Assistant Director of Sustainability

If you have any questions about the position or our application process, reach out to us at recruiting-u@smith.edu .

Center for the Environment Job Description

Job Summary

The Assistant Director of Sustainability (ADS) has a leadership, management and educational role at Smith College and in the Center for the Environment, Ecological Design & Sustainability (CEEDS). The ADS is responsible for implementing the college’s sustainability strategy; designing goals and strategies that reflect the college’s commitment to education and industry trends. The ADS serves as a campus resource to link student learning opportunities with faculty research to address campus and community sustainability challenges. The ADS works with departments, programs and committees to promote a culture of environmental sustainability and shared commitment to achieving Smith’s climate and sustainability goals. The ADS supports strategy and management of MacLeish Field Station and associated educational and research goals. The ADS assists with the development of CEEDS mission, vision, goals and programmatic objectives.

Essential Functions

Sustainable Smith (50%):

Develop and implement sustainability initiatives across the college in collaboration with key campus collaborators including Facilities Management, the Botanic Gardens, Students Affairs and Dining Services. Plan and execute broad-based campus engagement efforts. Develop plans for implementation and identify and institute metrics for success and impact. Coordinate closely across departments to create culturally relevant, effective, and meaningful processes, plans and communication.

Contribute to operational policy development including purchasing, planning, operations, facility design and construction, ensuring operations are aligned with the college’s sustainability goals. Help to reset and facilitate change where needed. Work to ensure that environmental justice and equity are included in campus sustainability goals, including creating new approaches.

Assess participation in external reporting and rating systems related to sustainability commitments and oversee completion of external reporting associated with existing sustainability commitments such as the Carbon Commitment and AASHE STARS. Report on Smith’s status and progress relative to these ratings to college stakeholders.

MacLeish Field Station (25%):

Work to support strategy and management of the MacLeish Field Station including educational and research goals. Contribute to landscape management plans that will ensure operation of the field station for faculty and student research, in tandem with maintaining and enhancing ecosystem functioning across existing ecotones. Assist in the completion of larger projects such as strategic planning, research and arts facilitation, or special projects. Assist in land stewardship and maintenance of the field station.

Curricular, co-curricular and research support (15%):

Partner with the Faculty and Administrative Directors of CEEDS, Manager of MacLeish Field station and the Director of the Spatial Analysis Lab to link student learning opportunities, and student and faculty research to regional environmental challenges. This includes both maintaining an understanding of how student projects are engaging departments and programs at Smith and working to ensure that this is reasonable and balanced; and assisting faculty and students in making connections across campus to support use of the campus as a classroom. Work to further Smith College sustainability efforts, as well as design innovative ways to address climate and environmental concerns in Smith’s unique setting in the Pioneer Valley.

Supervise and coordinate the work of student interns who will support operational innovation, communications and Smith community engagement.

CEEDS Administration (10%):

Partner with the Administrative Director of CEEDS to develop and administer the annual budget, and participate in proposal writing, and administration of grant awards.

Work to ensure that campus stories and achievements are updated via the “Sustainable Smith” brand. This will encompass website-content, and/or stories about operational and student sustainability outcomes, particularly where campus as classroom is central, including stories about research and learning at the MacLeish Field Station.

Other duties as assigned.

Other Functions

All employees are expected to participate in the College's efforts to create a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming work environment.

Minimum Qualifications (knowledge, skills, education, experience, certifications, licenses)

Education/Experience: Master’s degree in natural resource management, ecology, environmental studies, sustainability, environmental planning or related field plus a minimum of 7 years of experience or an equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience. Experience with higher education or corporate sustainability, planning or environmental consulting required. Knowledge of land management, especially within a liberal arts context strongly preferred; demonstrated experience of curricular support, and emerging pedagogies and technologies. Experience in experiential educational settings is a plus.

Skills

Excellent communication, problem solving and analytical skills; accuracy and attention to detail; ability to organize and prioritize work effectively; ability to work independently and as part of a team. Proven ability to lead and to work in a collegial and collaborative environment. Ability to apply critical, analytical and innovative thinking to work. Ability to successfully manage projects; prioritize work; and identify and solve problems. Understanding of best practices in application of sustainability and ecological science in research and teaching.

Additional Information

For the care and safety of our community, Smith College requires that all employees be vaccinated as a condition of employment and as such, the incumbent will be required to be immunized against COVID-19 on or before their first day of employment. Proof of vaccination status will be required. Individuals may seek medical or religious exemption with HR, but must do so prior to their arrival.

Please attach BOTH a current resume and a cover letter in order for your application to be considered for this position . Be sure you have provided all attachments before submitting your application. You will NOT be able to attach additional files after you have hit the Submit button.

Review of applications will begin

September 15, 2022

Compensation Grade:

Grade G

Position Type:

Regular

About Smith College

Located in Northampton, MA, Smith College is one of the largest women’s colleges in the country and is dedicated to excellence in teaching and research across the liberal arts. A faculty of outstanding scholars interact with students in small classes, as advisors, and through student-faculty research projects. The College is a member of the Five College Consortium with Amherst, Hampshire and Mt. Holyoke Colleges, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Students cross-enroll and faculty cross-teach across the Five Colleges.

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 151B, it is the policy of Smith College to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment, including the application process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact our recruiting team at recruiting-u@smith.edu .

Diversity and a culture of inclusion among students, staff, faculty, and administration are crucial to the mission and values of Smith College. We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, age, color, religions, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression or veteran status in the recruitment and employment of faculty and staff, and the operation of any of its programs and activities, as specified by all applicable laws and regulations. Women, minorities, veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.