Director of Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation

Job Description:

Director of Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation

Description

Parks & Recreation

Director of Natural Resources

Posting Expires: Open Until Filled; First Review 8/16/2024

Salary Range: $110,000 to $130,000/annually

Summary

The City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) is seeking to fill the Director of Natural Resources role in the newly formed Office of Natural Resources with a passionate and experienced individual. The individual in this position will direct the Office of Natural Resources, which includes the Arborist Division, Forestry Division, and Natural Areas Division. The Director of Natural Resources will serve as an expert in municipal arboriculture, urban forestry, natural area restoration, and other natural resource management matters under the purview of the City. The Director will oversee the management of natural areas and public trees, and will develop and implement strategic goals and actions to preserve, manage, expand, and enhance the quantity and quality of Atlanta’s tree canopy and public natural areas.

Supervision Received

Reports to the Deputy Commissioner of DPR and receives guidance from other offices in the Department. Works independently and collaboratively with a focus on setting and achieving strategic objectives, under general direction.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

These are typical responsibilities for this position and should not be construed as exclusive or all inclusive. May perform other duties as assigned .

Planning, Policy, and Standards

• Formulate, implement, and enforce strategies, policies, and plans for the long-term enhancement of the City’s natural resources. Oversee development of and updates to the City’s Urban Forest Master Plan and DPR’s Natural Resources Plan.
• Develop policy recommendations as needed for the City’s Vegetation Ordinance and Tree Protection Ordinance in order to improve the City’s natural resources.
• Establish departmental goals and strategies for: tree planting, public tree maintenance, ecological assessments, natural area restoration and maintenance, natural area acquisition and expansion, environmental programming and education, and improved community access to natural areas.
• Research and develop standards and best practices for Urban Forestry, Arboriculture, and Natural Area management. Oversee public tree maintenance and public tree planting.
• Oversee data collection to establish baselines, track progress, and monitor outcomes. Research and implement innovative technologies to achieve and track urban forestry goals. Direct projects in Arborist Division, Forestry Division, and Natural Areas Division to achieve urban forestry goals and improve service.
• Coordinate with personnel within DPR and other city Departments to meet objectives in the City of Atlanta’s Urban Ecological Framework, Urban Forest Master Plan, DPR’s Natural Resources Plan, DPR’s Activate ATL Master Plan, City of Atlanta Climate Action Plan, Atlanta’s 50% tree canopy goal, and planning goals as they relate to urban forestry.

Management, Training, & Administration

• Recruit, manage, supervise, and direct staff and all aspects of operations, contracts, programs, projects, and budgeting for the Office of Natural Resources. Provide training, performance evaluations, coaching, and mentoring for staff.
• Develop annual budgets, periodic reports, compliance reports, presentations, correspondence, and other official City documents.
• Aggressively seek grants and other funding for the purchase of forested land, ecosystem restoration, urban forest maintenance, and other natural area enhancements.
• Write scopes, develop urban forestry and natural area management contracts as needed. Monitor and audit contracted services. Track work orders and invoices, and authorize payments.
• Represent the City in meetings with elected officials and other City personnel. Serve as the City representative and maintain high quality communication and interactions with internal and external partners including elected officials, professional organizations, natural resources networks, local non-profits, and the public.
• Assure compliance with and enforcement of applicable Federal, State, and local laws, ordinances, and codes.

Urban Forestry, Arboriculture, & Natural Area Management

• Direct the management of public trees. Improve maintenance of public trees through proactive and regular inspections and assessments of public trees. Reduce maintenance response time, increase services, and improve quality and condition of public trees. Improve data collection to identify tree planting locations and track tree planting and maintenance. Improve health and native biodiversity of public trees.
• Identify forested land for acquisition based on ecological quality, environmental services, recreational potential, community needs, and other factors.
• Direct the management of public natural areas to ensure their long-term health and functioning, which includes work to remove invasive plants, increase native biodiversity, enhance wildlife habitat, and provide passive recreational opportunities for residents. Improve public access to nature through land acquisition, restoration and maintenance; development of trails, signage, and safety measures; and establishment of programming and recreational opportunities.
• Direct the development and updating of databases that organize and store natural resource assessments, tree inventories, and management plans.
• Review and evaluate innovative concepts and approaches in natural area management and urban forestry-including planning, restoration, monitoring, data collection, construction, maintenance, and programming.
• Oversee urban forest assessments to improve services including street tree inventory, natural area mapping, and natural area assessments.
• Direct and develop environmental education to increase public awareness of urban forestry policy, benefits, and access to nature.

