Manager, Forestry Operations - City of Toronto, Toronto

Position Summary

The City of Toronto is seeking an experienced operations professional to lead as Manager, Forestry Operations. This vital role within the Environment, Climate, and Forestry division involves managing, motivating, and training assigned staff while overseeing the comprehensive delivery of arboriculture services across a designated area of Toronto. You will be responsible for ensuring the health and maintenance of the city's urban forest, including pruning, removal, selected planting, and emergency response. This position is key to maintaining effective communication with both internal and external partners, contributing to City of Toronto careers focused on environmental stewardship.

Your Impact

As Manager, Forestry Operations, you will play a critical role in preserving and enhancing Toronto's green infrastructure. Your leadership ensures the efficient and equitable delivery of tree maintenance services that meet public and political expectations, all while adhering to budget allocations. You will be instrumental in fostering a strong culture of health and safety within all forestry operations.

• Manage the delivery of in-house and contracted services within Forestry Operations, including planting, removal, and maintenance of trees on City road allowances and in City parks/ravines.
• Ensure private tree hazard abatement conforms to relevant policies, procedures, current arboriculture practices, legislation, and regulations, including health and safety, asset and risk management.
• Develop and implement detailed plans and recommend policies regarding program-specific requirements.
• Manage, motivate, and train the unit’s staff, ensuring effective teamwork, high standards of work quality, organizational performance, continuous learning, and innovation.
• Supervise the day-to-day operation of all assigned staff, including scheduling, assigning, and reviewing work, and managing vacation/overtime requests.
• Monitor and evaluate staff performance, approve salary increments, and recommend disciplinary action when necessary.
• Develop, recommend, and administer the annual budget for the unit, ensuring expenditures are controlled within approved limitations.
• Manage the effective, efficient, and equitable delivery of consistent tree maintenance services throughout the City.
• Develop contract documents, tenders, and special specifications for planned operating and emergent work; review procurement documents and prepare recommendations for contract award.
• Manage the activities of staff and contractors engaged in operating and capital programs through planning, scheduling, coordinating, and effective resource development.
• Prepare correspondence, reports, and attend Standing Committee, Council, and public meetings to present operational programs and policies.
• Resolve customer enquiries and complaints, and investigate/document claims from the general public related to tree maintenance operations.
• Provide on-call/standby responsibilities, ensuring emergency response to tree failures and tree-related by-laws.
• Respond to emergency and priority situations by anticipating problems, making decisions, deploying appropriate financial and human resources.
• Provide senior-level operational support to the Director and Executive Director and coordinate all unit operations support issues.
• Ensure Divisional operation issues, including weather-related emergencies, SMOG, Heat Alerts, and Pandemics, are managed effectively.
• Ensure that City trees are maintained in an environmentally sensitive manner in keeping with Integrated Plant Health Care principles.
• Ensure the sustainability of the urban forest in Toronto through review, monitoring, and revision of tree maintenance and planting programs and practices, aiming to enhance and expand the Urban Forest and its associated benefits.
• Act as branch and/or divisional lead on divisional and Corporate initiatives, including increasing tree canopy cover.
• Ensure the quality of work and service meets corporate and divisional standards, and employees are trained in compliance with all legislative regulations, such as AODA, WHMIS, Ontario Building Code, TSSA, Fire Code, Electrical Code, and the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA).
• Act as a Supervisor under the definitions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, ensuring the creation, development, modification, and implementation of adequate training, safety equipment, and safe work procedures.
• Liaise with WSIB Consultants to manage workplace injuries, costs, and return to work, and ensure regular meetings of Ministry-approved Health and Safety Committees.
• Contribute to ongoing strategic planning and development of city-wide service direction, functional standards, policies, and procedures in consultation with stakeholders.

Requirements

To succeed in this Manager, Forestry Operations role, you will bring extensive experience in leading complex operations and managing diverse staff within a public service context. Your expertise in financial planning, contract management, and adherence to health and safety regulations will be crucial for this City of Toronto job.

• Post-secondary education in Forestry or a related field is considered a strong asset, or an equivalent combination of education, experience, and demonstrated expertise managing complex operations.
• Extensive management experience gained through progressively more responsible positions that include the functions and administration of program management, planning, policy and standards development, and service delivery.
• Extensive experience in leading, motivating, directing, and managing a diverse workforce in a fast-paced, politically sensitive, customer service-oriented unionized environment.
• Considerable experience in financial planning and reporting, including budget preparation and control, expenditure forecasting, preparation and interpretation of financial reports, and reporting on key performance indicators.
• Considerable experience in contract management and compliance skills, including the ability to understand contract terms and hold vendors accountable to express terms of contracts.
• Highly developed interpersonal skills, human relations, political acumen, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, along with strong oral and written communication skills.
• Knowledge of the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, Ontario Traffic Manual, and familiarity with Ontario Statutes, municipal legislations including the Occupational Health and Safety Act, Collective Agreements, and City of Toronto People, Equity & Human Rights policies.
• Ability to foster an organizational culture that emphasizes innovation, collaboration, transparency, accountability, and trust while promoting a strong code of ethics and integrity to support public service excellence.
• Must possess and be able to maintain a valid Province of Ontario Class "G" Driver's License and the ability to obtain a City equipment operators permit.