Join the City of Santa Rosa as a Sustainability Coordinator in the Santa Rosa Water Department as part of the Water Resources Division!

The City of Santa Rosa is committed to building a workforce reflective of our community and establishing a lasting culture of equity and belonging within our organization. Our collective talents and expertise contribute to high-quality public services that support a vibrant, resilient, inclusive City for our community and visitors. We celebrate a diverse workforce and welcome all qualified candidates to apply.

The Benefits of City Employment
In addition to offering a rewarding work environment, opportunity for career growth, and excellent salary, the City of Santa Rosa provides a generous suite of benefits, including retirement through CalPERS, a competitive leave accrual package, your choice of three health plans, and top of the line employer paid vision and dental coverage.

THE BENEFITS OF CITY EMPLOYMENT:

12 paid holidays annually, plus 1 to 3 'floating holidays' per year, depending on start date and years of service
Flexible schedule (9/80 or 5/8) with management approval
4% cost of living increase approved for July 2025 and July 2026
$500 annually for wellness
Unlimited free bus rides on CityBus and Sonoma County Transit
The City is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) qualifying employer

ABOUT THE POSITION:

The current Sustainability Coordinator vacancy in the Energy and Sustainability Section is responsible for overseeing a team that is focused on various climate resiliency, energy efficiency and sustainability initiatives for Santa Rosa Water’s operations. The Energy and Sustainability Section also facilitates a variety of ratepayer and community engagement activities focused on Santa Rosa Water’s existing mission to protect public health by sustaining water resources, infrastructure, and the environment. This includes overseeing staff who manage internal and public-facing tours of the Laguna Treatment Plant. The position is expected to be able to be able to analyze energy use and greenhouse gas emission patterns for the water department’s operations; develop plans, and identify energy efficiency measures for implementation to achieve regulatory targets and city-wide goals; prepare information and various reports including those required by regulation; develop and oversee various professional service contracts and grant awards; generate relevant studies and make presentations to the public as well as the Board of Public Utilities. The position also implements special projects and initiatives related to climate change resiliency, resource management, and sustainability.

THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE:
The successful candidate will have: experience implementing and analyzing energy and resource efficiency programs;, knowledge of current regulation and legislation related to energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions; a proficient understanding of the water/energy nexus and emerging technologies within this sector (or a strong willingness to learn); effective project management skills; will be detail oriented and possess strong writing outstanding communication and presenting skills, and superior customer service skills. Additionally, the successful candidate will have experience supervising, coaching and mentoring staff as well as the ability to build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders and work together to develop regional collaborations.

SANTA ROSA WATER - PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH:

Santa Rosa Water's mission is to provide essential water services and invest in a sustainable future for our community. Santa Rosa Water delivers approximately six billion gallons of drinking water, each year, to over 53,000 customer accounts, and maintains the sanitary sewer system for over 49,000 customer accounts in Santa Rosa, serving a population of 173,000. These systems include roughly 1,200 miles of water and sewer pipelines. Santa Rosa Water also owns and operates the Regional Water Reuse System, providing wastewater treatment and water reuse for Santa Rosa and four surrounding communities. Santa Rosa Water also provides oversight of the City’s storm drain system and management of approximately 100 miles of creeks. The department protects public health and the environment by providing a safe and reliable water supply, wastewater collection and treatment, beneficial reuse of recycled water and biosolids, and storm water management. The department has a $134 million annual operating budget and a $41 million capital improvement budget.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter.

HOW TO APPLY:
Please complete a thoughtful, thorough Supplemental Questionnaire submission. As part of the selection process, your responses to these questions will be scored using criteria specific to this position. Incomplete responses, or responses such as "See Resume" can result in disqualification from the selection process.

For more information about this exciting opportunity, please contact Debbie Gutman at dgutman@cpshr.us

Essential Duties:The following duties are considered essential for this job classification and are applicable to all sections:

Plan, organize, supervise and review the work of Sustainability Team, consisting of technical, professional, and support services personnel
Supervise, train, evaluate employee performance and promote development of assigned staff
Develop and revise sustainability programs, projects and duties as new technologies and strategies are identified
Develop outreach and education plans, materials and presentations related to the Sustainability Team's projects and programs
Gather, analyze and interpret data related to sustainability and use it to make program recommendations
Coordinate sustainability project and program efforts with various City departments and volunteer groups
Represent the City on various Boards, committees, community groups, and Local, State and Federal regulators on sustainability issues
Develop strategies and time schedule for implementing project and program components
Create, utilize, and maintain spreadsheets and databases
Write technical reports on proposed regulations to control water and energy use
Research grant opportunities; track preparation and participation of grant applications; make recommendations for solicitations as assigned
Write ordinances and regulations related to energy and water-use efficiency
Process and manage contracts for services and construction related to energy, water and sustainability projects and programs; oversee procurement of outreach materials
Track, analyze and implement Local, State and Federal legislation as it relates to the water energy nexus, energy efficiency and water-use efficiency
Develop and monitor budgets for programs, including special projects and routine operations

In addition to the duties listed above, the following duties are considered essential for positions in the following divisions:

Water Use Efficiency:

