Director of Sustainability

~ Swarthmore College is one of the nation's finest institutions of higher learning. As a highly selective undergraduate residential liberal arts college with an exceptionally talented student body, Swarthmore provides a vigorous, engaging intellectual environment; comprising a vibrant and diverse community, it draws students from all 50 states and around the world. ~

With its Quaker heritage and arboretum campus, Swarthmore College has a long tradition of honoring the natural environment. Swarthmore's campus is home to the 220-acre Crum Woods, one of the last remaining forested areas in the County.

Swarthmore's environmental student groups are an active and powerful force on campus, dedicated to issues of energy, justice, sustainable food, and education both on campus and in community partnerships. 

The Swarthmore College Sustainability Committee (SusCom) enjoys diverse representation from faculty, students and staff and works with the support of the President and in partnership with student groups and campus officers to identify policies to promote environmental sustainability on campus.  

Click here to learn more about Swarthmore and sustainablity.   

Position Overview 

Swarthmore College invites nominations and applications for the position of Director of Sustainability. Reporting directly to the President of the College, the Director will lead the College's sustainability efforts, developing and implementing policies and programs to mitigate the College's environmental impact and to build awareness of the connection between issues of sustainability and social justice.

This includes helping to establish Swarthmore as a recognized leader in integrating sustainability into all aspects of the educational mission, operations, and institutional and community life/culture. The Director of Sustainability provides leadership to the many distinct sustainability efforts on campus and fosters a culture of sustainability among students, faculty, staff, alumni, community members, and the Board of Managers. 

Qualifications 

The successful candidate will be innovative and collaborative with excellent strategic, leadership, and team-building skills and will have broad knowledge of sustainability principles, best practices, and their application in the higher education/institutional environment.

The new Director will be able to engage effectively with the academic and scholarly research work of the faculty and with the policies, practices, and goals of campus operations and student sustainability activities. Candidates should have a demonstrated commitment to the values and goals of Swarthmore's private, residential liberal arts education and a desire to be an active and engaged member of the community. 

The Director of Sustainability is a multi-faceted role that interfaces with a diverse cross-section of the Swarthmore community. 

Responsibilities  

As the point-person on issues of sustainability, primary areas of responsibility include the following: 

• Identify and prioritize areas for institutional sustainability efforts, including developing a strategic plan incorporating long- and short-term objectives and programs;
• Engaging the institutional leaders to successfully cultivate sustainability broadly across campus units;
• Presenting objectives, programs and progress to the Board of Managers and campus stakeholders as appropriate;
• Oversee, with assistance from the Sustainability Coordinator, the day-to-day activities of sustainability programs on campus, including the Green Advisor Program, the composting program with Kitchen Harvest, Zipcar, and the Green Initiatives Fund;
• Advise on content and structure of Environmental Studies courses and consult and adeptly collaborate with the academic community to assist in integrating sustainability into the wider curriculum;
• Work directly with project managers, engineers and facilities staff to implement the campus's sustainability framework and apply these principles into new construction, renovations, standards, plans, and studies;
• Work with energy managers, maintenance managers and crafts-people, grounds personnel, and custodians to integrate sustainability into energy management, operations, maintenance, grounds-keeping, solid waste removal, and cleaning practices;
• Mentor student groups, liaison with other vital campus stakeholders, and support partnerships with neighboring communities around issues of sustainability;
• Work with the Lang Center for Civic & Social Responsibility, interested faculty, and other College partnerships to build momentum for "Just Sustainability" efforts;
• Partner with alumni interested in supporting sustainability efforts on campus and helping amplify Swarthmore's sustainability work in the larger world;
• Serve on and support campus committees dedicated to sustainability issues, including the Swarthmore College Sustainability Committee (SusCom); the Crum Woods Stewardship Committee; the Environmental Studies (ENVS) Committee; and the Board of Managers Social Responsibility and Property Committees; and
• Engage the campus and wider communities in broader policy issues pertaining to climate change, including carbon taxes at the federal, state, community or campus level and, in partnership with the President, serve as campus spokesperson on sustainability issues. 

Qualifications 

The Director of Sustainability will have the following: 

• An advanced degree in Architecture, Environmental or Urban Planning, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Science, Sustainability or a related field;
• At least five years of experience in sustainability or environmental technology;
• Comprehensive understanding of common practices and standards related to sustainability in higher education;
• Highly developed organizational skills with the ability to track and manage multiple, interests and objectives and complex initiatives;
• A strong commitment to, and the ability to integrate, the broader perspectives of economic, environmental and social sustainability into a larger vision and eventual work product, plus demonstrated history of producing high quality results relative to work plans, operations and initiatives;
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, provide direction, understand needs and successfully drive results;
• Strong oral, written and formal and informal presentation skills and the ability to effectively communicate with multiple constituencies and outside stakeholders;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a strong commitment to collaboration, consensus and team building; and
• Previous experience in higher education or understanding of complex institutional dynamics is preferred. 

To Apply 

Please click below: "Apply Now Online!" to email applications (resume and letter of interest) to:

Andrew Evans and Amy Sugin
Brill Neumann Associates

~ Swarthmore actively seeks and welcomes applications from candidates with exceptional qualifications, particularly those with demonstrable commitments to a more inclusive society and world. Swarthmore College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. ~