"Sustainability Specialist & Building Manager"

Overview

The Sustainability Specialist and Building Manager at Yale Divinity School (YDS) will lead and support initiatives to integrate sustainability into campus operations and community life connecting environmental sustainability with Yale Divinity School’s (YDS) mission of faith-based leadership and social responsibility.

A key focus of this role will be the Living Village, a pioneering net-positive regenerative housing community designed to embody YDS’s commitment to environmental stewardship. Giving back to the environment more than it takes, the Living Village dares to answer one of the most profound theological challenges of our time and sets new standards for sustainability. The Divinity School’s Living Village is the largest living-building residential complex on a university campus. Designed to meet the Living Building Challenge, the most aggressive standard for sustainable buildings today, it serves as a key component of Yale’s Planetary Solutions initiative. This position bridges the work of the Divinity School with Yale Facilities and external communities. The ideal candidate must combine theological knowledge with building/construction experience and strong exceptional interpersonal skills.

Key Responsibilities:

Living Village Sustainability Leadership: Engage students, faculty, and staff in sustainability efforts that align with Yale University’s broader sustainability goals. Promote the unique mission of YDS, including serving as an advocate for the Living Village. Responsible for the Living Building certification and will need to be (or become) ILFI certified.

Develop programming and engagement opportunities for students, faculty, and external visitors to learn about regenerative living including partnering with the community such as developing partnerships and collaborations with the Yale Farm and Marsh Botanical Gardens. Provide educational tours of the facility as needed. Assess possible revenue generating opportunities for the Living Village.

Serve as a resource for the Development Office and donor cultivation. Supervise sustainability-related communications, including social media, and website management. Design and organize sustainability-focused workshops, events, and programs for students, faculty, and staff.

Facilities Management Responsibilities: In coordination with Facilities, implement University driven support sustainability initiatives across the YDS campus, including energy conservation, waste reduction, water efficiency, and sustainable landscaping. Develop and implement policies and procedures for building operations, including emergency preparedness and safety protocols. Partners with all appropriate Facilities Operations related departments and documented procedures.

Prepare and manage the building's budget, tracking expenses and identifying cost-saving opportunities. Manage all Living Village facility operations including: Coordinate with Facilities Operations staff on daily maintenance of the building, including utilities, safety systems, grounds, and general upkeep. Managing relationships with vendors and service providers to ensure high-quality service delivery. Ensure safety standards are met on a daily basis.

Tracking, Reporting & Compliance: Supervise ILFI certification and manage the building certification process. Ensuring sustainability goals are met by monitoring and assessing sustainability performance metrics, including greenhouse gas emissions, energy and water use, and waste diversion. Manage the collection of data with Facilities Operations and the Office of Sustainability to ensure that reporting is in line with university level data and metrics.

Ensure continued compliance with the Living Village Challenge by maintaining building operations and programing that conform with the accreditation process and adhere to the ILFI standards. Monitor and report on the Living Village’s environmental impact, including energy use, water management, and material sustainability. Partner with the University on sustainability best practices and policies.

Work Environment: Primarily office-based with regular engagement in outdoor settings, including the Living Village and YDS farm. Some evening and weekend responsibilities for events and community engagement.

Required Skills and Abilities

1. Bachelor’s degree in environmental studies, Sustainability, Theology, or a related field.
2. Strong knowledge of best practices of sustainability within a theological context (Ecotheology).
3. Experience in sustainability coordination, environmental management, or related work.
4. Strong project management, organizational, and analytical skills.
5. Proven ability to manage budgets, contracts, and vendor relationships.
6. Experience in stakeholder engagement, event planning, and education.
7. Passion for sustainability and an understanding of its intersection with ethics, faith, and social justice.

Preferred Skills and Abilities

1. Master’s degree in Sustainability, Environmental Policy, Divinity, or related field.
2. An understanding of the tenets of ecotheology. Experience working with net-zero or regenerative buildings, sustainability certifications (e.g., LEED, Living Building Challenge).
3. Familiarity with Yale University’s sustainability initiatives.
4. Experience working in higher education or faith-based institutions.

Principal Responsibilities

1. Serves as the day-to-day primary point-of-contact during procurement, construction, and closeout of a multi-million-dollar capital building project, with continuous refining and re-sequencing of plans during the implementation and execution phases of the project.
2. Creates detailed project plans including timelines, budgets, and resource allocation documentation to ensure successful project completion, and continuously validates their accuracy. Manages a variety of complex schedules. Meets deadlines. Anticipates and tracks activities required. Manages budgets in coordination with the Dean and Lead Administrator.
3. Oversees the execution and implementation of detailed project plans in concert with various stakeholders. Monitors and manages the master schedule. Monitors the quality of the construction documents developed by outside architects and engineers. Collaborates closely with assigned Yale Planner during all phases of the project. Represents the school’s needs with regard to programming, planning, design, and construction.
4. Serves as the liaison between architects, construction manager, vendors, Yale planning/facilities, building committees, and school community through all phases of the project. Resolves complex project issues that involve representatives from multiple organizations. Assists with the selection of consultants and vendors; manages their performance, progress, and quality of work.
5. Measures and manages all aspects of project risk during all phases of the construction process. Manages the resolution of planning, design, construction, and technical conflicts and recommends cost effective options and approaches. Escalates issues to the Dean and Lead Administrator as appropriate.
6. Designs, develops, and executes communication systems to ensure effective exchange of information between project stakeholders, senior management, faculty, students, and staff. Communicates with project stakeholders through timely updates and meeting notes; provides the Dean and senior staff with relevant information for communication with the DAC and donors.
7. Serves on all committees related to planning, programming, design, construction; develops and presents agenda items for committee meetings as appropriate and prepares summary documentation of relevant committee meetings for distribution.
8. Manages post-occupancy of the buildings and student move-in; assists and prepares staff with the opening and occupancy of the residences.
9. Manages educational programming and activities for the LVC. Works with the Dean and Associate Dean for Academics in handling logistics for all educational initiatives with the facility. Coordinates options for students to learn about sustainable lifestyles in their ministries. Facilitates Yale faculty and outside researchers’ access to the project, its records, and the facility itself.
10. Documents and archives essential correspondence, change orders, photos, records, and drawings assuring that all are available, properly labeled, and properly stored.
11. Performs other duties as required to achieve the renovation project objectives.

Required Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 8 years professional experience in the professional practice of building project management or an equivalent combination of education and experience.