Manager, Midwest Urban Forestry

Our Mission in Action

Trees play a vital role in solving some of the most pressing issues facing our communities, our society, and our world today. For 150 years, American Forests (AF) has stood boldly at the forefront of the conservation movement, working collaboratively and innovatively to ensure that all people have access to the benefits of trees. As we look ahead to the next 150, continued collective action will be essential to securing a healthy, climate-resilient future for all. To support this work, we are looking for a Technical Assistance Manager to join our Urban Forestry Field Delivery team.

Since 2018, AF has been supporting communities by using the power of trees to address environmental injustices faced by the country’s most disadvantaged communities. With this, AF created a bold goal of delivering the needed technical expertise, workforce and funding opportunities, and policy guidance to help U.S. cities commit to and make progress towards Tree Equity across the country. 

American Forests’ Urban Forestry Field Delivery team delivers tools, resources, and technical assistance to city and state leaders. Our team of regional urban forestry specialists serve as AF’s front-line staff to both proactively engage new cities in committing to Tree Equity, while also providing exceptional support and services to cities already advancing progress. 

What You’ll Do

As a part of the Urban Forestry Field Delivery team, the Manager of Midwest Urban Forestry (Manager) work closely with the Director, Pacific Northwest and West Coast Urban Forestry (Director), to deliver best-in-class data tools, planning, and planting support to AF’s partners. 

This role plays a crucial part in deepening and expanding American Forests’ impact in equitable urban forestry across the country, with a focus on the Midwest region, where aging infrastructure, declining tree populations, and limited municipal resources increase vulnerability to heat, flooding, and invasive pests. Priority focus will be on supporting American Forests’ existing Catalyst Fund grantee-partners, primarily municipalities leading local urban and community forestry projects across the region in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

The Manager will foster strong working relationships with municipalities and state agencies in the Midwest (including existing grantee-partners); connect them with American Forests’ tools, resources, and expertise; and deliver technical assistance to address their barriers to prioritizing, planting, managing, and protecting urban trees where they are needed most. 

“Technical assistance” may include developing and implementing strategies around community engagement and management; development of local policies, ordinances, and standards that strengthen protection and management of urban forests; planning and implementation of tree planting, protection, and maintenance programs; cross-team coordination around workforce development, youth, and volunteer engagement; and convening partners at the city‑ or state‑wide scales by hosting meetings, events, or workshops to develop and implement shared visions to advance long‑term urban forestry and Tree Equity goals. 

In providing these and other forms of technical assistance, the Manager will support American Forests’ partners in measurably advancing from planning towards sustained, on‑the‑ground impact in the Midwest.

Under the direction of the Director and the Senior Director of Urban Forestry Field Delivery (Senior Director), the Manager will provide additional support as needed in other regions, including the Northeast and nationally.

Major responsibilities include:

Deliver Expertise to States and Cities (75%)

• Maintain regular communication with grantee partners, city staff, state agencies, community-based organizations and other regional partners to stay informed of their needs, barriers, and gaps.
• Deliver on project scopes, timelines, budgets, and deliverables for assigned technical assistance projects.
• Manage logistics, timelines, and documentation of all project activities.
• Steward partner relationships across the region by responding to requests and tracking local needs to inform our technical assistance approach and offerings.
• Proactively develop new relationships, project opportunities, and technical assistance offerings to grow our impact.

Support Teamwide Initiatives (15%)

• Contribute to workshops, trainings, webinars, and presentations to deliver American Forests’ tools and resources to a variety of audiences, both in the Midweast and nationally.
• Train and assist partners in using Tree Equity Score, Tree Equity Handbook, and other tools and resources to advance local, state and regional Tree Equity programs and projects.
• Contribute to a technical assistance library by identifying and/or developing valuable resources, case studies, and project summaries.

Operations & Administration (10%)

• Manage administrative tasks including scheduling, file organization, expense tracking, and internal coordination.
• Participate in team meetings, trainings, planning sessions, and organization-wide activities.
• Provide support for national initiatives and special projects as capacity and regional priorities allow.
• Manage and report regional project information via Airtable and Microsoft Office tools, including supporting the Director in developing regional project narratives and budget updates upon request. 
• Provide additional support on other duties as assigned to collaborate across the team and ensure the successful delivery and administration of team strategies. 

