Manager, Vegetation Management

National Grid • Regular • Clifton Park, US • £121k / year • 3m ago

About us

National Grid is hiring a Vegetation Manager for our Maintenance and Construction department in Clifton Park, NY

Every day we deliver safe and secure energy to homes, communities, and businesses. We are there when people need us the most. We connect people to the energy they need for the lives they live.

The pace of change in society and our industry is accelerating and our expertise and track record puts us in an unparalleled position to shape the sustainable future of our industry. To be successful we must anticipate the needs of our customers, reducing the cost of energy delivery today and pioneering the flexible energy systems of tomorrow. This requires us to deliver on our promises and always look for new opportunities to grow, both ourselves and our business.

Job Purpose

The Vegetation Management program at National Grid employs a combination of internal management staff and external contractors to effectively deliver the annual program across New York. Key components of the program include annual cycle pruning, hazard tree mitigation, customer and new business work, system reliability projects, transmission side-line work, and the Integrated Vegetation Management program (IVM). The Transmission Vegetation Management Manager will play a crucial role in achieving departmental goals aimed at optimizing transmission system safety and reliability by developing and implementing vegetation management programs for right-of-way, substations, and gas maintenance. This position will also oversee the efficient delivery of Complex and Non-Complex Capital Program requirements and supervise the daily activities of Transmission Forestry Staff and contractor relationships statewide.

Key Accountabilities

Execute a Vegetation Management sourcing model that leverages external resources to deliver the annual Transmission workplan in alignment with the Asset Management Strategy. Provide professional, technical, and legal input to support all National Grid strategies and objectives through inter-departmental coordination.
Contribute to the Vegetation Strategy group regarding annual planning, budgeting, and auditing of the National Grid right-of-way vegetation management program.
Assist the Vegetation Strategy group in obtaining necessary permits and delivering public notifications for herbicide applications.
Assist the Vegetation Strategy group in the development and writing of operating specifications and the Long-Range Transmission Vegetation Management Plan.
Plan, schedule, and coordinate all transmission vegetation work performed by contractors. Monitor contractor productivity to ensure timely completion of all tasks. Approve contractor invoicing and certify work completion prior to authorizing payments.
Manage, train, and mentor internal and external Transmission forestry staff and consultants on all technical, regulatory, safety, logistics and administrative duties and responsibilities required of transmission forestry staff.
Conduct comprehensive field audits to ensure contractor compliance with vegetation management line clearances, specifications, and environmental requirements, including adherence to FAC-003-4 FERC requirements.
Evaluate Forestry contractor performance against National Grid safety, environmental, and regulatory standards. Conduct “Effective Safety Discussions” (ESD) and “Compliance Assessments” (CA) in line with agreed monthly targets.
Ensure the Forestry workplan is executed in accordance with annual budget and schedule requirements.
Assist the Vegetation Management Director in coordinating departmental activities while maintaining alignment with other company functions, including right-of-way, construction, environmental, and engineering.
Implement National Grid Storm/Emergency restoration policies and procedures, continually reviewing and evaluating the effectiveness of responses to both minor and major events and implementing improvements as necessary.
Promote public education through external relations and respond to customer inquiries and concerns, fostering effective working relationships. Maintain proactive relationships with state and local environmental agencies and officials and attend community and municipal meetings as required.
Provide off-hour coverage for routine emergencies and significant storm events.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Supervisory/Interpersonal- Experience Required

Ability to build strong relationships with key stakeholders and to create a high energy team climate whereby team members can discuss relevant issues freely, with a strong emphasis on continuous improvement.
Demonstrated skills in: negotiations, presentation, construction management, communication, and critical analysis.
In-depth knowledge and relevant experience in all aspects of utility vegetation management operations.

Qualifications

Qualifications Required:

Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree in Forestry, Arboriculture, or a related field.
A minimum of 8 to 10 years of experience in utility vegetation management, particularly in right-of-way vegetation management.
Ability to work independently in remote locations and navigate varied terrain using 4WD, ATV, foot, and helicopter.

Knowledge & Experience Required:

In-depth knowledge of right-of-way vegetation management methods and procedures, including pruning techniques and herbicide-based programs.
Experience and education in pesticides and pesticide application required to develop and execute the National Grid herbicide programs. Ability to communicate with stakeholders including regulators, vendors, and public officials on complex Category 6 pesticide issues related to regulation, environmental, and value.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a high degree of self-motivation and initiative.
Proficient in public speaking, decision-making, leadership, and fiscal management.
Extensive experience with GIS Software and/or other Vegetation Management monitoring applications.
Proven experience in managing a technical operations team.
Comprehensive understanding of regulatory issues affecting the vegetation industry.
Education and experience necessary to develop and negotiate EM&CP requirements and specifications for the development of transmission projects. In depth knowledge of article 7 and Part 102 projects.
Understanding of procurement strategies for a diverse portfolio of work and projects.
Thorough knowledge of project management methods and techniques.
Familiarity with OSHA 29 CFR Part 1910.269 Line Clearance tree trimming operations, American National Standard A-300 & Z-133, and National Electrical Safety Code 218 for tree trimming.

Job Dimensions:

Manage a state-level annual budget of $23 million.
Reports directly to the NY Director of Vegetation Management.

More Information

Salary: $121,000 - $142,000

This position has a career path which provides for advancement opportunities within and across bands as you develop and evolve in the position; gaining experience, expertise and acquiring and applying technical skills. Internal candidates will be assessed and provided offers against the minimum qualifications of this role and their individual experience.

National Grid is an equal opportunity employer that values a broad diversity of talent, knowledge, experience and expertise.  We foster a culture of inclusion that drives employee engagement to deliver superior performance to the communities we serve.  National Grid is proud to be an affirmative action employer. We encourage minorities, women, individuals with disabilities and protected veterans to join the National Grid team.

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