Sustainability Program Lead

The Nebraska Medical Center seeks a Sustainability Program Lead to enhance campus sustainability through waste reduction and environmental stewardship. This role involves developing and executing waste-reduction strategies, leading engagement efforts, and collaborating with various stakeholders. Candidates should have 3–5 years of relevant experience and a degree in Environmental Science or a related field. Strong communication and relationship-building skills are essential for inspiring behavior change and achieving sustainability goals.
About the position

At Nebraska Medicine, sustainability isn’t a side initiative—it’s part of how we care for our people, our patients, and our planet. The Sustainability Program Lead plays a critical role in shaping a campus culture where waste reduction, environmental stewardship, and engagement go hand in hand. This leader will drive institution-wide recycling and diversion strategies while inspiring employees and students through education, storytelling, and collaboration. If you’re energized by turning sustainability goals into measurable impact—and bringing people along with you—this is your opportunity to lead meaningful change within a nationally recognized academic health system. The Sustainability Program Lead is responsible for leading campus sustainability engagement efforts and developing and executing campus waste-reduction strategies. The role designs and delivers outreach, education, and behavior-change campaigns and engagement activities, supports and provides strategic vision for the recycling and waste minimization initiatives, and partners with campus stakeholders on institution-wide communication. This position will interact regularly with campus employee resource groups and student organizations, as well as the Executive Sustainability Council. The Sustainability Program Lead reports directly to the Director of Engineering for all engagement related activities and reports indirectly to the Director of Support Services to support the waste-reduction program on campus.

Responsibilities
• leading campus sustainability engagement efforts
• developing and executing campus waste-reduction strategies
• designs and delivers outreach, education, and behavior-change campaigns and engagement activities
• supports and provides strategic vision for the recycling and waste minimization initiatives
• partners with campus stakeholders on institution-wide communication
• interact regularly with campus employee resource groups and student organizations, as well as the Executive Sustainability Council

Requirements
• Minimum 3–5 years of relevant sustainability, waste diversion, or environmental operations experience required.
• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Sustainability, or related field required.
• Ability to design, implement, and oversee sustainability and waste-reduction programs from concept through evaluation required.
• Skilled at building relationships and working effectively with diverse groups, including faculty, staff, students, and executive leadership required.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills to develop outreach campaigns, educational materials, and presentations that inspire behavior change required.
• Proficient in collecting, analyzing, and reporting sustainability metrics to measure program impact and inform decision-making required.
• Ability to motivate and guide teams through change initiatives that align with institutional sustainability goals required.
• In-depth understanding of recycling, composting, waste diversion, and sustainability frameworks required.
• Capacity to develop innovative solutions for waste reduction, engagement, and operational challenges required.

Nice-to-haves
• Experience in a healthcare, higher education, or large institutional setting preferred.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• LEED and/or AASHE STARS certifications are preferred.

Benefits
• Together. Extraordinary. Join a team that values your skills, delivering exceptional care through collaboration.
• Leading Health Network Work with the region’s top academic health network, partnering with UNMC to transform lives through education, research, and patient care.
• Dignity and Respect: We value all backgrounds and experiences, reflecting the communities we serve.
• Educational Support Enjoy up to $5,000/year in tuition assistance, a 35% discount at Clarkson College, and career advancement opportunities with covered educational costs.
• Enjoy support for your personal growth within the organization, from those just starting their healthcare careers to those who are years down the path.