Sustainability Director

Cushman & Wakefield • New York, NY

285d • $148,750 - $175,000

About The Position

Cushman & Wakefield's Sustainability Services team is looking for an experienced Sustainability Director to design and implement sustainability strategies for a global occupier client. In this role, you will collaborate directly with one of our prominent clients, leading the Sustainable Team to deeply understand their needs and ensure they benefit from C&W's global sustainability expertise. You will be responsible for integrating sustainability across the entire real estate lifecycle, from site selection and fit-outs to occupancy, maintenance, and overall experience. This position will involve frequent interactions with client leadership, requiring the ability to develop and present high-level business cases while influencing senior stakeholders. This role is vital to fostering a successful client relationship by driving sustainability performance, mitigating risks, and enhancing processes.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in subjects such as sustainability management, science, engineering, business, or equivalent through experience (master's degree preferred).
• 10+ years of relevant experience managing large-scale programs for Fortune 100 corporations.
• 5+ years of experience managing people and teams.
• Expert understanding of relevant standards from The GHG Protocol, Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), CDP, and TCFD.
• Proven track record in sustainability program management in real estate including strategic planning, transaction management, project/construction management, and facilities management.
• An experienced leader with the ability to command a strong presence and build relationships across all engaged stakeholders.
• A skilled communicator with experience influencing and shaping program strategy and delivery.
• Ability to inspire, motivate, and guide team members towards achieving their goals.
• Proven experience in leading diverse teams, fostering a collaborative work environment.
• Strong decision-making skills with the ability to take responsibility for team outcomes.
• Critical thinker with an understanding of processes, interconnections, and relationships.
• A knack for innovation and problem-solving with a collaborative, solutions-oriented working style.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple priorities effectively and meeting deadlines on schedule.
• Passion for serving clients and delivering a positive client experience.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills - including experience making presentations to clients and their stakeholders - conveying complex technical information to a non-technical audience.

Responsibilities

• Own client real estate sustainability strategy and drive the delivery of key objectives.
• Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of Sustainability Program across client's global portfolio, working collaboratively with stakeholders to successfully implement program and initiatives to reach client's objectives.
• As part of this program, develop and implement net-zero roadmap. Prioritize the suite of mechanisms to drive carbon reduction - including asset optimization, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and carbon removal strategies - working with management, engineers, vendors, and strategic partners.
• Be the single point of contact for all aspects of the strategy and tactical delivery of the client's Sustainability Program.
• Establish strong working relationships with global and regional workstreams to deliver local targets as well as overarching global targets.
• Act as the key interface for real estate leadership, Portfolio Management, Project Management, Sustainability, Design and Construction, Facilities Management, and Sustainability teams to drive delivery of the program at pace.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to understand opportunities and challenges to the program, build consensus, and translate those into a robust program approach and framework.
• Develop and implement an appropriate governance structure for the program - including communications on strategies, plans, and progress toward goals using the appropriate metrics or KPIs to all levels of staff.
• Track, analyze, and report on global sustainability metrics, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Scopes 1 and 2), energy, water, waste, and other ESG metrics.
• Develop and enhance systems and processes for delivering best practice sustainability performance and use of sustainability management systems for monitoring and/or reporting purposes.
• Ensure success stories are tracked and communicated to ensure a high level of awareness and engagement is achieved regarding the overall Sustainability Program.
• Maintain awareness of global sustainability trends, tools, and metrics, and support the integration of sustainability best practices into client's sustainability program.
• Provide technical expertise, strategic leadership, and support for all various client facilities on sustainability issues.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Vision insurance
• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending accounts
• Health savings accounts
• Retirement savings plans
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• Paid time off
• Unpaid time away from work

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Industry: Real Estate
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree