University of California Office of the President

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UC OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

At the University of California (UC), your contributions make a difference. A world leader producing Nobel and Pulitzer prize recipients with over 150 years of groundbreaking research transforming the world. Choose a career where you can leverage your knowledge, skills and aspirations to inspire and support some of the greatest minds in the world, and those who will follow in their footsteps. Working at the University of California is being part of a unique institution, and a vibrant and diverse community. At the University of California, Office of the President, we propel our mission through impactful work locally, in government centers and systemwide. We are passionate people, serving the greater good.

The University of California, one of the largest and most acclaimed institutions of higher learning in the world, is dedicated to excellence in teaching, research and public service. The University of California Office of the President is the headquarters to the 10 campuses, six academic medical centers and three national laboratories and enrolls premier students from California, the nation and the world. Learn more about the UC Office of the President

Department Overview

The UCOP Office of Sustainability (OS) develops, coordinates, and supports sustainability efforts throughout the system, including the UC Sustainable Practices Policy and Leading on Climate Change Presidential Priority. The OS identifies best practices on one or more campuses or academic health centers and works strategically to turn them into standard business practice across the system. The OS plays a leadership and facilitation role by building consensus among all campuses and health centers for aggressive yet feasible systemwide goals to move all UC sustainability practices forward quickly and efficiently. The OS coordinates the development and implementation of the UC Sustainable Practices Policy and tracks key metrics to analyze and report on progress towards UC’s goals. Externally, the OS works to reinforce UC’s position as a national leader in sustainability in higher education. 

The UCOP OS is committed to ensuring that UC’s sustainability policy initiatives and programs are diverse in their staffing, and representative and inclusive of the communities who are engaged in these initiatives and programs, as described in the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement of UC Sustainability Officers and Staff. The OS recognizes that the environmental and sustainability fields have a legacy of systemic racism that impacts all of UC’s sustainability work. The OS has a responsibility to learn about environmental racism and systemic racism and to address and dismantle it. As part of this responsibility, the OS is dedicated to UC-wide and UCOP-based efforts to improve equity, diversity and inclusion. 

Position Summary

Under general direction of the Chief Sustainability Officer, the Sustainability Coordinator will be responsible for supporting the planning, coordination, and implementation of effective sustainability initiatives for the University. They will work collaboratively with various stakeholders to integrate principles of sustainability and environmental justice into operations, policies, and practices at the systemwide level and at UCOP by centering the needs and experiences of our workforce and constituents most impacted by historical injustices. 

At a systemwide level, the Sustainability Coordinator will provide planning and coordination support for the University's sustainability efforts, such as the Sustainability Steering Committee, the Global Climate Leadership Council, and systemwide working groups coordinating the implementation of the UC Sustainable Practices Policy. They will coordinate data collection, conduct data analysis and report on progress towards sustainability goals via the Annual Sustainability Report and other communications. Additionally, the Sustainability Coordinator will support the implementation of systemwide projects, such as the Leading on Climate Student Fellowship and the University's climate resilience planning. 

At UCOP, the Sustainability Coordinator will support the development and implementation of sustainability practices, processes, and communications. Additionally, they will conduct independent research to develop and disseminate communications materials for the Office of Sustainability. The Sustainability Coordinator will facilitate and coordinate the assessment, planning and execution of equity, diversity and inclusion goals for the Energy and Sustainability Unit as part of its contributions to the UC Finance strategic plan and UCOP's anti-racism and equity, diversity and inclusion goals. The Sustainability Coordinator may mentor students and engage in service-related activities. 

The Sustainability Coordinator must have knowledge and experience in sustainability concepts, practices and policy. They will possess the ability to organize information and communicate it clearly to a wide range of audiences. They will have strong interpersonal skills and an ability to build collaborative, inclusive partnerships with the University's constituents and external stakeholders. UCOP is a hybrid organization. The Sustainability Coordinator will be expected to be on-site at the UCOP building in downtown Oakland on anchor days – currently Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Occasional travel to other UC locations and conferences or participation in after-hours and weekend activities is expected. UCOP continues to assess its hybrid work arrangement and expectations for on-site work may evolve in the future. UCOP is committed to employee well-being, work-life balance, and works diligently to create a supportive and inclusive work environment for all staff members. Candidates with professional and/or lived experience in climate justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion are encouraged to apply. Candidates that do not meet all the listed qualifications are still encouraged to apply. Opportunities for professional development, training, and ongoing education related to sustainability, climate justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion are available. 

Key Responsibilities

45% Project Coordination and Implementation 

• Supports the development and inclusive implementation of systemwide and UCOP sustainability projects. Designs, develops and delivers project components, such as surveys, interviews, best practice guides and presentations. Examples of past projects include equity-centered climate resilience planning and the Climate Action Student Fellowship.
• Supports sustainability implementation across UC sustainability policy areas, including clean energy, green building, climate action, food, health and well-being, health care operations, waste, water, procurement, transportation, building operations and labs, sustainability performance assessment, and anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion. Collaborates with Associate Directors of Sustainability to identify issues and opportunities that accelerate the University’s progress towards its sustainability goals, such as guiding intercampus collaborations to develop new policy targets.
• Coordinates meetings and supports the development of content for systemwide sustainability committees and task forces, such as the Sustainability Steering Committee, Global Climate Leadership Council, and sustainability policy working groups.
• Coordinates and facilitates workshops for UC sustainability officers and the UCOP Office of Sustainability. 
• Serves as a spokesperson on sustainability initiatives at UCOP. Introduces new employees to UCOP sustainability practices by presenting at monthly New Employee Orientation sessions. May also give guest lectures or brief presentations regarding sustainability to various audiences.
• May supervise, mentor or advise student fellows and interns on academic projects related to sustainability.

