Director, Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination

Fairfax County is seeking a Director for the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination to lead climate action initiatives aimed at achieving carbon neutrality and resilience against climate change. The role involves managing a team, overseeing a budget, and collaborating with various stakeholders to implement environmental policies. The ideal candidate should have strong leadership skills and a proven track record in environmental policy implementation.
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.

The Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination (OEEC) leads and coordinates the implementation of these climate initiatives across County departments in pursuit of a ‘whole of government’ approach to these challenging issues. OEEC manages this effort through six interagency workgroups that meet quarterly to facilitate coordination and avoid duplication of effort.

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.

Manages OEEC’s annual budget, which includes an environmental capital fund, and grant applications to support county initiatives.

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.Job Type: FT Salary W BN
Agency: County Executive
Location: FX. CTY. GOVERNMENT CENTER, 12000 GOVERNMENT CENTER PKWY., FAIRFAX (EJ32)

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Fairfax County