Open Space and Horticulture Supervisor
HIRING RANGE: $6,714-$7,557 monthly
To watch our Recruitment Video and hear from our team click here.
About the Position:
The City of Grand Junction is seeking an Open Space and Horticulture Supervisor to assist and support a wide range of park maintenance and operations activities. Our Parks Department is responsible for maintaining City parks, cemeteries, athletic facilities, forestry, open space, irrigation systems, turf, and horticultural areas. This Parks Maintenance Supervisor leads day-to-day field operations for the department’s Horticulture and Open Space programs, supervising staff and coordinating contractors to deliver safe, high-quality, and environmentally responsible maintenance across parks, trails, natural areas, and landscaped public spaces. The position is hands-on and field-oriented, balancing trail maintenance, vegetation management, and habitat restoration with greenhouse production, manicured landscape care, and right-of-way landscape maintenance. This role plans and assigns work, ensures adherence to safety and best practices, monitors productivity and service levels, and supports budgeting, scheduling, and resource planning to meet community expectations and respecting natural resource stewardship.
About Our Culture:
At the City of Grand Junction, we lead the way with continuous improvement, collaborative partnerships, and exemplary service. Our core values are demonstrated by our willingness to challenge the status quo, ability to work together using all areas of expertise to achieve a common goal, and commitment to fulfilling the needs of our community through thoughtful interactions.
What You'll Do:
- Supervise, assign, and review the work of parks maintenance staff; participate in hiring, training, performance management, and corrective action as needed
- Assist in developing program goals, policies, and procedures; evaluate operations and recommend improvements
- Participate in annual budget development, forecasting, and expenditure monitoring for assigned programs
- Serve as a safety officer for assigned divisions, providing OSHA and City safety training and ensuring proper chemical handling and documentation
- Coordinate equipment needs, prepare bid specifications, requisition supplies, and maintain inventory levels
- Assist with capital improvement projects, including reviewing plans, designing landscapes and irrigation systems, creating and implementing restoration plans, making recommendations for acquisitions, and overseeing contractors
- Inspect work in progress and completed projects to ensure compliance with City, departmental, and safety standards
- Our Open Space properties are diverse, with riparian areas along the Colorado River to high desert landscapes highlighting world renown mountain bike trails
- More than 30 miles of hiking trails, over 9 miles of hard surface trails
- Grand Junction is in a unique region of Colorado, its high desert landscapes are botanically unique, where multiple ecosystems collide (Colorado Plateau, Great Basin, and Rocky Mountain Flora)
- Our Horticulture Division produces over 60,000 annual flowers and 5,000 perennials and shrubs, annually. Shifting our focus to regionally appropriate landscapes, we utilize partnerships with other stake holders to take cutting and harvest seed, propagating plants in our own greenhouse/nursery
- The Supervisor will lead the integration of horticulture and open space management to create cohesive, ecologically functional landscapes that reflect the unique character of the Grand Valley. This role blends design, operations, and stewardship—ensuring that managed landscapes and natural systems complement and reinforce one another.
To view the full job description for Parks Maintenance Supervisor, click here .
What We're Looking For:
- Four (4) years of responsible parks and open space maintenance and/or construction experience, including at least one (1) year of administrative and/or lead supervisory experience over multiple crews.
- High School Diploma or GED, supplemented by specialized training in environmental science, horticulture, landscape maintenance, or a related field.
- Possession of, or the ability to obtain, a valid Colorado Driver License, Pesticide Applicator License, and ISA Certified Arborist.
- Possession of, or ability to obtain, the City of Grand Junction Leadership Track certification within two (2) years of appointment.
Other combinations of experience and education that meet the minimum requirements may be substituted.
This position is a safety-sensitive position, which means you will be subject to random drug screens due to the nature of the work performed.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and oversee landscapes that merge horticultural design with native high desert and riparian systems
- Guide plant selection, water use, and maintenance practices toward climate-adapted, sustainable outcomes
- Lead and implement riparian and high desert restoration projects to improve ecological function and resilience
- Serve as a community educator and regional leader , influencing landscape practices through outreach, partnerships, and demonstration projects
- Identify and pursue opportunities to expand the City’s open space portfolio , including land acquisition and conservation partnerships
- Build and maintain relationships with stakeholders, agencies, nonprofits, and landowners
- Align daily operations with long-term stewardship and land management goals
Ideal Candidate
- Strong background in horticulture, ecology, landscape architecture, or natural resource management
- Experience with arid-land and riparian plant communities and restoration practices
- Ability to connect design intent with practical maintenance and operations
- Skilled communicator with a passion for community engagement and education
- Strategic thinker with experience in partnership-building and land conservation efforts
Notice to Applicants:
In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, we kindly request that you do not include the dates of your education to include years of attendance or graduation on your application, resume or attachments.
City Employee Health Clinic:
The City is committed to supporting the health and well-being of employees and their families. Our near-site Sage Health & Wellness Center offers free or low-cost healthcare services for employees and dependents enrolled in a City health plan. Services include preventive care, health assessments and coaching, treatment for common illnesses, lab services, physical therapy, a medical massage therapist, and behavioral health counseling. The clinic also offers wellness programs, challenges, and classes that empower employees and their families to stay healthy and thrive.
Explore the Area:
Grand Junction, Colorado is the gateway to the mountains and canyonlands of western Colorado and eastern Utah. Centrally located between Denver, CO (250 miles east) and Salt Lake City, UT (270 miles west), Grand Junction is surrounded by 1.2 million acres of public land. Residents enjoy world-class whitewater rafting on the Colorado and Green Rivers, golfing, fishing, skiing and snowboarding, and exploring mountain bike and hiking trails through the Colorado National Monument and the Grand Mesa National Forest. Grand Junction has a robust downtown and hosts multiple art, music, food, and market events annually. With a population of over 150,000 in Mesa County (65,000 within the City limits) we have many of the big town amenities without the big town stresses such as traffic and trail congestion. With an average of 245 days of sunshine, Grand Junction is the perfect place to work and play. h
Learn more about our area on Visit Grand Junction's website and Instagram !
At the City of Grand Junction, we proudly operate as an Equal Opportunity Employer, purposely building an inclusive workforce representative of various cultures, perspectives, and experiences. We believe in respect for all and do not discriminate based on hair, race, color, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status or any other status protected by applicable federal, state or local law.
If you have any questions or need assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please contact our Human Resources office at 970.244.1512.
