Waste Diversion/Circularity Director

About YVSC

Yampa Valley Sustainability Council (YVSC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in Steamboat Springs, CO (Routt County) (yvsc.org).  Established in 2009, YVSC is guided by the mission, “to serve as a leader, resource and catalyst for building a sustainable and resilient Yampa Valley region.”  Recognizing the urgent need to address climate change, YVSC is focused on serving as a regional hub for climate mitigation and adaptation actions that put Northwest Colorado on track to a lower-carbon and more resilient future. YVSC works to reduce carbon emissions and build resilience through our four Priority Areas: Energy, Transportation, Resilient Land and Water and Waste/Circularity. We use a range of approaches to advance action on the ground, including: programs, partnerships, planning, policy development and advocacy, project implementation, training and educational workshops, conferences and speaker events. 

Position Description

The Circularity Director will be lead staff of YVSC’s Waste/Circularity Priority Area and will work collaboratively with regional and statewide partners to support, establish and scale up systems that waste less, recycle more and increase circularity in NW Colorado. The Circularity Director will operate at the interface of state and regional policies and legislation, and will focus on planning, evaluation, reporting, program development and coalition building to drive system innovations that will have a meaningful and lasting impact. Key opportunities for this position are to help NW Colorado realize the full potential of the State of Colorado’s recent slate of robust legislative and funding commitments to waste reduction, recycling and circularity, including: Producer Responsibility (EPR) program, the Circular Economy Development Center initiatives, and Colorado Circular Communities Enterprise (C3). The Circularity Director should have extensive policy, program development and coalition-building experience that equips him/her/them to come to this position ready to build and bolster regional partnerships that showcase the ways circularity can advance regional climate and economic development goals in innovative, impactful and beneficial ways. 

The Opportunity 

The Circularity Director will frequently work with a range of stakeholders whose collaboration will be critical to maximizing benefits in waste reduction, recycling and circularity. The candidate should be skilled at facilitation, coalition-building, policy development and advocacy, tracking and reporting and translating technical information and data into publicly-accessible information and education for a broad range of stakeholders. Responsibilities will include: 

• Regularly work with the Executive Director and YVSC Directors to organize, manage, and plan complex projects.
• Serve as a regional lead and technical expert for recycling, composting and circularity planning, project implementation and monitoring.
• Convene and facilitate diverse stakeholder groups to advance organizational and regional/state goals to establish and scale up systems that waste less, recycle more and increase circularity in NW Colorado.
• Develop and expand partnerships with a diverse array of stakeholders associated with EPR laws and Colorado’s Circular Economy Development Center and related opportunities to ensure growth in the regional circular economy.
• Ensure necessary tracking and monitoring are in place for regional waste reduction and recycling initiatives. 
• Manage programmatic greenhouse gas accounting and reporting and work strategically with partners to improve the quality and impact of recycling, composting and circularity reporting metrics.
• Have a strong understanding of Colorado recycling and waste reduction policies and support regional-state efforts to develop, implement and monitor reporting.
• Build and maintain strategic program partnerships.
• Maintain clear reporting of program activities for grant reports and key deliverables.
• Regularly review and synthesize relevant scientific literature for public/partner outreach (e.g. technical and non-technical papers and memos, donor reports, oral presentation of results to technical and non-technical parties, etc.).
• Support with the translation of research findings and best available science into project guidelines, tools, and/or best practice for the organization and the broader region. 
• Contribute to and/or lead community education and outreach initiatives that support and advance program and organizational goals.  
• Work with YVSC communications staff to develop communications materials for YVSC events, media and advertising in order to accurately convey program successes and relevance.
• Participate in monthly YVSC community meetings and other meetings as needed for program development and outreach. 
• Coordinate and work with interns and volunteers for community-involved program events. 
• Participate in and support other YVSC activities, events and community engagement opportunities to ensure the success and growth of the organization.

Qualifications 

• B.S./B.A. degree and at least ten years of professional experience in environmental studies, sciences, sustainability, engineering, engineering technology, business or a related field. Master’s degree  preferred.
• At least five years of experience in developing and implementing strategies to reduce waste or other resource consumption and analyzing resource consumption patterns. 
• At least three years of higher-level management experience.
• Experience managing complex and/or multiple projects on time and on budget.  
• Experience in forming broad-based coalitions, campaigns and cross-sector initiatives with producers, non-profit partners, community groups, industry and/or government agencies and municipalities.
• Understanding of current and relevant Colorado policies and laws pertaining to reducing waste and increasing recycling and circularity.
• Experience influencing, developing and implementing strategic plans and policies.
• Experience with carbon accounting, reporting and life cycle assessments.
• Strong communication skills including the ability to develop reports, both technical and public-facing.
• Passion for circularity of material flows, climate action, resource efficiency and creativity in finding solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and waste.
• Ability to work independently, build relationships and collaborate.

Salary and Benefits

The salary range for this FT Circularity Director position is $72,500-$87,796 to start, commensurate with education and experience. Yampa Valley Sustainability Council offers a competitive benefits package, including full medical, dental, long-term disability, life insurance coverage and retirement savings contributions, as well as paid time off, paid holidays, holiday bonuses and professional development funding. YVSC offers a flexible work schedule, as this position may require attendance at evening and weekend events, but the position will be based at the YVSC office in Steamboat Springs. This is not a hybrid/remote position.