READY Crew Leader

Reports to: Landscape Foreman

Job Overview: 

A READY Crew Leader is responsible for leading a team of crew members to provide environmental services, including the installation and maintenance of landscaping projects such as conservation landscapes and rain gardens, in addition to performing maintenance and assessments of stream restoration sites, removing debris from waterways, and more.  

Working with operational staff, the Crew Leader helps to coordinate and implement the work plan for each day.  The Crew Leader ensures that their crew meets the specified objectives in performing their work.  They are also responsible for ensuring that team members have and use the skills and training necessary to complete their assignments correctly, safely, and in a timely manner.  The Crew Leader motivates their team and participates in the professional development of the Crew Members.  As the first line of supervision, Crew Leaders are responsible for handling disciplinary matters, which may include escalating issues to higher-level management. Above all, the Crew Leader is responsible for the safety of their crew and ensuring protocols are enforced to create a healthy work environment.

Through the READY program, Howard EcoWorks provides training in identifying native and invasive plants, construction techniques for environmental restoration projects, proper tool usage and care, and more.  The READY program also includes soft-skills training and exposure to different opportunities in the environmental industry.

Responsibilities & Duties:

• Manage and report crew attendance and billing
• Enforce proper safety protocols at all times
• Train crew how to properly use, store, and care for all equipment, tools, materials
• Lead and supervise crews in proper construction and maintenance of environmental landscaping projects, removal of debris from waterways, removal of invasive species and more
• Plans, executes, and assesses the day-to-day activities of the crew to ensure adherence to project schedules
• Reads, interprets, and implements Work Plans, Landscape Designs, and Planting Plans, and uses them to guide the crew to correctly perform the work
• Driving company vehicles to transport crew and materials to job sites 
• Cares for the company vehicles on a daily and weekly basis by adhering to the standard operating procedures
• Ensure the crew delivers EcoWorks services timely, efficiently, and of expected quality including communication with customers and staff
• Provide and support field skills training to crew members
• Oversees clean up of job sites and the proper storage and/or disposal of materials 
• Communicates and documents progress and issues to Landscape Foreman
• Assists in construction and maintenance work as needed

Qualifications & Requirements:

• Must be between the ages of 18 – 25
• Must be a Howard County Resident
• Must have a valid driver’s license and a clean driving record
• Proven track record of strong leadership, communications, and process improvement skills
• Must be dependable
• Ability to work in a variety of outdoor settings including forests and streams
• Must meet our required level of proficiency for safely driving a truck and trailer
• Able to stand, bend, squat, and lift up to 40 pounds repetitively throughout a day
• Must have reliable transportation to the initial job site (office)
• May need to use their personal vehicle during the course of work.  Mileage is reimbursed at the then-applicable IRS rates

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience with READY or UpLift programs
• Passion and/or interest in the outdoors
• Experience in landscaping or environmental fieldwork
• Flexible with changes in day to day tasks

Wage: $17.00/hr

Benefits:

• Paid sick leave – 1 hour of Sick and Safe Leave accumulated for every 30 hours worked, accumulating up to 40 hours per year.  Accrual starts on the first day of employment and one is eligible to use Sick and Safe Leave after the completion of 30 days of employment
• Option to enroll in the EcoWorks 401(k) plan

Job Timeline:

This is a full-time, hourly, seasonal position that begins on June 10th, 2024 and ends on August 16th, 2024. Hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., including a half-hour unpaid lunch break and 2 paid 15-minute breaks per day.  There are no paid holidays.  Weekend work opportunities may be available but are not mandatory.  Work in the field is weather-dependent, which may result in shortened work weeks.  Indoor training and professional development opportunities may be offered on bad-weather days, when possible.