Director-Sustainability & Energy Management

CCC Social Sourcing • Chicago, IL

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) is seeking a Director of Sustainability & Energy Management to lead its sustainability and energy efficiency initiatives. This role reports directly to the Executive Director of Capital Planning and Construction and is responsible for ensuring compliance with reporting requirements, developing strategies, and implementing programs to advance CCC's sustainability goals. The Director will serve as the lead resource for all sustainability initiatives, collaborating with facility managers, administrative staff, and student organizations to promote sustainable practices across the district's seven colleges and five satellite sites. The position involves managing utility contracts, analyzing energy consumption, identifying funding opportunities, overseeing waste hauling and recycling programs, and managing environmental consulting contracts. Additionally, the Director will act as a project manager for capital improvement projects related to energy efficiency and provide expertise on sustainability to project managers for new construction and retro-commissioning. Collaboration with academic affairs and student groups to promote green activities and integrating sustainability into the district's strategic plan are also key aspects of this role. The position requires maintaining records and preparing various management and annual reports on sustainability initiatives.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Environmental Management, Sustainability, Urban Planning, or a related field.
• A minimum of four years of progressively responsible relevant experience.
• Work experience with sustainability and energy management programs in a higher education or public institution setting highly desirable.
• Knowledge of sustainability issues and best practices and commitment to institutional and societal sustainability.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of facilities management, building systems, and operations within higher education or similarly complex organizations.
• Knowledge and experience in building commissioning and retro-commissioning process.
• Project management skills with the ability to manage retro-commissioning projects of varying scope and complexity, establish priorities, manage timelines, and achieve desired outcomes.
• Excellent verbal, written and presentation skills with the ability to communicate technical information effectively to diverse audiences.
• Ability to work collaboratively with staff, contractors, faculty, students and other internal and external stakeholders to build partnerships.
• Ability to travel across the District to campuses and satellite sites as required.
• Ability and willingness to work weekends and evenings as required.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams).

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develops and implements a District-wide sustainability plan.
• Works collaboratively with key stakeholders to identify opportunities and to develop strategies and programs for sustainability initiatives.
• Researches best practices used in the public and private sector for ideas and concepts to support the District’s sustainability goals.
• Manages the District’s contracts with utility providers (gas, water, electricity).
• Conducts in-depth analysis of utility usage and energy consumption levels, researches trends in utility rates, and develops building /campus energy consumption models and baselines.
• Makes recommendations for negotiating contract agreements on utility rates based on data.
• Leads the District’s participation in utility curtailment programs, reviewing program guidelines and identifying opportunities to maximize potential utility rebates.
• Confers with utility vendors and building engineers to establish energy efficiency/reduction goals and manages the energy reduction process.
• Researches potential grants and other funding sources and identifies opportunities for external funding for sustainable initiatives and energy incentives.
• Prepares grant and funding applications in collaboration with the Office of Institutional Advancement.
• Manages the District’s landscaping contract, ensuring contract’s scope of services includes sustainable landscape management practices and promotes a green campus environment.
• Coordinates with Procurement Services in awarding of contract, monitoring vendor performance across campuses, and approving contract payments.
• Manages the District’s waste hauling contract and recycling initiative.
• Coordinates reporting with waste haulers, tracks recycled quantities for rebates and billing purposes, and works with building engineers and custodial staff on pollution prevention initiatives.
• Manages district-wide contracts for environmental consulting services (e.g., water testing, asbestos abatement, chemical disposal, etc.).
• Serves as project manager for capital improvement projects related to retro-commissioning of HVAC systems and equipment to improve building energy efficiency.
• Manages contract’s life cycle including preparing scope of services; reviewing specifications; selection of contractors; conferring with contractors and Chief Engineers on progress; and ensuring all requirements are met.
• Provides expertise on sustainability and energy efficiency resources to project managers responsible for new construction, commissioning, and retro-commissioning of facilities, systems, and equipment. including building automation systems.
• Works with Chief Engineers to reduce energy usage including use of building automation systems, occupancy sensors, variable speed controls and other energy use tools.
• Works with Academic Affairs/Student Services and student environmental groups and organizations to plan and coordinate various “green” activities and events and promote sustainable practices, such as recycling, bicycling, waste reduction, and energy monitoring, across campuses.
• Advocates for integrating best practices in sustainability and energy use in the operations of campus facilities, incorporating green space across campuses, and including environmental stewardship goals in the District’s strategic plan.
• Maintains records and prepares various management reports and required annual reports on sustainability initiatives, status of energy efficiency/conservation programs, recycling and waste reduction, and related sustainability and environmental issues.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Excellent health and welfare benefit package
• Long-term savings and investment programs including 403(b) & 457(b) Investment Plans
• Pension plan with the State University Retirement System (SURS) Plan
• Generous vacation, holiday, personal and sick days
• Tuition reimbursement

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director