Director of Sustainability and Energy Management

Oberlin College invites applications for the position of Director of Sustainability and Energy Management. This is a full-time, 12-month Administrative and Professional Staff position reporting to the Vice President of Finance.

Responsibilities: The Director leads the ongoing development and management of the College’s energy management programs and environmental policy. S/He will review designs of new systems for compliance with good engineering practice, the College’s commitment to carbon-neutrality, and conformance with College standards on capital projects. The Director assesses HVAC systems campus-wide, coordinates equipment maintenance and replacement, and recommends maintenance to increase overall efficiency. S/he is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to sharply reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. The Director manages necessary resources of staff, budgets, and schedules, including the Sustainability Fellow who is responsible for programs implemented among students, faculty, and staff.

The Director is responsible for the day-to-day management of the College’s energy systems. S/he works closely with the College Architect and Facilities Management personnel to ensure efficient management of the campus energy resources. The Director implements and manages periodic maintenance programs for mechanical systems.  The Director reports on greenhouse gas emissions, fulfills data collection and reporting requirements for the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPPC). The incumbent serves on the Committee on the Environment and Sustainability. The Committee’s role is to promote implementation of Oberlin College Environmental Policy, facilitate environmental initiatives, and foster culture of environmental stewardship. Serves on the planning group of the Oberlin Project, a model of integrated sustainability. Works with the Special Assistant to the President on Sustainability and Environmental Affairs. The Director manages necessary resources of staff, budgets, and schedules.

Requirements: Degree in Mechanical Engineering or Energy and/or Earth Resources with a focus on energy planning at a systems level or the equivalent in education and experience. Minimum 10 years experience; or as an alternative to 10 years experience, demonstrated leadership in the building design and construction industry including systems design, managing staff, budgets, and schedules, with a proven track record of success. Ability to evaluate and recommend viable alternative energy options to service a campus and community long-term and achieve the College’s commitment to carbon-neutrality. Demonstrable knowledge and experience in quantitative analysis, sustainable practices, green technology, and related industry trends. Dynamic leader adept at navigating in politically diverse environments with the ability to build consensus and cooperation. Able to effectively communicate in public presentations and written correspondence.

Desired Qualifications: Mechanical Engineer, licensed in the State of Ohio, or able to be so within one year. Ability to work as a team leader and member. Institutional experience working with central heating plants with low and high pressure steam. Experience working in higher education and campus environments is highly desirable as is a career history that demonstrates the capacity for increasing responsibility including staff management. Fluent in MS Office, MS Project, understanding of databases and specialty engineering software.

Compensation: Within the range established for this position, salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience and includes a generous benefits package.

To Apply: Applicants should submit a résumé, along with a cover letter describing qualifications and interest in the position and contact information for at least three references to: Sustainability Search Committee, c/o Ginny O’Dell, Oberlin College, Cox Administration Building 201, 70 N. Professor Street, Oberlin, OH 44074 or email to: Ginny.Odell@oberlin.edu. Review of application materials will begin on September 15, 2010, and continue until the position is filled.

Oberlin College is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer with a strong institutional commitment to the development of a climate that supports equality of opportunity and respect of differences based on gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity and expression.  Oberlin was the first coeducational institution to grant bachelor’s degrees to women and historically has been a leader in the education of African Americans; the college was also among the first to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation.  In that spirit, we are particularly interested in receiving applications from individuals who would contribute to the diversity of our faculty.

Oberlin College was one of the country’s first institutions of higher education to accept the goal of climate neutrality by signing the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. Sierra Club’s magazine ranks the College number 10 in its list of “coolest schools in America for the environmental awareness of its students, faculty and staff.” In 2009, the College and the City of Oberlin became participants in the Clinton Climate Positive Development Project. The Oberlin Project is the only small city and college collaboration among 19 international cities. The College’s environmental policy is at: http://www.oberlin.edu/sustainability/about/OCEnviromentalPolicyMay2004.pdf