Americas Sustainability Lead

George P. Johnson Experience Marketing•Los Angeles, NY

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

GPJ is hiring a Sustainability Lead to join our growing team. This role is hybrid, requiring you to report on-site to one of the following office locations a minimum of 2 days/week: Austin, Boston, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York City, or San Francisco. As the Americas Sustainability Lead at GPJ, you will play a pivotal role in shaping our sustainability strategy and steering our agency and clients toward an environmental, social, and economic conscious future. This is a strategic and high-impact role where you will drive a culture of sustainability across three key stakeholder groups: employees, the supply chain, and existing and prospective clients. You will serve as the primary voice of sustainability and a source of expertise within the agency. Your work will focus on creating a robust sustainability offering that the agency can sell to clients, ensuring our events not only meet business objectives but also embody our commitment to environmental and social responsibility. You will be a core member of our sustainability community, serving as the regional lead for the Americas and working closely with the global Corporate Responsibility Council. Building on agency work done to date, you will create a comprehensive sustainability strategy aligned with agency values and industry best practices. You will lead the end-to-end rollout, implementation, and administration of the ISO 20121 Management System for GPJ US. You will coordinate internal audits and management reviews to ensure continuous improvement and readiness for external ISO 20121 audits. You will identify and engage key stakeholders, and conduct formal assessments to identify significant sustainability issues. You will establish and monitor measurable goals and key performance indicators to track progress in alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and broader ESG reporting frameworks. You will create internal excitement and build a community of advocates to foster a culture of sustainability within the organization. You will design sustainability programs and educational initiatives to build robust subject matter expertise and talent across the agency. You will partner with Practice and Account leads to create wedge offerings and ensure sustainability goals are integrated into account plans and the business planning process. You will assist in monetization efforts by identifying clients that value sustainability and proactively presenting opportunities to drive deeper impact. You will guide the agency in publishing thought leadership and case studies, partnering with Marketing to secure PR and appearances at industry events. You will collaborate with GPJ Fabrication, suppliers, and internal teams to promote sustainable practices and source sustainable materials / equipment. You will partner with the DEI&B lead to ensure US initiatives remain aligned with overall agency ESG goals and metrics. You will support global sustainability reportings, assessments, and ratings alongside the CRC, including platforms like EcoVadis and CDP. You will address requirements from assessments and ratings specific to US operations and identify improvement potentials in collaboration with the CRC. You will lead the development of internal policies and procedures to ensure compliance with environmental laws and certifications. You will be instrumental in supporting RFP/RFI requests ensuring Sustainability is consistently and accurately represented.

Requirements

Substantial experience in sustainability roles, specifically within event management or marketing settings.
Proven track record of successfully implementing sustainability initiatives within the events industry.
Previous leadership or management experience.
Demonstrated ability to bring innovative and creative solutions to integrate sustainability into complex environments.
Familiarity with ISO 20121 is mandatory.
Strong analytical skills to assess environmental and social impact, track KPIs, and make data-driven decisions.
Proven ability to vet suppliers based on life-cycle impact and source sustainable materials.
High ethical integrity with a commitment to transparency, data honesty, and compliance.
Skilled in translating international standards and frameworks (e.g., ISO 20121) into actionable internal processes and management systems.
Ability to identify challenges and develop practical, effective solutions.
Clear and persuasive communication skills for complex sustainability topics.
Meticulous attention to detail for data gathering and reporting.
Ability to drive change and secure buy-in across different departments and regions.
Ability to manage and guide projects to successful completion in complex, cross-functional environments.
Relevant certifications and qualifications.
Demonstrated commitment to staying informed about industry trends, emerging technologies, and global best practices.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of ISO 14001, 45001 or ISO 9001 is a significant plus.
Understanding of material lifecycle management, Design for Disassembly, and modular construction systems.
Occasional travel (up to 25%) may be required.
Comfortable working flexible hours to accommodate time zone differences.

Responsibilities

Drive a culture of sustainability across employees, the supply chain, and clients.
Serve as the primary voice of sustainability and a source of expertise within the agency.
Create a robust sustainability offering for clients.
Ensure events meet business objectives and embody environmental and social responsibility.
Act as the regional lead for the Americas and work closely with the global Corporate Responsibility Council.
Create a comprehensive sustainability strategy aligned with agency values and industry best practices.
Lead the end-to-end rollout, implementation, and administration of the ISO 20121 Management System for GPJ US.
Coordinate internal audits and management reviews for ISO 20121 readiness.
Identify and engage key stakeholders and conduct formal assessments of sustainability issues.
Establish and monitor measurable goals and KPIs aligned with UN SDGs and ESG frameworks.
Foster a culture of sustainability within the organization by creating excitement and building advocates.
Design sustainability programs and educational initiatives.
Partner with Practice and Account leads to create wedge offerings and integrate sustainability into account and business plans.
Assist in monetization efforts by identifying clients valuing sustainability and presenting opportunities.
Guide the agency in publishing thought leadership and case studies.
Collaborate with GPJ Fabrication, suppliers, and internal teams to promote sustainable practices and source sustainable materials/equipment.
Partner with the DEI&B lead to align US initiatives with agency ESG goals.
Support global sustainability reportings, assessments, and ratings (e.g., EcoVadis, CDP).
Address requirements from assessments and ratings specific to US operations.
Lead the development of internal policies and procedures for environmental compliance and certifications.
Support RFP/RFI requests by accurately representing Sustainability.