Job Detail

Manager 2 - Parks Natural Resource Unit

Location: Seattle, WA
Salary: $47.85 - $71.80 Hourly

Position Description

About Seattle Parks and Recreation:
Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is a national leader and innovator in the services and programs we provide to our residents who enjoy our public spaces such as parks, community centers, specialty gardens, and swimming pools. Our mission is to provide welcoming and safe opportunities to play, learn, contemplate, build community and promote responsible stewardship of the land. We promote healthy people, a healthy environment, and strong communities. We strive to deliver excellent customer service to each visitor and participant. SPR is also deeply committed to advancing the City of Seattle's Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI) by working to end institutional and structural racism.

The Natural Resources Unit (NRU) Manager in the Parks and Environment Division of Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) provides overall leadership and management of all lines of businesses in the NRU. This includes the Urban Forestry Program Tree Crew Unit, Trails Maintenance, Horticulture, Landscape, and Specialty Gardens Maintenance Teams.

These lines of businesses provide the following citywide services and program areas: Horticulture, Urban Forestry, Trails Maintenance, Landscape Renovation, Greenhouse and Nursery operations, Japanese Garden, Volunteer Park Conservatory, and Kubota Gardens maintenance, Landscape capital projects, and comprehensive vegetation management, Integrated Pest Control, and landscape and forest restoration programs. In addition, this position may represent and participate on several City Multi-department, Multi-agency committees, and/or Tasks Forces.

Job Responsibilities

 

• Manage the second largest section of the Parks and Environment Division and is responsible for over fifty-five staff, a seven million operating budget, and another four million Capital Budget. 
• Delegate authority to be designated Hiring Manager for NRU Hiring processes.
• Responsible for ensuring strong fiduciary oversight of NRU's financial management of its resources, including budget adjustments, fiscal management responsibility of overtime, out-of-class spending, and meeting divisional savings goals and targets. 
• Responsible for strategic spending plans for utilizing in-house staffing and balancing that with contracting services, including contract management, dealing with multiple funding sources, and complying with numerous specialized funding source requirements.
• Work with the division's Financial Manager to ensure that the NRU teams meet spending targets and avoid over expenditures, meet annual savings targets, and develop revenues and expenditure forecasts as part of the biennial budget process.
• Supervise multiple direct reports: The Manager of the Forest Restoration Program, the Manager of the Horticulture and Landscape Team, the Construction and Turf Crew Unit, the Arborist of the Urban Forest Tree Crew Unit, and the Planning and Developing Specialist Senior for the Administrative Analysts.
• Collaborate with Green Seattle Partnership. 
• Manage, monitor, evaluate, and develop performance metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), reporting on the program services provided to the public by the NRU teams, and program development around these core programs. The position will regularly research and develop new programming strategies and best business practices around these programs.
• Review, update and develop new policies related to the Tree Maintenance Policy, Tree pruning Best Business Practices, horticulture, Specialty Gardens, Trail Maintenance, and Integrated Pest Policies. 
• Make recommendations to the division director about policy changes and make presentations about these policy changes to division senior management. It will often work cross divisionally and interdepartmentally with other policy leads as appropriate regarding policy recommendations that have department and/or citywide impact and relevancy.
• Regularly provide written reports, status updates, and white papers to the division director and senior management regarding NRU issues. 
• Work with the SPR communications manager in drafting correspondences, email responses, and briefing papers in response to public or elected official requests. 
• Provide presentations to the SPR Executive Team, The Superintendent's Office, Park Board, and Mayoral/City council members regarding NRU issues as needed. 
• Meet with advisory councils, special interest groups, and non-profit groups that support this work as necessary.  
• Work cross divisionally and with other city department stakeholders on departmental and/or city-wide projects or initiatives related to NRU Issues. 
• Work with the Mayor's Office of Sustainability to develop work programs and priorities that support these issues and represent the department on appropriate Interdepartmental Teams.
   
  The position will be required to work various days and hours as needed to attend meetings with internal and external stakeholders.

 

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree in Landscape Architecture, Urban Forestry, Horticulture, Public Administration or equivalent combination of two years of work experience and/or training and/or education to perform the work.
• Five years of experience managing and directing Horticulture, Urban Forestry, Botanical Gardens, or related operations.
• A valid Washington State Driver's license or evidence of equivalent mobility.

A successful candidate will have:
Knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Demonstrated knowledge of principles, methods, techniques, and practices of Horticulture; and arboriculture.
• Knowledge and practice of planning and developing policies concerning arboriculture, and horticulture.
• Ability to communicate both verbally and in writing in a variety of settings (e.g. public meetings, Commission meetings, with the media, staff reports, major studies, etc.)
• Ability to manage and direct a professional staff by ensuring the quality and efficiency of work, the understanding of their responsibilities, and the resolution of their questions.
• Ability to quickly learn and put to use new skills and knowledge brought about by rapidly changing information and/or technology.
• Ability to work in an urban environment with people from a broad range of cultural backgrounds; experience with diversity including economic, ethnic, age, and gender.
• Competent with computer skills including MS Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to research, develop and obtain grant funding and to complete a process of tracking and reporting results and outcomes.

Experience:

• A Master's Degree in Environmental Horticulture, Landscape Architecture, Natural Resources, Plant Science/Environmental Biodiversity, Floriculture, Arboriculture, Urban Forestry, or equivalent combination of two years of work experience and/or training and/or education to perform the work. 
• A strong Physical Science and Senior Management background specifically managing Green Infrastructure operations related to Forestry, Specialty Gardens, Park Green Spaces, and Zoological Gardens. 
• Operating a Horticultural and Urban Forestry Program that governs the Science and quality control of turf maintenance and landscapes, Forestry, and Wildlife Habitats.  
• A record of successful creation, management, and implementation of Horticulture/Forestry-related programs.
• A proven track record of working positively with the community, elected officials, and advocacy groups.
• Strong background in collaborating and maintaining partnerships.
• Excellent oral and written communication, analytical skills, delegation, and decision-making skills. 
• Three or more years of direct staff supervision.
• Proven track record managing public contracts, budget, and policy work.
• The ability to work under pressure with multiple priorities and deadlines.

 

Additional Information

 

This recruitment will be open until filled. Online applications that have been submitted by 4:00 pm on June 14, 2022, will be considered first. To be considered for this position, in addition to completing your application fully, please attach:

• A PDF of your current resume
• Cover Letter

City of Seattle employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. To be hired, you will be required to submit proof of vaccination.  

SPR's Core Competencies are: 

• Accountability & Action: Holding yourself accountable for achieving goals, completing tasks, and delivering quality work. Demonstrating thoughtful initiative in actions and decision-making and promoting high quality standards.
• Equity and Inclusion: Supporting the goals of the Race and Social Justice Initiative and the City's commitment to workforce equity.
• Communication: Sharing and exchanging information and ideas with people in a variety of ways to help them understand and remember the information.
• Service: An ongoing commitment to base decisions and actions on the needs and priorities of the City. 
• Teamwork: Leading as an engaged member of a team to build a cohesive team and facilitate the achievement of work group goals.
• Aligning Performance for Success: Collaboratively guiding and engaging the team to accomplish defined work goals.
• Direction and Delegation:  Sharing authority and responsibilities with others to distribute decision-making and accountability throughout the organization; enabling individuals to stretch their capabilities; and accomplishing the organization’s strategic priorities.

 

Agency

City of Seattle

Address

Seattle Municipal Tower
700 5th Avenue, Suite 5500
Seattle, Washington, 98104

Website

http://www.seattle.gov/jobs

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