Leadership Provided

Has managerial authority over a group of professional employees with multiple intermediate supervisors and team leaders. Leads a natural resource team including division managers.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

This is a partial listing of necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the job successfully. It is not an exhaustive list.

• Knowledge of administrative principles and practices, strategic planning, funding sources, and program/budget development.
• Extensive knowledge of all applicable laws, ordinances, policies, standards, and City, State, and Federal regulations pertaining to specific duties and responsibilities of the job.
• Extensive knowledge of the principles, practices and procedures of the City and various department operations/functions.
• Ability to develop and implement long-term goals for the department to promote effectiveness and efficiency.
• A deep knowledge and experience with ecological restoration, natural area management, techniques for invasive plant removal, and stream restoration.
• A deep knowledge and experience of wildlife management, plant communities restoration, techniques for invasive plant removal and waterway restoration.
• Strong plant identification skills for native and invasive plants in the Georgia Piedmont region. Knowledge of best practices in urban forestry including those related to tree planting and maintenance.
• Experience using GIS/GPS applications such as ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online, and Field Maps.
• Skilled in verbal and written communication and developing and presenting public presentations to explain complex topics.
• Good interpersonal and leadership skills.
• Ability to interact effectively with various personality styles and with upper departmental management or elected officials.
• Ability to effectively communicate and interact with subordinates, elected officials, management, employees, members of the general public and all other groups involved in the activities of the City as they relate to the department.
• Ability to read and interpret laws, regulations, and guidelines.
• Ability to read, understand and interpret personnel and financial reports and related materials.
• Computer and software application skills to include Word, GIS, Excel, and Access.
• Strong interpersonal skills; High-level verbal and written communication skills; strong project management skills.
• Ability to keep abreast of any changes in policy, methods, operations, budgetary and equipment needs, etc. as they pertain to departmental and human resource/personnel operations and activities.
• Ability to assemble information and make written reports and documents in a concise, clear and effective manner.
• Ability to develop and administer policies, procedures, plans and activities and to monitor performance of subordinates against measured established goals.

Minimum Qualifications - Education & Experience
Ba chelor’s degree in a related field (ecology, biology, botany, natural resource management, forestry, landscape architecture, environmental sciences, environmental engineering, parks management, etc.). Equivalent professional experience may be considered as a substitute for the required degree. 7 years of related work experience in arboriculture, urban forestry, ecosystem restoration, and environmental education. 3 years of work experience in supervision and personnel management. Demonstrated success leading staff, including recruiting, mentoring, developing, and coaching.
Preferred Education & Experience

• Master's degree in a related field (ecology, biology, botany, natural resource management, forestry, landscape architecture, environmental sciences, environmental engineering, parks management, etc.)
• 10 or more years of related work experience in arboriculture, urban forestry, ecosystem restoration, and environmental education.
• 5 or more years of work experience in project management or personnel management.
• Experience working in government or a municipal setting.

Licensures & Certifications

• Preferred: ISA Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, TRAQ Certification; Georgia Pesticide Applicator’s License; and Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) Certification or the ability to attain both within a year is desirable .

Essential Capabilities & Work Environment

Physical, lifting, and sensory capabilities are requirements to perform the job successfully. Work will occur primarily in a typical office environment; must also be able and willing to travel on foot into large, undeveloped forested parcels. Must be willing to assist in installing signage, picking up trash, removing brush, and other landscape maintenance activities. Must have the ability to operate a City vehicle.

It is the policy of the City of Atlanta (“COA”) that qualified individuals with disabilities are not discriminated against because of their disabilities regarding job application procedures, hiring, and other terms and conditions of employment. It is further the policy of the COA to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in all aspects of the employment process. The COA is prepared to modify or adjust the job application process or the job or work environment to make reasonable accommodations to the known physical or mental limitations of the applicant or employee to enable the applicant or employee to be considered for the position he or she desires, to perform the essential functions of the position in question, or to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment as are enjoyed by other similarly situated employees without disabilities, unless the accommodation will impose an undue hardship. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact the Human Resources Director for your department.

The City of Atlanta is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, ender identity, marital status, veteran’s status or national origin, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state, or local law. We value and encourage diversity in our workforce.

Salary:

$110,000 to $130,000/annually