Manager - Vegetation Management

Benefits

• Competitive compensation
• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with substantial company match
• Life and Travel Insurance
• Tuition Assistance
• Wellness Reimbursement Program
• Paid Holidays and Vacation
  
  

What is a Manager– Vegetation Management?

As the Manager - Vegetation Management, you will lead a team of internal forestry professionals and direct an all‑contractor field workforce responsible for maintaining more than 8,000 circuit‑miles of overhead electric and gas rights‑of‑way, substations, and related assets. Your mission is to safeguard reliability (with a focus on SAIFI improvement), control and reduce program costs, and accelerate the adoption of modern technologies and processes—such as remote sensing technologies and advanced work‑management tools—to deliver a best‑in‑class vegetation program that meets regulatory and safety requirements while supporting our broader transformation goals.

What does a Manager – Vegetation Management do?

• Develops and executes multi‑year vegetation management strategies covering transmission, distribution, and gas corridors, aligning with corporate reliability, safety, and cost targets.
• Champions technology adoption (e.g., remote sensing, drone inspections, predictive analytics) and innovative work practices to enhance efficiency and risk targeting.
• Manages RFPs, contracts, and performances for all vegetation removal vendors, ensuring work quality, cost control, and adherence to environmental standards.
• Drives budget accountability and continuous cost reduction initiatives without compromising safety or reliability
• Ensures full compliance with NERC FAC 003, state PSC rules, and internal standards; develops, prepares, and presents audit documentation and executive reports on program performance.
• Monitors and understands vegetation related outage data, evolves strategies and deploys targeted mitigation plans to improve SAIFI and minimize customer impacts.
• Leads, coaches, and develops the internal vegetation management team, fostering a culture of safety, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Acts as a change agent—engaging cross functional stakeholders (Operations, Asset Management, Customer Service) to embed new tools and processes to develop a best-in-class utility vegetation management program.
• Coordinates with property owners, regulators, internal stakeholders (asset management, engineering, etc.) and community groups to address concerns, promote environmental stewardship, and support positive utility customer relations
• Supports storm/emergency restoration efforts
  
  

What does it take to be a Manager – Vegetation Management?

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Forestry, Natural Resources, Environmental Science, or related field and 5 years of vegetation‑management experience in a regulated utility or large‑scale ROW environment
• Proven track record of continuous improvement
• Demonstrated ability to lead field and office teams, manage competing priorities, and drive organizational change
• Strong communication and negotiation skills for vendor management and stakeholder engagement
• Familiarity with asset management systems, outage analytics, and regulatory compliance frameworks (NERC, state PSC).
• Ability to implement data driven decision making and performance metric reporting
• A valid driver’s license
  
  

Preferred

• ISA Certified Arborist/Utility Specialist (or ability to obtain)
• 10 years of vegetation‑management experience in a regulated utility or large‑scale ROW environment
  
  

Applications will be accepted until August 18, 2025

Pay Range: $124,600-$193,200

Please go to https://www.cenhud.com/employment. Click the “Search Career Opportunities” button. Follow the directions to submit an application and upload your resume for the desired position.

Applications sent via e-mail and US Mail will not be accepted. No phone calls or agencies, please. All replies will be held in strict confidence.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, creed, color, ethnicity, arrest or conviction record, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, citizenship, genetic information, familial status, marital status, pregnancy-related condition, domestic violence victim status, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation takes affirmative action in support of its policy to employ and advance employment in individuals who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

VEVRAA FEDERAL CONTRACTOR