Landscape Director

Gowanus Canal Conservancy (GCC) is seeking a Landscape Director to oversee landscape management and advocacy towards the creation of a thriving, inclusive, biodiverse public realm in Gowanus. The Landscape Director oversees the Horticulture Team including management of street gardens, green infrastructure, trees, waterfront esplanades, parks, and operations at the Lowlands Nursery, GCC’s native plant nursery. This role also oversees planning and advocacy work for green and blue initiatives, including 18 acres of new public spaces in planning, design and construction by agencies and private property owners. This position will report to the Executive Director and work with a dynamic team in a growing organization.

Position Responsibilities

Landscape Management: Oversee planning and management of site maintenance and nursery operations for GCC’s sites

• Lead strategic planning and evaluation of landscape management and operations
  • Develop, manage, and implement vision for landscape management including scaling of maintenance work and hiring
  • Develop and manage maintenance contracts, MOUs and other agreements
  • Work with team to develop vision and goals and manage schedule and scope
  • Oversee and streamline management tracking systems including planting and tree databases, nursery online store and point of sale, maintenance work tracking, and inventory management. Develop and troubleshoot new systems, including geospatial databases for horticulture and a consolidated system for staff work tracking
  • Report on and analyze metrics to meet organizational goals
• Oversee maintenance operations, horticulture, and urban forestry across the public realm and the Lowlands Nursery
  • Oversee management of sites under maintenance contracts and without agreements
  • Oversee field operations including site infrastructure, vehicle(s), and materials (compost, green waste, structures, etc)
  • Oversee plant sourcing and distribution across sites and initiatives
  • Working with Garden Manager and design teams for different properties, review and provide feedback on planting plans/designs and plant lists across sites
  • Oversee field-based protocols
  • Coordinate with partners, contractors and vendors
• Work with Programs & Operations Director to coordinate Community Stewardship programs with priorities for landscape management
• Work with Communications Senior Manager to develop communications about horticulture and landscape management
• Provide Horticulture Team Staff Management and Administration
  • Supervise the Horticulture Team
    • Assign, track, and coordinate work in field projects and the nursery
    • Ensure that daily work records are completed and are entered into work-tracking databases
    • Train and orient new staff
    • Conduct annual performance reviews
    • Provide support, mentorship and conflict resolution as needed
    • Help create individual performance and learning goals for team
  • Provide tools for team collaboration and decision-making
  • Develop budget, track and report expenses
  • Facilitate team meetings

Design & Advocacy: Lead planning and advocacy for Green and Blue initiatives, including capital projects, restoration areas, and other visioning work

• Lead site analysis, design recommendations and advocacy for future public spaces and restoration areas, including 18 acres of new parks and public space committed to in Gowanus rezoning
  • Develop conceptual design drawings and advocacy arguments to support city and private investment in community and ecosystem benefits
  • Advocate to government agencies, developers, and other entities
• Coordinate with staff, community and research partners to integrate community science findings, from biological surveys (bio-blitzes) and the mussel habitat project, into long-term planning for implementation and monitoring of ecosystem restoration
• Manage geospatial databases for tracking tree canopy and other neighborhood and environmental characteristics
• Manage agency partnerships
• Participate in coalitions and represent GCC at public meetings
• Collaborate with partners and community members to build trust, transparency, organizational effectiveness, and achieve advocacy goals, through efforts including Gowanus Oversight Task Force and Gowanus BID Formation Effort

Organizational Management and Growth

• Coordinate development and implementation of landscape management outcomes with organizational Theory of Change
• Advise and help manage organizational administration and planning as needed
• Collaborate and coordinate with Board members and committees
• Support special events, including the Annual Meeting and Gala
• Support with grant writing

Preferred Qualifications

• At least 8 years of experience in the fields of horticulture, public realm management, and/or landscape design
• Degree in Landscape Architecture, Design, Horticulture or related field
• Strong background in urban ecological horticulture, preferably in the New York City public realm
• Strong background in landscape design and green infrastructure,
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative, think creatively, strategically and be a thought partner
• Excellent writing, presentation and communication skills
• Experience and interest in working with city, state and federal agencies
• Experience and interest in working with diverse communities and teams
• Ability to manage other staff and volunteers
• Confident, motivated, and able to think on feet
• Computer skills including: Microsoft Office, Google Suite, Adobe Creative Suite
• Familiarity with GIS or other spatial mapping tools, Web and database development is a plus.
• Certification in CPR, first aid, and lifesaving certificate is a plus.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to talk, hear, sit, stand, and walk; use hands to feel; and reach with hands and arms.
• Communicating information with co-workers, stakeholders and/or the public; reading correspondence and/or instructions; writing correspondence and/or reports and filling in forms, using video conferencing.
• Some work is performed outdoors in an urban environment. Employee will potentially experience weather conditions like heat, cold, rain, and snow.
• Using hand tools where carelessness could result in injury; standing or walking for extended periods of time; stooping, bending, kneeling, crouching, lifting, pushing, and/or pulling; use of manual dexterity and fine motor skills.
• Moderate physical exertion - lifting, pushing, and carrying, etc. up to 30 lbs for prolonged periods of time.

Schedule: This is a full-time, salaried position, 40 hours per week, and may require occasional evenings and weekends. The role is primarily in person at the GCC office in Gowanus, and outdoors at sites throughout Gowanus, with some flexibility for hybrid work.

Compensation: Salary is $75,000 - $90,000, based on experience. GCC uses a transparent rubric to determine salaries and annual raises. Experience is measured by the number of years of work, relevant work, and education. Competitive benefits package includes 50% coverage of company health care policy, FSA, 401(k) with a 1% employer match, commuter benefits, life insurance, paid time off (20 Vacation Days; 17 Holidays; 5 Sick Days, additional leave for Covid, Bereavement, Jury Duty, Paid Parental Leave, Paid Family Leave and comp time).

To Apply: Submit your resume and cover letter to this link by January 10, 2025 at the latest. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Gowanus Canal Conservancy is a community-based non-profit organization dedicated to facilitating the development of a resilient, vibrant, open space network centered on the Gowanus Canal through activating and empowering community stewardship of the Gowanus Watershed.

Gowanus Canal Conservancy is an equal opportunity employer and encourages candidates of all racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds to apply.

GCC strongly recommends that employees stay up-to-date with the COVID-19 vaccine as recommended by the CDC.