Location East Lansing
Job-type Permanent
Salary €Competitive
Reference 17827

Reporting to the Executive Vice President for Administration, the Director of Sustainability is responsible for fostering a culture of sustainability on MSU campus by identifying, coordinating, and serving as a catalyst for units and individuals who are implementing sustainability programs; and engaging with executive campus leadership, faculty, staff, and students to foster sustainability broadly across campus units. The Director of Sustainability will also develop the annual sustainability planning priorities for the campus; identify annual expected outcomes and coordinate appropriate evaluation of these efforts.

More specifically this individual is expected to:

  • Provide technical expertise, knowledge, and guidance in support of sustainable practices in the planning, design, construction, and operations phases for both new and renovation of campus buildings, systems, and infrastructure projects; work with capital project teams and building operation teams to integrate sustainable practices in projects, master planning, maintenance, and renewal.

  • Foster the development of a university-wide centralized sustainability communication plan and digital repository, which is designed to create awareness and transparency in sustainability structures, strategic planning goals, imperatives and priorities for action, annual reporting outcomes, continuous progress updates/developments, and a culture of shared responsibility.

  • Promote sustainability awareness through basic university operations ranging from HR to student activities to classroom instruction, to name a few. This awareness should pervade university culture and aid the successful candidate in representing MSU at appropriate sustainability meetings/conferences, facilitating sustainability dialogue and networking with peer and aspirational institutions

Key Duties/Responsibilities:

  • Lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive sustainability and climate plan to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. Facilitate and manage MSU's Sustainability initiatives, set priorities in collaboration with academic and administrative personnel, co-chair the University Sustainability Steering Committee, and support the campus to refine, track, and implement campus sustainability goals and benchmarks.

  • Manage MSU external sustainability memberships and commitments, and coordinate, guide, and prepare greenhouse gas emissions inventory, carbon footprint, and sustainability reporting.

  • Provide expertise, strategic guidance and support on sustainability goals and practices to operational units and academic divisions. Advocate for the implementation of campus sustainability and resiliency events, programs policies, and procedures.

  • Identify funding opportunities for innovation and increased educational efforts that ensure the university is a mindful environmental steward.

  • Create a central space for coordination and communication of campus sustainability activities, educational initiatives, noteworthy campus achievements, reporting and national rankings. Lead university-wide cross-functional teams for large scale climate neutrality and sustainability initiatives.

  • Integrate sustainability into the classroom. Build bridges between operations, teaching, and research to establish MSU as a living, learning laboratory in which students can learn and apply sustainability principles and techniques.

  • Manage the Office of Sustainability budget and campus sustainability funds, including forecasting and annual reporting.

  • Maintain current working knowledge of, and ensure compliance with, all applicable local, state, federal, and internal environmental laws and regulations related to sustainability.

  • Identify and facilitate training as needed.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Oversee the overall execution, mission, and efficacy of the sustainability program and department. May provide first, second and/or third level supervision over regular and student employees.

Click apply now or contact Jenny Han Simon direct via email: jenny.hansimon@acre.com.