Beltline Arboretum Associate Director

Join to apply for the Beltline Arboretum Associate Director role at Trees Atlanta

Employment Type: Full-Time

Employment Classification: Exempt

Reports to: Director of Conservation

Apply By: September 12th, 2025

Anticipated

Start Date:

October 29th, 2025

Salary: $70,000-$80,000

Benefits: 403(b) Retirement Savings with Pre and Post-Tax deferral options available on day one (matched at 3% after the first anniversary). Eligible after 90-Day Probationary period:
Paid time off, Paid Holidays including your Birthday, Subsidized Medical and Dental insurance, Ancillary Insurance (Vision, Accident, Critical Illness, d, Legal Shield)

Trees Atlanta is a nationally recognized non-profit community group that protects and improves Atlanta’s urban forest by planting, conserving, and educating. Founded in 1985, Trees Atlanta works tirelessly to address Atlanta’s tree loss, protect its forests, and create new green space. Empowered by its wonderful community of volunteers, Trees Atlanta serves the metro Atlanta area, and has grown to become one of Atlanta’s most widely known and supported non-profit organizations.

Trees Atlanta developed the Atlanta Beltline Arboretum in 2006. The arboretum is the longest linear arboretum in the country and is one of three public gardens in Atlanta.

Trees Atlanta is looking for a qualified and motivated leader to curate existing plantings and energize the continued growth of the Atlanta Beltline Arboretum, which includes planting of new corridor sections and collections, landscape capital improvements, and long-term Arboretum care. This individual will manage all Beltline staff teams and related budgets within Trees Atlanta, and will work with Education and Marketing Directors to promote the Arboretum and develop environmental, ecological and horticultural educational programming in line with Trees Atlanta’s mission.

The Associate Director will also collaborate with designers, directors, and other staff to develop and implement new arboretum spaces.

• Support Trees Atlanta’s mission, and that of the Atlanta Beltline Arboretum, via planting, conservation, and education.
• Oversee and develop strategy and policy around Arboretum collections (general and specialized)
• Supervise two manager-level employees and direct their distinct teams (capital improvements and collections management), comprising 30 permanent staff members
• Identify staffing needs and refine staffing structure in line with predicted future Arboretum growth and development
• Develop management plan and operational guides for continuing aesthetic and performance improvements of plantings
• Provide financial oversight of annual program budgets and billing, as well as contract estimates for capital improvements
• Collaborate and communicate with other departments at Trees Atlanta where intersectionality with the Arboretum occurs, including education, marketing, fundraising, volunteer services, and operations
• Provide input to and implement ecologically sound urban design for the Atlanta Beltline Arboretum, working under contract with Atlanta Beltline Inc. (ABI) in conjunction with the Arboretum Project Manager
• Collaborate with Atlanta Belt Line Inc and the Atlanta Parks Department as needed
• Assist with the development and implementation of remote operations sites for Beltline teams (in conjunction with the Associate Director of Operations)
• Guide changes to Arboretum plantings and programs in order to achieve Level III Arboretum certification by 2030
• Represent Trees Atlanta at meetings with partners, conferences, and Arboretum tours

• A minimum of five years of experience at management level in horticulture, landscape management, or garden management required
• Demonstrated ability to manage a large team
• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in horticulture, landscape design, botany or related field preferred
• Willingness to work in a collaborative nonprofit work environment
• Ability to organize, prioritize and manage multiple simultaneous tasks
• Strong knowledge of taxonomy, plant identification (both native and nonnative), and horticultural best practices
• Experience with GIS software or other accessioning systems
• This…