Manager - Landscape Management Section

Reports to:

Director, Landscape Management Department:
Landscape Management Status:
Full-time, Exempt

Schedule:

7:00AM - 3:30PM

Central Park is one of the most famous and beloved urban public spaces in the world. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in 1857, the 843-acre park was the first purpose-built public park in the country and is a National Historic Landmark. The Central Park Conservancy, a private not-for-profit organization, was founded in 1980 to rescue the Park which had fallen into serious disrepair.

Since that time, the Conservancy has overseen the investment of approximately $2 billion in the restoration of the Park, and now hosts over 40 million visitors a year. The Conservancy's mission is to preserve and celebrate Central Park as a sanctuary from the pace and pressures of city life, enhancing the enjoyment and wellbeing of all. The City of New York has formally entrusted the care of the Park to the Conservancy which is responsible for every aspect of the Park's care, including landscape maintenance, capital improvements, and the visitor experience.

Committed to sharing the best practices in urban park management, the Conservancy also serves as a resource for other NYC parks and for public-private partnerships around the world. The Conservancy employs 400 people and has an operating budget of $120 million.

The Manager is responsible for the leadership, program management, and administration of an assigned section and is part of a team that manages Park Operations as a whole. Working under the general direction of the Director of Landscape Management, the Manager is primarily responsible for the overall management of the landscape grounds in an assigned section within Central Park. Responsibilities include providing direction and oversight of all landscapes and plant beds following established departmental standards using best practices.

Leadership consists of developing plans for plant health care, site maintenance and improvements including cultivation, pruning, weeding, removals, transplants, and plant selections. It is expected that the Manager will work across departments and with other Managers in Park Operations to perform their primary tasks.

• Lead and organize a team of Assistant Managers, Forepersons, Gardeners, and Groundskeepers in the maintenance and renovation of the Park's landscapes within an assigned Section.
• Plan, direct and coordinate in collaboration with Assistant Managers and Forepersons, the departmental work plan within the Section.
• Organize regular staff meetings.
• Meet with management and staff to identify and resolve problems quickly and efficiently.
• Monitor staff productivity, compliance with standards, and status of work assignments using computer-based systems.
• Provide regular feedback to staff using established performance standards aligned to organizational values and departmental standards.
• Mentor and support staff by identifying strengths, addressing developmental needs, and fostering professional growth.
• Create schedules and coordinate maintenance priorities with other departments and Section Managers to ensure work is performed consistently throughout the Park.
• Hire, onboard, and execute annual performance reviews in collaboration with the People & Culture team.

Collaborate with other Managers in Landscape Management, Landscape Services, Volunteer Management, Park Maintenance, and other departments within Park Operations to achieve established work plan goals. Integrate Section work with centralized Landscape Services functions such as Tree Care, Turf Care, Pest Control, and Fleet Management. Communicate and coordinate with other departments at CPC including Capital Projects, Design, Construction, Communications and Development and disseminate pertinent information to employees.

Coordinate with NYC Parks and other city agencies as necessary. Keep Director of Landscape Management informed of all matters as they relate to the section and to the Park as a whole.

Create an annual work plan within established departmental goals and environmental sustainably framework for an assigned section. Develop measurements against the plan and regularly report on the progress of annual work plan. Perform and utilize inspections based on the annual work plan, adjust work schedules accordingly. Continually inspect, monitor, and manage the performance of the section. Establish…