Environmental Specialist Sr. (Sustainability Analyst)

Job Summary

Travis County's Sustainability Team is hiring! We are looking for candidates interested in using data, managing vendors, and collaborating across departments to combat climate change and advance sustainability within the County organization and in the community. To be successful in this position the ideal candidate should have experience collecting, analyzing, summarizing, and managing large and diverse data sets, strong writing and presentation skills, and share our team's passion for climate solutions beginning at the local level. See the job posting below for more details.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

This position is within the Natural Resources Environmental Quality Division of the Transportation and Natural Resources Department. It is responsible for grant project development, grant and contract administration, and project coordination. The position provides services to all county departments to ensure compliance with contractual obligations, purchasing law, county rules and funding-agency requirements; conducts environmental analysis and environmental assessment services. It may also support one or more of the following program areas: Water quality monitoring, assessment, regulation, compliance and policy; land acquisition in support of endangered species protection or other natural resources program; Environmental policy and legislative analysis; and compliance and civil enforcement across multiple program areas. This classification may require a flexible work schedule in order to meet the needs of the department.

Duties and Responsibilities

Travis County's Environmental Quality Program is searching for an experienced and motivated Environmental Specialist Sr. to support the Sustainability Program through data collection and analysis. The Environmental Specialist Sr. will track and quantify environmental impacts and key performance indicators of the Sustainability Program regarding Travis County operations.

The primary functions of this position include:

• Oversee annual sustainability report and County greenhouse gas inventory data collection, analysis, and presentation.

• Gather, monitor, and analyze sustainability program-relevant data and make recommendations for improving County data collection processes and procedures.

• Manage multiple contracts with vendors for recycling and other disposal-related services.

• Manage budgets associated with contracts and projects.

• Identify priority areas for County-wide sustainability efforts and recommend strategies for pro-actively addressing relevant sustainability issues, i.e. energy efficiency in buildings.

• Lead projects and campaigns to advance sustainability within the Travis County organization and community including, but not limited to: sustainability equipment and process enhancements at the Travis County Jail, leading the employee Green Team, and coordinating community clean-up events.

• Bring a positive attitude to a fun team of people passionate about sustainability.

• Conducts grant and contract management for Natural Resources, Environmental Quality, and Parks programs.

• Assists the Environmental Project Manager in researching and coordinating a variety of projects.

• Identifies funding sources and coordinates with staff to develop appropriate projects.

• Writes and submits grant proposals.

• Coordinates with funding agencies (Federal, State, Local, and County sources).

• Monitors grant and administrative deadlines and assists project teams in meeting deadlines.

• Facilitates purchasing actions in accordance with County policies and state and federal laws.

• Develops, implements, performs duties of and/or administers a group of countywide natural resource and environmental quality programs or a single program that requires a high level of technical skill, specialized knowledge, or expertise as reflected by an accredited certification or extensive experience. Includes planning, carrying out and evaluating projects and activities in support of the programs. Manages multiple projects, contracts and activities consistent with authorized scope, schedule and budget.

• Coordinates efforts with contractors, department staff, other departments and agencies, the regulated community, stakeholders and the general public.

• Specific to grants area of specialization: Administers preparation and submission of grant applications for new and continued funding of programs through Federal, State, Local and County sources, including maintaining grant accurate records and prepare monthly reports of progress, monitoring contractual compliance, reviews projects, coordinates efforts between funding agencies, and schedules items for approval.

• Specific to grants area of specialization: Identifies funding sources, develops projects and writes grant proposals. Communicates and meets with funding agencies, and assists with taking the application through the approval process. Responds to information requests. Monitors grants, contracts and projects; advises and assists project teams to meet deadlines and ensure compliance with project requirements. Analyzes and interprets Federal, State and Local environmental regulations. Recommends develops and implements procedures and projects consistent with environmental regulations. Makes recommendations on compliance to the department and the regulated community.

• Prepares cost estimates, plans and specifications for outside goods or services within the designated areas of program specialization. Prepares request for proposals, assists in contract negotiations with outside vendors and manages approved contracts. Develops purchase requests for supplies and services required for assigned programs and projects. Assists with development of grant proposals, applications, and contracts for services with other agencies as sources for additional funding.

• Analyzes, evaluates and presents data, maintain databases and prepares written reports.

