Director, Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination
Job Announcement
Fairfax County, with the largest population of any locality in Virginia, seeks to be the leader in equitable climate action for the Commonwealth of Virginia. The County’s Board of Supervisors has set ambitious goals for climate action, including mitigation through pursuit of carbon neutrality, and adaptation and resilience to the effects of climate change. These goals and related strategies are described in three Board-adopted plans:
Fairfax County seeks an experienced, dynamic, and innovative leader with well-honed leadership and executive skills to serve as the next OEEC Director. This is a unique opportunity for a seasoned professional with a proven record of successful environmental policy implementation to shape and implement energy- and environment-related policies, practices, and projects for decades to come. The Director is responsible for managing a staff of seventeen employees organized into three divisions. The department has an annual operating budget of $2.4 million and manages capital expenditures of approximately $6 million annually. OEEC works directly with local, regional, state, and federal entities as well as many community partners to implement these policy directives.
The director serves on the Deputy County Executive’s Leadership Team and represents OEEC at meetings with the Board of Supervisors (BOS), the County Executive, BOS-appointed bodies including the Environmental Quality Advisory Council (EQAC), regional agencies including committees of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG), and others.
Roles And Responsibilities
Leads team members in addressing the department’s mission, vision, and values. This includes the promotion of innovative thinking in energy, climate, and environmental programs that result in new initiatives and actions.
Oversees recommendations to the Board of Supervisors and the County Executive/Deputy County Executive related to environmental and energy policy issues and legislation.
Fosters a work culture that enables the development of positive working relationships, open communication, continuous learning and growth, and commitment to customer service and high-level performance.
Leads the coordination of initiatives and projects associated with CECAP, OES, and Resilient Fairfax in partnership with other County departments, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA), adjacent jurisdictions, regional, state, and federal environmental agencies, non-profits, citizen associations, HOAs, private-sector companies, utilities, and the general public.
Provides leadership to staff on matters associated with Fairfax County's energy, climate, and environmental programs, including:
Provides leadership in marketing, promotion, and outreach related to Fairfax County’s environmental and energy initiatives, projects, and services through the Sustain Fairfax branding and other measures.
Leads the department’s engagement in Countywide initiatives: One Fairfax , Countywide Strategic Plan , ActiveFairfax Plan , and other countywide efforts.
For more information about the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination, click here .
Required Knowledge Skills And Abilities
(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following:
(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Sciences, Management, Law, Engineering, Planning or Policy or a closely related field; plus seven years of progressively responsible experience in environmental protection work or a closely related field, including four years of management experience.
CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
Not applicable.
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check and a credit history check to the satisfaction of the employer.
This position is considered essential personnel and will be required to report to work during times designated countywide as approved for unscheduled leave regardless of the emergency situation (i.e., weather, transportation, other disaster).
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Job is generally sedentary in nature; however, employee must be sufficiently mobile to attend meetings and make presentations. Employee may be required to lift and carry up to 15 pounds. Incumbent must be able to work on electronic equipment such as a computer monitor, typing on a keyboard, and are essential to this position. Ability to attend evening meetings is essential. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.
SELECTION PROCEDURE:Panel interview.
Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home (including Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and many others .) We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity.
Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.
Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY 703-222-7314. DHREmployment@fairfaxcounty.gov EEO/AA/TTY.
Fairfax County, with the largest population of any locality in Virginia, seeks to be the leader in equitable climate action for the Commonwealth of Virginia. The County’s Board of Supervisors has set ambitious goals for climate action, including mitigation through pursuit of carbon neutrality, and adaptation and resilience to the effects of climate change. These goals and related strategies are described in three Board-adopted plans:
- The Fairfax County Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan (CECAP) aims for carbon neutrality in the community by 2050,
- The Operational Energy Strategy (OES) outlines the path to carbon neutrality in county government operations by 2040, and
- Resilient Fairfax , the county’s plan to help residents and businesses, especially our most vulnerable residents, become more resilient to a changed climate that brings increased flooding, heat, and severe storms to the region.
Fairfax County seeks an experienced, dynamic, and innovative leader with well-honed leadership and executive skills to serve as the next OEEC Director. This is a unique opportunity for a seasoned professional with a proven record of successful environmental policy implementation to shape and implement energy- and environment-related policies, practices, and projects for decades to come. The Director is responsible for managing a staff of seventeen employees organized into three divisions. The department has an annual operating budget of $2.4 million and manages capital expenditures of approximately $6 million annually. OEEC works directly with local, regional, state, and federal entities as well as many community partners to implement these policy directives.
The director serves on the Deputy County Executive’s Leadership Team and represents OEEC at meetings with the Board of Supervisors (BOS), the County Executive, BOS-appointed bodies including the Environmental Quality Advisory Council (EQAC), regional agencies including committees of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG), and others.
