Senior Program Lead - Strategy and Operations Job Listing at City of Edmonton in Edmonton, AB (Job ID 54129)

Description

Imagine a city where every street is a canopy of green, every park is a thriving ecosystem, and our urban forest grows by two million trees to create a cooler, more climate-resilient future. This isn't just a vision—it's a multi-year mission fueled by a landmark $114 million investment, including the federal 2 Billion Trees grant. By 2031, we aim to transform Edmonton's landscape, having already achieved a record-breaking 484,091 plantings in 2025 alone. We are looking for a visionary leader to take the helm of this monumental project and help us grow a legacy that will span generations.

As the Senior Program Lead - Strategy and Operations, you will oversee the Greener As We Grow capital profile and the 2 Billion Trees grant, as well as support operational-level strategy for the Urban Forestry portfolio. This role is vital for coordinating efforts between Forestry, Naturalization, Finance, and various internal sections to ensure our ambitious planting targets are met on time and within scope. You will manage a significant multi-year budget, oversee complex urban forestry related projects like canopy cover analysis, update the Urban Forest Management Plan and develop long-term implementation plans for the Urban Forest Asset Management Plan. By providing high-level research and professional judgment, you will enable leadership and City Council to make evidence-based decisions that preserve and expand Edmonton's urban forest.

What will you do?

• Develop business cases into actionable project plans to meet the requirements of project sponsors and owners
• Manage complex multi-year budgets ($114M), including financial forecasting, monitoring expenses, and providing detailed variance explanations
• Provide coordination and often be the lead contact for the Urban Forestry Leadership Team when there is need for cross-portfolio coordination (e.g. budget planning, work plan creation, council reports, section and branch projects)
• Oversight of the Corporate Tree Reserve for the Urban Forestry team including working with Finance to plan, forecast, and track deposits and withdrawals
• Ensure compliance with federal guidelines for the 2 Billion Trees grant, including tracking and quarterly reporting of expenses
• Lead the planning for high-profile initiatives and project management of the update of the 10-year Urban Forest Management Plan
• Project manage updates to the Urban Forest Asset Management Plan every 4 years, champion its implementation and report on progress.
• Work with the City's Geospatial team to execute canopy cover analysis contracts every 4 years
• Act as a lead liaison and spokesperson, preparing and delivering presentations for leadership, internal meetings, and external conferences
• Collaborate with invested parties and engagement participants to gather and incorporate feedback into future management plans
• Oversee project support staff to ensure daily operational requirements and deliverables are completed in a timely manner
• Analyze and benchmark existing City of Edmonton Urban Forest Management Plans and Urban Forest Asset Management Plan, against best practices from other North American municipalities; identify strategic improvement when updating Edmonton's plan
• Conduct surveys and gather data on urban forest resources, including tree inventory, species composition, and canopy cover, using the latest technology and techniques
• Incorporate new strategies and initiatives for maintaining and improving urban forest health, including planting programs, pruning and maintenance schedules, and pest and disease management