Program Coordinator, Sustainability Operations

Vanderbilt University•Nashville, TN

About The Position

The Sustainability Operations Program Coordinator is part of Vanderbilt University’s Environmental Health, Safety, and Sustainability (EHSS) organization and provides operational support for sustainability and resiliency programs. Reporting directly to the Sustainability Director, the coordinator works with Vanderbilt’s Real Estate, Facilities, and Development departments and other university groups on sustainable infrastructure and operations, research and innovation, energy and water efficiency, resource conservation, recycling, composting, and landscaping. The role also supports network campuses and collaborates with the environmental compliance team. It helps improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness through AI, informatics, metrics, databases, software, and technology. EHSS is part of the Real Estate, Facilities and Development division. Its 20-plus-member team provides occupational and research-centric safety services and university sustainability leadership. It supports a research university community of 27,000 faculty, staff, and students across 12 million square feet of facilities on 330 acres in downtown Nashville, as well as network campuses across the United States. The coordinator designs and improves evidence-based sustainable and resilient operational programs, supports infrastructure design guidelines and project development, expands the Sustainable Labs program, and develops network-campus environmental compliance, sustainability, and resiliency programs. The role tracks sustainability and resiliency performance data for analysis and reporting, may involve occasional travel to network campuses and facilities, and has no initial supervisory responsibilities.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, sustainability, resiliency, a related technical field, or another related specialty; an equivalent combination of education and experience is accepted.
Ability to obtain a relevant professional certification is required.
Working knowledge of environmental engineering and management, sustainability, or resiliency theory, concepts, performance standards, best practices, and regulations.
Strong written, verbal, and presentation communication skills, including the ability to develop engaging, understandable online and in-person presentations, program documents, procedures, and reports.
Advanced skills in Microsoft and Adobe products, including Teams, PowerPoint, Excel, and Word.
Advanced data management, AI, analytical, quantitative, technical, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to learn and adapt quickly.
Strong interpersonal communication and customer service skills.
Ability to build and maintain effective, respectful working relationships in a service-oriented environment with diverse people, while understanding their needs and goals and demonstrating sensitivity, tact, inclusion, and respect for diversity.
Ability to work effectively as part of a team and understand and appreciate differing perspectives.
Minimum one year of experience in the area of expertise or a university setting is preferred; this is not stated as a required minimum.

Nice To Haves

At least one year of experience in the area of expertise or a university setting.
Ability to plan and execute multiple tasks and projects and deliver against objectives and deadlines.
Experience with Articulate, Oracle, Tableau, web programming, social media, or databases.
Relevant certifications may include Professional Engineer (PE), LEED, PMP, Registered Environmental Manager (REM), Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM), or other applicable certifications.

Responsibilities

Design, implement, and manage evidence-based sustainable and resilient operational improvements with university operational units and campus partners to reduce resource use and waste generation measurably.
Implement and continuously improve High-Performance and Resilient Infrastructure Design Guidelines and participate in design development for renovation and new construction projects on Nashville and network campuses.
Expand the Sustainable Labs program to encourage proactive safety, sustainability, and resiliency efforts in Vanderbilt’s research and innovation community.
Design, implement, and continuously improve network-campus environmental compliance, sustainability, and resiliency programs to meet local requirements related to energy and waste efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions, and resiliency.
Track university sustainability and resiliency data for trend and performance analysis, dashboard reporting, and regulatory reporting.
Support sustainability and resiliency programs and collaborate with university departments, network campuses, and the environmental compliance team.
Use AI, informatics, metrics, databases, software, and technology to help improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness.
Adhere to service standards and meet customer and administrative expectations.
Continuously improve base knowledge and remain current on advances in the field.
Perform additional job responsibilities as needed.
Travel occasionally to network campuses and facilities across the United States, as needed.