Vegetation Management Strategist

Puget Sound Energy•Bothell, WA

1d•$108,200 - $180,200

About The Position

The Distribution Reliability Planning team is seeking a Vegetation Management Strategist to lead the development and execution of long-term vegetation management strategies that strengthen system reliability and reduce operational risk. In this role, the Strategist will collaborate with Vegetation Management, Wildfire Mitigation, Reliability, and Asset Management teams to develop data-driven work plans, evaluate technology solutions, and provide strategic insights that enhance program effectiveness and support PSE's evolving grid needs. All PSE employees are expected to uphold the safety compliance standards inherent in PSE’s operating and/or field procedures related to work responsibilities and promote and support a culture of total safety. Additionally, employees need to demonstrate commitment to conduct business honestly, ethically and consistent with our core values and Code of Conduct. All duties are to be performed in accordance with all regulatory compliance obligations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in arboriculture, forestry, urban forestry, natural resource management, environmental science, or related; or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
Eight (8) years of work experience in strategic planning and setting strategies at the department or organization level.
Experience with utility vegetation management, electric distribution planning, reliability, wildfire mitigation, or asset management programs.
Experience developing risk-based work plans, prioritization models, scenario analyses, and long-range investment strategies.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in business, engineering, forestry, environmental science, data analytics, or a related field.
Professional credentials such as ISA Arborist, ISA Utility Specialist, ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification, Registered Professional Forester, Project Management Professional, or a relevant GIS/data analytics certification.
Experience using geospatial, satellite-imagery, remote-sensing, or vegetation analytics platforms such as AiDASH.
Proficiency with GIS, data visualization, and analytics tools such as ArcGIS, Power BI, Python, or similar applications.
Knowledge of utility reliability metrics, vegetation-related outage drivers, climate resilience, and wildfire risk.
Experience defining program performance measures, validating data, and translating analysis into actionable recommendations.
Strong business case development, cost-benefit analysis, financial modeling, and portfolio optimization skills.
Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence senior leaders without direct authority.
Strong executive communication, facilitation, change management, and stakeholder engagement skills.
Experience working with regulators, government agencies, communities, vendors, or industry partners.

Responsibilities

Leads the overall strategy for incorporating vegetation satellite imagery analysis (from AiDASH or other platform) and Vegetation Management program operational and performance data to develop, implement and maintain a roadmap for an enhanced vegetation management strategy.
Manages relationships with vegetation analytics technology vendors, evaluating platform performance and recommending renewals or new tool adoption.
Partners with Vegetation Management to develop annual work plans and prioritization of vegetation management activities in alignment with reliability strategy goals and in coordination with wildfire risk mitigation activities.
Prioritizes vegetation management programs and recommends targeted investments, with scenario planning analyses as required, to improve electric service reliability through strengthened system resilience and reduced risk.
Conducts various business plan scenario modeling and sensitivities to evaluate trade-offs between cost, risk reduction, and reliability outcomes, presenting findings to program and functional leadership.
Defines key performance indicators and reporting standards for vegetation management program performance, risk reduction, and reliability impact.
Oversees dashboards and reporting tools, and presents program performance, risk trends, and strategic recommendations to leadership.
Performs other duties as assigned.