Sustainability Associate

Tower Companies•Rockville, MD

About The Position

The Sustainability Associate is an integral member of the Sustainability Department and partners with teams across the organization to advance The Tower Companies’ sustainability, building performance, and healthy building goals. The Tower Team strives to be a leader in health and environmental responsibility in the real estate industry by developing and managing high-performance properties and serving as a regional leader by sharing our innovative practices and experiences. The Sustainability Associate will report to and work closely with the Senior Director of Sustainability. The successful candidate will collaborate with departments throughout the organization, including engineering, property management, construction, and accounting teams. This work spans project management, data gathering in support of industry-leading commitments, idea generation and due diligence, employee and tenant engagement, certification assessment and management, and thought leadership. Successful candidates are confident and collaborative—comfortable working independently and managing multiple priorities simultaneously.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, construction, sustainability, or a related field; relevant work experience may be considered in lieu of a listed degree.
Minimum of 3–5 years of work experience; experience in real estate, energy services, or sustainability strongly preferred.
LEED Green Associate, LEED AP, or Fitwel Ambassador credential preferred.
Experience benchmarking GHG emissions using industry frameworks
Ability to translate technical findings into clear recommendations for engineering, property management, and leadership audiences.
Understanding of sustainability metrics and tracking methodology across topic areas such as climate, energy, water, waste, and transportation
Experience successfully managing projects with internal and external team members
Familiarity with LEED and other sustainability and healthy building certifications and best practices for new and existing buildings
Proficient in Microsoft Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint – with high level of aptitude working in Excel
Excellent written and verbal communication skills; confident public speaker
Outstanding attention to detail and strong analytical skills
Ability to prioritize projects to meet multiple deadlines in a fast-paced, team environment
Eager learner and self-starter, interested in staying on the cutting edge of sustainability and healthy building topics and programs
Ability to be flexible, proactive, and highly motivated with strong organizational skills
Candidates under consideration for hire must submit to, and pass, a background check and drug screening according to The Tower Companies’ hiring standards.

Responsibilities

Provide project management support, including engagement with team members throughout the organization for new and ongoing sustainability-related activities across the portfolio, such as energy, renewables, water, waste, IAQ, health, and materials.
Manage aspects of new and existing benchmarking and third-party certification efforts such as LEED, ULI Greenprint, Fitwel, UL Verified Healthy Building Mark, ENERGY STAR, and other sustainability and healthy building programs.
Gather data to prepare the annual greenhouse gas inventory and support the verification process.
Update data inputs to support annual ENERGY STAR certifications, working with vendors and property management teams.
Review and support carbon offsets and renewable energy credit purchases.
Identify, track, and manage the documentation process for green building-related rebates and tax incentives.
Assist with budget creation and management, vendor contracts, and invoices.
Help prepare case studies and presentations and, as appropriate, represent the Company at industry events.
Support Tower’s compliance efforts with Building Energy Performance Standards regulatory frameworks in Montgomery County, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.
Develop programming and outreach materials to engage and communicate with Company employees, building tenants, and residents to encourage sustainable practices.
Assist Company employees with questions related to sustainability best practices.
Research emerging technology offerings and prepare associated financial analyses to support ongoing Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas reduction efforts and healthy building goals.
Other duties as assigned.