Senior Regional Manager of Community Forestry (West)

TreePeople is an environmental nonprofit organization that mobilizes individuals, families, communities, philanthropists, and public agencies to work together to create green, resilient communities by providing education on the benefits of planting trees, capturing rainwater, greening schools, and providing fun environmental education activities. TreePeople unites with communities to grow a greener, shadier, and more water-secure region in homes, neighborhoods, schools, and local mountains.

The Senior Regional Manager of Community Forestry provides strategic and operational leadership for TreePeople’s Community Forestry programs across the South/South East Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley regions. This role is responsible for overseeing all regional field operations, staff supervision, project implementation, budget alignment, partner coordination, community outreach support, and deliverable tracking within the East service area.

The Senior Regional Manager ensures that tree planting, establishment, maintenance, distribution, and engagement initiatives are implemented with operational excellence and fiscal responsibility, according to our best management practices. This position plays a critical role in aligning day-to-day field operations with grant requirements, organizational priorities, and long-term urban forest management goals while ensuring all reporting is completed accurately and on schedule.

In addition to direct oversight of regional programming, the Senior Regional Manager mentors Program Managers and Coordinators, strengthens inter-regional coordination, and contributes technical and operational expertise to Urban Forestry Management Plan (UFMP) service packages and related initiatives.

ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Regional Operational Oversight

• Oversee all Community Forestry operations within the SELA/South LA & San Fernando Valley project boundaries, including planting, maintenance, distribution, stewardship, and outreach support activities.
• Develop and manage regional work plans to ensure alignment with contractual deliverables, seasonal timelines outreach goals, and staffing capacity.
• Monitor implementation quality to ensure adherence to TreePeople planting standards, ISA best practices, and safety protocols.
• Ensure compliance with permitting, dig-alert processes, and municipal coordination requirements.

Staff Leadership & Mentorship

• Directly supervise and mentor Program Managers and Coordinators within the West region.
• Support professional development, technical skill-building, and leadership growth of regional staff.
• Provide coaching on project management, community engagement, reporting accuracy, and operational efficiency.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and solutions-oriented team culture across SELA/South & SFV crews.

Budget & Resource Alignment

• Align operational planning with approved project budgets, staffing allocations, and outreach commitments.
• Monitor regional spending to ensure financial sustainability and proactive course correction when necessary.
• Support forecasting of staffing, vehicle, equipment, and material needs to meet multi-year program goals.

Data Oversight & Timely Reporting

• Oversee accurate and consistent data collection across all West region projects, including tree inventory, maintenance tracking, volunteer metrics, and outreach participation.
• Ensure timely completion of all internal and external reporting requirements, including narrative summaries, greenhouse gas calculations, photo documentation, milestone tracking, and funder deliverables.
• Establish accountability systems that promote on-time data entry, reporting accuracy, and continuous improvement in documentation practices.
• Collaborate with internal teams to strengthen GIS integration, data workflows, and performance dashboards.

Outreach & Partnership Support

• Support and elevate regional outreach activities, including coordination with Communications and Engagement teams to promote events, strengthen community relationships, and expand program visibility.
• Maintain and strengthen relationships with municipal partners, public agencies, schools, community-based organizations, and regional stakeholders.
• Represent TreePeople in regional meetings, public forums, coalition spaces, and partner convenings.

Organizational Leadership

• Contribute to departmental strategic planning, workflow refinement, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Coordinate cross-regional collaboration with West teams to ensure consistency in standards, training, reporting, and outreach strategy.
• Contribute technical expertise to Urban Forestry Management Plan (UFMP) service packages through field-informed recommendations and operational insight.
• Perform additional duties as needed to support organizational goals and mission delivery.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE HAS THE FOLLOWING QUALIFICATIONS

• 5-10 years of experience leading, developing, and implementing urban forestry, community-focused programs and/or projects. 
• Bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies, Environmental Science, Sustainability, or related field preferred.  Equivalent work experience in environmental programs or conservation may be considered in place of a degree.
• Hands-on experience of urban forestry best practices, including tree planting and tree care.
• Experience with project management and community organizing multiple urban planting programs concurrently.
• Solid computer skills, including email, document, presentation, and spreadsheet basics.
• Highly organized, strong work ethic, friendly, smart, proactive, and a quick learner.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills: engaging, listening, public speaking, and writing.
• Strong leadership, team-building and problem-solving skills.
• Familiarity with local climate and water resilience and environmental issues impacting diverse communities throughout Southern California.
• Direct experience with partner organizations and public agencies in Los Angeles preferred.
• Spanish fluency is preferred.
• ISA Certified Arborist required; Master Arborist Certification is preferred.
• Familiarity with ArcGIS Online or ESRI Field Maps is required.

PHYSICAL JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Work demands physical energy, twisting, safe heavy lifting ability, and hand-to-eye coordination.
• Uses machines, equipment, and work tools including but not limited to shovels, breaker bars, rakes, brooms, general hand tools, lift gates, water tanks, blowers, and augers.
• Must be able to lift 30 pounds.
• Must be able to load and unload 15-gallon trees from a stakebed truck.
• Must be able to enter and exit a vehicle numerous times a day.
• Must be able to withstand exposure to all kinds of weather while completing work assignments, i.e., rain, heat, sun, cold.
• Must be able to stand for extended periods.
• This is an in-person position with Hybrid work at the supervisor's discretion.