Environmental Sustainability Coordinator - CAO's Office (Permanent, Full-Time)

Grey County; Owen Sound; On-site; CAD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Grey County's Climate Initiatives team is recruiting an Environmental Sustainability Coordinator in the CAO's Office department. This is a permanent full-time position with a September 9, 2026 deadline for applications.

The Coordinator will lead corporate and community sustainability efforts, track energy and emissions data, and support policy changes to improve energy efficiency and resilience for Grey County and its partners.

Qualifications

• Minimum of three years’ municipal climate/energy experience.
• Strong knowledge of GHG emissions reductions and energy data management.
• Experience with grant applications is an asset.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead corporate and community sustainability initiatives and track KPIs.
• Coordinate data collection and reporting on energy and emissions.
• Support Green Development Program and internal cross-department collaboration.
• Prepare reports for Council and management.

Skills

Leadership

Collaboration

Project management

Analytical skills

Education

Post-secondary degree in Environmental Resource Management or related field

Tools

RETScreen

Power BI

GIS

Job description

Grey County's Climate Initiatives team is recruiting an Environmental Sustainability Coordinator in the CAO's Office department. This is a permanent full-time position and a current vacancy. Applicants are asked to submit their resume and cover letter by the deadline of September 9, 2026 at 11:59pm.PurposeThe Environmental Sustainability Coordinator willjoin the Climate Change Initiatives Team in the CAO’s Office to lead corporate and community sustainability efforts across the organization and track and monitor their success. As the County’s sustainability data expert, the Coordinator will contribute to the development and implementation of changes to County policies, procedures and physical assets that will lead to energy efficiency, long-term positive financial impacts, and reduced vulnerability to climate change impacts.The Environmental Sustainability Coordinator will be responsible for broader capacity-building and knowledge-sharing activities around corporate sustainability to share with municipalities and community partners as required. The Coordinator will calculate, track and report on energy and emissions data corporately and community-wide with the goal of facilitating continuous improvement.

Implementation of Corporate Sustainability Initiatives

Report progress on corporate sustainability to senior management, Council, municipalities, and community groups through reports, presentations and briefing materials as required.Establish and facilitate cross-departmental collaboration to analyze cross sectoral impacts and opportunities (e.g., the impact of fleet charging on building electrical usage).Liaise with departments and municipal staff to review capital plans for buildings and other assets to identify opportunities for energy efficiency upgrades and risks of stranded assets.Develop an approach to implement a Climate Lens across corporate operations and capital work.Support transition to Zero-Emissions Vehicles (ZEVs) for County-owned fleet.Coordinate data collection and analysis on fleet EV impacts for both the County and member municipalities to develop business case and transition road maps.Provide support to the County’s member municipalities and their respective Councils, County Council, senior management, staff, regarding best practices for energy management and sustainable operations.Maintain a strong relationship with the County and municipal Purchasing staff to optimize green procurement in all operations, facility equipment efficiencies, and lifecycles.Assist the Climate Change Initiatives Manager to develop funding applications, RFPs, and manage consultants to implement corporate climate action.Develop measurement and monitoring protocols and KPIs in accordance with the Canadian Federation of Municipalities Partners for Climate Protection framework for tracking implementation of Going Green in Grey, Grey County’s Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP).Develop a data collection strategy for corporate climate risk assessment and corporate climate adaptation planning.

Building Energy Data and Benchmarking

Gather and verify accuracy and completeness of all available building energy data (from utility bills, interval meters, building automation systems, etc.).Select and implement an energy data management system that facilitates data entry, required reporting, data visualization, benchmarking, and ongoing analysis of building performance.Use RET Screen or similar tool to benchmark and analyze building performance. Identify underperforming buildings and potential opportunities for improvement in building operations and/or infrastructure.Lead annual Energy and Emissions Reporting and periodic Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan updates required under O. Reg. 507/18(Broader Public Sector: Energy Reporting and Conservation and Demand Management Plans) to reflect updated building analysis.Lead the development of a Net-Zero Buildings Plan for County-owned facilities.Develop a renewable energy plan for County assets; Provide support for renewable energy projects within County, (e.g., investigating opportunities for solar installations, etc.) and providing analysis and business cases on request.Maintain an awareness of current energy market trends and potential impacts on the County, make recommendations on annual utility budgets and provide feedback to senior management and Finance throughout the year on potential impacts to those budgets.Research federal, provincial, and private sector funding for corporate energy and emissions projects, develop applications for funding, in consultation with the Manager of Climate Change Initiatives, manage progress and financial reporting requirements.Communicate with staff and external building users to understand building operations and connections to energy use. Identify opportunities for operational changes. Develop strategies to minimize the impact of operational changes and potential retrofits on building users.Liaise with external building energy and data managers and networks to understand best practices.

