Sustainability Strategy & Projects Lead

Essex Property Trust; San Mateo (CA); Hybrid; USD 152,000 - 191,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision benefits

401(k) match

Housing discount 20%

Paid holidays & PTO

Job summary

Essex Property Trust seeks a Director of Sustainability - Strategy & Implementation to lead the company’s sustainability program, overseeing financial evaluation, project delivery, and performance management across multifamily properties.

You will build financial models tailored to each project’s economics, lead vendor negotiations, manage a team, and align investments with capital plans and ESG reporting standards, including TCFD/GRI frameworks.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Public Policy, Sustainability, Engineering, or related field required; advanced degree preferred.
• 8+ years of progressive experience in sustainability or related initiatives, including project financial modeling and team leadership.
• Extensive finance experience with ability to build and validate financial models, conduct cash flow forecasting and valuations.
• Knowledge of capital management, budgeting, financial performance, and relationship between project economics and asset value.
• Strong knowledge of sustainability norms, trends, green building standards, and project costs.

Responsibilities

• Lead sustainability projects by setting strategy, priorities, and aligning investments with business objectives and capital plans.
• Act as SME on industry norms, trends, and investments; translate findings into practical recommendations.
• Lead research, feasibility, and design planning for investments including solar, EV charging, energy and water efficiency.
• Develop and maintain financial models for proposed projects, test reasonableness against data and benchmarks.
• Conduct investment analysis and project valuations using NPV, IRR, ROI, payback, and lifecycle cost metrics.
• Prepare business cases, budgets, and forecasts; update models as assumptions change.
• Analyze large data sets to support project selection and performance evaluation; establish baselines and dashboards.
• Oversee projects from design to closeout; manage scope, budgets, schedules, and vendor coordination.
• Lead vendor selection and negotiate contracts; benchmark against industry costs and monitor performance.
• Provide guidance to sustainability team and ensure compliance with requirements.
• Collaborate on Sustainability & Impact Report with cross-functional teams.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Financial modeling

Project management

Team leadership

Stakeholder management

ESG reporting

Communication

Advanced Excel

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Public Policy, Sustainability, Engineering, or related field

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Power BI

MS Office

Job description

Essex Property Trust seeks a Director of Sustainability - Strategy & Implementation to lead the company’s sustainability program, overseeing financial evaluation, project delivery, and performance management across multifamily properties.

You will build financial models tailored to each project’s economics, lead vendor negotiations, manage a team, and align investments with capital plans and ESG reporting standards, including TCFD/GRI frameworks.