Director of Sustainability - Unclassified (Open)

The County's Executive Office is seeking highly qualified applicants for the position of Director of Sustainability.

The Position

Reporting to the County Executive, the Director will support the realization of the County’s goal of preserving natural resources through environmental stewardship, reducing carbon emissions, and efficient use of land and water resources.

The new Director will lead a stellar team of 40 sustainability professionals in actively developing, coordinating, and implementing sustainability-related programs and policies designed to reduce County and community-generated greenhouse gas emissions and protect natural resources throughout the county. Current programs are related to:

• Climate adaptation

• Sea level rise

• Energy efficiency

• Groundwater and stormwater management

• Green infrastructure

• Employee commute alternatives

• Community engagement

• Waste reduction and recycling

The Director will also oversee the development and implementation of work across all program areas, manage the Office’s administration and communications functions, and provide highly complex staff assistance to the County Executive and members of the Board of Supervisors as needed.

The County is seeking a thoughtful and accomplished leader who will champion the County’s efforts to build a sustainable community that fulfills the needs of the present and future and who is “solving for tomorrow.”

Challenges and Opportunities

• Implement the Board of Supervisors’ adopted Community Climate Action Plan, Government Operations Climate Action Plan, and other climate policies.

• Partner with cities, agencies, and other key stakeholders to enhance collaboration and promote community-driven solutions to prepare and protect our communities from climate impacts.

• Develop strategies, implement programs, and identify funding sources to comply with State waste diversion, stormwater compliance, and climate mandates, such as Regional Water Quality Control Board stormwater regulations, and the managed transition to electric fleet vehicles and building electrification.

• Expand the reach of public education, youth, and outreach programs throughout the county.

• Promote a shift to alternative forms of transportation among employees to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and decrease vehicle miles traveled.

• Foster innovation by creating new waste reduction programs, generate new project ideas while enhancing the effectiveness of existing initiatives.

• Expand the edible food recovery program by educating the public on food waste reduction through workshops, demonstrations, and outreach.

• Provide effective waste and recycling services to special districts in the unincorporated areas for which the County has responsibility.

• Reduce the amount of illegal dumping in the unincorporated county areas through prevention, education, and enforcement measures.

• Continue to educate the public on the County’s climate emergency by addressing the seriousness of climate change, investing in climate solutions, and addressing the current and future impacts of climate change on our most vulnerable populations, including low-income communities and workers, communities of color, people with disabilities, and immigrants.

Application/Examination

To apply for this exciting career opportunity, the following materials must be submitted online at https://jobs.smcgov.org:

• Resume

• Cover Letter: A short summary of your relevant qualifications and executive leadership experience that prepares you for this director position along with a discussion of what you think is the most pressing sustainability trend or issue facing California in general, or San Mateo County specifically and what the County can do to prepare for it.

Tentative Recruitment Timeline

• Final Filing Date: Thursday, February 6, 2025, 5:00 PM PST

• Application Screening: February 13 - 14, 2025

• In-Person Interviews: February 26 and/or 27, 2025

• Finalist Interviews: Week of March 3, 2025

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying.

A typical way to qualify is five years of increasingly responsible experience managing sustainability organizations and programs in the public sector, at least two years of which is in higher-level management with responsibilities for planning, organizing, coordinating, and directing a complex organization.

Knowledge of principles, practices, and trends in California land use, environmental law, urban and regional planning, public administration and budgeting, personnel management, and sustainability programming is required as well as skills and abilities to apply this knowledge in running a complex organization, its programs, and workforce.

Please mention you found this employment opportunity on the CareersInGovernment.com job board.

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• County of San Mateo Human Resources Department