Envision yourself in a collaborative, inclusive, and innovative work environment that has a deep commitment to position our graduates for success in their professional and personal lives. Visualize applying your energy and skills for an organization that respects and cares about its employees enough to offer some of the best benefits of the industry while encouraging every team member to grow, collaborate, and provide input on how to consistently make the workplace a place people love to work. Imagine working at a college that welcomes everyone – students, faculty, staff, and community members – regardless of their backgrounds, beliefs, or traditions. If what was just described is what you look for in a workplace, welcome to the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS)!
The Office of Sustainability is seeking applicants for the Assistant Director of Sustainability. This position will foster a culture of sustainability at UCCS by leading and executing a university-wide effort to prioritize, develop, and implement programs focused on green buildings, data analysis, and sustainability education. The Assistant Director will report to the Director of Sustainability and work at the Sustainability Demonstration House, which features solar panels, electric carts, and native plant gardens. The Assistant Director will support innovative student, faculty, and staff projects funded by the Green Action Fund. They will also partner with faculty and staff across the campus that have integrated sustainability into their work and classes.
Who We Are:
UCCS is deeply committed to being a leader in sustainability, integrating social justice, economic, and ecological values into institutional policies, programs, and practices. The Office of Sustainability has been leading sustainability efforts on campus for 18 years. Our Campus Leadership Team approved a new sustainability strategic plan in 2022. UCCS has consistently achieved the second-highest rating, STARS Gold, for its comprehensive sustainability assessment. We have 18 LEED Gold buildings on campus and maintain this standard for all new buildings. The student-funded Green Action Fund has approved 1.3 million dollars to support 149 sustainability projects championed by students, faculty, and staff. Students are required to take at least one course with sustainability integrated before graduating.
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) is one of four campuses in the University of Colorado system and is home to over 9,000 undergraduate and 1,800 graduate students. We have a strong focus in fueling student success by creating, using, and maintaining a multitude of different offices and programs. Overall, UCCS is constantly focused of preparing our students to have success in the future, and we understand that every single employee on our campus has a significant effect on that focus. Find more information about working at UCCS here: https://hr.uccs.edu/work-at-uccs.
The city, which was recently ranked as the number two Best Places to Live by U.S. News & World Report in 2022, known as Olympic City USA, rests at the base of Pikes Peak, the inspiration for the song “America the Beautiful” and a must-see for residents and visitors alike. With a mild climate and 247 days of sunshine each year, the Springs boasts some of the state’s best recreation opportunities. Find out more about living in Colorado Springs through the Visit Colorado Springs page: https://www.visitcos.com/.
Job Duties:
The duties and responsibilities of the Assistant Director of Sustainability include, but are not limited to:
- Strategic Green Building, Grounds, and Transportation Planning, Operations, and Maintenance
- Drive the long-term strategic development of resource conservation, renewable energy, waste minimization and diversion, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, and environmentally friendly materials, equipment, and practices in campus buildings, grounds, and transportation infrastructure.
- Collaborate with Facilities and Operations shops to develop, measure, and verify building operating plans, preventive maintenance schedules, and recommissioning and retro-commissioning plans according to LEED O&M building performance standards or other relevant sustainability frameworks.
- Partner with Planning, Design, and Construction project managers to identify, evaluate, and propose sustainable building and grounds strategies and measures to ensure new buildings and major renovation projects meet or exceed LEED Gold building performance standards.
- Collaborate with Parking and Transportation Services staff to identify, evaluate, and propose strategies and measures to improve transportation infrastructure connectivity, expand multi-modal transportation options, and support electric vehicle and cart adoption.
- Serve as the primary point of contact with Colorado Springs Utilities on bills, rates, rebates, audits, technical issues, and conservation programs.
- Data Collection, Analysis, and Reporting
- Collect, track, and analyze data, and complete and submit reports, for sustainability indicators based on databases for the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS), the Greenhouse Gas Inventory (GHG), UCCS Sustainability Plan, and additional reports related to the campus’ commitments and reporting needs.
