Demonstrated organizational and time management skills.
Demonstrated effective verbal and written communication and customer relations skills.
Demonstrated ability to evaluate program effectiveness.

Responsibilities

Manage integrated vegetation management programs, including multi-circuit planned maintenance, system-level herbicide applications, reactive customer-requested work, and hazard tree programs.
Coordinate highly visible, community-sensitive vegetation management projects with support and oversight from management and other vegetation management personnel.
Assist engineering and vegetation management personnel in strategically improving system reliability.
Assist local operations and maintenance personnel in addressing system needs affected by vegetation.
Support vegetation management and regulatory teams in managing customer relations from a state regulatory perspective.
Develop annual vegetation management work plans and associated budgets for the respective transmission or distribution maintenance area or zone in collaboration with vegetation management specialists, the System Forester, and the Manager.
Work with the System Forester and Manager to ensure work plans comply with federal and state transmission and distribution vegetation management standards and regulatory requirements.
Monitor contract resources for safe work practices, compliance with vegetation management procedures and standards, and productivity consistent with Duke Energy expectations.
Lead area vegetation management crews during emergency storm operations.
Respond to customer and community concerns associated with vegetation management and herbicide programs, and develop communication plans for key stakeholders on vegetation management projects.
Work with government agencies, including DOT and Environmental agencies, to support regulatory compliance and proactive communication of area vegetation management plans and procedures to community stakeholders.
Monitor the transmission or distribution maintenance area work plan and budget by inspecting and reporting progress, reviewing and approving contractor invoices, monitoring unit costs, and adjusting work plans and expenditures as necessary.
Patrol transmission or distribution rights-of-way to identify issues that could affect safe and reliable line operation.
Manage expenditures within the area of responsibility to meet budget targets and forecasts, implementing adjustments as needed to complete necessary work.
Coordinate construction clearing activities for assigned construction projects.