What We’re Looking For

We don’t expect you to check every single box. If this role excites you, we want to hear from you! We’re interested in your ability to learn, collaborate, and bring fresh perspectives.

• 3-5 years of professional experience in urban forestry or a closely related field, ideally in the Midwest, with familiarity working alongside municipal or state agencies, community‑based organizations, and other local or regional partners.
• Education or credentials in urban forestry, urban planning, landscape architecture, environmental science, or related field preferred. ISA Certified Arborist and/or Certified Urban Forest Professional strongly preferred, or ability to attain certification within 3 months. Candidates should bring a demonstrable knowledge of urban ecology, urban forestry and arboriculture standards and best practice, municipal operations, canopy assessment, and community‑based approaches to tree planting and care. Relevant experience in policy, planning, or community engagement is also valued.
• Ability to learn and apply American Forests’ tools and resources, and to explain technical concepts clearly to partners with varied backgrounds and expertise.
• Experience collaborating with racially, culturally and economically diverse audiences and supporting partnership-based approaches to collaboration, including past participation or leadership in working groups, coalitions, or working teams.
• Experience supporting and coordinating a portfolio of projects in a remote work environment, with the ability to support deliverables, track progress, and contribute to shared performance goals.
• Interest in supporting program sustainability and growth, including assisting with developing project proposals, maintaining documentation, and implementation of funded scopes of work.
• Familiarity with social equity and environmental justice principles, objectives and practices as they relate to urban forestry, community investment, and access to tree canopy.
• Experience working with grants, contracts, or public funding, 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build trust, document work clearly, and support productive partner relationships.
• Highly organized and proactive, with strong attention to detail, comfort working in a dynamic environment, and willingness to help improve team systems and processes over time.
• Commitment to American Forests’ values, which include advancing the interests of all people, embracing all perspectives, prioritizing work not by popularity but what is needed most and empowering people to take action, and a commitment to social and environmental justice.

Reporting and Supervision

The Manager, Midwest Urban Forestry reports to the Director, Pacific Northwest and West Coast Urban Forestry. 

This position will at times collaborate with team members across the Tree Equity department, including Urban Forestry teams working at both national and local scales, as well as Philanthropy, Marketing & Communications, GIS & Data Science, and Policy & Partnerships staff as they support our larger program goals. This position does not have any direct reports at this time.

Working Conditions

This is a remote position based in the United States, with a preference given to candidates in the Midwest or Pacific Northwest.

Up to 15% of travel throughout the U.S. and/or to American Forests’ headquarters in Washington D.C. may be required. 

This position requires the ability to remain in a stationary position (sitting or standing) for extended periods and to operate a computer and other office equipment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to support individuals across the full range of abilities and experiences in performing the essential functions of the job.

Compensation & Benefits

This is a full-time, salaried exempt position. This is a one-year position with extension pending future funding availability. The budgeted salary range is between $50,000 and $65,000.

Our comprehensive benefits package is designed to support employees’ health, financial well-being, and overall quality of life. We offer medical, dental, and vision coverage, along with health and wellness resources such as an Employee Assistance Program, flexible spending accounts, and disability, life, and AD&D insurance. To promote work-life balance, employees receive vacation and sick leave, paid holidays, parental bonding leave, bereavement leave, and military leave. Financial and retirement benefits include a 401(k) plan with a 5% employer match.  

About Us

American Forests is a national non-profit organization committed to creating healthy and resilient forests from cities to large forest landscapes, that deliver essential benefits for climate, people, water, and wildlife. We advance our mission through forestry innovation, place-based partnerships to plant and restore forests, and movement building. We envision a world in which the significant environmental, societal, and economic benefits of forests are fully realized and equitably available to all people. Established in 1875, American Forests is the oldest national non-profit conservation organization in the U.S. working to restoring urban forests and forested landscapes for over 150 years. 

American Forests is proud to be a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible workplace. These are our shared values. We welcome individuals who bring a variety of backgrounds and experiences to be a part of our team to help make a difference individually and collectively as we work toward achieving our mission. We are committed to fostering an environment that is welcoming and respectful and provides opportunities for advancement and professional growth for every team member. 

American Forests is an equal opportunity employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law. Reasonable accommodation may be made to provide access to all individuals along the continuum of human ability and experience.

Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran/LGBTQ+ Encouraged to Apply

In accordance with federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible State or local Agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information is also available in languages other than English.