• Presents findings and reports to department staff and management, other agencies, the Commissioners Court and the public.

• Conducts education and outreach to the general public by participating in information meetings, trainings, and conferences to explain issues related to the programs goals. Represents the department by working closely with groups, community members and organization representatives.

• Serves on committees and task forces dealing with environmental or grants issues.

• Reviews projects in the Natural Resources and Environmental Quality programs. Reviews project operations to ensure timely submission of progress reports.

• Supports civil enforcement, as required.

• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

Education and Experience:

Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Policy, Technical Writing or a directly related field AND three (3) years experience the program specialization areas listed above;

OR,

Any combination of education and experience that has been achieved and is equivalent to the stated education and experience and required knowledge, skills, and abilities sufficient to successfully perform the duties and responsibilities of this job.

Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:

Valid Texas Driver's License.

Depending on assigned duties, may require certification in the designated specialty field such as: International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Arborist Certification, International Erosion Control Association (IECA) certification (e.g. Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control, CPESC), Pest Control Applicator License, Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER), or Certified Grant Management Specialist as recognized by the National Grants Management Association.

Preferred:

• Highly skilled in Microsoft Excel, Word, and Access or other similar database management experience that includes developing queries and exporting data to create reports.

• GIS and GPS experience.

• Demonstrated ability to perform successfully in a variety of sustainability related program areas such as:

• Collecting, analyzing, summarizing, and managing large and diverse sets of data;

• Managing environmental regulation and compliance programs;

• Analyzing, developing, and enhancing policy.

• Proficient in spend analysis, auditing invoices, managing contracts, developing budget requests, and making contract or budget recommendations.

• Highly developed communication skills, specifically collaboration, coordination, and effective working relationships with public officials, representatives of public agencies, and the general public.

• Expert business writing skills.

• Bilingual/Spanish speaker.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• Grant guidelines, procedures and of funding agencies. (Specific to grants area of specialization)

• Grant technical writing, project management, and environmental specifications. (Specific to grants area of specialization)

• Standard theory, principles, practices and techniques of environmental and natural resource protection.

• Scientific principles and techniques related the assigned area of environmental specialization.

• Federal, State, Local and County applicable environmental laws, rules, regulations and guidelines.

• General aptitude in mathematics or accounting.

• Principles, practices and techniques of project management, and environmental specifications.

• Research and data analysis techniques.

• Principles of data and document management.

• Computer equipment and software to include word processing, spreadsheets, databases and a variety of software packages including geographic information systems.

• Technical writing, report writing and preparation, business letter writing, grammar and punctuation.

Skill in:

• Use of biological monitoring, environmental assessment, and wildlife control equipment and instruments. Use of field techniques appropriate to the areas of specialization.

• Data analysis.

• Geographic Information Systems, including the ability to:

• create maps and graphs, using GIS software and related equipment;

• compile geographic data from a variety of sources which may include census, field observation, satellite imagery, aerial photographs, and existing maps;

• retrieve stored maps, manage shape files and other GIS data;

• Data management techniques.

• Explaining complicated technical problems in simple non-technical language.

• Problem-solving and decision-making.

• Both verbal and written communication.

• Problem-solving and decision-making.

• Verbal and written communication.

Ability to:

• Research, plan and coordinate grant related activities.

• Write policies and procedures.

• Manage time well, perform and prioritize multiple tasks, organize diverse activities, develop and implement environmental research and projects.

• Meet deadlines and produce projects in a timely manner while working on several projects at once.

• Work as a team member within a diverse organization.

• Research, compile, analyze, interpret and prepare a variety of memorandums or reports.

• Effectively present information to management and public groups.

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with County employees and officials, representatives of outside agencies, and the general public.

Work Environment & Other Information

Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 20-50 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to driving a 4-wheel drive vehicle, standing, walking/hiking (some rough terrain), carrying, sitting, repetitive motion, reaching, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, pushing, pulling, balancing, client/customer contact, squatting to perform the essential functions. May work in extreme temperature/weather change/conditions. May be subject to contact with dangerous machinery, fumes, communicable/infectious disease, and hazardous chemicals.

This job description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and overtime eligibility may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position.

A resume and cover letter are required. Attach to application.

Department: Transportation and Natural Resources.

Location: 700 Lavaca, Austin, TX.

Work Hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM; Monday through Friday.

Criminal, Driving, Education, and Employment Background Check Required