Sustainability Associate, Events

Waste Management is seeking a Sustainability Associate for Events in Jacksonville, FL, to manage sustainability initiatives in sports and entertainment. The role involves collaborating with clients to develop and implement waste reduction strategies, overseeing environmental impact reporting, and leading on-site program execution at major events. Responsibilities include advising on sustainability goals, creating training resources, and ensuring compliance with regulations while staying updated on industry trends.
Job Description

As an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

I. Job Summary
WM Advisory Services is hiring a sustainability-focused, customer-driven project manager to lead initiatives across sports and entertainment with a focus on large-scale events. You'll partner with clients to design and implement strategies, drive measurable waste reduction and diversion, and manage environmental impact reporting using industry-standard tools. The role blends cross-functional collaboration with on-site event work to deliver practical improvements aligned to leading frameworks and best practices.

This position offers the opportunity to make a measurable impact by helping clients achieve their sustainability ambitions while elevating the environmental performance of major sports and entertainment events.

II. Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Engage with customers to understand their sustainability ambitions and strategic context; advise on targets, improvement levers, and implementation strategies to achieve goals. Develop sustainability plans, impact inventories, training resources, marketing collateral, and stakeholder engagement tools. Lead and support on-site program implementation at major events and facilities. Identify operational process improvements and implement best practices to advance waste reduction and diversion; oversee delivery of roadmaps, milestone plans, procurement analyses, SOPs, and training programs. Manage materials and environmental impact measurement protocols across projects, ensuring consistent use of tools and emissions management software; verify that data collection and reporting meet WM standards and accepted GHG calculation methodologies. Support training of Associates and Analysts on WM project management processes and institutional project knowledge with Manager, Senior Associate, and Associate II oversight. Support project renewal processes and customer engagement for new opportunities; assist with proposal development, including budgets and consulting deliverables. Integrate environmental justice priorities into program development and align projects with leading frameworks (e.g., CDP, ISSB, SBTi). Monitor external market trends and internal strategies to optimize WM service offerings and ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations. Maintain knowledge of recycling standards at MRFs and diversion solutions for specialty waste streams (e.g., hazardous, universal, e-waste). Stay current on sustainability trends-especially event-related- to maintain SME expertise. Help organize and interpret complex GHG inventory data and sustainability impact metrics into clear, actionable insights for customers, ensuring information is presented in frameworks and language that resonate with senior leadership and drive informed decision-making. Ensure compliance with client and government regulations when performing assessments, implementing programs, and managing other on-site functions Promote culture of safety by ensuring site personnel are properly trained to perform assigned duties and comply with safety, environmental, federal, state, and local regulations May supervise non-exempt employees and sub-contractors during the event management process. Other duties assigned.
III. Qualifications
The requirements listed below are representative of the qualifications necessary to perform the job.

A. Education and Experience

Education: Bachelor's Degree (accredited) in Environmental Sciences, Engineering, Sustainability, Architectural Design, Community Planning, Business or related field or High School Diploma or GED (accredited) and four years of relevant experience required.

Experience:
3 years of of relevant work experience in project/business management (in addition to education requirement) and Environmental or services industry experience required.Experience with sustainability risk and management frameworks, sport-specific or otherwise strongly preferred.Experience managing golf sustainability project with on course tournament logistics support strongly preferred.Experience with conducting a greenhouse gas emissions inventory and executing mitigation initiatives, organizational advisory services, and materials management strongly preferred.Experience with environmental justice and intersectional environmentalism preferred.Experience managing material minimization and diversion programs, supply chain analyses, and sustainable material management planning preferred.Experience working in sports venues and event operations strongly preferred.Experience managing multiple customers and/or projects simultaneously preferred.Experience with the development of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs preferred.Experience with implementing GHG emissions reduction initiatives and researching mitigation technology preferred.
B. Certificates, Licenses, Registrations or Other Requirements
None required.
C. Other Knowledge, Skills or Abilities Required
Self-motivated and directed to deliver results while working remotely or at a customer site Experience with public speaking, presentations to large groups or training large groups Ability to multitask and manage multiple large projects simultaneously Ability to work long days and over weekends when required by events Detail-oriented Customer-focused Strong leadership skills Creative problem solving Computer and tech savvy - must be adaptable to new programs and systems. High proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel. Knowledge of circular economy, sustainable materials management, and zero waste design concepts and principles Experience with conducting a greenhouse gas inventory and executing mitigation initiatives, organizational advisory services, and materials management Experience researching life cycle assessment and embedded carbon research Experience with intersectional environmentalism and environmental justice programs Experience with sustainability risk and management frameworks, sport-specific or otherwise Must be available to work standard business hours, as well as be available to work non-standard hours in case of emergency (natural disasters, power outages, etc.) Ability to travel up to 35%, up to two weeks at a time.
IV. Work Environment
Combination: This job operates in a mix between an office environment and plant/field environment and routinely requires the use of standard office equipment such as computers, phones, copy machines, etc.

The expected base pay range for this position across the U.S. is $65,700 - $96,370. This range represents a good faith estimate for this position. The specific salary offered to a successful candidate may be influenced by a variety of factors including the candidate's relevant experience, education, training, certifications, qualifications, and work location.

Benefits
At WM, each eligible employee receives a competitive total compensation package including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance and Short Term Disability. As well as a Stock Purchase Plan, Company match on 401K, and more! Our employees also receive Paid Vacation, Holidays, and Personal Days. Please note that benefits may vary by site.

If this sounds like the opportunity that you have been looking for, please click "Apply".

About Us

ABOUT WM

WM (WM.com) is North America's largest comprehensive waste management environmental solutions provider. Previously known as Waste Management and based in Houston, Texas, WM is driven by commitments to put people first and achieve success with integrity. The company, through its subsidiaries, provides collection, recycling and disposal services to millions of residential, commercial, industrial and municipal customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. With innovative infrastructure and capabilities in recycling, organics and renewable energy, WM provides environmental solutions to and collaborates with its customers in helping them achieve their sustainability goals. WM has the largest disposal network and collection fleet in North America, is the largest recycler of post-consumer materials and is the leader in beneficial reuse of landfill gas, with a growing network of renewable natural gas plants and the most gas-to-electricity plants in North America. WM's fleet includes nearly 11,000 natural gas trucks - the largest heavy-duty natural gas truck fleet of its kind in North America - where more than half are fueled by renewable natural gas. To learn more about WM and the company's sustainability progress and solutions, visit Sustainability.WM.com.

Equal Employment Opportunity

For United States: WM is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, status as a protected veteran or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.

For Canada: WM is committed to the principle of equal employment for all applicants and employees, without discrimination on the basis of all grounds protected by applicable human rights legislation. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. Please notify us if you require accommodation.

Real ID

In order to travel by air or access federal property, federal law requires individuals have a REAL ID or an acceptable alternative. This position may require the successful candidate to travel by air for business reasons, or service federal property. Accordingly, successful candidates must have, or be willing to obtain, a REAL ID, or TSA approved alternative.