Community Forester in Sacramento, CA

From the Alliance for Community Trees Newsletter:
Community Forester, Sacramento Tree Foundation (Sacramento, CA)
Deadline: Open until filled
     The Community Forester operates as part of the Sacramento Shade program and is responsible for helping individuals choose the best type and location of tress for maximum energy savings at their homes and promoting the program to new audiences. The Community Forester also spends a lesser amount of time organizing and leading community planting events through another SMUD sponsored program titled Community Shade. The Community Forester spends a small amount of time working on and promoting other Tree Foundation programs as needed.
     Since 1990, the Sacramento Tree Foundation has been funded by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) to distribute energy saving shade trees to SMUD customers across Sacramento County. The SMUD program, called Sacramento Shade, distributes over 15,000 trees to more than 6,000 customers every year.
     The Community Forester operates in a fast paced, busy environment, with many projects and customers to manage simultaneously. The ideal candidate for the position will have a passion for our mission, a commitment to excellent customer service, and a strong drive to see the program meet and exceed its goals.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• No less than 50% of the Community Forester's time is dedicated to meeting with customers at their homes and businesses and helping them with tree siting and selection, including maximizing direct shading value by advocating for tree planting and proper placement.
• The Community Forester works with the Shade Tree Program Director to ensure that all program goals are being met, giving emphasis to Sacramento and Community Shade.
• During Sacramento Shade site visits, the Community Forester gauges his or her audience to provide the appropriate level of information while including all the necessary details regarding proper planting and care, recognition of our sponsors, membership information, and more.
• The Community Forester uses standardized forms to collect detailed information about our customers and report that information back to the Tree Foundation. The Community Forester is expected to actively solicit that information from customers as needed.
• The Community Forester creates detailed planting diagrams for residential and community plantings. Some planting plans are done freehand on paper while others require the use of computer programs such as Google Earth, Microsoft Publisher and other computer editing/imaging tools.
• Research community engagement and promotional opportunities to support the Tree Foundation's strategic initiatives.
• The Community Forester establishes relationships with schools, parks and neighborhood groups to help facilitate tree planting.
• The Community Foresters is expected to actively and proactively promote the Sacramento Shade program by reaching out to residences, business, schools, civic organizations and more through the use of flyers, letters, phone calls, event-based outreach, one-on-one engagement or other channels.
• The Community Forester is the primary point of contact between the public and the TREE FOUNDATION. As such, the Community Forester is expected to represent and promote the Tree Foundation, SMUD, and other partners. With respect to the Sacramento and Community Shade programs, the Community Forester is expected to inform our customers that the program is a partnership between SMUD and the Tree Foundation and encourage customers express their thanks to our sponsor and its Board of Directors.
• The Community Forester maintains his or her own schedule using Microsoft Outlook. While it is the responsibility of the Community Forester to set up his or her schedule according to program and activity needs, most appointments will be scheduled by Tree Foundation Schedulers. The primary exception is when the Community Forester directly schedules community plantings and outreach events.
• The Community Forester drives a vehicle provided by Tree Foundation. The Community Forester maintains his or her vehicle in good working order, keeping it clean so that it may be used by other staff members as needed. The Community Forester works with the Nursery Director to schedule routine vehicle maintenance with the appropriate service providers.
• The Community Forester is responsible for organizing occasional community workshops or outreach events, including planning and implementation, as needed by the community. Community workshops may include pruning clinics, tree tours, and presenting general program information.
• Significant administrative activities are a part of the Community Forester's work. The Community Forester must complete all paperwork accurately and legibly, for both internal and external customers, as well as keep all relevant databases updated.
• Communication is a key Community Forester activity. The Community Forester is expected to use a wide array of communication tools, including email, phone, and mail, to connect and keep Tree Foundation customers updated on the progress of their orders and events. Good communication is a top priority.

ATTITUDES, ABILITIES AND SKILLS:

• Dedicated to providing great customer service and a fantastic customer experience.
• Strong public speaking and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Detailed organizational skills and follow-up.
• Willingness and ability to learn about and educate the community regarding the urban forest of the Sacramento Region.
• Background and/or interest in Arboriculture and Urban Forest ecology.
• Ability to lead groups of volunteers and community members.
• Ability to facilitate and make presentations to community groups.
• Must be able to work weeknights and weekends.
• Understanding of nonprofit, mission based organizations.
• Ability to contribute and work as a team member.
• Class C drivers license.

TO APPLY
This is a full-time-position, non-exempt. Hourly wage dependent upon experience. Please apply by emailing your résumé, cover letter, and wage requirement to HR@sactree.com.