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30% Reporting

• Provides reporting to assess sustainability progress towards policy goals for the UC Annual Sustainability Report, including developing databases, supporting UC locations in preparing and analyzing data, and conducting quality review.
• Supports the UCOP Sustainability Lead in collecting and analyzing UCOP sustainability data.
• Supports the development and review of the Annual Sustainability Report.
• Supports the evaluation of the Annual Sustainability Report development process, including analyzing the current process and researching the feasibility of innovations and improvements.
• Conducts independent research, analysis and reporting on a wide variety of issues relating to sustainability. 

15% Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Coordination

• Provides facilitation and coordination of the Energy and Sustainability Unit (ESU) in its assessment, planning and execution of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) goals as part of the Unit’s contributions to the UC Finance strategic plan and UCOP’s anti-racism and EDI goals.
• Plans agendas and facilitates monthly EDI discussion group meetings.
• Serves as an ESU representative to the UC Finance EDI Committee.
• Partners with EDI leads in other UCOP departments and with other key stakeholders such as local Human Resources and Employee Resource Groups.
• Identifies, enables and develops targeted resources, tools and actions to support execution of UCOP’s EDI framework within the ESU. Goals may include increasing diverse representation, enhancing workforce inclusion and ensuring equity is centered in all departmental programs and projects.
• Contributes to systemwide EDI and climate and environmental justice initiatives and projects.
• Serves as a member of the systemwide Sustainability and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Working Group and coordinates projects for that Working Group.
• Explores and implements innovative solutions and best practices in sustainability, climate justice, and DEI initiatives, showcasing UCOP's commitment to leading-edge strategies. 

10% Communications and Outreach

• Develops sustainability communications and supports sustainability marketing campaigns and communication strategies.
• Produces the Office of Sustainability’s newsletter and social media content.
• Maintains the Office of Sustainability’s website.
• Develops and implements strategies for evaluating the effectiveness and reach of communications and outreach activities.
• Cultivates and maintains beneficial working relationships with internal and external stakeholders regarding sustainability initiatives.
• Develops and maintains contact tools and lists such as MailChimp accounts, email listservs, contact databases, etc. 

Experience

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of related experience

Skills and Abilities

Required Qualifications

• Ability to work independently with general supervision.
• Demonstrated knowledge in the areas of sustainability and policy.
• Professional and/or lived experience in the areas of climate justice and social equity.
• Professional and/or lived experience facilitating conversations in the topics of anti-racism, equity, diversity and inclusion. 
• Thorough knowledge of sustainability concepts and practices. 
• Skill in planning and implementing inclusive sustainability practices with diverse constituents. 
• Ability to build collaborative relationships and business partnerships. 
• Desire to foster a culture of collaboration and collective impact across the UC system.
• Strong verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills. 
• Ability to organize information, extract relevant data, and prepare reports in various formats. 
• Ability to draft clear, concise correspondence, develop presentations and business documents.
• Proven organizational skills with the ability to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Flexibility, adaptability, and resilience in navigating complex sustainability issues and responding to emerging trends, ensuring that UCOP remains agile and responsive to changing circumstances.
• Proficient in software applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and database applications. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting sustainability practices in institutions of higher education and on topics such as climate action, green building, food, health care operations, building operations, health and well-being, waste, water, procurement, transportation, anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion. 
• Proficient in Cascade Content Management System, Wordpress, and common social media tools. 

Education

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training 

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree

Licenses and Certifications

Preferred Qualifications

• LEED Accredited Professional 
• ISSP Certified Sustainability Professional 

Travel Requirements

5% Occasional travel to UC campuses and to professional conferences.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement within the state of California. The person hired will be required to reside within California and report to work on-site at UC’s Office of the President (UCOP) located in Oakland, CA on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, subject to change.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

Job Title

Sustainability Officer 3

Job Code

005659

Salary Grade

Grade 22

Payscale:

$96,000 - $109,000, commensurate with experience

Full Salary Range:

$77,600 - $140,400

The University of California, Office of the President, is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience. The full salary range shows the growth potential for this position and the pay scale is the budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position.

Benefits: For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University visit: Benefits of Belonging

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

HOW TO APPLY

Please be prepared to attach a cover letter and resume with your application.

APPLICATION REVIEW DATE

The first review date for this job is March 25, 2024. The position will be open until filled.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Background Check Process: Successful completion of a background check is required for this critical position. Background check process at UCOP

Smoke Free Work Environment: The University of California, Office of the President, is smoke & tobacco-free as of January 1, 2014. UC Smoke & Tobacco Free Policy

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs, as may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

EEO STATEMENT

The University of California, Office of the President, is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. EEO/AA Employer UC Nondiscrimination Policy

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