City Property Tree Care Coordinator (Coordinator III)

Job Appointment: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Mon-Fri. 7:00 am – 3:30 pm. Some evening and weekend work may be required.

Work Location: Primary reporting location: East Delta Park, 10910 N. Denver Ave., Portland, OR 97217. This position will frequently work out in the field.

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: Non-represented

About this Position: 

Portland Parks & Recreation's Urban Forestry program is seeking an experienced urban forestry leader to serve as the City Property Tree Care Coordinator (Coordinator III).

This newly created leadership position provides strategic and operational oversight for the management of City-owned trees across Portland's parks and other City properties. Reporting to the Tree Maintenance Operations Manager, the Coordinator III supervises two Coordinator IIs and leads the City's program for inspecting, assessing, and managing City-owned trees by overseeing, coordinating, and performing complex tree inspections and technical assessments.

The Coordinator III establishes priorities for proactive and reactive tree care, coordinates planning and execution of maintenance and removal work, develops systems and standard operating procedures, and leads continuous improvement of City property tree care operations. This position serves as a technical leader, ensuring tree care decisions are guided by arboricultural best practices, public safety, long-term urban forest management goals and city tree code, and consistent operational standards.

Working closely with Urban Forestry leadership, planners, project managers, bureau partners, contractors, and community stakeholders, the Coordinator III helps shape the future of City property tree management through operational leadership, people development, data-informed decision-making, and cross-bureau collaboration. This is an exciting opportunity to lead a growing program while helping steward one of the nation's premier urban forests.

What you’ll get to do:

• Supervise, coach, and develop two Coordinator IIs responsible for City property tree care programs, including recruitment, onboarding, work planning, performance management, and employee development.
• Oversee, coordinate, and perform inspections and technical assessments of City-owned trees to evaluate tree condition, identify maintenance needs, assess risk, and determine appropriate management actions.
• Establish priorities for proactive and reactive tree care by balancing public safety, tree health, operational needs, available resources, and long-term urban forest management goals.
• Lead planning and coordination of tree maintenance, removals, and other tree-related work associated with parks, capital improvement projects, view restoration, non-park use activities, and other City initiatives.
• Coordinate with planners, project managers, bureau partners, contractors, and community stakeholders to ensure tree-related work is planned, communicated, and implemented efficiently and consistently.
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve policies, protocols, workflows, and standard operating procedures that support effective management of City-owned trees and consistent application of arboricultural best practices.
• Oversee tree asset data management, quality assurance, reporting, and performance monitoring to support operational planning, regulatory compliance, and long-term stewardship of City property trees.
• Lead development and implementation of systems and processes that improve service delivery, operational efficiency, data quality, and cross-bureau coordination.
• Provide technical leadership and subject matter expertise in arboriculture, tree risk assessment, urban forest management, and industry standards while mentoring staff and supporting organizational excellence.
• Collaborate with Urban Forestry leadership on strategic initiatives, program development, and continuous improvement efforts that advance Portland's urban forest management goals.

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 the Portland 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.

Virtual Meet & Greet Opportunity

Meet the hiring manager and the senior recruiter to learn more about this position, how to apply, and what it's like to work with the City of Portland.

Time: Aug 4, 2026 11:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88493921817

(Note: AI note-taking apps are not permitted. If you need ADA accommodations, please contact the recruiter below.)

1. Experience supervising, coaching, and developing professional staff while fostering a collaborative, accountable, and inclusive work environment, supported by strong leadership, problem-solving, decision-making, and verbal and written communication skills.
2. Experience planning, coordinating, and implementing complex urban forestry, arboricultural, natural resource, or related operational programs and projects, including collaboration with diverse stakeholders such as contractors, public agencies, project managers, community partners, and the public.
3. Experience overseeing, coordinating, and performing tree inspections and tree risk assessments, evaluating tree condition, and developing maintenance, preservation, or removal recommendations using accepted arboricultural principles and industry best practices, with demonstrated knowledge sufficient to provide technical leadership for City tree care operations.
4. Experience developing and implementing operational policies, procedures, standard operating procedures, or business processes that improve organizational effectiveness and service delivery.
5. Experience using technology, asset management systems, data tracking, reporting, and performance measures to support operational planning, decision-making, and continuous improvement.
6. Experience effectively working with diverse communities and stakeholders, demonstrating the ability to build relationships, communicate clearly, and navigate complex public-facing environments.

The following certifications and licenses are required within nine (9) months of hire:

• ISA Certified Arborist
• ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ)
• Emergency Hazard Assessment Program (EHAP) certification
• Oregon Pesticide Applicator License
• Valid driver's license

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in urban forestry, arboriculture, natural resources, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and professional experience.
• Four (4) years of progressively responsible experience coordinating complex programs or projects and leading staff, preferably in urban forestry, arboriculture, natural resources, municipal operations, or a related field.