Director of Sustainability

Job Description
Department:
Facilities Services
Pay Rate Type:
Salary
Employee Type:
Job Summary:Reporting to the assistant vice president of facilities and campus planning, the sustainability director will oversee the office of sustainability and help integrate College campus planning, projects, and operations with academic programs, student and faculty research, civic engagement initiatives, and community outreach. Sustainability and resource conservation are core values and strategic priorities at Colby as demonstrated in part through becoming carbon neutral in 2013. The director will work closely with administrators, faculty, students, and staff to identify, develop, implement, and promote collaborative strategies that advance these core values and strategic priorities.

Primary responsibilities include fostering a culture of sustainability across all operational disciplines of the College and among students, faculty, and staff; identifying and prioritizing areas for institutional sustainability initiatives; planning and developing long- and short-range sustainability programs; engaging with institutional leaders to foster sustainability broadly across campus departments and offices; networking with peer institutions to maintain current working knowledge of sustainability best practices on college campuses; and, representing Colby at regional and national sustainability meetings.

The director is an important member of the Facilities Services leadership team. The director will assist the College in defining sustainability goals, developing performance metrics, and helping to refine long-range plans for sustainability at Colby. The director will also monitor and evaluate program effectiveness, document performance and trends, and recommend modifications to improve institutional effectiveness. Finally, the director will help coordinate sustainability responsibilities assigned to other facilities functions. We encourage inquiries from candidates who will contribute to the diversity of our College, including its cultural and ethnic diversity.

Director of Sustainability

Facilities Services

Full-Time, Exempt, Salaried, Administrative Staff Appointment

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Campus-Wide

• Collaborate with faculty, staff, students, administrators, and campus committees to advance Colby’s leadership in campus sustainability and environmental education
• Direct and facilitate sustainability initiatives in College operations by providing information and assistance to College administration, dining services, information technology services, and other departments and programs; provide information about these efforts to the greater Colby community and externally to Waterville and national sustainability organizations
• Prepare annual greenhouse gas emissions inventory, carbon footprint, and annual sustainability reports; disseminate results and analysis of progress toward carbon neutrality, utility management, and overall campus sustainability in conjuction with department colleagues and consultants
• Lead the environmental advisory group (EAG), consisting of faculty, staff, students, and administrators; work with other campus constituencies to develop and implement strategies for remaining carbon neutral by conservation, seizing energy efficiency and reduction opportunities, use of renewable energy sources, fostering a stronger culture of resource conservation, and evaluating and purchasing carbon credits
• Lead the effort to update the College’s sustainability action plan in order to include all aspects of the campus’s sustainability efforts
• Prepare the College’s Sustainability Tracking and Assessment Rating System (STARS) submission; update the submission annually to keep its information current; disseminate and communicate its results; identify means and methods for continuous improvement
• Liaise with sustainability directors or equivalents at other education institutions, businesses, governments, and the community to share experience and practices and promote collaboration
• Lead and coordinate waste reduction efforts working with dining services, campus life, and other departments on composting efforts at all campus events
• Manage relationships with environmentally-oriented external partners as assigned by the assistant vice president of facilities and campus planning

Academic

• Support the academic mission of the College and present at campus-wide staff, faculty, and student meetings; act as the liaison between academics and operations at Colby in order to create a living laboratory environment for students around sustainability topics
• Aid in the implementation and development of educational materials as needed; provide support to students, faculty, and staff for the development of course content, academic projects, presentations, and experiential opportunities related to sustainability

New Development, Renovations, Operations, and Maintenance

• Provide technical direction for the planning, design, construction, and operation of highly sustainable buildings, systems, and infrastructure; work with capital project teams and building operations teams to integrate sustainable practices in projects, master planning, maintenance, and renewal; ensure that the design, commissioning, and operation of facilities and infrastructure achieve or exceed sustainability goals
• Complete LEED certifications as required, guiding project sustainability consultants
• Complete incentive applications for all campus energy-related projects; perform necessary analyses to maximize financial opportunities for the College; identify, track, and complete incentive and grant opportunities on behalf of the College
• Lead planning, development, and management of projects related to renewable energy for the campus; include economic forecasting, utility generation capacity, and project site concept; review, negotiate, and manage the College’s program and conduct contractual document review as needed; prepare board materials for project approval
• Coordinate the College’s bike share program with campus life and develop methods to expand its use, safety, and security

Community Engagement

• Support campus life engagement in sustainability programs including orientation, community advisors, and Colby outdoor orientation trips (COOT); promote sustainability and educational collaborations with the Office of the Dean of the College
• Direct the College’s EcoRep program, a combination of sustainability-related research and sustainable living programming for the student body; hire, train, and supervise over 20 student employees; direct campus competitions in order to engage the student body; collect metrics documenting the program’s success
• Support student engagement in sustainability programs, including student organizations and individuals
• Direct institutional sustainability activities, including Green Graduation and Earth Week

Communications

• Enhance Green Colby communication and outreach; promote environmental responsibility by generating and managing all content for website, social media, public presentations, newsletters, and other publications as appropriate
• Disseminate information about the College's sustainability advancements and activities in our community and nationally; represent Colby at regional and national campus sustainability meetings; facilitate dialogue and networking with peer institutions
• Work with the Office of Communications to promote coverage of sustainability at Colby and serve as the primary contact for media on sustainability issues; produce internal and external sustainability communications

Administrative

• Oversee the office of sustainability budget, including forecasting, tracking, and verification
• Provide supervisory guidance to staffing levels, training programs, and in planning the use of resources to ensure that the college achieves sustainability goals
• Supervise student interns and a summer research assistant
• Perform additional duties as assigned; duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree or the equivalent in education and experience; advanced coursework a plus
• Five years of experience in management, sustainability, or related programs required; experience in academic setting desired
• Knowledge of sustainability theories and best practices, local, national, and global sustainability and environmental initiatives; familiarity with the networks of organizations (governmental, non-governmental, and academic) involved in advancing sustainability policy and action
• Excellent communication skills including writing, public speaking, and computing skills; demonstrated experience publishing in academic peer-reviewed journals, books, or other professional publications preferred
• Ability to creatively overcome obstacles and be persistent; skilled in working with a diverse community
• Able to work independently, but is an excellent collaborator and team player
• Demonstrated record of personal accomplishments executing sustainability initiatives
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office products including Excel, Powerpoint, and other presentation software

• Valid driver’s license required and must meet the College’s Fleet Safety Policy requirements

KEY RELATIONSHIPS:

This position reports to the assistant vice president of facilities and campus planning and has significant interaction with faculty, staff, and students as well as outside constituents.

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS :

General open office and campus environment. Position involves sitting, although frequent movement is necessary. Walking, standing, bending, and twisting required. Computer usage involving repetitive hand/wrist motion is also necessary. Some travel is required.

TO APPLY :

Interested candidates should apply electronically by clicking the "Apply" button on the Colby College website. Please submit a letter of interest including salary requirements, resume, and the contact information of three professional references. Materials should be addressed to:

Director of Sustainability - Search Committee

A review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.