Planting Program Supervisor I (Exempt)

About this Position: 

We are seeking a forward-thinking supervisor to lead and enhance our tree planting, establishment, and young tree pruning programs. We aim to increase the number of urban trees planted and established up to 10,000 trees annually, prioritizing large, native, and evergreen species. Significant investments have been made to promote tree canopy equity throughout Portland, including the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund. This supervisor role will be vital to the successful development and implementation of this transformative initiative. As a supervisor, you will guide and mentor your team to expand tree canopy coverage and mitigate heat in communities that need it most, particularly in low-income and low-canopy areas of Portland.

Our Tree Planting and Establishment Program, part of the Urban Forestry division of Portland Parks & Recreation, is responsible for planting and establishing thousands of trees each year in residential yards, parks, and along city streets. Our programs encompass various property types, including private residences and public rights-of-way. Key initiatives include the Free Street Tree Program, Park Tree Planting Program, Yard Tree Giveaway Program, Learning Landscapes Program, Private Property Tree Program, young tree pruning, and collaborative efforts with other City of Portland bureaus.

This supervisor position leads the team managing our Free Street Tree Program, Park Tree Planting Program, young tree pruning program, and our partnership with Friends of Trees. As the supervisor, your team manages the planting, establishment, and pruning of thousands of young trees annually in the public right-of-way, City-owned properties, and private properties. You will supervise nine full-time tree planting specialists to plan, implement, and evaluate programs. You will hire, train, coach, and supervise your team to be proactive problem solvers and to implement the best practices of equity, public service, urban forestry, project management, GIS/database management, and contract management. You will coach and provide constructive feedback to enhance employee performance and support career development. You will also serve as a strategic thinker who leads your team through program development, expansion, and refinement.  
  
Collaboration is essential to this role; you will work closely with two other supervisors within the Tree Planting and Establishment Program to develop multi-year planting plans, manage contracts, ensure quality standards for all plantings, facilitate communication, and conduct outreach efforts. You will set the example for your team on how to navigate the complexities of urban forestry projects while serving the public at the highest level possible. You will work closely with a diverse and collaborative team, driving our mission to equitably expand Portland's urban forest.
  
What you'll get to do:

• Champion Equity and Environmental Justice
  Advance equitable access to trees by reducing barriers, promoting workforce diversity, and engaging communities with compassion and cultural responsiveness. Apply City of Portland Core Values to create equitable outcomes.
• Lead and Develop Your Team
   Hire, train, coach, supervise, and assign work to the street tree planting and young tree pruning team. Build a resilient, change-adaptable workforce and support staff development in urban forestry, contractor management, project management, GIS/database tools, community engagement, and effective customer service.
• Manage Tree Planting and Establishment
   Oversee tree planting and establishment programs in the right-of-way and on private and City-owned properties. Manage contractor activities, including tree procurement, planting, watering, mulching, staking, and young tree structural pruning.
• Guide Site Surveys and Field Operations
   Lead site surveys to identify suitable planting locations in alignment with procedures and stakeholder input. Ensure fieldwork, inspections, and data collection align with program goals and industry standards.
• Oversee Technical and Contract Operations
  Provide direction on fieldwork quality, data management, and contract compliance. Train staff in contractor oversight, specification adherence, invoice review, and problem-solving. Ensure accurate data and records using ArcGIS, TreePlotter, Excel, and Smartsheet.
• Lead Project Management
   Coach staff through project planning, implementation, and evaluation. Guide the expansion of planting programs in collaboration with internal teams and community partners. Use feedback, seasonal debriefs, and tree monitoring data to assess outcomes, refine processes, and improve service quality and program effectiveness.
• Ensure Quality and Best Practices
   Ensure that planting, establishment, and pruning follow best management practices and meet high standards for safety, quality, and documentation.
• Establish Clear Procedures
   Create and maintain documented practices for site surveys, planting, establishment, pruning, inspections, contractor management, and public communication. Provide training and meaningful feedback to reinforce quality and consistency.
• Engage Communities and Partners
   Manage communication and outreach with property owners, contractors, community groups, and City bureaus to expand equitable planting opportunities.
• Cultivate Knowledge and Skills
   Support staff training in technical skills, customer communication, and contractor management to strengthen program delivery.