- Develop and maintain a process for data collection, storage, and accessibility for all datasets identified for the above databases. Establish a review system for the accuracy and validation of data and reports. Collaborate with other stakeholders who ‘own’ data and maintain existing databases.
- Manage, and provide training on, SkySpark, Energy Portfolio Manager, and other web and software applications that monitor and report system-level building data and other sustainability indicators.
- Perform analyses and create data visualizations of sustainability indicators.
- Analyze institutional performance and peer comparisons with other higher education institutions and key industry sectors.
- Evaluate sustainability project or program’s long-term financial, social, and environmental impacts using measures such as Return on Investment (ROI), Lifecycle Cost Accounting (LCA), greenhouse gas accounting (GHG), and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building standards.
- Education, Support, and Outreach
- Partner with stakeholders to develop learning communities that foster shared ownership of sustainability goals, collaboration on projects and professional development opportunities, and provide critical feedback on sustainability strategies and measures.
- Collaborate with the Sustainability Program Director on designing, implementing, and monitoring sustainable behavior change programs.
- Create and deliver tailored and engaging programming, such as events, activities, and materials to diverse audiences on campus and in the community that highlights sustainable designs, systems, and practices in buildings, grounds, and transportation infrastructure.
- Advise, critique, and support the development, implementation, and evaluation of departmental, Green Team, and Green Action Fund sustainability plans, projects, and grants.
- Foster collaborations between faculty and staff to leverage campus infrastructure and operations to develop co-curricular and ‘campus as a living laboratory’ experiences for students to apply knowledge in real-world projects.
- Continuously seek opportunities to develop mutually beneficial relationships with stakeholders on campus, within the sustainability field, and in the community.
- Administrative
- Aligns projects and programs with the UCCS Sustainability Strategic Plan, UCCS Facilities Master Plan, UCCS Strategic Plan, CU Strategic Plan, and AASHE STARS.
- Integrates diversity, equity, and inclusion concepts and practices into sustainability projects and programs.
- Manages project and program budgets and continuously pursues grants, donations, and interdepartmental funds.
- Work closely with the Director of Sustainability, Sustainability Manager, and student staff to improve workflow processes, develop departmental operation plans, provide cross-training opportunities, and collaborate on projects and programs.
- Supervise and coordinate the work of student interns and staff.
- Performs other related work as needed.
The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.
Job Competencies:
- Core Sustainability Competencies
- Ability to apply modeling and analytical approaches to analyze complex systems and sustainability problems across different domains (environmental, social, and economic) and different scales (building, campus, and community).
- Ability to construct forecasts and scenarios for anticipating future states of complex systems and long-term impacts of sustainability strategies.
- Ability to identify, map, specify, negotiate, and apply sustainability values, principles, and goals to assess the sustainability of systems, projects, and plans.
- Ability to construct and test viable strategies (action plans) for interventions, transitions, and transformations toward sustainability.
- Green Building and Infrastructure
- Experience collaborating with facilities, transportation, and project managers on sustainability projects and plans.
- Knowledge of commercial HVAC, electrical, plumbing, waste, resource metering, renewable energy, and building automation systems.
- Experience evaluating sustainability projects or programs’ long-term financial, social, and environmental impacts.
- Experience partnering with utility providers to gather data and obtain information about rates, rebates, and conservation programs.
- Ability to read, analyze, and interpret plans, specifications, contract documents, control drawings, service bulletins, technical procedure manuals, equipment specifications, and governmental regulations.
- Data Analytics
- Experience collecting, interpreting, analyzing, and reporting sustainability metrics such as utilities, LEED, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, waste minimization and diversion, and Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS) data.
- Experience working with shared governance groups that include faculty, staff, and students.
- Experience using software programs that monitor and report system-level building data and other sustainability metrics.
- Education, Support, and Outreach
- Experience working collaboratively to guide and co-learn with a diversity of stakeholders to improve the sustainability of buildings, infrastructure, and grounds.
- Experience fostering strategic partnerships with staff, faculty, and students to expand and maintain long-term support for projects, programs, and plans.
- Experience with facilitation and consensus-based decision-making.
