Vegetation Maintenance Planner

Position Description

The primary duty of a Vegetation Maintenance Planner is to analyze, plan and coordinate maintenance activities using a work management process. The role identifies vegetation hazards to high voltage electrical systems and facilitates mitigation of these hazards. It works closely with individual landowners, internal and external stakeholders for hazard resolution.

• Develop vegetation maintenance strategies and generate job packages, including prioritization of work through a critical path schedule and a detailed work plan.
• Coordinate and schedule maintenance activities with TEP’s Operations & Maintenance Group, Land Resources Group, and jurisdictional agencies and landowners.
• Review and initiate corrective and preventative work orders originating from TEP’s Design Group and operations priority trouble orders.
• Use a critical path technique to develop schedules, labor requirement cost estimates, and duration of planned outages.
• Manage day‑to‑day activities of the vegetation maintenance contractor.
• Assign work to contract crews through the Maximo work‑management system and monitor progress.
• Investigate work‑order requests, meet with customers to address concerns and mitigate conflicts before work is performed.
• Address all customer complaints.
• Perform field audits to ensure safe work practices are followed and work is performed efficiently.
• Track daily project status and document key performance indicators.
• Perform system‑administrator tasks for the computerized maintenance management system.
• Validate accuracy of contractor timesheets and invoices.
• Adhere to company procurement policies and procedures.
• Establish and administer the Vegetation Management business unit budget.
• Ensure compliance with NERC/FERC requirements, including documentation for FAC
  003.
• Handle all wildlife‑related activities and raptor protection activities.
• Be available for after‑hour call‑outs for vegetation‑caused outages.
• Provide services to company affiliates subject to the UNS Energy Code of Conduct and related policies and procedures.

• Four years of applicable experience in maintenance planning for high voltage electric transmission and/or distribution systems, or an advanced degree in an applicable field.
• Arborist Certification.
• Arborist Utility Specialist Certification issued by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), to be obtained within the first three months of employment.
• Willingness to travel.
• Ability to work outdoors in a variety of conditions.
• Aptitude for diagnosing vegetation maintenance problems, determining clearing methods, and scheduling maintenance activities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Project.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

• Six years of applicable experience in vegetation maintenance planning for high voltage electric transmission and/or distribution systems, or an advanced degree in an applicable field.
• Arborist Utility Specialist Certification issued by the ISA.
• Familiarity with CC&B, Clevest, and Maximo work‑management systems.
• Budgeting preparation and analysis experience.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and Project.
• Knowledge of Tucson Electric Power policies and procedures.