Director Environmental Affairs

Port Houston; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A major port authority in Houston seeks a Director of Environmental Affairs to lead environmental initiatives, ensuring compliance with regulations, and facilitating cross-divisional support. The ideal candidate will possess a Bachelor's degree in a related field, over a decade of experience in environmental management, and strong leadership skills. This position is crucial for driving sustainability and environmental stewardship at the port.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of environmental, regulatory, or project management experience in a relevant field.
• Experience managing multi-disciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and oversight of the Environmental Affairs Department.
• Ensure compliance with environmental laws and regulations.
• Develop and implement environmental strategic initiatives.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Regulatory compliance

Environmental management

Communication skills

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies or related field

Master’s degree

Job description

Position Summary

The Director of Environmental Affairs provides port-wide leadership and direction of the environmental programs by:

• Championing the Port’s Environmental Policy;
• Ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local environmental laws and mandates;
• Overseeing tenant audit compliance for stormwater, wastewater, drinking water, waste management, air permitting, energy use;
• Advising senior leadership in the planning;
• Formulating and executing mid- and long-term objectives to reduce the Port’s environmental footprint in sustainable ways; and,
• Aligning environmental efforts across Port Houston’s divisions to provide a holistic, cross-functional approach to environmental stewardship.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Department Management
• Provide leadership, direction, and oversight of the Environmental Affairs Department (EAD); develop vision, goals, policies, procedures, and performance standards that align with Port Houston’s Environmental Policy and strategic plan.
• Prepare, manage, and monitor the department’s budget using cost-benefit and risk analyses to prioritize initiatives, while ensuring fiscal discipline.
• Mentor and develop staff; conduct performance reviews; identify professional development needs and succession planning.
• Regulatory Compliance & Environmental Programs
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of federal, state, and local environmental regulations (e.g., Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, RCRA, Endangered Species Act, Oil Pollution Act, etc.).
• Develop, implement, and maintain systems, processes, and procedures to sustain full compliance across all environmental media (stormwater, wastewater, air, waste, energy, etc.).
• Lead the acquisition, renewal, amendment, and compliance of all environmental permits; act as primary liaison with regulatory agencies (e.g., TCEQ, EPA, DOE, USACE).
• Oversee and interpret internal and tenant environmental audits, inspections, and observations; ensure corrective actions and continuous improvement.
• Develop proactive strategies to foresee and mitigate environmental risks associated with Port Houston’s operations, capital projects, and expansion activities.
• Cross Divisional & Programmatic Support
• Provide integral, cross-functional technical and analytical support to PSEO, Infrastructure, Port Operations, Strategy, Maintenance, and other Port divisions.
• Conduct short- and long-range plans to strengthen the environmental posture of Port Houston.
• Maintain working relationships with multiple external government agencies to coordinate permitting, studies, operations, and construction activities.
• Ensure alignment among Port Houston, tenants, contractors, and regulatory agencies via clear communication, oversight of permitting and compliance processes, and shared best practices.
• Engage internal and external stakeholders and consultants in environmental affairs planning, implementation, and reporting.
• Incident Response & Risk Management
• Coordinate with Terminal Managers, Port Operations, and relevant stakeholders to ensure environmental incident response plans are adequate and current.
• Serve as liaison with oversight agencies during environmental events (e.g., oil spills, releases).
• Advise Port leadership and legal counsel on environmental liability, risk mitigation, and response strategies.
• Strategic Planning & Sustainability Initiatives
• Develop and maintain 5- and 10-year environmental strategic initiatives to align with the organization’s strategic plan, including quantitative metrics, targets, and annual progress assessments.
• Collaborate cross functionally to help drive sustainability initiatives such as energy efficiency, emissions reduction, climate resiliency, green infrastructure, and habitat enhancement.
• Identify opportunities for grants, incentives, or partnerships to support environmental improvements.
• Represent the Port in external forums to advocate sustainability goals and collaboration.
• Communication, Training & Culture Building
• Promote environmental awareness across the organization; deliver training and workshops for employees, tenants, and contractors.
• Advise and communicate environmental requirements, trends, and issues to senior management and Port leadership.
• Serve as the public-facing environmental representative, including presenting at Board meetings, public hearings, and stakeholder engagements.
• Act in accordance with Port Houston core values (respect, excellence, accountability, diligence, and you).
• Other Responsibilities
• Perform other duties as assigned that support the mission and strategic direction of Port Houston.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree (required) in Environmental Studies, Environmental Engineering, Natural Sciences, Engineering, or related discipline.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• At least ten plus years of progressively responsible environmental, regulatory, or project management experience, preferably in a port, maritime, industrial, or infrastructure environment including three years at the director level and above.
• Experience managing multi-disciplinary teams and complex programs.
• Professional credentials or memberships (e.g., Registered Environmental Professional [REP], Certified Environmental Professional [CEP]) are a plus.
• Demonstrated experience interacting with federal, state, and local regulatory agencies.
• Project management certification preferred (e.g., PMP, PM Certificate).

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Behaviors

• Deep technical knowledge of environmental science, management, and engineering principles.
• Expertise in federal and state environmental statutes and regulations (e.g., Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, RCRA, OPA, ESA).
• Deep understanding of environmental permitting, audits, compliance systems, and enforcement processes.
• Experience in emergency response, spill prevention, remediation, and risk management.
• Strong strategic thinking, analytical, and problem-solving ability.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, presentation, and negotiation skills.
• Leadership presence, ability to influence and motivate staff and stakeholders.
• Capability to build and maintain effective partnerships with diverse internal and external groups.
• Aptitude for translating technical issues into clear, decision-ready information for leadership.
• High integrity, diplomacy, political acumen, and commitment to excellence.
• A current, valid Texas driver’s license is required and maintained for the duration of employment.
• A Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) must be obtained within 30 days of appointment and be maintained for the duration of employment.

Key Competencies Required

• Aligning Performance for Success
• Building Partnerships & Collaboration
• Visionary Leadership & Strategic Thinking
• Innovation & Continuous Improvement
• Political & Regulatory Astuteness
• Change Management & Influence

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, but due to open office environment noise level may occasionally be high.

Port Houston is an equal opportunity employer and participates in the E-Verify program supervised by the U.S. Government. Only applications submitted through the Port Houston Careers website will be acknowledged.

Disclaimer

The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this job. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.