Director Operations and Client Service

Grow With Trees (GWT) is an environmental consulting company inspired by the prospect that humanity can learn a lot from trees about how to co-exist on Earth for millennia. GWT works with individual electric, gas, and solar companies as well as industry associations, research institutions, government agencies, and non-profits to promote environmental stewardship through integrated vegetation management (IVM). GWT provides a suite of socialization, training, planning, and reporting services to help organizations integrate habitat and biodiversity management into their sustainable business operations.

JP Associates Consulting, LLC has been engaged to help GWT recruit for this Director position.  We are looking for an experienced operational leader with demonstrated success leading and expanding businesses.  Our business and our team are growing rapidly, and we are seeking a hands-on business leader who can increase market penetration and product diversity, build scalable infrastructure and processes, while delivering employee and client satisfaction. The ideal candidate will have a passion to have a positive impact on the environment and bring an entrepreneurial spirit to collaborate with the owner(s) on the future of the organization.

Reporting to the founder/owner(s), this Director will work closely with them to amplify and commercialize their holistic approach to transform vegetation management programs towards the mission of helping utilities steward the lands they manage, foster wildlife habitat and community engagement, and build pride among their employees and contractors.

Key Accountabilities

1. Create and implement short- and medium-term strategies to meet or exceed business objectives.
2. Lead marketing strategy and grow/expand business (sales and business development) for year-over-year growth.
3. Oversee product and service delivery and ensure client satisfaction and retention.
4. Implement and continuously improve repeatable, sustainable processes for excellence in operations.
5. Lead, mentor, and manage employees to achieve company goals for employee satisfaction and retention. This includes the lifecycle of employees-hiring, onboarding, training, performance management, development planning, corrective action, and terminations (compliance and GWT HR practices).
6. Foster company culture aligned with vision and values.
7. Manage budgeting, forecasting, and resource allocation to meet budgetary goals and optimize cost-efficiency.
8. Establish and report on KPIs and metrics to track team performance, client health, and business outcomes.

The successful candidate will have:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, environmental science, natural resources management, ecology, biology, sustainability, organizational leadership, or relevant field or equivalent experience. Master’s degree in business administration (MBA), environmental management, or organizational development is preferred.
• 10+ years of experience leading operational functions requiring business development (i.e., growing the business, creating and executing business strategies that grow and strengthen the organization). Experience managing a P&L is preferred.
• Industry experience either within the environmental services, conservation, land management, sustainability, or utility sector is Experience successfully communicating with C-suite executives is a plus.
• Existing familiarity with or ability to quickly learn (within the first six months) the basics of utility vegetation management, integrated vegetation management, integrated habitat management, compatible species management, and related topics to facilitate credible and informed interactions with clients and service/product delivery around vegetation management techniques, early succession ecosystem responses, and plant identification.
• Proven track record developing operational systems, scaling service delivery, and leading teams through organizational change.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills. Demonstrated experience managing and motivating high-performing, cross-functional teams.
• Strong client focus and relationship building skills to establish trust, respect, competence, and confidence effectively and quickly with internal and external stakeholders.
• Natural self-starter, strategic thinker, decisive, high energy, and can-do attitude.
• Strong organizational, project/program management, and analytical problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrates high ethical and professional standards.

This position is fully remote (ideally based in eastern or central time zones) with an ability to travel up to 15% for client visits, GWT meetings/events, and conferences.

Salary commensurate with experience.