Supervisor, Vegetation Management Operations (Central Valley / Central Coast)

Requisition ID # 169110

Job Category: Project / Program Management

Job Level: Supervisor

Business Unit: Operations - Other

Work Type: Hybrid

Job Location: Merced

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: $118,000

Bay Area Maximum: $188,000

&/OR

California Minimum: $112,000

California Maximum: $179,000

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 flexible within the Central Coast and Central Valley regions of PG&E service territory.

Job Responsibilities

- Leads and supervises Vegetation Management operations and outside contractors in an area of the service territory. Operates under general standards set by the Manager and makes short- and long-term decisions at the local level, which align with department strategy. Manages significant events, such as major storms, wildfires, power shutoff events, and safety violations.

- Provides oversight and mentors assigned Vegetation Program Managers.

- Deals with complex and challenging issues with customers and public entities escalated from subordinates. Speaks and presents to external entities such as city councils, governmental agencies, and community groups, representing PG&E’s position regarding sensitive vegetation issues. Seeks resolutions that meet safety and business needs.

- Develop budget forecasts and business cases.

- Reviews and approves invoices, purchase orders, and funding associated with complex projects.

- Manages multiple programs and projects that support other lines of business.

- Manages environmental submissions of agency work and acts as a liaison.

- Reports out, provides updates and corrective actions and holds daily huddles under the Lean Management model.

- Oversees Vegetation Management safety investigations and corrective action plans.

- Oversees Quality Control, Quality Assurance, and Work Verification inspections and recommended actions. Ensures checks, audits, and assessments of contractor work are completed regularly, and corrective actions are recommended and implemented to ensure regulatory compliance, safety, and reliability.

- May be assigned to own QC program and coordinate activities for the whole department.

- Develops and executes project plans and ensures work is on track. Develop performance measures for the team. Ensures local performance measures and tactics align with the whole department. Collaborates with department managers on annual and long-term overall department goals.

- Develops own area forecast and associated budget; updates monthly and provides to the Vegetation Planning group for consolidation and reporting. Monitors expenses and reports on actuals vs. budget. Explain variances to the manager. Creates new and manages existing data models for work forecasting.

- Leads performance improvement teams across Vegetation Management and continually seeks and recommends opportunities for continuous improvement.

- Collaborates with and influences internal and external contacts and stakeholders of various levels on issues and developments affecting vegetation management for the company and industry. Serves as a subject matter expert, participating in projects or initiatives to positively affect pending legislation or rule-making by local, state, or federal agencies such as CalFIre, CalTrans, USFS, and Park Service. 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.

- Coaches program managers and outside contractors who participate in regulatory and industry forums, public hearings, and legal proceedings. May provide expert witness testimony in high-profile legal cases involving vegetation issues.

- Oversees and reviews the development of new or revised scopes of work and project management for outside contractors such as foresters and land planners to ensure compliance standards and deliverables are established.

- Review budget forecasts and business cases for new, non-routine work related to special initiatives such as public safety, reliability, reclamation, or timber harvest plans and submit them to the Manager for approval.

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

Qualifications

Minimum:

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

- California Driver’s License

- Four years of job-related experience with at least two years’ experience in a leadership role as a team leader or project leader

Desired:

- ISA Arborist/Utility Specialist certification

- PMP Certification

- ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ)

- RPF Registered Professional Forester

- Seven years of related experience with at least five years in a leadership role as a team leader or project leader

- 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.

- Adaptability to work within a heavily regulated environment.

- Good verbal and written communication skills to communicate findings and recommendations to various levels of management.

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

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

- Thorough knowledge of project and program management concepts, methods, and techniques. Ability to lead complex projects across the line of business.

- Strong business and data analysis knowledge, process improvement skills, and creative thinking to create compelling business cases based on complex business environments and inputs.

- Competent with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PowerBI, etc.) and GIS applications.