Mohawk College: Director, Carbon, Energy and Sustainability

Director, Carbon, Energy and Sustainability

Location: Hamilton, Ontario

Application Deadline:

Salary: $105,305 to $140,403

Description:
The Director will provide strategic advice to senior leadership on climate action at Mohawk in order to align sustainability goals with other priorities at the college, such as Indigenization and equity, diversity and inclusion. This includes identifying partnerships and funding opportunities to support curriculum, operations, capitals improvements, engagement and collaboration to advance Mohawk to be the leader in climate action and sustainability.
The Director ensures that consistent and effective sustainability policies, processes and practices are in place to achieve Mohawk’s sustainability objectives.
The Director works with Manager of Sustainability to engage students, faculty, support and administrative staff and provide them with the knowledge, skills, and motivation to integrate sustainability values and practices into Mohawk’s planning, operations, procurement and implementation processes.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Duties include, but are not limited to:
Climate Action Plan Leader
Leads implementation of College’s Climate Action Plan and climate action plan roadmap.
Supports the management of college facilities planning needs and develops space solutions.
Accountable for the assessment and analysis of College space and infrastructure needs, and the development of effective space solutions to support approved College initiatives while supporting carbon reduction and sustainability goals.
Works directly with senior academic and support services leaders, administrators, faculty and staff, to assess needs, develop functional carbon reduction strategies and sustainability programs and oversees the measurement and performance of those programs and initiatives.
Leads a collaborative and diverse team of professionals, including the integration of student and new graduate positions, Co-op, CSEP and experiential learning and research opportunities.
Prepares and presents carbon and sustainability analyses (e.g. carbon accounting, life cycle assessments, energy intensity calculations) to support senior leaders and/or the Facilities Services team make informed decisions about capital investments, equipment purchases, space planning, and other critical decisions.
Track the effectiveness of the climate action plan and its goals to ensure the College is on track to meet its 2030 and 2035 goals and timelines. This includes preparing semi-annual reports and reporting to the Climate Action Plan Steering Group on a regular basis.
Act as a trusted and expert advisor to other departments that are undertaking sustainability and climate change initiatives.
Campus Sustainability Management
Oversees engagement, operations, community relations and academic initiatives related to sustainability. Supports the development and implementation of Mohawk’s long-term sustainability goals, aligning goals with post-secondary sector, global trends and local needs.
Support Manager of Sustainability team with operational sustainability initiatives around campuses. Develops strategies to achieve AASHE STARS and/or other certifications to ensure Mohawk maintains it ranking as a green employer of choice.
Responsible for the development of internal and external sustainability benchmarking, reporting and communications, including institutional sustainability plans, periodic sustainability reports, government reporting requirements, and other external sustainability submissions, etc.
Maintains the sustainability culture in Mohawk employees; conducts training or informational seminars to support sustainability related initiatives.
Develop long-term roadmaps to outline how Mohawk will achieve its long-term sustainability objectives and lead sustainability initiatives through college planning processes, from development to full integration.
Energy and Green House Gas Reporting
Oversees the preparation and submission of annual green house gas reporting required under O.Reg 507/18.Oversees other carbon, water, waste, and energy reporting by the Sustainability Office.
Monitors the performance of the overall College programs and initiatives related to carbon reduction. Works with Facility Services operational leaders to assist in measurement and reporting on capital project greenhouse gas reductions.
Collaborates with Energy and Automation Systems Specialist to develop reports to show case the College’s leadership position as the leader in energy efficiency and carbon reduction.
Effectively uses mandatory energy, waste and carbon reporting to communicate progress (and setbacks) in sustainability and climate goals to the campus community.
Manages and presents regular reports to the Climate Action Plan Steering Group to transparently report on progress towards carbon and sustainability goals.
Oversees public reports on carbon, energy, and sustainability.
Operational Sustainability Programs
Oversee the internal and external communications strategy to capture and encourage a culture of sustainability across the institution, and beyond.
Lead and support the development of training tools and resources for use by all faculty, staff and students to ensure the Mohawk community has a strong understanding of sustainability and can apply carbon management principles to their own work.
Act as a key resource to the Institution in developing sustainability, development andrelated campus strategies, facilitating the prioritization of campus sustainability.
Act as an advocate in the community working with City staff, Utility providers, researchers, and other key decision-makers and influencers to advocate for clean energy, sustainable transportation services, and other policies and programs in the region that support campus sustainability projects and advancing embedding sustainability in all campus functions.
Develop, lead and maintain mutually beneficial external partnerships with local businesses, government and not-for-profit organizations to further enhance the sustainability program at the college. This may include fundraising, grant-writing, strategic partnerships, and/or relationship-building with key supporters of our sustainability agenda.
CCCM Partnership
Work in partnership with the Mohawk Centre for Climate Change Management and other research centres on opportunities to further climate action, sustainability and research. Mutually support evidence-based opportunities to lead and work together on initiatives that support campus and regional sustainability and resilience.
Managing the Energy, Carbon, and Sustainability Office
Lead the Energy, Carbon, and Sustainability Office by strategically managing the human and capital resources.
Ensure a high level of performance by personnel through effective recruitment, selection, training, motivation and evaluation.
Ensure that the Sustainability team has the resources needed to fulfill their mandate, and manage the budget, as well as special project budgets as needed.

Looking for Candidates Who: The successful applicant will have:
A minimum of a four-year degree in engineering, urban planning, building sciences or the equivalent combination of education and expertise.
Master’s degrees and/or professional designations in sustainability, planning, engineering, and/or carbon management are considered an asset.
A minimum of nine years of experience in a major public sector institution, such as postsecondary education, medical/hospital, municipal, or government.
Proven ability to mentor and lead a team of professionals in both a union and non-union environment.
Demonstrated experience in leading large organization change and building a reputation as a trusted partner.
Significant and demonstrable experience in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from building and facilities management projects.
Demonstrated commitment, understanding and knowledge of application of human rights, equity, diversity and inclusion with the ability to communicate and work effectively inter-culturally with diverse groups of students, employees and the community.

Relevance to Sustainability: Reporting to the Chief Building and Facilities Officer, the Director, Energy, Carbon, and Sustainability, will provide leadership in the area of climate action, sustainability, and energy to ensure the College makes a measurable difference on climate action and meets its carbon emissions reduction goals as defined in the Climate Action Plan developed in 2023 and its energy conservation demand management goals defined in CDM plans required under O.Reg.507/18. The position will lead the development and implementation of a multi-year climate action plan roadmap that aligns with the College’s 2035 net zero campus goals and the interim goals set forth in the Climate Action Plan: 2023-2030.
To achieve our climate change and sustainability goals, the incumbent will work collaboratively with stakeholders across the college and in the community. The incumbent must have expert knowledge of the strategies to mitigate GHG emissions from buildings and campus activities, but also be able to understand and articulate the trade-offs and investments necessary to obtain our goals. The Director will have extensive working in cross-functional settings, and supporting teams to achieve tangible success on carbon reductions and sustainability.
The Director, as the overall head of Sustainability at Mohawk will also support the Manager of Sustainability and facilitate the sustainability initiatives that emerge through the internal Mohawk community partners such as the Mohawk Students Association and through collaborative external relations at the local, provincial, national and international levels.