Position Opens at the Office of Sustainability

The team of sustainability professionals at WashU is comprised of seven full-time employees. Phil Valko has been the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Sustainability since 2011 and Cassie Hage was promoted Assistant Director in 2019 but has been on the team since 2015. All joining in 2017, Michelle Patterson is the Office’s Business Manager and Internship Coordinator; Clara Steyer serves as the Sustainability Coordinator; and Railesha Tiwari is WashU’s first Sustainable Design and Construction Manager. In 2018, the team expanded with a new Sustainability Coordinator position created at the School of Medicine, filled by Alicia Hubert. Finally, Claire Santoro joined the team in 2019 as the Energy and Climate Data Analyst.

As Clara Steyer will be departing from St. Louis in the spring to move back to France (where she is originally from!), the Office of Sustainability is now recruiting a new staff member to fill the position of Sustainability Coordinator. The responsibilities of this position cover three main themes: alternative transportation, sustainable food, and marketing and communications. The full job description is included below.

Over nearly four years with the Office of Sustainability, Clara had the opportunity to work on a number of exciting projects in close collaboration with valued campus partners Dining Services and Parking & Transportation Services.

These projects include the development and launch of the Active Commuter Hub, the adoption of campus-wide transportation policies, the Green Dining Alliance certifications of campus dining venues, the expansion of the Community Supported Agriculture program, the creation of the Sustainability Dashboards, and much more. Recurring programs the Sustainability Coordinator also oversees include the annual Green Cup, Food Week, and bi-annual Active Transportation Months.

“It’s been incredibly rewarding to advance sustainable operations and culture on campus through such a variety of projects, but I’m even more grateful for getting to work with a truly amazing team with whom we trust, share, and learn from one another.” Clara said.

While Clara’s contributions to WashU’s sustainability program have been tremendous and her impact cannot be overstated, the OOS team is determined to find a new staff member who will be able to fill the job responsibilities with their own expertise and flair. We encourage those who interact with the office to share this opportunity widely, as we are excited to review and consider a diverse pool of candidates.

POSITION SUMMARY 

This position coordinates implementation of components of the University’s Strategic Plan for Sustainable Operations with focuses in alternative transportation, dining, outreach, and communications. As one of the public faces and often the “voice” of the Office of Sustainability, the Sustainability Coordinator plays an active role in the development of WashU’s culture and community, prioritizing collaboration and inclusion, through programming, relationship development, and communications. This position also supervises student interns.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Coordinate elements of the University’s alternative transportation programs in close partnership with the Department of Parking and Transportation, including:

• Semi-annual programming (bike tune-ups and commuter fairs, group rides, car-free challenges, etc.)
• Manage campus outreach and alternative transportation resources
• Manage the Active Commuter Hub
• Coordinate the submission of the Bicycle Friendly University application on a four-year cycle
• Manage data collection and reporting

2. Coordinate elements of the University’s sustainable dining programs in close partnership with Dining Services and dining contractors, including:

• Ongoing planning and implementation of outreach and education initiatives (such as Food Week, and the promotion of the Food Guide)
• Sourcing local and environmentally preferable food
• Work with HR to maintain and expand programs that facilitate access to local and fresh food, including the Community Supported Agriculture program and the farmers’ market
• Ensure maintenance and expansion of sustainability certifications of campus dining facilities, including Green Dining Alliance certifications of Ibby’s and the Whittemore House.
• Waste and energy reduction/diversion
• Data collection and reporting

3. Support shifts in university operations through infrastructure and policy development, specifically for greater sustainability in transportation and dining.

4. Lead Office of Sustainability marketing and communications. Develop and maintain marketing/communications materials with support from Office of Sustainability staff and in coordination with other campus partners. Media and collateral include newsletters, social media, website, sustainability dashboard, marketing materials for events, year-end report, and others.

5. Supervise intern teams; assign and guide weekly responsibilities, and conduct semester reviews.

6. Expand existing and develop new outreach programs and initiatives, such as the Green Office program, Less is More campaign, Green Cup, Share Our Stuff, community donation efforts, and others. Provide planning and execution support for special events, conferences, and programs hosted by Office of Sustainability and campus partners.

7. Serve as an Office of Sustainability representative to student groups, provide guidance and direction, and enlist student support for university sustainability initiatives. Develop new partnerships with students and employees that will increase participation in and understanding of sustainability programs. Help align and expand peer-to-peer education efforts, including WashU Green Ambassadors (WUGA) and Eco Reps residential programs.

8. Contribute to regional efforts to advance sustainability, specifically in the fields of transportation and food through participation in internal and external committees.

9. Perform other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• High school degree and three years’ related experience or Bachelor’s degree in Sustainability, Communications, Environmental Science or related field and one year of related experience.
• Experience utilizing the Adobe Creative Suite (specifically Illustrator and InDesign) for a variety of applications (posters, multi-page layouts, etc.)
• Experience working with diverse groups of stakeholders, facilitating meetings, planning events, and overseeing projects.

PREFERED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Sustainability, Communications, Urban Planning, Environmental Science or related field and three years’ related experience.

CRITICAL SKILLS AND EXPERTISE

Required

• Knowledge of a variety of sustainability domains, including transportation, food systems, energy, waste, landscape, and water.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Ability to develop a range of public-facing communications tools, such as newsletters and print materials.
• Demonstrated success working in group settings, particularly with students, building buy-in and providing leadership to accomplish projects.
• Systems thinker with the ability and interest in creatively problem-solving multi-faceted challenges.
• Analytical with the skills to research best practices and underlying evidence.
• Eagerness to acquire new knowledge.
• Outgoing, energetic and enthusiastic.
• Self-motivated and highly organized with an ability to manage time, set deadlines, and follow-through on projects independently.

Preferred

• Written skills should demonstrate a wide range of flexibility in format, including web content, journalism, proposals, reports, social media, and other formats, and audiences including students, faculty, alumni, funders, and stakeholders.
• Experience applying a racial equity lens to strategic planning, programming, and operations and ability to advance anti-racism work within the unit.
• Familiarity with website management platforms (WordPress) and web-based newsletter publishing platforms (MailChimp).
• Comfort with managing social media presence, including current accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and monitoring current trends to keep connected with key stakeholder audiences.

WORKING CONDITIONS

The employee will work in an office setting with frequent trips to meetings on the Danforth Campus and occasional meetings on North Camus, West Campus, and the School of Medicine. The employee will often be involved in outreach/tabling activities that will require lifting and transporting up to 50 pounds. Access to and willingness to use a bicycle for transportation to meetings/events is a plus. Occasional evening and weekend hours.

Washington University encourages and gives full consideration to all applicants for admission, financial aid, and employment. The university does not discriminate in access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, veteran status, disability or genetic information. More information…