City Arborist – Austin

Posting Title City Arborist
Job Requisition Number COA079687
Position Number 100758

https://www.austincityjobs.org/postings/73739

Job Type Full-Time
Division Name DSD-Community Tree Program
Minimum Qualifications
    • Graduation with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four (4) year college or university with major course work in a field related to Environmental Science, Life Science, Biology, Landscape Architecture, Forestry, Urban Forestry, Arboriculture, plus five (5) years of experience in a field related to the job, including two (2) years of experience in a supervisory or lead capacity.
    • Graduation with a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university may substitute for two (2) years of the required experience.

Licenses or Certifications:
Arborist Certification from the International Society of Arboriculture.

Pay Range Commensurate
Hours Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Job duties will require periodic meetings, presentations, and other duties outside of regular working hours, including evenings, and/or weekends as required based on business needs.
Job Close Date
03/17/2019
Type of Posting External
Department Development Services Dept
Regular/Temporary Regular
Grant Funded or Pooled Position Not Applicable
Category Professional
Location One Texas Center, 505 Barton Springs Rd., Austin, TX 78704
Preferred Qualifications Preferred Qualifications are:
1. Three (3) years experience with systems thinking, business process improvements, and quality assurance/quality control implementation and monitoring.
2. Three (3) years experience in developing, defending, and implementing land development regulations.
3. Two (2) years experience managing municipal budgets.
4. Three (3) years experience with public speaking.
5. ISA Municipal Specialist credential
6. ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification
7. Society of Municipal Arborist Municipal Forestry Institute graduate
8. Ability to travel to more than one work location
Duties, Functions and Responsibilities Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.

    1. Develops, coordinates, and implements City-wide urban forest regulatory policies, procedures, and programs.
    1. Provides policy, implementation guidance, and technical consultation to City departments.
    1. Monitors and facilitates City departmental compliance with the implementation of urban forest regulations and policies.
    1. Responsible for authoring code and rules on urban forest regulations, advising executive staff and elected officials that develop City public policy, and arbitrating disputes between staff and applicants regarding urban forest regulations.
    1. Serves as an expert resource on trees to City staff and elected officials, and testifies and negotiates on behalf of the City at the State legislature on urban forest matters.
    1. Negotiates complex and contentious urban forest preservation plans with the development community.
    1. Develops and implements comprehensive plans, strategies, and programs to conserve Austin’s tree canopy, and develops training for internal and external customers on urban forestry issues assisting in the promotion of arboriculture development and implementation within interagency and professional/non-profit organizations.
    1. Represents the City at Federal, State and Municipal agencies with proposed legislation on strategic urban forest issues and at requests from media, City Council, and boards and commissions.
    1. Manages funds to benefit the urban forest and program budget, and monitors expenditures and forecasting for staffing and resource needs.

Responsibilities– Supervision and/or Leadership Exercised:
Responsible for the full range of supervisory activities including selection, training, evaluation, counseling, and recommendation for dismissal.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.

    • Knowledge of and expertise in urban forestry management and/or land development regulations.
    • Skill in effective oral and written communication.
    • Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with the public and other City employees.
    • Skill in determining needs, and gathering, analyzing, and presenting data for management’s use.
    • Skill in negotiation, mediation, and conflict resolution.
    • Ability to resolve complex problems or situations requiring the exercise of good judgment.
  • Skill in handling multiple tasks and prioritizing, using computers and related software, data analysis and problem solving, and in planning and organizing.