Profession in Focus: Sustainability Manager

With the number of jobs sprouting up nationwide in the field of sustainability, we figured some of the titles that especially sound too ambiguous if you are not in the field already, deserve some explanation. And with the "tens of thousands of jobs" the Smart Grid Grants promise to create, a detailed occupation profile will not only help you pitch yourself as a better candidate but also ensure you aren't getting in too deep.

In the following weeks, we will feature more professions in the field of sustainability. The description is brought to you by the team at sustainability think tank Center for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE).

Sustainability Manager

Uppers

Involvement in cutting edge sustainability and CSR issues

Participation in projects in the area of sustainability

Downers

• Heavy workload

Personality Match

• Managerial and leadership Skills
• Organizational Skills
• Communication Skills
• Ability to work in ambiguous situations

Personality Miss

• Lack of ability to stay informed on developments in the area of sustainable development
• Inability to associate technical components with the quantitative and qualitative needs of organizations to achieve Integration of CSR

Job Description

A Sustainability Manager is responsible for:

• Providing leadership and direction in all the areas of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability
• Managing and tracking corporate sustainability goals for the company
• Managing the overall sustainability efforts of a company
• Developing and implementing new sustainability initiatives
• Identifying priority categories where cost and sustainability savings can be achieved
• Working with public and private clients to develop sustainability consulting work
• Design and develop proposals and initiatives for the reduction of carbon and energy consumption
• Design, develop and promote strategies, policies and programs that address all aspects of energy management, including energy efficiency, waste management, carbon reduction and sustainable development within the organization.

The Sustainability Manager should be able to work with cross functional and multinational teams to meet the corporate PR and sustainability goals to enhance the brand reputation of the company and to create a favorable business environment in the responsible area.

Career Path

• Masters or Doctor Degree in Sustainability related fields
• People with a background or interest in PR or HR as well as biology, ecology and other environmental sciences.

Related Professions

Energy efficiency expert, Sustainability expert