Senior Tree Planting Specialist (Botanic Specialist II - Forestry) in Portland, Oregon at City of Portland

Job Appointment: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Mon-Fri. 7:00 am – 3:30 pm

Work Location: In person at PP&R Urban Forestry, 10910 N. Denver Ave., Portland, OR 97217. There is opportunity for limited remote telework. These positions are predominantly in person. Remote work must be performed within Oregon or Washington.

Benefit: Please check our benefits tab for an overview of benefits for this position

Language Pay Premium Eligible: This position is or may be eligible for Language Pay Differential for qualifying employees.

Union Representation: PROTEC17. To view this labor agreement, please click here.

About this Position:

Our Tree Planting Program is growing, and we're hiring a Senior Tree Planting Specialist (Botanic Specialist II-Forestry) to help lead that growth. In this role, you'll help shape the future of Portland's urban forest by managing the planting, establishment, and pruning of thousands of trees each year.

Our goal is to coordinate the annual planting of 10,000 urban trees, with a focus on large, native, and evergreen species. We work to grow tree canopy in underserved communities, especially neighborhoods that have faced years of underinvestment, fewer public resources, and greater environmental challenges. By growing tree canopy where it is needed most, we support healthier neighborhoods, improved environmental quality, and greater community resilience.

This work is guided by Portland's citywide tree planting strategy, Urban Forest Plan, and the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund.

As a Senior Tree Planting Specialist, you will serve the public by co-managing urban tree planting and establishment initiatives, including the Free Street Trees program. You will also lead our young tree structural pruning program, coordinating contractor work to prune up to 4,000 young trees each year. Your work will involve close collaboration with city work groups, contractors, community partners, and residents. Senior Tree Planting Specialists plan, implement, evaluate, and continuously improve programs that support Portland’s urban forest goals.

In this role, you will work alongside nine other Senior Tree Planting Specialists to provide technical leadership and support to staff. You will train and mentor colleagues and contractors, coordinate work, delegate tasks, and provide feedback to support successful project delivery.

Your work will be in the field and the office, all year round. Examples of field work include finding planting locations, leading planting events, inspecting trees for quality control, and meeting contractors on site to ensure contract specifications are met. Examples of office work include leading planning meetings, entering and analyzing data, documenting procedures, and preparing reports.

Successful Senior Tree Planting Specialists have excellent communication, collaboration, and organization skills. They are flexible, take initiative to solve challenges, and welcome feedback. They are motivated to promote environmental justice and collaborate with diverse communities. When it comes to trees, they are proficient in urban forestry practices. They also enjoy sharing their knowledge in accessible ways and are eager to continue learning.

We are seeking candidates with diverse skills and experiences. If you have experience building strong connections with community groups, marginalized populations, and others who are often excluded from government programs, we encourage you to apply. Additional language skills beyond English are also valued.

What you’ll get to do:

• Lead tree planting and establishment programs that expand tree canopy in underserved communities by planning projects, managing contractors, ensuring quality, and delivering successful outcomes.
• Evaluate planting sites, inspect nursery stock, monitor tree health, and conduct field inspections to ensure high-quality planting and establishment outcomes.
• Mentor and train colleagues in tree surveying, tree planting, contractor inspections, and structural pruning to set young trees up for long-term success.
• Coach colleagues and contractors by providing technical guidance, monitoring work quality, and fostering continuous improvement.
• Build strong partnerships with property owners, contractors, community organizations, and volunteers to support successful projects.
• Establish and uphold high standards for planting, establishment, and pruning while empowering contractors, colleagues, and volunteers to achieve those standards.
• Collect, analyze, and communicate program data using Excel, ArcGIS, and TreePlotter to track progress, inform decisions, and measure outcomes.
• Create maps, reports, standard operating procedures, and contractor performance documentation to support project management and continuous improvement.
• Engage with the public by responding to questions and concerns over the phone, email, and in-person.

About Portland Parks & Recreation Urban Forestry

Urban Forestry cares for our vibrant and diverse urban forest—the 1.2 million trees in parks and natural areas, 333,000 street trees, and 2.9 million trees on private property.??

Valued at $9.5 billion, Portland's trees are critical city infrastructure. Urban Forestry protects and grows this shared asset through tree planting and care, education, volunteer stewardship, and community partnerships—with research, data, and community feedback guiding our programs and services. Our work is informed by thePortland Urban Forest Plan, which provides a roadmap for protecting, expanding, and caring for Portland's trees.?

We are proud of our long history protecting this vital asset, reflected in the City’s nearly 50-year recognition as a Tree City USA, our designation as a Tree City of the World, and our accreditation for urban forestry excellence by the Urban and Community Forestry Society.

About the Bureau:
Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) is committed to the overall Citywide vision that race will have no detrimental effect on people of color, refugee, and immigrant communities in accessing our parks and natural areas, or from the benefit of our services. We recognize, understand, and encourage celebration of the differences that surround us. Diversity and equity are vital to PP&R’s ideals and values. The City of Portland, Oregon is a growing and diverse city of 650,000 residents, nearly 20% of whom speak languages other than English at home. PP&R values a diverse workforce and seeks ways to promote equity and inclusion within the organization and with the public. PP&R encourages applications from candidates with knowledge, ability and experience working with a broad range of individuals and communities with diverse racial, ethnic, abilities, and socio-economic backgrounds. Although not required, PP&R encourages candidates who can fluently speak another language to include that information in their application materials. Multilingual candidates are encouraged to apply.

1. Experience leading urban forestry projects, such as site evaluation, tree procurement, tree planting, young tree pruning, and/or tree establishment.
2. Experience planting and structurally pruning young trees in an urban forestry or arboriculture setting following arboricultural best management practices.
3. Experience working effectively with underserved or marginalized communities and communicating effectively across cultures.
4. Experience managing projects involving multiple partners and stakeholders, including community organizations, contractors, and property owners, to achieve program goals and meet deadlines.

Applicants must also possess:

• A valid state driver’s license and acceptable driving record.
• The ability to perform both office and outdoor work in all weather conditions.
• The ability to sit, stand, and walk over uneven terrain.
• The ability to stoop or bend.
• The ability to lift up to 25 pounds.