Real Estate Sustainability Manager

AAA Mountain West Group • Walnut Creek, CA

3d • $132,465 - $198,697 • Hybrid

About The Position

Our Real Estate Sustainability Manager is a key leader responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing the company’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategy specifically for its real estate portfolio and built assets. This role involves driving sustainable building practices across property operations, development, and asset management, managing compliance with relevant building and environmental regulations, and establishing performance metrics to track and communicate the organization's progress toward its real estate sustainability goals.

Requirements

• Possess a strong strategic mindset with the ability to align sustainability initiatives with business objectives. This includes a focus on Net Operating Income (NOI), asset valuation, and fiscal responsibility.
• Expertise in building science, energy modeling, and sustainable property operations. You must understand how to monitor and improve the environmental performance of a diverse real estate portfolio.
• Proficiency in data analysis for tracking and reporting ESG metrics. This includes experience with specialized sustainability software and energy/water tracking platforms to meet reporting standards like GRESB and general business software (MS Office, G-suites).
• Expert-level written and verbal communication skills used to articulate a strategic vision. You must be able to influence a wide range of stakeholders, from technical engineers to C-suite executives.
• Strong interpersonal skills to lead cross-functional teams, including asset management and development.
• Proven ability to manage complex, multi-phase projects and champion a company-wide culture of sustainability.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science, Sustainability, Engineering, Building Science, or a related field
• Minimum of 8 year’s experience to include 5 years of experience in developing and managing corporate sustainability programs, with a proven track record of successful project execution and goal achievement within the real estate or built environment sector and 3 years of experience in a leadership or management role, ideally managing cross-functional teams and complex projects.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s Degree or relevant real estate/building certifications (e.g., LEED AP, WELL AP, CEM, CEA, BREEAM Assessor)

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive real estate sustainability strategy, aligning initiatives with overall business objectives and long-term asset value growth.
• Lead cross-functional teams (including asset management, development, and property operations) to integrate sustainability best practices into the entire property lifecycle.
• Champion a company-wide culture of sustainability among asset management, property, and facilities teams through training, communication, and internal initiatives.
• Work with department leaders to integrate property-level sustainability goals into their daily operations.
• Establish, update, and enforce policies and procedures related to energy and water efficiency, waste management, green building certifications, and sustainable materials.
• Monitor and ensure compliance with all local, national, and international environmental and building-related regulations, as well as mandatory reporting requirements.
• Prepare and manage the sustainability budget for the property portfolio, analyzing expenditures and identifying cost-saving opportunities through capital improvements (e.g., retrofits) and operational efficiency.
• Define, track, and report on key sustainability performance indicators (KPIs) such as Energy Use Intensity (EUI), water consumption, waste diversion rates, and green building certification status.
• Coordinate data collection and reporting for real estate-specific benchmarks (e.g., GRESB).
• Coordinate internal and external real estate sustainability reporting (e.g., GRESB, tenant engagement reports, annual ESG reports).
• Engage with key internal and external stakeholders, including property managers, development teams, tenants, investors, and regulatory bodies, to communicate strategy and progress related to the built environment.
• Collaborate with procurement and construction/facilities teams to evaluate vendor and contractor performance on ESG criteria.
• Establish and maintain relationships with green building consultants, energy service companies (ESCOs), and industry organizations (e.g., USGBC, BOMA).

Benefits

• Great Pay - opportunity to participate in AAA discretionary annual incentive plan or other incentive plans depending upon position
• 401k Matching – $1 for $1 company match up to 6% of eligible earnings per pay period
• Benefits – Medical, Dental, Vision, wellness program and more!
• Paid Holidays
• Paid Time Off – Team Members accrue paid time off monthly. Depending on position, an additional 24 hours per year are earmarked for volunteer activities.
• Collaborative Environment – AAA will value your contribution to providing exceptional service to our members
• Free AAA Classic Membership
• AAA Product Discounts
• Tuition Reimbursement Program

What This Job Offers

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