Vegetation Management / Program Manager - Amarillo, TX

About the position

The Vegetation Management / Program Manager at Xcel Energy is responsible for overseeing the effective and efficient use of contractor resources in vegetation management, ensuring safety, customer satisfaction, and regulatory compliance. This role involves coordinating various vegetation management operations, including distribution and transmission line clearance, landscape maintenance, and weed abatement, while serving as a liaison between multiple departments and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the development of the asset management strategy and annual Book of Work for the assigned geographic area.
• Identify work based on information from company systems, databases, and field estimates.
• Negotiate annual performance targets with VM management, Asset Management, and VM contractors.
• Work closely with contractor management/supervision to identify 'best-value' crew complement and special maintenance requirements.
• Perform day-to-day contract administration and field checks/audits of VM contractor work.
• Review and approve contractor time and activity reports, as well as various timesheet and invoicing documents.
• Perform root cause analysis of tree-related outages and monitor expenditures relative to budget.
• Review monthly scorecards and productivity reports, conducting quarterly PDCA meetings with contractor management.
• Coordinate the execution of work for electric circuit/ROW and facility maintenance and inspection.
• Coordinate emergency storm work as needed on a 24/7 basis.
• Coordinate with contractors and Design to review distribution and transmission construction jobs requiring tree work.
• Enter various field data into Company systems in a timely and accurate manner.
• Assist in developing department responses to internal/external information requests.
• Communicate with appropriate personnel regarding maintenance plans, customer complaints, refusals, inquiries, and damage claims.
• Work closely with Federal, State, and local Government agencies as needed.
• Notify municipalities of annual circuit maintenance and maintain communication with appropriate municipality personnel.
• Participate on daily management and problem-solving teams.

Requirements

• 5 years' experience in utility vegetation management operations.
• Associate's degree in forestry, Arboriculture, or equivalent (preferred).
• Prior project or program management experience (preferred).
• Experience working with geospatial work management software (preferred).
• International Society of Arboriculture Certification and Certified Applicator pesticide license (preferred).

Nice-to-haves

• Experience working with geospatial work management software.
• International Society of Arboriculture Certification.
• Certified Applicator pesticide license.

Benefits

• Health savings account
• Paid holidays
• Disability insurance
• Dependent care reimbursement
• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• 401(k)
• Flexible spending account
• Tuition reimbursement
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Employee assistance program
• Vision insurance
• Gym membership
• Life insurance