Sustainability Lead

Parsons Oman; Toronto; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering firm is seeking a Sustainability Lead to oversee transit projects in the Greater Toronto Area. This position requires a background in civil engineering and sustainability with at least 10 years of experience in related fields. The ideal candidate will manage project delivery, ensure budget compliance, and provide strategic advisory support while focusing on decarbonization efforts. A Professional Engineering License in Ontario and a PMP designation are preferred. Candidates should have strong communication and analytical skills.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits

Diversity and inclusion support

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of related experience in decarbonization and energy transition.
• Professional Engineering License in Ontario or in process.
• PMP designation is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Manage and deliver various rail and transit projects.
• Provide project management and strategic advisory leadership throughout the project lifecycle.
• Collaborate with other managers and engineers to develop budgets and schedules.

Skills

Project management

Sustainability expertise

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree in civil engineering or relevant field

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

In a world of possibilities, pursue one with endless opportunities. Imagine Next!

When it comes to what you want in your career, if you can imagine it, you can do it at Parsons. Imagine a career working with intelligent, diverse people sharing a common quest. Imagine a workplace where you can be yourself. Where you can thrive. Where you can find your next, right now. We’ve got what you’re looking for.

Job Description:

Parsons has an immediate opening for a Sustainability Lead within our Rail and Transit division. In this role, you will be responsible for the scope development, scope management, and commercial performance of the project to meet project goals and objectives. Plans and defines program goals and devises methods to accomplish them; develops in-depth knowledge of client objectives, contract terms, and corporate policies.

Parsons' extensive experience in this field, combined with your experience coordinating projects through all phases of project inception, programming, design, and closeout, will propel your career and leadership opportunities forward. We need our Project Managers to be versatile and enthusiastic to work in highly flexible, team-oriented environments that have exceptional communication, analytical, and organizational skills.

We need our sustainability leaders to act as integrators across transit, utility, aviation and municipal portfolios—applying systems thinking and deep decarbonization expertise to shape the future of infrastructure. This role would be based in the Greater Toronto Area.

Responsibilities:

• Applying a sustainability mindset and practices linked with project management activities to manage and deliver various rail and transit projects (LRT, BRT, commuter rail) while ensuring they meet budget, schedule, and quality standards.
• Providing project management, strategic advisory, and project integration leadership throughout the project lifecycle, including preliminary design, feasibility studies, and detailed design for large-scale transit projects.
• Reviewing preliminary and detailed design drawings, supporting report-writing and proposal writing, and embedding climate resilience, emissions reduction, and decarbonization considerations across deliverables.
• Responding to client needs and maintaining communication, including stakeholder and public engagements. Positioning sustainability outcomes as core project success metrics.
• Preparing monthly project status reports and recommending corrective actions.
• Assisting with new work proposals, including teaming arrangements, budget estimates, and schedules. Bringing subject matter expertise in sustainability funding, government programs (e.g., NRCan, FCM), and ESG value propositions.
• Managing project scope, schedule, costs, and quality assurance. Overseeing the establishment of key project documents such as the Project Execution Plan, Health and Safety Plan, and Quality Assurance/Quality Control Plan.
• Collaborating with other managers, project engineers, discipline leads, and sub-consultants to develop budgets, schedules, and plans.
• Devising and executing action plans to address potential cost overruns or delays, or scope changes.
• Overseeing contractors performing work in the field for due diligence and construction services.
• Creating integrated project schedules and maintaining risk registers. Identifying sustainability risks and opportunities through structured screening (e.g., GHG, climate adaptation).
• Monitoring and managing cost controls.
• Reviewing contractor schedules and monitoring cost controls.
• Mentoring and supervising staff, fostering a client-focused environment, and building internal capacity around climate-aligned infrastructure delivery and low-carbon transition planning.
• Leading business development efforts in the Greater Toronto Area, focusing on net-zero transit infrastructure, municipal decarbonization, and zero-emission vehicle integration, with opportunities across Canada and collaboration with US colleagues.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in civil engineering or relevant field; background in sustainability, environmental engineering, or energy systems is an asset.
• Minimum 10 years of related experience, including cross-sectoral decarbonization, zero-emission fleet strategy, utility coordination, or municipal energy transition work.
• Knowledge of alternative project delivery methods (P3, DB) and experience with teaming arrangements.
• Broad technical and business background with experience monitoring project budgets and schedules.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Professional Engineering License in Ontario or in process; application required.
• PMP designation is an asset.
• Experience with municipal agencies such as Metrolinx, TTC, City of Toronto, MTO, etc., is beneficial.
• Understanding of the GTA market, Canadian climate policies, transportation incentives, and utility regulations.
• Ability to work independently and in teams, with strong communication skills.
• Highly motivated and enthusiastic.

This position is part of our Critical Infrastructure team, dedicated to designing and delivering vital infrastructure worldwide. We value diversity and inclusion and offer comprehensive benefits to support our employees’ wellbeing.

Parsons is committed to preventing recruitment fraud. For more information, visit https://www.parsons.com/fraudulent-recruitment/.