Position Overview
The Wood Advisor Specialist will work closely with Wood Markets staff to grow the Wood Advisor
Services program and provide project support to AEC clientele. Wood Advising is an emergent and
in-demand role within the green building sector that helps project teams navigate the wood products supply chain to confidently source wood in support of forest health, local jobs, and community values. Sustainable Northwest is spearheading development of these services and has supported numerous high-profile projects like the Portland TCORE airport project, and with dozens more in the pipeline. The successful candidate will lead engagement and project work with architectural firms, developers, contractors, mass timber suppliers, and mills from pre-design through procurement, construction, and post-construction. Success celebrates the people, stewardship, and climate values associated with the positive impacts achieved by intentional wood sourcing. The work is creative, flexible and highly dynamic, with the feel of a small nimble team complimented by the organizational support and network of Sustainable Northwest. Applicants are not expected to be experts in all named areas of the job description. Annual work plans are built to be mindful of strengths and personal interests. Work is hybrid. Portland, OR is the preferred permanent residence, but remote applicants within the PNW will be considered. We encourage all interested parties to apply.
Key Responsibilities
● Serve as the main point-of-contact and primary representative for Wood Advisor Services;
● Manage an ongoing portfolio of fee-for-service and grant-funded Wood Advisor projects, including
project management and contract administration;
● Advance program sustainability, scale and impact through ongoing development of project leads,
strategic partnerships, and grants;
● Design and deliver outreach, communications and education surrounding intentional sourcing
practices, impacts, partners and project successes, including workshops, forest-to-frame tours,
lunch and learns, webinars, conferences, informational guides, case studies, digital media, etc.
● Engage the AEC community, 3rd party certifying agencies, manufacturing partners and others to
advance transparency between and across the wood products supply chain and built
environment;
● Support market development for wood and wood products linked to restorative forestry practices
and community health;
● Other duties as assigned.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
● Minimum three (3) years of work experience in architecture, construction management, wood
products manufacturing, sustainable business with an emphasis on material procurement/supply
chain management, or other of relevance.
Note: relevant graduate work may qualify for required years of this experience.
● Excellent social and communication skills. Must demonstrate ability to engage with a diverse set
of partners, create trust, communicate complex problems clearly, and build common ground for
moving forward through uncertainty;
● Experience in project management including task planning, successful implementation,
budgeting, and grant management.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
● 5+ years architectural, construction or mass timber work experience specific to building
project management and material procurement;
● Knowledge of wood products and wood product supply chain dynamics;
● Knowledge of mass timber, particularly design-build and pre-construction processes and
team dynamics;
● Experience working with Tribal communities, forest landowners, wood product suppliers,
industry associations, local, state, and federal agencies, etc.;
● Basic knowledge of forest management practices, certification systems, etc.;
● Basic knowledge of green building practices, certification systems, etc.;
● Business / economic / market development experience;
● Experience in team management and staff supervision;
● Graduate degree in architecture, engineering, construction management, wood science,
business administration, natural resources, business, or other relevant subjects.
QUESTIONS and APPLICATIONS
- If you’re ready to apply, email a single PDF cover letter and resume to Dassi Owens at
dowens@sustainablenorthwest.org with ‘Wood Advisor Specialist’ in the subject line.
- Open until filled
ABOUT SUSTAINABLE NORTHWEST
Sustainable Northwest forges natural resource solutions that are good for nature, people, and local economies. We partner with local communities and Tribes throughout the Northwest on projects across five core programmatic areas: forests, wood markets, water, clean energy, and rangelands/ranching. Our solutions are as unique as the problems we solve and include entrepreneurship, policy, market innovations, public or private investment, collaboration, and technical assistance – but the ultimate success of our work is based on relationships, trust, and inclusion. Sustainable Northwest was founded in 1994 to forge collaborative solutions for conserving forest and community health. Today, our challenges have multiplied with climate change, catastrophic wildfires, and persistent drought plaguing our region. Yet we remain optimistic that nature, people, and local economies can thrive together.