Overview
About the Park and the Central Park Conservancy
Central Park is one of the most famous and beloved urban public spaces in
the world. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in 1857, the
843-acre park was the first purpose-built public park in the country and is a
National Historic Landmark. The Central Park Conservancy, a private
not-for-profit organization, was founded in 1980 to rescue the Park which had
fallen into serious disrepair. Since that time, the Conservancy has overseen
the investment of approximately $1 billion in the restoration of the Park, and
now hosts over 40 million visitors a year.
The Conservancy’s mission is to preserve and celebrate Central Park as a
sanctuary from the pace and pressures of city life, enhancing the enjoyment and
wellbeing of all. The City of New York has formally entrusted the care of the
Park to the Conservancy which is responsible for every aspect of the Park’s
care, including landscape maintenance, capital improvements, and the visitor
experience. Committed to sharing the best practices in urban park management,
the Conservancy also serves as a resource for other NYC parks and for
public-private partnerships around the world. The Conservancy employs
approximately 400 people and has an operating budget of $100 million.
The Position
Working under the general supervision of the Assistant Manager of
Landscape Management, the Foreperson is responsible for the daily direction of
staff working at a pre-determined maintenance schedule and ensuring all work
meets acceptable organizational practice of an assigned section. It is
expected that the Foreperson will work across departments and with other staff
on Park Operations to perform their primary tasks.
Location
Section 2-Encompases
the 72nd Street Cross drive to the 86th Street Transverse
Road.
Primary Tasks
Responsibilities
- Work alongside
- and provide direction to Groundskeepers and Gardeners, care for and
- maintain all landscapes, hardscapes, playgrounds, and perimeter in
- assigned section
- Provides
- instruction to and guides Groundskeepers and Gardeners in the proper
- techniques of landscape management and in the proper use and care of
- tools, equipment, and materials
- Monitor and
- ensure employee engagement, productivity, compliance, and status of work
- assignments
- Ensures all
- work is in accordance with established annual work plan
- Inspects and
- ensures all work is performed to meet organizational standards of methods
- and practices, safety, and other established requirements
- Perform mowing,
- string trimming, watering, weeding, seeding, raking, sweeping and other
- related duties as assigned including maintaining all athletic and
- ballfields
- Install and
- repair fence as needed
- Ensure the
- removal of all trash from landscape, gardens, grounds, hardscape, and
- facilities in a section; collaborate with Park Maintenance on inspections
- and notifications of unsatisfactory conditions.
- Supervise the
- snow removal program and perform duties of snow removal, with machines and
- physical labor
- Maintain tools
- and equipment in good working order and report items that require repair
- Operate various
- types of equipment including light or medium weight trucks and tractors
Collaboration
- Cooperate with
- other staff within the department and other department personnel in
- completing assigned tasks
- Assist in the
- preparation of special events as needed
- Assist in the
- coordination with Assistant Manager and Volunteer Coordinator of volunteer
- projects, mentor interns
- Interact with
- Park patrons in a professional manner
- Daily reports
- of malfunctioning infrastructure, furnishings, safety hazards, quality of
- life issues, Including taking action to remedy the situations.
Related Work
- Respond to
- emergency situations including, but not limited to, storms and snow events
- Keep simple
- records and make written reports
- Perform related
- work as assigned
Minimum Requirements
- Bachelor’s
- Degree from accredited college in a related field; 3 years of increasingly
- responsible experience in maintenance work in the field of Landscape
- Management; demonstrated ability to work well and collaborate with others;
- or
- Education
- and/or experience equivalent to “1” above. However, all candidates must
- have demonstrated the ability to work well and collaborate with others
- Valid Drivers’
- License that must be maintained for duration of employment
- Possess a
- fundamental understanding and knowledge of urban park landscape
- maintenance using modern practices
Abilities Required
- Ability to
- provide both oral and written communication that is easily understood and
- direct in its content
- Ability to
- engage in critical thinking skills that allow for prioritizing issues,
- coordinating multiple projects and problem solve
- Possess a
- fundamental understanding and knowledge of landscape management;
- ornamental and native plant material, cyclical care including planting,
- pruning, weed management and health care issues.
- Knowledge of
- computer equipment and Microsoft Office applications
- Ability to work
- overtime, weekends and holidays as needed
- Ability to lift
- 50 lbs. and perform heavy physical labor on a daily basis in all weather
- conditions
Salary range: $47K-$58,300 (based on level of experience)
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
The Central Park Conservancy’s work is guided by the belief that Central
Park, and all public parks, must be managed and actively protected as an
inclusive and democratic space for all.
Working closely with our New York City partners, we will always
strive towards creating and sustaining a sense of belonging for all visitors
and advocating for equitable and accessible public use of the park.
In service of this belief, we are committed to fostering a
workforce and organizational culture that is as diverse as Central Park itself
and the dynamic city it serves.
Safety Requirements
Establishment and maintenance of a safe work environment is the shared
responsibility of this organization and employees at every level. The
Conservancy will make every effort to assure a safe environment and follow
federal, state, and local safety regulations. Employees are expected to
obey safety rules and to exercise caution in all their work activities.
Accordingly, employees should be aware of any hazards, which could cause an
injury or accident (e.g., spills, obstacles in walkways, etc.). If an employee
discovers a potentially dangerous condition, he/she should alert other
employees and notify his/her supervisor immediately.
Disclaimer
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and
level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification.
They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities,
duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may
be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from
time to time, as needed