Community Metrics and Modelling

Research best practices, recommend metrics and develop a data collection strategy to baseline and track progress towards community climate action goals.Research, collect and analyze data from a variety of sources, such as Statistics Canada, MPAC, Hydro One, GIS, and other external and internal databases, to model County wide trends and impacts of community climate action based on the chosen metrics. Model the GHG impact of community climate action using Canadian Federation of Municipalities Partners for Climate Protection framework and other resources as needed.Develop a data collection strategy for community climate risk assessment and a community climate adaptation plan that aligns with corporate data strategies and policies.

Support for Green Development Program Implementation

Support the review of Green Development Program applications.Support implementation of the Green Development Program including community and industry engagement, training and capacity building, consultant coordination, budgeting, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting to councils.Work with our industry, utilities, education, and municipal partners to implement the Green Development Program.Explore options to implement incentives for the Green Development Program.Work with applicants and municipal partners to support the incorporation of energy reports on development application projects, as requested. Addresses inquiries from residents, applicants, developers, staff and Council related to the Green Development Program.

Other Duties

Stay current with relevant municipal, provincial, and federal regulations as well as new technology and best practices relating to implementation of corporate and community sustainability initiatives.Prepare program reports for management and Council and participate in committees as assigned.Performs other related duties as assigned by the Manager, Climate Change Initiatives.Comply with Provincial and County occupational health and safety legislation, regulations, policies, and procedures.Maintain confidentiality in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Working Conditions

Usual hours of work are thirty-five (35) per week, Monday to Friday. Overtime is required to deal with the demands of the position, such as evening meetings that are convened for the public and committees’ convenience, plus normal operational and statutory deadlines, and peak periods.Occasional off-site meetings are required;must have valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle for travel if required.ContactsInternal Working RelationshipsDiscusses plans, priorities and receives general policy direction from the Manager and other senior staff outside the Climate Change Initiatives team in the CAO Office. Works with staff and/or department heads in other County Departments. Prepares and presents reports to Committee of the Whole or associated task forces.External Working RelationshipsStaff of member municipalities, neighbouring counties/municipalities, as well as Provincial Ministries, Conservation Authorities, farm organizations, and business associations. Solicitors, consultants, developers, contractors, special interest or user groups, businesses, and the general public.

Knowledge and Skill

Well-developed leadership skills and demonstrated ability to foster collaboration and consensus building.Post-secondary degree in Environmental Resource Management, Environmental Science/Studies, Energy Management, Sustainability, Geography, Planning, Engineering, Information Systems such as GIS, Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or a related field.Minimum of three years’ experience in a related area, preferably in a municipal setting.Strong knowledge and experience in the areas of GHG emissions reductions, climate change adaptation and energy data management; experience preparing Broader Public Sector Energy and Emissions reporting an asset.Ability to coordinate the collection of data and synthesize, analyze and communicate information from multiple sources.Excellent verbal and written communications skills including writing successful grant applications, analytical skills and demonstrated knowledge of Federal and Provincial climate change policies and legislation.Demonstrated knowledge of climate change issues and sustainable development principles and practices within the context of municipal government.Demonstrated presentation, project management and administrative skills with ability to develop recommendations for a wide range of climate change initiatives.General knowledge of public policy, practices and current issues affecting local government with a broad understanding of the two-tier municipal governments.Ability to respect confidentiality, and to communicate effectively and courteously with all levels of staff, external government agencies/authorities, elected officials, media, the development community, business groups, farm organizations, special interest or user groups and the general public.Proficiency in Microsoft Office products; experience with Geographic Information Systems software or web applications and Power BI would be considered an asset.Experience conducting GHG inventories; experience with GHG software would be considered an asset.Knowledge of RETScreen Software or equivalent is considered an asset.LEED Green Associate, Certified Energy Manager (CEM), Certified RETScreen Expert (CRE) or be working towards one of these designations, would be considered an asset.Experience with asset management planning or software would be beneficial.Interdisciplinary background is an asset as the position requires working across many departments and sectors.A valid driver’s license (minimum G2 Class) and access to a vehicle for travel if required.

Impact of ErrorJudgement errors could cause potential harm to the public image through failure to exercise diplomacy when dealing with the public or government officials. Errors in judgement, miscommunication and breach of confidentiality would result in unfavourable relations between staff, council, and the public and a loss of trust in the County’s Climate Change Action Plan. A misinterpretation of County policies or provincial guidelines could directly impact public safety or the natural environment.Technical errors could lead to higher legal and administration or materials costs. Errors in judgement or data interpretation may place the County in a position of liability from a financial and environmental perspective.Staff management errors could reduce departmental and program effectiveness, increase costs or liability, decrease employee involvement or morale, lead to negative public relations, and inconvenience the public, businesses, and farm organizations.