Director of Environmental Operations

Direct and participate in the daily operating duties of multiple grounds sites throughout Downtown Syracuse to ensure the completion of maintenance activities and related projects within schedule and cost constraints.  Provide direction for all maintenance activities in the Central Business District while ensuring compliance with safety, legislative, environmental and company requirements.  Organize, plan and implement routine maintenance for equipment, motor pool, and garage facility.  Coordinate, manage and staff public events, and parking lots. 

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities: (Additional duties may be assigned)

• Manage all operational and administrative aspects of the landscaping and grounds maintenance activities, including, but not limited to, litter control, graffiti removal, snow removal, lawn/weed control, street furniture repair, power washing sidewalks, etc.
• Determine work requirements for various routine maintenance and or projects, including scheduling, priority level, personnel resources, material and equipment requirements. Direct and assign work tasks to personnel to meet project requirements.
• Work alongside subordinates as part of the team and perform all related duties and activities.
• Oversee the downtown hanging basket program by maintaining approximately 300 hanging baskets, various ground planters and hiring and managing a summer watering crew. Secure and provide supervision over a contractor for tree watering program.  Plant foliage, flowering plants, grass, etc., throughout the central business district.
• Perform and/or manage a schedule for preventive vehicle and equipment maintenance activities, such as oil changes, brake jobs, tire rotation, etc. Dismantle, move, store, install, or repair machinery and mechanical equipment as needed.
• Manage two parking lots, including staffing, supplies, daily deposits, daily income log, and financial accountability.
• Monitor and maintain inventory and order supplies (brooms, tools, salt, etc.). Maintain garage upkeep and establish and enforce operating procedures and work standards that will ensure and promote continuous improvement of workplace safety and environmental practices.
• Perform administrative duties, including but not limited to, tracking and scheduling assets, inventory, daily work orders, staff schedules, NYS reports, timesheets, and financial records. Collect, compile, analyze data and prepare various reports.
• Serve as liaison to property owners and merchants to ensure satisfaction to make sure their requests are handled in a respectful and timely manner. Interact and maintain strong positive relations with public officials and community organizations to educate and provide ongoing public awareness on the appeal of downtown Syracuse and the revitalization programs, activities, and projects. 
• Obtain all permits for the Farmer's Market, solicit and participate in the selection of all participants and entertainment, and oversee the implementation of the NYS EBT program, ensuring high standards of quality control and financial accountability.
• Participate in the planning and establishment of goals and objectives for numerous Downtown Committee events such as Earth Day, Farmers Market, Arts & Craft Festival, etc., and provide operational support including set up, tear down and clean up after events.

Supervisory Responsibilities: 

• Immediate supervision of a department with responsibility for results in terms of methods and personnel. Responsible for planning, coordinating and directing the activities of subordinates.

Education, Experience, and Qualifications:  

• High school diploma or equivalent and 1 year of post-high school vocational/technical training.
• 3-5 years of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified.
• 1+ years of supervisory experience.
• Ability to positively represent the organization in a variety of settings and situations.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively, productively and respectfully with a wide range of constituencies in a culturally diverse community.
• Ability to build positive working relationships.
• Experience managing multiple projects.
• Proven self-starter with a personal dedication to the community.
• Demonstrated ability to follow through on tasks and projects.
• Ability to consistently exercise sound and effective judgment.

Special Requirements:

• Driver’s license.
• Regular day travel within downtown Syracuse.
• Ability to be on-call before/after normal work hours.
• Required to work beyond normal work hours on a regular basis

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Basic computer skills that include the ability to post information to a spreadsheet and perform basic word processing and/or data entry.
• Ability to supervise diverse employee groups and foster a cooperative work environment.
• Ability to plan, allocate resources, manage production and coordinate people and equipment.
• Some analytical ability to gather and summarize data, find solutions to various administrative problems, and prioritize work.
• Ability to effectively and efficiently handle multiple, simultaneous, and complex tasks and projects.
• Knowledge of federal, state, and local ordinances pertinent to facilities design and maintenance.
• Knowledge of landscaping and groundskeeping equipment operation and maintenance.
• Knowledge of waste removal and recycling procedures, regulations, and standards.
• Knowledge of Downtown Syracuse
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment under stress or in a crisis situation.
• Ability to analyze and solve problems.
• Ability to prevent injury to others, due to inherent hazards.

Physical and Mental Requirements:

• Duties can be physically demanding and repetitive, involving much bending, lifting, and shoveling. The employee is regularly required to stand, walk, lift, push, pull, use hands to finger and grasp, stoop, kneel, crouch, bend, talk, hear and perform repetitive motions. The individual is occasionally required to climb, balance, and crawl.
• Ability to exert up to 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
• Close mental and visual attention required for controlling machines or processes at a rapid pace requiring close coordination and fine adjustment.
• Ability to operate various power tools and equipment, including a snowplow, snow blower, lawn mower, hand tools, shovel, pallet jack, grinder, and forklift.
• Ability to wear safety equipment on a regular basis, including, glasses, shoes, hearing protection, hard hat, gloves, mask and vest.

Work Environment:

While performing the duties of this position, the worker is exposed to inside and outside environmental conditions, extreme heat, cold, potential for physical injury, fumes, strong odors or airborne particles and occupational hazards which require routine precautions.

Salary and Benefits:

Salary is commensurate with experience. 

Benefits include health and dental insurance, 401k plan, paid time-off, and parking/transportation subsidy.

Disclaimer:

• All requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.
• This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by their supervisor. 
• The company reserves the right to add to or revise an employee's job duties at any time at its sole discretion.
• This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” employment relationship.

To apply:  please forward your cover letter and résumé to: Merike Treier, Executive Director:

mtreier@downtownsyracuse.com