About Urban Forestry and Portland’s Forest:
Urban Forestry's mission is to manage and ensure Portland’s urban forest infrastructure for current and future generations. Portland’s urban forest is valued at over $9.2 billion and comprised of over 1.2 million park trees, 333,000 street trees and 2.9 million private property trees. The Urban Forestry team is responsible for the overall management, stewardship, and improvement of this essential infrastructure system. Urban Forestry’s work includes delivery of sustainable and equitable forest services to all Portlanders; establishing and enacting best management practices, plans, policies, and technical standards for tree care and protection and urban forest expansion; implementing, enforcing, and proposing improvements to the City’s tree regulations; providing tree maintenance services including 24/7 response to tree emergencies on City properties and public streets; tree planting and expansion of urban forest services; measurement and assessment of urban forest coverage, health, and services; offering community education and stewardship programs; and oversight and support of the City’s volunteer advisory tree board. Portland is a Tree City USA for 49 years; a Tree City of the World and the Urban Forestry program is accredited by the Urban and Community Forestry Society (formerly the Society of Municipal Arborists).

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 Zoom Meet & Greet Opportunity 

Come meet the hiring manager and the senior recruiter! We'll be talking about the position duties and responsibilities, day to day life in the role, review the announcement, discuss how to apply, and answer questions you may have about the position.

Topic: Meet & Greet: Planting Program Supervisor
Time: Jun 24, 2026 01:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87367894773

Have a question?

Amanda Hillebrecht

Senior Recruiter

[email protected] 

1. Experience managing right-of-way and private property tree planting and young tree care, including tree procurement, establishment, pruning, contractor management, industry best practices, quality control, and monitoring.
2. Experience supervising and/or leading an urban forestry team, such as hiring, training, motivating, assigning work, and managing performance.
3. Experience developing and implementing new programs, including creating project scopes, developing work plans, tracking progress, and evaluating outcomes. 
4. Experience working to improve equitable outcomes.

Applicant must also possess:

• A valid state driver’s license and acceptable driving record. 
• ISA Certified Arborist certification within the first 9 months of employment

Required Application Materials:

• Résumé
  • Note: Do not include your age, date of birth, or the dates you attended or graduated from school. Only provide this information if it is specifically requested to meet job requirements or to follow federal, state, or local laws or rules.
    • Answers to the Supplemental Questions (click on the Questions tab to preview the questions)

• Veteran’s Preference documents (e.g., DD214-Member 4, VA Benefit Letter) must be submitted by the closing date
  • Effective January 1, 2026, the State of Oregon law ORS 408.225 - 408.238 is amended to expand eligibility for Veterans’ Preference to current and former Oregon National Guard service members. If applicants are existing state or former Oregon National Guard service members, they are encouraged to attach appropriate documentation to their future recruitment applications.
  • Update: As of March 3, 2025, if you have already submitted veteran documents and qualified for preference, you do not need to resubmit them for future recruitments.
  • To update or remove veteran preference for this recruitment or from your profile, contact the recruiter listed in the job announcement.

• Your responses to the supplemental questions should include details describing your education, training, and/or experience, and where obtained, which clearly reflect your qualifications for each of the numbered items in the "To Qualify" section of this announcement.
• Your resume should support the details described in your responses to the supplemental questions.
• How We Determine Pay: The City of Portland is covered by the Oregon Equal Pay Act. Your salary is determined based on the experience listed in your resume that is directly related and equivalent to the position for which you are applying.  It is strongly encouraged to include any transferable experience (paid or unpaid, regardless of how recent) to ensure your offer is reflective of all your relevant experience.
• Do not attach any additional documents.
• Please note that all completed applications for this position must be submitted no later than the closing date and time of this recruitment.
• You may use AI tools to assist with your job application, but please be sure to personalize your responses to supplemental questions. Avoid copying and pasting. We encourage using AI to generate ideas and then tailor them to reflect your own experiences and skills. 
• All applications must be submitted via the City's online application process. 
• E-mailed and/or faxed applications will not be accepted.

• An evaluation of each applicant's training and paid and unpaid experience, as demonstrated in their resume and supplemental questions, is weighted 100%.
• Your resume and responses to the supplemental questions will be the basis for our evaluation of your qualifications for this position. Incomplete or inappropriate information may result in disqualification.
• You have 14 days from the notice of the minimum qualification evaluation results to let us know if you would like to review and discuss your evaluation results. Please read the City of Portland Administrative Rule 3.01 for complete information.
• Additional evaluation may be required before the establishment of the eligible list and/or final selection.

• Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be placed on the equally ranked eligible list.

• The hiring bureau will review and select candidates for an interview.

• A start date will be determined after all conditions of employment have been met.

• City of Portland Core Values
• Recruitment Process - Work Status
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Veteran Preference
• ADA, Pregnancy, and Religious Accommodations