Sustainability Specialist

Position Overview

Be The Difference Begins with Great People.

Are you looking for a new opportunity where you can make the difference in the lives of students and faculty? We’re always looking for highly talented individuals to join our team – people who think big, care deeply, and believe in being the difference in their work and community.

We prioritize student success, access to education, and service in our work to educate well-rounded servant leaders who transform their fields, our society and the world. Our Catholic, Jesuit approach emphasizes student engagement with the world around them and formation of the heart and mind.

We believe in our mission: The search for truth, the discovery and sharing of knowledge, the fostering of personal and professional excellence, the promotion of a life of faith, and the development of leadership expressed in service to others. These core values guide our relationships with our students, each other, and our community.

Marquette University offers a rich and competitive Total Rewards package including medical, dental, vision, 403(b) with up to 8% company match, 5 weeks of time off to start, and tuition benefits for employees, spouses, and dependents with no payback requirement! For more information, please view the 2024 Total Rewards Guide .

The Sustainability Specialist is responsible for supporting the advancement of Marquette’s mission related to sustainability. This individual in this role will serve as a point person for many sustainability activities on campus, and coordinate with appropriate University departments to meet annual reporting requirements and other University policies related to sustainability. The Sustainability Specialist will work across campus units to provide strategies, recommendations, and collaboration on a variety of sustainability initiatives. The role will support the integration of sustainability across the University’s Strategic Plan themes and goals.

This is your next opportunity to join an organization that invests in their employees’ career journey by diversifying their skills, deepening their expert knowledge, encouraging a healthy work-life balance, focusing on personal wellbeing, providing leadership training, and sustaining a culture of respect and inclusion. Duties and Responsibilities 1.Sustainability strategic plan

• Responsible for the development, tracking, reporting, and updating of campus sustainability plan (Laudato Si action plan).
• Champions campus sustainability goals.
• In collaboration with campus stakeholders, offers campus standards and guidelines that are in accord with and support the implementation of those goals.
• Coordinates a campus environmental and sustainability assessment on a periodic basis, compiling information and preparing a formal report.

2. Project coordination

• Provide coordination in organizing events involving students, faculty, and staff to promote University-wide sustainability practices, to inform the community of our progress, to identify future challenges, and to motivate others to be actively involved in sustainability efforts. Projects may include sustainability efforts related to student residential move-in/move-out, campus green space initiatives, recycling programs, waste reduction efforts, transportation surveys, etc.

3. Data collection, monitoring, and reporting

• Collect and analyze sustainability-related data and prepare formal reports including ASHE, STARS, Energy Star, and similar sustainability reports.
• Promotes LEED and/or other sustainability standards whenever possible on new construction and renovation projects and supports the development and reporting of building performance.

4. Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as a resource to university departments that are currently engaged in sustainability-related activities.
• Provide coordination in organizing events involving students, faculty, and staff to promote University-wide sustainability practices, to inform the community of our progress, to identify future challenges, and to motivate others to be actively involved in sustainability efforts.
• Serve as a resource to University’s students and student organizations interested in sustainability efforts and projects.

5. Communications & Outreach

• Promote the University’s sustainability programs, goals, challenges, reports, and accomplishments to a wide range of constituencies using a variety of media including but not limited to personal contact, speaking before university groups, developing, and writing digital and graphic content; managing the sustainability website; creating written and visual content for social media pages.
• Represents Marquette’s sustainability programs to administrative units’ campus-wide, as well as to the general campus community and other stakeholders.

6. Grant support for sustainability efforts

• Explore potential grants and other funding sources for sustainability programs in alignment with sustainability strategy; prepare funding application requests.

7. Sustainability Curriculum Engagement

• Collaborate with the University’s faculty on sustainability-focused and sustainability-inclusive projects that benefit campus operations and/or curriculum serving as a campus client for coursework, co-writing grants, designing co-curricular activities, and working to integrate foundational sustainability principles broadly into the curriculum.

8. Energy / Utilities

• Support FP&M staff in analysis of data on Marquette’s energy use. This includes reviewing energy bills for errors and changes in rates, problem-solving with mechanics and service managers on meter issues, and collecting data to submit Focus on Energy applications to receive rebates.

9. Performs all other duties and responsibilities as assigned or directed by the supervisor. Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Bachelor’s degree required. Preferably in areas of studying include engineering, environmental design/planning, environmental science, business or a job-related field.

A minimum of 2 years of experience in a field related to sustainability, energy management, environmental issues or related field.

Proven ability to manage multiple projects of varying size and complexity, ability to modify or adjust priorities, experience in working with and encouraging participation from a diverse spectrum of people.

Ability to work collaboratively with faculty, staff, students and external agencies and organizations to build purposeful partnerships.

Proficiency with computer applications including Microsoft Office programs and ability to design and maintain the University sustainability website (with the support of IT Services).

Ability to be flexible and work effectively in a fast-paced environment.

The scope of the job occasionally requires working in the evenings and on weekends.

An understanding of the University’s mission, guiding values, and strategic plan how sustainability plays a role in each. Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Supervisory experience. Department Facilities Planning & Management