- Experience developing educational programming for diverse stakeholder groups.
- Professional
- Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusiveness, access, and belonging. Ability to work collaboratively, respectfully, and effectively with a diverse student, faculty, and staff population.
- Ability to educate, motivate and provide guidance to students and constituents.
- Ability to manage a complex and often competing set of priorities in a results-oriented environment.
- Strong oral, written, listening, and analytical skills.
- Proficient with Microsoft Office programs
Work Location: On-site
This position has been determined to be exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
What We Offer
Salary Range: Generally starting at $58,195.03 – $80,269 per year
The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training.
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs offers excellent benefits, some of which include:
- Medical insurance, with the lowest cost option being $0 to the employee
- Dental, Vision, Life and Disability insurance
- Generous paid vacation and sick time accruals (14.67 hours of vacation and 10 hours of sick accrued per month, prorated if part-time)
- Mandatory retirement plans. Employees contribute 5% of their annual compensation. CU doubles that and contributes 10%
- Tuition Assistant Benefit available to you or a dependent
- Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of employment
- Off Campus Housing Resources
- Advantages to working at UCCS
Tentative Search Timeline:
- Priority will be given to applications submitted by April 12, 2023. However, this posting will remain open until filled.
- The potential dates for interviews with the search committee will be the week of April 24, 2023.
- The potential dates for interviews with the supervisor and appointing authority will be the week of May 1, 2023.
- The potential employee start date is June 1 2023.
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs is committed to providing a safe and productive learning, living and working community. To assist in achieving this goal, we conduct background investigations for all prospective applicants being considered for employment. Background investigations include a criminal history record check, and when appropriate, a financial and/or motor vehicle history check.
UCCS is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. In compliance with applicable laws and in furtherance of its commitment to fostering an environment that welcomes and embraces diversity, the University of Colorado does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, political affiliation or political philosophy in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. Alternative formats of this ad can be provided upon request for individuals with disabilities by contacting the Office of Human Resources at (719) 255-3372.
The Immigration Reform and Control Act requires that verification of employment eligibility be documented for all new employees by the end of the third day of work.
Qualifications
Please note that while the position details both required qualifications as well as preferred qualifications below, we want applicants to be aware that they do not need to have all of the preferred qualifications to be considered for this position. If you meet the minimum qualifications, have passion for the work, along with experience in a related field, you are encouraged to apply. We encourage on-the-job training for any additional skills or knowledge that become relevant to the position.
Minimum Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in sustainability, environmental, engineering, geography, or a related field from an accredited institution.
- 5 years of professional-level experience working on green building, resource management, or data analytics projects.
Preferred Requirements
- Master’s degree in sustainability, environmental, engineering, geography, or a related field from an accredited institution.
- 7 years of professional-level experience working on green building, resource management, or data analytics projects.
- 3 years of experience working at an institution of higher education.
- LEED Accredited Professional or the ability to gain accreditation within two years.
- Achieved Certified Energy Manager (CEM), International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP) Sustainability Excellence Professional, or other technical sustainability accomplishments/certifications.
Necessary Special Requirements:
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to move which will including navigating stairs and confined spaces. Tasks may involve using a computer screen continuously for long periods of time. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Physical demands of this position include Climbing, Balancing, Stooping, Kneeling, Crouching, Crawling, Reaching, Handling, Fingering, Feeling, Talking, Hearing, Near Acuity, Far Acuity, Depth Perception, Color Vision, and Field of Vision . Working conditions including working in proximity to moving, mechanical parts. Exposure to electric shock. Working in high exposed places. Exposure to radiant energy and chemicals.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each of the established essential functions and meet the physical and environment demands described satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, ability, physical and environmental conditions required of the employee on the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions, physical and environmental demands.
Applicants with disabilities: If you have a mental or physical impairment, which limits one of your major life activities (e.g. walking, hearing, seeing, speaking, breathing, or learning) and require special accommodations for testing or interviewing, it is your responsibility to notify the office scheduling the interview or test at least 3 working days before the interview or test date. If you need special accommodations at the work site, you must notify the appointing authority or Human Resources.