U-M Health Senior Sustainability Consultant

U-M Health Senior Sustainability Consultant

Job Summary

Reporting to the U-M Health Sustainability Officer, the U-M Health Senior Sustainability Consultant is responsible as a subject-matter expert, to develop and implement environmental sustainability and carbon reduction initiatives across the health system, while overseeing the collection and reporting of key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress and identify opportunities for improvement. Such initiatives include, but are not limited to, recycling, waste reduction, composting and energy conservation. This multifaceted role is intended to help position U-M Health as a leader in healthcare sustainability, with the strategic and operating goals to establish and uphold national environmental standards and best practices that reduce negative environmental impacts while improving health safety and operational efficiencies. The Sustainability Lead acts in accordance with policies and procedures and exemplifies the mission, vision, and values of U-M Health-Michigan Medicine.

Responsibilities*

• Collaborate with operational leaders to identify environmental sustainability improvement opportunities and redesign framework.
• Coordinate and manage multiple environmental sustainability initiatives simultaneously with limited oversight.
• Partner with others to promote and engage in enhancement of recycling, waste reduction, and composting programs.
• Coordinate efforts with Facilities colleagues to plan and implement energy conservation strategies.
• Lead special projects to advance sustainability goals.
• Collect, track, and organize sustainability data and outcomes for reporting to various stakeholders.
• Provide oversight over efforts to prepare sustainability reports for internal and external stakeholders, including annual submissions to Practice Green Health
• Develop and facilitate sustainability educational workshops and communications for both employees and external audiences.
• Assist with the creation and evaluation of requests for qualifications and proposals for sustainability-related products and services.
• Collaborate with and oversee the work of third-party vendors.
• Collaborate with other leaders to develop and carry out a strategy to merge aspects of environmental sustainability and justice initiatives into their operations.
• Develop and maintain relationships with external stakeholders to expand the organization's environmental sustainability work on local, regional and national scale.
• Work collaboratively with employees and leaders from U-M Office of Campus Sustainability and U-M Health regional network to align efforts in support of U-M and U-M Health climate action initiatives.
• Develop or identify an appropriate mechanism for establishing system baseline metrics and collecting data longitudinally in alignment with Practice Green Health's Environmental Excellence Awards criteria, and other agencies as applicable.
• Perform scheduled assessments to analyze the organization's current practices and identify opportunities for improvement in environmental sustainability and reducing carbon impact.
• Assist with the establishment of targets for tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) to identify progress and opportunities for improvement.
• Collaborate with department leaders and the Department of Communications to publicize the organization's environmental sustainability strategy, initiatives, progress, and achievements with colleagues, clients, stakeholders, and vendors
• Develop policies, procedures and trainings for areas including materials and waste, safer chemicals, environmentally preferable purchasing, transportation, energy, water, climate, and healthy foods
• Conduct regular rounding and audits and provide updates and brief in-services on environmental programs.
• Develop written sustainability plans to achieve SMART goals with roles, responsibilities and timelines identified.
• Facilitate sustainability committees and work groups to support continuous environmental quality improvement and employee engagement.

Required Qualifications*

• Bachelor's degree, or an Advanced degree (preferred) in Sustainability, Environmental Sciences, Engineering or a related field (or equivalent experience)
• U.S. Green Building Council LEED Green Associate certification (preferred)
• Minimum of three years of sustainability-related experience
• Broad knowledge and appreciation of the key aspects of sustainable development, with a particular emphasis on life sciences and the associated business impacts
• Ability to think creatively to come up with solutions for complex problems
• Ability to plan and prioritize deadlines and think strategically
• Experience in the application of sustainability standards and reporting protocols, including but not limited to U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, Greenhouse Gas Protocol, ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, and others
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate sustainability initiatives and needs to both executive leadership and front-line staff
• Proven ability to engage with people at all levels across the organization with enthusiasm and empathy
• Strong interpersonal and project management skills with an open, constructive, and collaborative approach to working with colleagues
• Experience in change management and continuous quality improvement

Skills You Have

• Energy Efficiency
• Waste Management Process Mapping
• Data Collection and Analysis
• Training
• Work independently
• Communications (Verbal and Written)
• Team Facilitation
• Change Management

Why Join Michigan Medicine?

Michigan Medicine is one of the largest health care complexes in the world and has been the site of many groundbreaking medical and technological advancements since the opening of the U-M Medical School in 1850. Michigan Medicine is comprised of over 30,000 employees and our vision is to attract, inspire, and develop outstanding people in medicine, sciences, and healthcare to become one of the world's most distinguished academic health systems. In some way, great or small, every person here helps to advance this world-class institution. Work at Michigan Medicine and become a victor for the greater good.

What

Benefits

• Can You Look Forward to?

• Comprehensive benefits plan options, with excellent medical, dental and vision coverage effective on your very first day

• Generous 2-to-1 Employer Match on retirement savings and immediate vesting

• Paid Time Off

• Tuition Reimbursement

• Health Savings Accounts / Flexible Spending Accounts

• Health and Wellness incentives

• Work-Life Programs - to strengthen a workplace culture that supports personal and family life, including child care, elder care, lactation resources, and flexible work arrangements

• Free access to LinkedIn Learning which offers more than 20,000 high quality, on-demand courses available at any time

• More Reasons to ?GO BLUE!?

• University of Michigan Health named to the nation's Honor Roll of Best Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report for 2026-27 as one of nation?s top 20 hospitals and highest-ranked hospital in Michigan

• Rated among Top 25 Universities in the World by Times Higher Education for 2026

• University of Michigan Health named one of the World's Best Hospitals in 2026, and #12 in the United States, by Newsweek and Statista

• Michigan Medicine rated #15 Best Employer for New Grads 2026 by Forbes

• University of Michigan was recognized in Crain's 2025 Best Places to Work in Southeast Michigan

• University of Michigan was recognized as one of America's Best Employers For Company Culture 2025 by Forbes

• Michigan Medicine C.S. Mott Children's was recognized as one of America's Best Children's Hospitals for 2025 by Newsweek and Statista

• University of Michigan Health-Michigan Medicine earned Top 25 Environmental Excellence award from Practice Greenhealth for 2025 & 2026

• University of Michigan rated #3 U.S. Public University for 2025 by U.S. News & World Report

• Michigan Medicine named one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in metropolitan Detroit in 2024 by the National Association for Business Resources

• Nationally Recognized for work/life effectiveness by WorldatWork

• Modes of Work

• Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

• Background Screening

• Michigan Medicine conducts background screening and pre-employment drug testing on job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent job offer and may use a third-party administrator to conduct background screenings. Background screenings are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Report Act. Pre-employment drug testing applies to all selected candidates, including new or additional facul