Roles And Responsibilities
Leads team members in addressing the department’s mission, vision, and values. This includes the promotion of innovative thinking in energy, climate, and environmental programs that result in new initiatives and actions.
Oversees recommendations to the Board of Supervisors and the County Executive/Deputy County Executive related to environmental and energy policy issues and legislation.
Fosters a work culture that enables the development of positive working relationships, open communication, continuous learning and growth, and commitment to customer service and high-level performance.
Leads the coordination of initiatives and projects associated with CECAP, OES, and Resilient Fairfax in partnership with other County departments, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA), adjacent jurisdictions, regional, state, and federal environmental agencies, non-profits, citizen associations, HOAs, private-sector companies, utilities, and the general public.
Provides leadership to staff on matters associated with Fairfax County's energy, climate, and environmental programs, including:
- Skilled coordination and collaboration involving diverse stakeholders,
- Solar installations on county-owned buildings,
- Energy services contracts (ESCOs),
- Electric vehicle (EV) charging station installations in county-owned facilities,
- Pursuit of an off-site solar power purchase agreement to achieve 100% renewable electricity for operations,
- Charge-Up Fairfax (County grants and technical assistance to HOAs and community organizations for EV charging stations),
- Energy Compass (a new residential energy efficiency and electrification assistance program),
- Green Businesses Partners program (assistance and visibility to private entities pursuing climate action), and
- Resilient Fairfax plan implementation, with topics as diverse as cooling assistance to households lacking air conditioning in summer, stormwater management to prevent flooding, and reducing threats from power outages.
Provides leadership in marketing, promotion, and outreach related to Fairfax County’s environmental and energy initiatives, projects, and services through the Sustain Fairfax branding and other measures.
Leads the department’s engagement in Countywide initiatives: One Fairfax , Countywide Strategic Plan , ActiveFairfax Plan , and other countywide efforts.
For more information about the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination, click here .
Required Knowledge Skills And Abilities
(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)
- Ability to facilitate and work collaboratively with many cross-agency County teams to develop and implement effective environmental policy;
- Ability to establish effective, cooperative working relationships with officials, including the ability to develop consensus which accommodates conflicting interests and viewpoints;
- Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
- Thorough knowledge of the provisions of complex Federal, State, and County laws, regulations and procedures;
- Thorough knowledge of modern practices, methods, materials and equipment used in environmental protection and deployment of clean energy technologies; [NW1]
- Considerable knowledge of environmental planning principles and practices;
- Considerable knowledge of sources of information, current literature, and recent developments regarding environmental planning issues;
- Knowledge of research methods and techniques;
- Ability to initiate and develop programs and policies;
- Ability to analyze policy and technical issues and exercise sound judgment in decision making;
- Ability to review and analyze issues and situations, and develop new and revised regulations or procedures to address them;
- Ability to analyze, interpret, and explain laws, regulations, policies and procedures to individuals, groups, or agencies to gain compliance, cooperation, and understanding.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following:
(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Sciences, Management, Law, Engineering, Planning or Policy or a closely related field; plus seven years of progressively responsible experience in environmental protection work or a closely related field, including four years of management experience.
CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
Not applicable.
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check and a credit history check to the satisfaction of the employer.
This position is considered essential personnel and will be required to report to work during times designated countywide as approved for unscheduled leave regardless of the emergency situation (i.e., weather, transportation, other disaster).
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Demonstrated experience serving in a highly visible senior or executive leadership role, with proven record of guiding organizational strategy, operations, and performance, and developing and implementing office-wide goals, objectives, and strategic plans.
- Ten (10) or more years of experience leading, supervising, and developing professional staff, including planning, organization, and motivating multidisciplinary teams.
- Eight (8) or more years of experience leading, funding (where applicable), and overseeing complex environmental initiatives.
- Deep expertise in the principles, methods, and challenges related to climate change, sustainability, environmental stewardship, and energy use, including specialized technical practices such as solar and wind energy, distributed power systems, electric vehicles, transportation demand reduction strategies, and zero-waste systems.
- Experience overseeing community outreach, education and engagement efforts that promote innovative environmental practices.
Job is generally sedentary in nature; however, employee must be sufficiently mobile to attend meetings and make presentations. Employee may be required to lift and carry up to 15 pounds. Incumbent must be able to work on electronic equipment such as a computer monitor, typing on a keyboard, and are essential to this position. Ability to attend evening meetings is essential. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.
SELECTION PROCEDURE:Panel interview.
Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home (including Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and many others .) We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity.
Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.
Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY 703-222-7314. DHREmployment@fairfaxcounty.gov EEO/AA/TTY.