Tree Crew/Right-of-Way Foreman

Company Description

Noble REMC: Where safety is the standard and members are the priority.

Founded in 1936 in Albion, Indiana, Noble Rural Electric Membership Cooperative (REMC), a Touchstone Energy Cooperative, has provided electricity and other services to rural residents for more than 85 years.

Our local electric cooperative delivers electricity to nearly 10,000 members in Noble, DeKalb and six other surrounding counties in northeast Indiana, spanning more than 1,250 miles of energized line.

Although located in Albion, the cooperative considers its entire service territory as its community. Noble REMC is a leader in local economic and community development, and many of our employees and directors have been, and continue to be, an integral part of a range of community organizations.

As a Touchstone Energy Cooperative, we are among more than 700 other rural electric cooperatives who have pledged to maintain high expectations for customer service, integrity, accountability, innovation, and community service.

Job Description

As a Right-of-Way Foreman you will be responsible for developing and maintaining an effective and efficient right-of-way program to provide adequate and uninterrupted electric service to all members of the cooperative, at the lowest possible cost, consistent with sound business practices.

Essential Functions

• Coordinates and controls the right-of-way program including spraying, trimming, and brushing programs.
• Ability to train employees to safely perform right-of-way trimming and vegetation management.
• Performs duties required to maintain adequate right of way clearing for distribution lines such as tree trimming and clearing vegetation around and near utility power lines.
• Communicates with members regarding any tree trimming work on their property.
• Provides weed control at substations, three-phase banks, recloser locations, regulator and air brake switch locations and other areas where special equipment may be located.
• Is available for on-call duties.
• Maintains essential job-related equipment.
• Ability to sharpen, repair and maintain chainsaws and related equipment.
• Ability to be an off-site traffic control to protect workers.

OTHER FUNCTIONS

• Assists with the Right-of-Way budget.
• Works with other departments to provide assistance as needed.
• Certified and regularly trained in first aid, CPR certification.
• Attend safety meetings, job training and such specialized training as may be assigned.
• Ability to perform underground utility locating.
• Ability to install and remove meters.
• Ability to identify trees and vegetation by their common name.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Interviews, selects, appoint, and terminate immediate staff, subject to the CEO’s approval. Reviews the selection and termination of personnel reporting to staff in the section, subject to the CEO’s approval.
• Lead and manage the Right-of-Way crew.
• Coaches and mentors crew leaders in their front-line safety roles.
• Supervises and inspects all contractors working on right-of-way.
• Authorizes all non-emergency overtime.
• Develops, implements, and ensures compliance with department policies and procedures.
• Create and manage employee schedules and allocate/oversee day to day work.
• Conduct performance reviews and coach employees to optimal performance.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual should have an equivalent of the following education and/or experience.

• High School diploma or GED is required.
• Valid Indiana Class A CDL driver’s license.
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience as a lineman or tree trimming/vegetation management experience.
• Knowledge of RUS (Rural Utility Service) clearance standards, construction, and distribution voltage.
• National Electric Safety Code and Cooperative safety rule knowledge.
• Knowledge of chemical use to control vegetation.
• Knowledge of licenses and permits needed for chemical spraying.
• Knowledge of trees and vegetation.
• Must be able to obtain and retain a state chemist license.
• Must have or obtain forklift license and bucket truck rescue certification.

Additional Information

What's in it for you!

• Starting salary of $68,010 or more based on skills and experience.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Health Savings Account.
• Immediate eligibility for paid time off.
• 10 paid holidays.
• National discounts.
• On-site fitness center.
• Life, short-term disability and long-term disability insurance.
• Fully funded pension.