Sustainability Project Manager

Sustainability Project Manager

At Salas O’Brien we tell our clients that we’re engineered for impact. This passion for making a difference applies just as much to our team as it does to our projects. That’s why we’re committed to living our values every day: inspiring, achieving, and connecting as shared owners of our success with a focus on a sustainable future.

Building for the long-term means that all of our team members can expect to work on amazing projects with a people-first approach to problem solving. It also means that each member of our team has truly limitless potential to build a unique, meaningful, and high-impact career—and they’ll receive great total rewards along the way.

About Us:

Founded in 1975, Salas O’Brien is an employee-owned engineering and professional services firm focused on achieving impact for our clients, our team, and the world. We know that tomorrow’s requirements are today’s opportunities, and we are here to design lasting solutions for pressing challenges.

We work across a variety of industries providing integrated engineering and consulting services. Our specialized experience includes design for data centers, healthcare, science and technology, high-rise buildings, clean energy, education, and other building types as well as structural and building sciences, infrastructure asset management, advanced robotics, and more.

Our technical expertise is paired with an exceptional team of business development, human resources, finance and accounting, information technology, and marketing professionals, all of whom play a key role in bringing our commitments to life every day.

Job Summary: We pride ourselves on being a pioneer for sustainability in the built environment. Sustainability is in our DNA– it’s the right thing to do for future generations and the legacy we leave behind. We maintain the front-line of sustainability, spreading the word globally and investing locally. We are a JUST Label company with a focus on social equity in how we operate our business, as well as the health and well-being of our employees through our LEED, WELL, Fitwel, Living Building Challenge, and Just. certifications.

Industry pioneers to our core, we push the boundaries by walking many clients through their own firsts. Our services remain flexible to meet the growing demand for a sustainable, healthier future. Our team strives to create a global impact surrounding green initiatives and maintains a company culture that reflects this. We celebrate diversity, inclusion, and equity and have recruited top talent from all over the globe. With office flexibility and a work-life balance, we accommodate individual preferences, believing that freedom, respect, and creativity lead to happiness and prosperity.

We are seeking a full-time Sustainability Project Manager to provide technical expertise and Project Management for projects pursuing LEED certification under BD+C, ID+C, and O+M; Guiding Principles; Fitwel; WELL; SITES; Living Building Challenge; and Green Globes. This position will include additional management and technical training with the goal of reaching Team Leader level. We are looking for an energetic, fast learner who is detail oriented to join our growing company based in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Responsibilities:

Essential Functions:

• Educate and directly engage the marketplace by effectively communicating through written, verbal, and in-person meetings with project teams and owners
• Provide technical customer service support to project teams.
• Contribute to the continued development and increased technical knowledge of fellow Specialists through collaborative teamwork.
• Understanding of the building-related sustainability rating systems including forms, calculations, and documentation requirements for LEED.
• Opportunity to work with and learn more about the LEED, SITES, TRUE, GRESB, WELL, Fitwel, Parksmart, Living Building Challenge rating systems, including forms, calculations, documentation requirements, and how to apply the criteria to a project or the review of documentation for verification.
• Opportunity to work with ESG-related forms, calculations, and documentation necessary for any clients also seeking third-party verification.
• Work closely with our Decarbonization and Performance Testing teams involved with Life Cycle Assessments and IAQ testing.
• Work closely with our Commissioning Team.

Essential Functions After Initial Training Period:

• Contribute to a project’s pursuit of LEED-related certification by working as the Project Manager, guiding the project team through the entire certification process, from Strategic Development through Certification Award, possibly beyond Award for Recertification.
• Complete all necessary forms, annotations, and documentation required to document fulfilment of the rating system requirements. NOTE: Our Project Managers and Team Members complete all documentation requirements for certifications, apart from a few engineering-related calculations. This candidate must have experience documenting compliance with rating systems.
• Wherever necessary, EGI Project Managers may rely on the documentation to be completed by other project team members, with obvious exceptions in the form of project drawings or engineering calculations.
• Perform quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA) review of work done by other Specialists.
• Participate in Business Development activities such as conference appearances, networking, speaking engagements, and written content for marketing purposes.
• Track performance metrics and career development goals towards achieving Associate distinction within the company for all eligible employees.
• Opportunity to participate in the Social or Wellness Committee for EGI’s Atlanta Office.

Essential Functions to reach Team Leader or Manager:

• Oversight of at least 15 projects as the Project Manager, including scheduling, training, documentation creation, and project delivery.
• Manage small group of employees who work with various rating systems. Management activities include reviewing project health, scheduling work, performing quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA) checks on work completed by the group, career development for group members, and annual evaluations.
• Train new employees (or new to the group) in consulting-related work that involves third-party certifications, including process and documentation requirements.
• Train new Project Managers, as necessary.
• Work closely with the Senior Managers and Managers of Certifications, Consulting, Development, and ESG to balance workloads for the department.
• Participation in Business Development activities, including acquiring new clients

Metrics for Success:

• Meet individual project production metrics (quality, proficiency, efficiency, and timeliness)
• Achieve customer service satisfaction consistent with department goals
• Demonstrate professional growth by advancing foundational and leadership competencies

Qualifications and Experience:

Education and Training Requirements/Preferences:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in a field of study related to one or more of the following specialties: Architecture (architecture, construction, landscape architecture, interior design) Engineering (mechanical, civil, structural), Policy, or Environmental Studies
• LEED AP with specialty required
• Ability to read, understand and interpret building floor plans, sections, site plans, construction specifications, mechanical schedules, commissioning reports and operational policies required
• Professional experience in reviewing, consulting, and/or conducting performance verification for projects pursuing LEED certification required
• Project Management experience for 5 or more projects required
• Detailed technical understanding of and experience with one or more of the following building operations topics: common construction methods, materials specification, fenestration, HVAC systems, plumbing systems, electrical systems, landscape design, master planning, land use, zoning, urban development preferred
• Professional accreditation in additional rating systems a plus: LEED AP with Specialty, SITES AP, TRUE Advisor, Parksmart Advisor, LFA, or Fitwel Ambassador
• Bi-lingual fluency in Portuguese, Spanish, French or German a plus
• Background with people-management a plus

Other Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Passion and commitment to the EGI mission and culture
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, including technical writing
• Ability to clearly explain advanced technical issues in manner that is easily understood
• Strong interpersonal and customer service skills
• Strong sense of personal responsibility and accountability for delivering high quality work
• Ability to work well both independently and in groups
• Desire to be an integral part of a team effort
• Excellent judgment, analytical thinking, and problem-solving skills
• Detail-oriented and able to prioritize
• Willingness to self-initiate
• Strong computer skills, with high proficiency in MS Office suite, including Excel
• Encourage and accelerate global adoption of green business practices through various sustainability standards, tools and performance criteria

Location: Remote  

Travel: Minimal

Compensation & Benefits:

The expected base salary range for this role is $75,000 - $90,000 USD per year. Actual compensation will be determined based on a number of factors including skills, experience, qualifications, and location.

This role is also eligible for performance-based bonuses and a comprehensive U.S. based benefits package, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off and company holidays
• Wellness programs and employee assistance resources
• Professional development support

For more information, visit our full benefits overview here.

Equal Opportunity Employment Statement

Salas O’Brien provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, colour, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/provincial, or local laws. Salas O’Brien will accommodate the disability-related needs of applicants as required by law.