About Great River Greening

Great River Greening (Greening) is a leading environmental restoration nonprofit with a mission to inspire, engage, and lead local communities in conserving and caring for the land and water that enrich our lives. Since our start, our small but mighty team has restored more than 60,000 acres of lands across Minnesota and aims to restore another 40,000 in the next five years. At Great River Greening we offer flexibility, a friendly work culture, supportive Board of Directors, and opportunities to grow.

 Great River Greening values Science, Community-Centered Conservation, Partnership, and Education. Great River Greening is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to the principals of equal opportunity regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age or disability, and to cultural engagement, within our organization, within our environmental sector, and in the communities where we live and work.

Urban Forestry Program

Great River Greening aims to expand tree canopies, empower communities, and increase equitable access to green spaces across Minnesota. As the recent recipient of a 5-year, $10 million grant from the USDA Forest Service for the Cooling Minnesota Communities (CMC) project (federal grant ends mid 2029), we are increasing equitable access to the urban tree canopy by planting, distributing, and maintaining trees on city property, school campuses, public housing, community sites, regional parks, and residential homes across communities identified as in-need of tree canopy improvement via the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool.

Position Description

The Urban Forestry Project Manager will manage the day-to-day implementation of confirmed CMC partner relations and contracts, keeping planting, watering, and maintenance work on schedule and on budget once agreements are signed. This position focuses on the project management of Great River Greening's existing municipal and community partnerships. Working closely with the Urban Forestry Specialist and Program Manager, this role tracks contract deliverables and budgets, manages watering and maintenance contracts and plans, and serves as the primary point of contact for partners once a project is underway. This is an implementation and project management role, not a technical forestry position; a background in arboriculture is not required. This is a Temporary full-time position through the end of the USDA grant period (mid 2029).

This is an exempt, full-time position with benefits including health, dental, 401k, LTD, Dependent Care, Health Care FSA, life insurance, and a PTO plan. The salary range for this role is [$55,000 - $62,000] annually. Great River Greening offers a flexible workplace, and staff are currently working hybrid-remotely. This position will require occasional overnight travel within the state.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Partner Contract and Project Management (75%)

• Serve as the primary point of contact for CMC partners once a contract is signed, managing the relationship through the life of the project. This includes existing partners.
• Track deliverables, timelines, and milestones for each confirmed partner contract, flagging risks and keeping projects on schedule.
• Manage project budgets across the partner portfolio: monitor spending, process and track invoices, reconcile expenses against contract terms, and prepare budget reports for internal and funder review.
• Develop, negotiate, and manage watering and maintenance contracts and plans with vendors and partners, ensuring planted trees receive the care called for in each agreement.
• Coordinate with the Urban Forestry Specialist to align contract obligations, watering schedules, and maintenance plans with field activity and planting timelines.
• Support all aspects of tree planting events, including logistics, technical and operational aspects, and leading day of event activities
• Maintain accurate records of contract status, budgets, and deliverables across all active partnerships, and prepare regular progress reports for internal and external stakeholders.
• Identify and resolve contract or budget issues as they arise, escalating to the Program Manager when needed.
• Support contract close-out, including final reporting and documentation.

Other Project Guidance (25%)

• Participate within the Conservation Team and Tree Team to organize, implement, and evaluate strategic goals.
• Support the Program Manager in transitioning newly signed contracts into active implementation.
• Support other Great River Greening projects as needed.

Essential Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or a related field and 3+ years of experience in project management, contract administration, or program coordination. Extensive relevant experience can be substituted for formal education.
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple contracts or projects simultaneously, including budgets, timelines, and deliverables.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to track and report on a portfolio of active agreements.
• Experience with budget monitoring, invoice processing, or financial reporting.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience working directly with external partners or clients.
• A valid driver's license.
• Computer experience with Microsoft Office suite; comfort learning data management or project tracking systems.
• Ability to travel overnight throughout the State of Minnesota.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing grant-funded or government-funded contracts.
• Familiarity with urban forestry, arboriculture, natural resources, or conservation project work.
• Experience working with municipal partners or community stakeholders.
• Experience with data management or project management systems.
• Working knowledge of Minnesota conservation organizations and government agencies.