New

Tree Foreperson

City of New Haven
Within Local 424 Unit 128 Range 5: $64,377 - $72,486 annualized
United States, Connecticut, New Haven
165 Church Street (Show on map)
Jun 13, 2025
Introduction Are you passionate about protecting and maintaining the urban forest? Do you thrive working outdoors and leading teams in challenging but rewarding environments? The City of New Haven is seeking a dedicated and experienced Tree Foreperson to supervise critical arboricultural operations that ensure the health, safety, and beauty of our city's public spaces. As the Tree Foreperson, you will oversee and participate in the care, maintenance, and removal of trees within the public right-of-way. This is a high-responsibility, safety-sensitive position requiring technical expertise, leadership ability, and a commitment to public service. If you're looking for a career that combines supervisory duties, skilled fieldwork, and community impact, we encourage you to apply. To find out more about the New Haven Parks Department, click the logo above. PRIMARY FUNCTIONS This is high level work of a hazardous nature, including supervisory lead responsibilities in maintaining city shade trees. Work involves responsibility for supervising and personally participating in a variety of skilled tasks, often entailing personal danger, incidental to the replacement, care, and removal of trees and shrubs within the public right of way, as well as the planning and maintenance of proper safeguards for subordinates and the public. Specific instructions are received from a superior on special assignment but, on normal maintenance and operational activities, opportunity is afforded for the planning of work details and the making of job decisions during work progress. Technical advice is received from supervisors; supervision is exercised over crews of equipment operators, tree trimmers, grounds men and assigned staff. Assignments are received from the Tree System Coordinator and/or the Deputy Director or designee and are subject to final review for conformance with instructions. TYPICAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Supervises and participates in the planting, transplanting, feeding, trimming, pruning, spraying, and removal of trees. Supervises and participates in tree climbing activities using ropes, cables, climber hooks, where feasible, awls, saws, chisels, mallets, axes, and other tools and equipment of the trade. Drives truck and operates aerial equipment. Performs arborculture work as removing superfluous foliage, dead, broken or dangerous branches, and trimming trees for clearance of overhead utility facilities. Supervises and participates in the restoration of the tree belt including the grading and seeding of grass, the trimming of tree roots; and in replacing curbs misplaced by tree maintenance operations. Supervises Tree Trimmers II and Grounds Worker and takes all necessary precautions and safeguards to prevent injury to employees, the public, and property. During winter months may participate in a wide variety of snow removal operations. Maintains equipment and vehicle inventory including ordering supplies and scheduling maintenance. Keeps simple time and personnel records for crews. Performs related work as required. EDUCATION, QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE Graduation from high school or equivalent 3 to 5 years of experience in tree trimming, maintenance, and removal at least 1 of year experience in the use of aerial equipment in the removal of trees and supervisory experience or any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the following knowledge, abilities and skills: KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, SKILLS & ABILITIES Considerable knowledge of the occupational hazards and safety precautions of the trade. Considerable knowledge of rigging methods and of the use and maintenance of the tools and equipment of the trade. Considerable knowledge of insects, parasites, and diseases which attack trees and of the proper methods of their control. Considerable knowledge of the disinfectants, and fertilizers customarily used in tree maintenance operations. Knowledge of tree growth and structure. Ability to supervise and direct work of others. Ability to plan, lay out, and supervise large-scale tree maintenance activities. Ability to keep simple records and reports. Ability to establish and maintain effective work relationships with employees and the public. Skill in the use and care of tools, machines, and equipment used in tree maintenance. Basic computer skills including email and web-based applications. Ability to take proper precautionary measures to prevent personal injury to self or others, and to safeguard property. Ability to express oneself clearly and concisely, orally, and in writing. Skill in the use and care of climber hooks, ropes, knots, and the tools and equipment commonly used in tree trimming, tree removal and tree surgery operations. NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS Possession of a State of Connecticut Motor Vehicle Commercial Driver's License (CDL), Class B minimum with air break endorsement. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & WORKING CONDITIONS Ability to climb and to do work at hazardous heights of 50 to 100 feet or more. Requires frequent tree work from an aerial lift truck at hazardous heights of 50 to 100 feet or more. Frequent climbing on ladders and into aerial lift trucks. Frequent lifting and carrying of objects weighing up to 80lbs. Frequent lifting, pulling and pushing of tree debris into a commercial chipper. Requires walking, standing to a significant degree. Requires ability to use a chainsaw at different heights and angles. Occasional bending, stooping and crouching. SALARY, BARGAINING UNIT & TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT This is a "General Fund," tested position. This position is included in a collective bargaining agreement with Local 424, Unit 128, UPSEU. Bargaining agreements available to review HERE. General Funded hires into this class shall not be covered by Social Security but rather the City pension, contributing 9% of salary. The City of New Haven does not sponsor employment visas. All applicants must have current authorization to work in the U.S. without employer-sponsored visa support. Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of: (1) a pre-employment background check, (2) a pre-employment physical examination, including pre-employment drug screening accordance with the City's Drug Free Workplace Policy, and (3) a 120-day probationary period. Instructions and information on this pre-employment process are included in Conditional Offer of Employment. Pursuant to the Federal Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988, The City of New Haven has a adopted a Drug Free Workplace Policy. The City of New Haven requires a pre-employment drug test, which includes screening for marijuana. Selection Plan Applications will be reviewed by the Department of Human Resources. Applicants must demonstrate within their submission that they meet the minimum requirements as listed within the job description; failure to do so may result in disqualification. Applicants meeting minimum requirements may be invited to participate in a Civil Service exam process at a later date. It is critical that you complete the application thoroughly, as the information you provide will be used to ascertain if you are eligible to move forward in the selection process.* Your application and resume should indicate that you meet the minimum requirements as listed. This information may be used to determine the eligibility list. As such, this job announcement should be considered the exam announcement, and submissions may be evaluated prior to the posted closing date. Information regarding the employment and selection process can be found HERE. Please note that the only method of communication with applicants for this position will be by email. You must provide a valid, working email address and you will need to monitor your email, including spam/junk folders, for correspondence from the New Haven Human Resources Department. We reserve the right to extend an application deadline or close a job posting early to ensure we can attract and identify the best candidate(s) for a position. Conclusion To apply for this opportunity: Complete your User Registration. You are encouraged to save your Applicant Profile for future use. You MUST click on the job posting you are interested in, and click Apply or Apply Online from within that posting. MAKE SURE the job you are applying for is named at the top of the page as you review your application! Review or modify your application for that position Click "Ready to Send App" or the "Send" tab; read page and click the attestation Click "Send to City of New Haven" You will be redirected to "CONFIRMATION OF EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION SUBMISSION" You will also receive an email and text, if a number was provided, confirming your submission If you do not receive this confirmation in the next 24 hours, your application has not been submitted - please contact us at NHJobs@newhavenct.gov Please Note, your Profile is NOT an application for an open position. After you create your Applicant Profile, you must still click on a Job Title and complete the application as instructed for each position.