General Foreman

Guided by Penn Line’s values, ethical principles, and strategic objectives, the General Foreman is the field leader who supports employee development, creates safe and positive work environments, while meeting customer expectations by focusing on the critical foundations of safety, quality, and efficiency to optimize profitability.

Essential Functions

• Promotes and maintains a safety culture where all incidents are preventable by serving as a role model for the safety culture, supporting training and development through the use of field training associates, coaching, and by optimizing resources for safety and communicating safety expectations.
• Serves as a role model of excellent customer service by responding constructively to the needs of all those he/she interacts with daily on behalf of the organization.
• Develops and retains a workforce by serving employee needs, evaluating employee skill levels and fostering a vision and environment that promotes safety, growth and opportunity.
• Supports the performance of the workforce by supplying and delivering the necessary tools, PPE, and supplies.
• Promotes a stable and healthy work environment by managing performance issues, identifying fit for duty concerns, and offering the Employee Assistance Program.
• Manages employee payroll, customer billing and corporate liability by the timely submission of event reports, time sheets, termination forms, notice of performance event forms, and by the management of tailgate meetings and the review of pre-job briefings.
• Manages events by responding to incidents, preserving the scene, assisting training staff in investigation, participating in root cause analysis, and conducting stand-downs with crews.
• Manages crew and project efficiency by defining and communicating expectations, planning, scheduling, and monitoring resources and materials, and adapting to change.
• Attracts talent and hires suitable candidates by engaging Human Resources and other available avenues.
• Manages crews to meet customer needs and quality expectations in a professional manner by understanding the needs of key stakeholders (customers, property owners, employees, government agencies, environmental groups, etc.) through communication, timely storm response, and the allocation of resources to meet those needs.
• Manages environmental stewardship on the job by understanding and complying with regulatory needs and deploying best management practices to meet those needs.
• Manages financial performance by auditing active and inactive work sites to identify opportunities to adjust, by managing resource allocation to include personnel, equipment, tools and subcontractors, and by collaborating with the Area Manager.
• Optimizes equipment availability, maintenance and repairs by supporting preventative maintenance needs, and coordinating with the appropriate resources for needed repairs.
• Optimizes equipment utilization by planning and coordinating with the Area Manager.
• Builds and nurtures customer relationships and retains existing contracts by optimizing safety performance, responding to customer needs, and fulfilling commitments.
• Collaborates with crew members to evaluate safety, quality, efficiency, and employee needs through daily field visitations, ride-a longs, equipment inspections, pre- and post-work inspections, crew audits, and the development and follow up of action plans.
• The general foreman will comply with all performance initiatives and other job-related duties as assigned.
• Minimum Qualifications:
• Minimum of 5 years of tree industry experience as a foreman or equivalent.
• ISA certification herbicide license and CDL license preferred.
• Education/Experience:High school diploma, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Technical Skills: Strong knowledge of tree industry safety standards and requirements, operational methods, mechanized strategies, and best management practices.
• Managerial Skills: Strong knowledge of conflict resolution, employee engagement and the ability to emulate and encourage the culture.
• Other skills and abilities: Excellent oral and written communication skills; strong equipment troubleshooting knowledge; ability to handle confidential information; organization skills; and attention to detail.
• Judgement: Ability to reach logical conclusions based on established evidence. Able to exhibit a high level of confidentiality. Recognizes when to elevate a decision or inform a superior about a decision.
• Planning and Organizing: Ability to plan and organize one’s own activities.
• Follow Up and Control: Ensures that directives have been understood and carried out.
• Adaptability: Ability to process change management initiatives effectively.
• Drive: Demonstrates personal accomplishment and a desire to excel; sets and maintains ambitious standards for achievement and makes things happen. Takes ownership of position. Must be able to identify and resolve problems in a timely manner.

I. Reporting and Key Relationships

• Rep oting Relationship The employee shall report to the Area Manager. The employee is expected to work closely with a variety of departments and Penn Line staff on all relevant matters affecting Penn Line Tree Service, Inc. or otherwise connected with the discharge of the employee’s duties. Key Relationships include customer contacts, the various department managers and key contacts (Accounting, Billing, Claims, Equipment, Human Resources, Payroll), Training managers and embedded staff, embedded equipment repair and transport support, strategic local repair support vendors, local government, adjoining utilities, property owners and environmental groups.

II. Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Frequent light lifting (up to 25 lbs.)
• Ability to hear (aid permitted)
• Infrequent heavy lifting (over 50 lbs.)
• Ability to See
• Sitting more than 5 hours per day
• Ability to write messages
• Occasional kneeling or bending
• Ability to speak clearly
• Ability to traverse rough terrain on foot.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Primarily, work is a mixture of office setting and outdoor jobsite settings.
• Frequent travel required to work group locations and may be exposed to noise, heat and dust and/or hazardous equipment or chemicals.

To perform this job successfully, an employee must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions, absent undue hardship to Penn Line Tree Service, Inc.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities thar are required of the employee. Penn Line Tree Service, Inc. retains the right to change or assign other duties, responsibilities, and activities to this position at any time with or without notice.

Rate of Pay: Varies depending upon Skills and Experience.

Penn Line Tree Service is a multi-state specialty contractor based in Scottdale, PA. Our tree division, which specializes in line clearance work, employs over 1300 employees who work on a year-round basis. You can locate more information on our website at

We are a Drug-Free Workplace.

We encourage minorities and females to apply.

Accessibility: If you need an accommodation as part of the employment process please contact Human Resources at
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In compliance with Federal and State equal employment opportunity laws, qualified applicants are
considered for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital
status, veteran status, non-job related disability, or any other protected group status
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