Director of Sustainability

Department: Dean of Strategic Planning and Academic Resources

Duration of Position: Full year / Full time

Position Type: Administrator

Posting Date:

Posting Removal Date: Open Until Filled

Posting Number: 1001567

About Vassar College

Located in the scenic Mid-Hudson Valley, Vassar College is a highly selective, residential, coeducational liberal arts college. Vassar is strongly committed to fostering a community that reflects the values of a liberal arts education and to promoting an environment of equality, inclusion and respect for difference. Vassar College is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer, and applications from members of historically underrepresented groups are especially encouraged. Vassar College is a tobacco free/smoke free campus.

Position Summary and Responsibilities

Reporting to the Dean of Strategic Planning and Academic Resources, the Director of Sustainability is responsible for leading operational and strategic initiatives that further the College’s commitment to sustainability. The Director will engage campus stakeholders and partner with relevant administrative offices and faculty to innovate, implement, and steward sustainability efforts as a balance of environmental, social, and financial responsibilities. These efforts are broadly organized around the urgency and social justice impacts of the climate crisis and Vassar’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. The Director will provide leadership and vision for how the College might best address today’s most pressing environmental and related social responsibility concerns both on campus and in the community.

Position Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership and vision in the area of resource conservation, energy management, and environmental justice;
• Collaborate with the College’s on-site energy manager to meet energy management and sustainability objectives;
• Advise Facilities Operations, Dining Services and other departments on opportunities for resource conservation and sustainability in college operations and campus construction while serving as a resource and advisor on green building initiatives;
• Partner with the Vassar’s Environmental Cooperative, Environmental Research Institute, faculty, student organizations, and others to engage the campus community in sustainability efforts through inclusive programming;
• Support faculty seeking to include sustainability topics in their courses through curricular development, guest lectures, guided field explorations, and other means;
• Supervise and mentor students, including those in work-study positions, in student organizations, or doing course work;
• Provide the college with information on current trends, technologies, and strategies for climate action, social responsibility, resource conservation, and energy management;
• Provide thought leadership for sustainability in higher education through articles, conference presentations, and collaboration with other colleges and NGOs;
• Budgetary oversight for the Sustainability Office, the Vassar Bike Shop, the annual SWAPR (Stop Waste & Promote Reuse) Move out program, and relevant gift and grant accounts;
• Support the Dean of Strategic Planning in facilitating and providing resources for the Climate Action and Sustainability Committee;
• Communicate sustainability successes on and off campus in collaboration with the Communications Office and the Alumnae/i Affairs and Development Office;
• Lead annual and semi-annual reporting requirements for AASHE STARS, the Princeton Review, the Sierra Club, Tree Campus USA, and others as they emerge;
• Supervision of 4 to 10 student interns.

Qualifications

Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree and 2 to 5 years of experience required. Master’s degree in related field preferred; Experience with carbon accounting and reporting; Excellent listening, facilitation, and communication skills; Proficient in data analysis and familiarity working with energy and emissions data; Self-starter willing to take initiative, work independently, and manage through uncertainty; A demonstrated ability to work with a wide variety of constituencies including faculty, students, staff and administrators; Ability to manage large-scale multifaceted sustainability program(s) and communicate these topics to various stakeholders; Strong project management skills and the ability to balance competing priorities effectively; Passion and personal investment in global and local environmental justice.

Required Applicant Documents
Resume
Cover Letter
Contact Information for 3 References

Optional Applicant Documents

Special Instructions to Applicants
To complete your on-line application, you will be required to attach your cover letter, resume, contact information for 3 professional references. All attachments must be in PDF format. Review of applications will begin immediately. This position will remain open until filled.

For full consideration applicants should apply by:

Anticipated Start Date:

Anticipated End Date (If Applicable):

To Apply
All applicants must apply online at: https://employment.vassar.edu.

Vassar is strongly committed to fostering a community that reflects the values of a liberal arts education and to promoting an environment of equality, inclusion and respect for difference. Vassar College is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer, and applications from members of historically underrepresented groups are especially encouraged.