Manager, Vegetation Management Operations

Requisition ID # 169251

Job Category: Project / Program Management

Job Level: Manager/Principal

Business Unit: Operations - Other

Work Type: Hybrid

Job Location: Santa Rosa

Position Summary

The Vegetation Management Leadership leads staff and outside contractors to ensure public safety, electric reliability, and regulatory compliance with state and federal vegetation management rules. The incumbents also serve as subject matter experts, provide guidance and influence, and act as external leaders in the industry on regulatory issues and market strategies. The leaders work with customers and public entities to monitor and manage vegetation proximity to PG&E assets to ensure system reliability and safety objectives. The leaders promote and adhere to all company and regulatory safety guidelines and requirements.

PG&E is providing the salary range that the company, in good faith, believes it might pay for this position at the time of the job posting. This compensation range is specific to the locality of the job. The actual salary paid to an individual will be based on multiple factors, including, but not limited to, specific skills, education, licenses or certifications, experience, market value, geographic location, collective bargaining agreements, and internal equity. Although we estimate the successful candidate hired into this role will be placed towards the middle or entry point of the range, the decision will be made on a case-by-case basis related to these factors.

A reasonable salary range is: Bay Area Minimum: $136,000

Bay Area Maximum: $232,000

&/OR

California Minimum: $129,000

California Maximum: $220,000

This job is also eligible to participate in PG&E’s discretionary incentive compensation programs.

This position follows a hybrid work model, requiring employees to report to their assigned office location at least three days per week. The remaining days may be worked remotely, depending on business needs. The headquarters location is in Santa Rosa, CA.

Job Responsibilities

- Leads vegetation management operations in one of several regional areas or for transmission throughout the service territory. The department comprises multiple teams assigned to areas or regions, partnering with outside contractors to ensure public safety, reliability, and regulatory compliance.

- Works with the senior manager, peers, and individual contributors to develop strategic direction and operational objectives. Develops operational tactics to achieve strategic goals.

- Serves as departmental champion for company safety, reliability, affordability, and customer and people goals.

- Partners with peer VM Managers to set short—and long-term goals, performance measures, and reporting mechanisms for the department that are aligned with overall Electric Operations goals.

- Deals with complex, challenging, and sensitive issues with customers and public entities escalated from supervisors and others, including Sr. Management and regulatory authorities. May speak/present to elected officials, regulatory bodies, and others representing PG&E’s position regarding vegetation issues. Seeks resolutions that balance the customer and business needs.

- Oversees quality control inspections and recommended actions. Ensures checks, audits, and assessments of contractor work are completed regularly, and that corrective actions are recommended and implemented to ensure regulatory compliance, safety, and reliability.

- Manages ~$75m plus annual operating budgets. Review area work forecasts and budgets to ensure accuracy before submitting them to the Sr. Manager for approval. Ensures teams update forecasts monthly and provide them to the Vegetation Governance group for consolidation and reporting. Monitors expenses and reports on actuals vs. budget. Develops variance explanations and action plans.

- Ensures regular focus on performance improvement opportunities. Determines and assigns team leads for specific improvement projects.

- Coaches’ supervisors who participate in regulatory and industry forums, public hearings, or legal proceedings. May provide expert witness testimony in high-profile legal cases involving vegetation issues.

- Reviews and approves the development of new or revised scopes of work for contractors such as foresters and land planners to establish compliance standards and deliverables.

- Reviews and approves budget forecasts and business cases for new, non-routine work related to special initiatives such as public safety, reliability, reclamation, or timber harvest plans.

- Active in the utility arborist association to influence standards across the industry and may lead considerable statewide efforts on behalf of PG&E to resolve issues and conflicts or to educate other parties.

- Manages staff to accomplish results through effective recruitment and selection, training and development, performance management, and rewards and recognition.

Qualifications

Minimum:

- Bachelor’s degree in a job-related discipline or equivalent experience.

- California Driver’s License

- Ten years of job-related experience with at least five years in a leadership role

Desired:

- ISA Arborist/Utility Specialist certification

- PMP Certification

- Strong knowledge of forestry and utility vegetation management concepts, methods, and techniques.

- Broad knowledge of the current utility and energy industry, economic, social & political issues, trends, and business drivers.

- Demonstrated strong leadership skills.

- Good strategic problem-solving and analytical skills.

- Business and financial acumen to manage significant budgets.

- Adaptability to work within a heavily regulated environment.

- Strong verbal and written communication skills to effectively deal with various levels of internal and external stakeholders.

- Influence and negotiation skills, tact, diplomacy, and political acumen to navigate sensitive customer/public issues.

- Strong independent organizational, time management, prioritization, and planning skills.

- Excellent understanding of project and program management concepts, methods, and techniques.

- Demonstrated expertise in data analysis, process improvement skills, and creative thinking to review compelling business cases based on complex business environments and inputs.

- Competent with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)