Assure ongoing management of program components such as: high-efficiency fixtures and technologies, water-efficient landscaping and irrigation techniques, rebate measures, rainwater harvesting, gray water, water-use surveys and audits, water pricing, ongoing public awareness campaign and consumer education
Investigate and develop methods to reduce City's flow to the wastewater treatment plant
Update the water-use efficiency section of Santa Rosa's Urban Water Management and Urban Water Shortage Contingency Plans
Develop activities for observance of State Water Awareness Month
Present workshops and training programs on water-use efficiency topics
Represent the Santa Rosa Water Department on the California Urban Water Conservation Council

Energy:

Direct long-range planning, development, and implementation of SRW policies, projects and programs that optimize energy use, increase the use of renewable energy, improve resource management, reduce GHG emissions, achieve climate action and adaptation goals, and enhance green procurement strategies;
Investigate and develop methods to reduce SRW’s energy consumption and GHG emissions;
Oversee management and analysis of energy accounts;
Assure SRW participates in available utility company incentives and rebate programs for projects and track incentives and rebates received;
Complete and submit various annual and bi-annual energy reports on behalf of SRW and the Laguna Treatment Plant.

Additional Duties:

In addition to the duties listed in the Essential Duties section, the incumbent in this classification may perform the following duties. Any single position may not be assigned all duties listed below, nor do the examples cover all duties which may be assigned.

Work with the Marketing and Outreach Coordinator to create press releases, newsletters, flyers and other information resources related to water and energy efficiency and sustainability;
Participate in the development of green building standards, low impact development standards, and related projects;
Develop and implement special projects and programs; and
Perform related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of: Principles and practices of sustainability; methods of creating and managing public information programs; administrative principles and methods, including supervision, leadership, project planning and program management; principles and practices of effective supervision and staff development; laws and regulatory codes applicable to sustainability, water-use efficiency, energy conservation and renewables; grant writing and administration; budget preparation and monitoring.

Water Use Efficiency: Principles and practices of water-use efficiency, related planning and management, including water use analysis and forecasting; embedded energy in water; green building standards; low impact development standards; techniques and equipment used in irrigation and water distribution; operation of various water-saving devices; water-use efficient landscaping, irrigation practices, and drought-tolerant planting; California Urban Water Conservation Council's Best Management Practices.

Ability to: Analyze data on water/energy consumption and renewable energy production; use computer forecasting and water/energy planning tools; conduct water/energy audits; identify measures that target inefficient use; analyze water/energy related legislation; communicate clearly and concisely, orally and in writing; make effective, professional presentations to a wide variety of audiences, such as community groups, schools, businesses and public commissions; write and create technical publications, reports, grants, training curricula, graphs, brochures and other materials to inform and persuade the public about sustainability related topics; develop and administer programs that involve community participation; establish and maintain effective working relationships with subordinate staff, peers, professional associates, policy making bodies and with the general public; supervise, train, coach and evaluate subordinate personnel.

Experience and Education: Any combination equivalent to experience and education that could likely provide the required knowledge and abilities would be qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be: Experience - Sufficient years of responsible experience in water/energy supply, renewable energy or water/energy-use efficiency program work, including supervisory experience, to demonstrate possession of the knowledge and abilities listed above; Education - Equivalent to a BS or BA degree from an accredited college with major course work in public or business administration, public relations, communications, environmental engineering, environmental studies, landscaping, water supply, renewable energy or closely related field. An AA or AS degree in environmental studies, landscaping, or water supply can be qualifying if it is supplemented by additional experience in water conservation work.

License or Certification:

Individuals must be physically capable of operating a motor vehicle safely and possess a valid, Class C, California Driver License, OR be able to demonstrate the ability to travel on scheduled or unscheduled visits to various locations in the City which may or may not be reachable by public transportation.

Water Use Efficiency: Certification from American Water Works Association as a Water Conservation Practitioner and licensing from the Irrigation Association or Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper as a Water Auditor are desired.

WORKING CONDITIONS:
Work is largely conducted in an indoor office setting and involves sitting for long periods of time with the ability to move about at will, however, travel outside of the office for field visits is required to inspect properties, or make home or business visitations that involve walking over rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces and walking for extended periods of time.

This position communicates with others face-to-face, by telephone, and in group settings when responding to questions, providing training and making formal presentations. An incumbent comprehends and draws inferences from written material such as government regulations, laws, codes, and ordinances. An incumbent uses a computer to produce written documents such as correspondence and reports, which requires repetitive arm/hand movements. Work generally occurs during traditional work hours, but occasionally requires evening, weekend, and holiday work.

SANTA ROSA - A WONDERFUL CITY TO CALL HOME:
The City of Santa Rosa is nestled in the center of famous Sonoma Wine Country, located just 55 miles north of San Francisco and 30 miles east of the Pacific Ocean with a population of approximately 173,000. Santa Rosa serves as the County seat and the center of trade, government, commerce, and medical facilities for the North Bay. The surrounding area is home to over a hundred wineries and vineyards and many beautiful parks and recreational facilities, including golf courses. Santa Rosa is in the center of a nationally recognized cycling area. We boast many attractions associated with large cities, including a symphony, performing arts center, theater productions and internationally recognized restaurants, yet still retain the warmth and small town feel of decades past. Santa Rosa has been named one of the 50 greenest cities in the United States with one of the top five mid-sized downtowns in California.

The City of Santa Rosa is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

City of Santa Rosa jobs

Sustainability Coordinator