Director of Public Space

The Horticultural Society of New York (the Hort) seeks a Director of Public Space Operations. This individual enjoys a busy, multi- site, mission-driven environment, can prioritize tasks as needed to meet short deadlines, works hard with a can-do attitude; is able to adapt and excel in rapidly changing circumstances; is highly collegial, a team player, and pays excellent attention to the detail.

The Director of Public Space Operations will work directly with the Senior Director of Programming, Partnerships, and Public Space to ensure the success of all public space operations on Open Streets and public plazas maintained by The Hort. They will directly manage the Assistant Director of Public Space Operations, Program and Operation Managers, field operations and field staff support. They will also serve as a point of contact for external partners for operations.

The mission of The Horticultural Society of New York is to improve human lives through horticulture. Our social service and public programs create green spaces in all neighborhoods as a vital part of social infrastructure, train people for jobs that grow and sustain green communities, and develop fresh approaches to improve New Yorkers’ health, well-being, and environment through horticulture.

Responsibilities Include

Public Space Management

Oversee all day-to-day management of public spaces including
Ensuring all sites receive required operations as directed by DOT
Informing community- based Public Space partners of regular operations and operational changes in a timely manner
Reporting issues to the appropriate parties as needed
Direct the Assistant Director in Site Operations in building sustainable systems for operations, field guides, and schedules
Ensure the schedule is created, updated, and runs smoothly (all operational needs are met)
Manage the Programs and Operations Managers, who oversee day to day management of field staff and HORTNYC (workforce development) trainees
Support managers in training staff on site operations
Support managers in mediation with staff, and performance management of teams
Support managers in day-to-day management of staff and trainees

HORTNYC Support

Provide support to managers working with HORTNYC trainees by developing strategies to enhance skills and improve performance.
Support conversations between HR, HORTNYC partner organizations, and managers to promptly address and resolve trainee development opportunities.
Commitment to person-centered approaches to coaching, supervision, and performance management strategies, leading with empathy while upholding employees’ dignity, growth, and self-determination in their professional development

Coordination

Serve as a point of contact for city and community partners around public space issues
Collaborate internally on programs that will leverage all The Hort’s strengths to support public spaces, staff and HORTNYC trainees

Administrative

Support Budgeting for public space work
Manage timely and accurate completion of payroll information to Administration for staff
Lead performance management conversations for your direct reports while also supporting managers in conducting performance management discussions with their teams

Required Qualifications

5+ Years of Experience managing staff who work at the manager level or higher
Familiar with a range of communitybased organizations
and New York City agencies
Highly organized with proven ability to meet deadlines and budgets
Outstanding leadership skills and ability to simultaneously lead teams in decentralized work settings
Experience working with individuals who have faced barriers to employment
Ability to take ownership of all tasks and manage them simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail
Outstanding verbal communication and superior writing skills
Management style grounded in empathy and guided by trauma-informed principles.
Ability to handle sensitive information with the highest level of confidentiality
Proficient in Microsoft Office suite or similar platform
All employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before their start date

Physical Requirements

Ability to lift, push, and/or pull objects up to approximately 40 pounds
Comfort working seated at a desk and on a computer for prolonged periods of time.
Comfort traveling across NYC using public transportation

Benefits

The Hort offers all Full-Time regular employees a generous Paid Time Off package, termed Life Insurance Policy and Employee Assistance Program. Pre-tax benefits include transit, Flexible Spending Account, medical, dental, and vision insurance.

Additional Details

Salary Range: $85,000- $90,000 annual salary
Schedule: 8am- 4pm and 12:30pm-8:30pm, Saturday-Wednesday. 40 (Minimum) Weekends will be required and scheduled annually, and one pm shift (12:30-8:30pm) will be scheduled weekly.
Employment Classification: Full-Time Regular, Exempt
Reports To: Senior Director of Programming, Partnerships, and Public Space

How to Apply

To be considered, click here to submit your application and required materials. Only complete applications will be reviewed. No phone calls.

Please be advised that due to the high volume of applicants, we can only contact candidates whose skills and background best fit the needs of the open positions. We appreciate your interest in employment opportunities at The Horticultural Society of New York.

The Hort is committed to workplace diversity and inclusion. It is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, religion, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, political orientation or any other characteristic protected by federal state or local law.

We provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations are also available for these individuals during the hiring process. Please email jobs@thehort.org should you require reasonable accommodation during the hiring process.

The Horticultural Society of New York

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Director of Public Space