Tree Care Coordinator Job Description
Classification and Time: Full-time, Non-exempt
Hourly Wage: $24 per hour
Benefits: Full health, dental and vision per FUF Employee Handbook dated September 2017
Reports to: Tree Care Manager
Date: October 2019
Contact: Qualified & interested candidates, please e-mail a cover letter and your resume to resume@fuf.net.
About Friends of the Urban Forest (FUF)
Friends of the Urban Forest is a non-profit organization that helps individuals and neighborhood groups to plant and care for street trees and sidewalk gardens in San Francisco. By making San Francisco greener, FUF supports the health and livability of the urban environment. Since 1981, FUF has planted more than 60,000 trees, totaling almost half of the city’s street tree canopy.
Position Summary
The Tree Care Coordinator is responsible for structural pruning and tree care for young trees during their establishment period (3 years from the date the tree is planted). This includes planning and scheduling weekly pruning workdays, training and managing volunteers, and responding to tree care advice calls and emails. FUF plants and cares for trees along the public right-of-way in San Francisco and therefore prioritizes good public relations, and public and personnel safety, at all times. This position involves both office and field work including digital communications, database management, public speaking, some heavy lifting (40 lbs.), and driving company vehicles. Saturday and occasional evening availability is required.
The Tree Care Coordinator position requires skills and knowledge in tree identification, proper species selection, planting and training young trees, long-term tree care, and pest and disease diagnosis. The Tree Care Coordinator works closely with the Tree Establishment team, community members, volunteers, interns, and FUF’s Green Teens and Green Crew workforce development programs to achieve FUF’s annual tree care goals. FUF is committed to inclusion and the accessibility of urban forest stewardship opportunities for all, and the tree care program has a longstanding working relationship with adults with disabilities.
After accepting the job, the employee will submit to a background check and fingerprinting as required by the California Penal Code for adults who work with minors. The Tree Care Coordinator reports to the Tree Care Manager. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds who feel they will be able to succeed in these duties to apply.
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of the activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Details and Responsibilities
Tree Care Field Duties
- Plan weekly Tree Care events with Tree Care Manager to meet annual tree care goals
- Coordinate and supervise volunteers and staff in completing structural pruning, stake and hardware adjustment, and field data collection
- Ensure good pruning quality, a safe work environment, and proper disposal of green waste
- Inspect and diagnose tree health issues as needed
- Train and supervise new Tree Care staff, interns, Green Teens, Green Crew, and volunteers as needed
- Supervise and support members of the Green Crew and Green Teens workforce development programs and Intern program during Tree Care work days
- Educate and orient new volunteers and staff regarding FUF’s Tree Care program through pruning workshops
- Plan, coordinate, and execute corporate “Treeage” workdays.
- Recruit, train, and outfit on-call regional volunteers, and keep volunteers supplied with materials during storm events
- Coordinate and complete Emergency/Urgent Tree Care requests, and follow up with stakeholders in a timely manner
- Develop, maintain, and strengthen relationships with tree care leaders and volunteers
- Safely load and unload tree care tools in company vehicles for tree care workdays
- Safely drive company vehicles to transport tools and volunteers to and from field work sites
Administrative Duties
- Send regular Tree Care communication to property owners, including the Tree Care announcement postcard and tree care notification emails
- Enter field survey data into database accurately, according to FUF standards
- Check tree care data entered by volunteers and part-time staff for accuracy
- Respond to advice-line calls, emails, and walk-ins’ questions, track in database, and coordinate Emergency/Urgent Tree Care visits as needed
- Update and create Emergency/Urgent Tree Care map to be used in field work
- During storm season, answer and dispatch tree care requests to regional volunteers, recruiting additional help as needed
- Assist in improving FUF’s tree care program, systems, field data collection, budget development, tracking expenditures, and scheduling of Tree Care events
- Assist in the maintenance, inventory, and tracking of tools and supplies; order supplies as needed
- Review post-tree care surveys at least once per quarter and work to address issues and improve response percentage by participants
- Keep up-to-date with all correspondence
Other Duties
- Participate and assist in events and activities that promote FUF’s mission and help to improve the overall health of the city’s urban forest as directed by the Program Director
- Maintain tools in clean working order
- Maintain FUF vehicles and storage shed in clean and organized working order
- Attend tree care learning opportunities including local pruning and tree care workshops as well as regional conferences to increase knowledge
- Keep up-to-date with advances in urban forestry and arboriculture, implementing best management practices as needed to optimize urban forest health and FUF operations
Requirements
- Bachelor’s Degree in Forestry preferred and/or a background in urban forestry or arboriculture
- Strong organizational and customer service skills
- Strong communication skills including the ability to train volunteers and communicate arboricultural information to the public
- Must have (or acquire in a reasonable amount of time) certification from the International Society of Arboriculture
- A valid CA driver’s license with a clean driving record and valid vehicle insurance if driving a personal car for work
- Applicant must submit to a record check and fingerprinting per California Penal Code section 11105.3 as it relates to their work with minors in the Green Teens program
- The ability to lift 40 lbs.
- People of color are strongly encouraged to apply
Work Environment
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to outdoor weather and working conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
Office workspace and cubicle assignments change from time to time, and employees should not have any expectation that any assignment is permanent.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. This position is very active and requires standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, crouching, and crawling. The employee must frequently lift and move items over 40 pounds, and load tools and planting materials into and out of vehicles.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
Hours
40 hours per week including occasional evening meetings and Tuesday through Saturday workdays.
Contact
If interested and qualified, please forward cover letter and resume to resume@fuf.net.
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