Senior Sustainability Specialist (Open and Promotional)

Full Job Description

The Opportunity

The San Mateo County Sustainability Department hires Senior Sustainability Specialists to oversee and lead sustainability staff and initiatives in the areas of greenhouse gas emissions reduction, waste diversion and management, and climate readiness.

The Department includes the following program areas:

Climate Protection – The program accelerates the County’s and countywide transition to a fossil fuel-free future with high-impact initiatives in clean energy, zero emission buildings and transportation, and climate beneficial agricultural practices.

Waste Reduction and Management – The program advances the County’s commitment to zero waste through innovative source reduction, diversion and sustainable materials management programs across County operations and the broader San Mateo County community.

The program provides essential integrated solid waste management and community services for residents and businesses in the County’s unincorporated areas and manages the Pescadero Transfer Station.

Climate Resilience – The program builds a climate-ready San Mateo County by reducing emissions and climate risks in County operations and championing regional and community-led solutions to protect residents and ecosystems from escalating impacts of extreme heat, drought, sea level rise, and wildfires.

CURRENT OPENING: There is currently one (1) Senior Sustainability Specialist vacancy on the Climate Protection program team.

This position will lead the County’s implementation of the Community Climate Action Plan for unincorporated areas.

This will include the development and implementation of key emissions reduction programs in collaboration with other countywide initiatives, regional programs, and community-based organizations for phasing out fossil fuel equipment in buildings at scale, transitioning to clean transportation, supporting climate-beneficial agriculture and carbon sequestration, and reducing waste.

All Interested Candidates are Encouraged to Apply: The eligible (hiring) list generated from this recruitment may also be used to fill future vacancies in the other program areas mentioned above.

Individuals interested in the Senior Sustainability Specialist positions with the Waste and Climate Resilience teams are also encouraged to apply for this recruitment.

As a Senior Sustainability Specialist, you will:

• Provide staff supervision, staff direction, training, assignment and review of work completed, lead complex projects, and leverage grant opportunities.
• Serve as technical expert, researching, analyzing, and interpreting complex technical data.
• Participate in goal and strategy development and develop procedures and policies for new and existing programs.
• Identify and implement equity and social justice opportunities at work and in the community.
• Identify and coordinate collaboration opportunities across departmental teams, County departments, and public agencies, organizations, and community groups.
• Assist the Program Manager with program planning, budget development, and goal setting.

Who Thrives Here

The ideal candidate will:

• Be an experienced project manager able to juggle multiple complex projects simultaneously, prioritizing efforts in alignment with established goals.
• Build relationships and strategic partnerships with County-level staff, departments, agencies, and non-government organizations to help achieve local and regional climate action goals.
• Have a solid familiarity with a breadth of sustainability related topics.
• Possess professional facilitation skills to enable information sharing, knowledge development, and project implementation.
• Possess a high degree of familiarity with climate mitigation, climate resilience, and/or waste diversion science, policy, technology, as well as familiarity with approaches to collaborative project development and implementation.
• Have experience mentoring and/or coaching other team members.
• Be able to effectively frame and communicate complex concepts for different audiences, orally and in writing.
• Possess strong analytical skills and experience conducting research, audits, or analyzing data.
• Incorporate the perspectives of multiple stakeholders and community segments in the consideration of impacts and outcomes of a project or initiative.
• Navigate sensitive issues with integrity and political astuteness.
• Have excellent interpersonal skills and experience working with a diverse range of stakeholders and perspectives, to identify and achieve collective goals.
• Be able to identify and address barriers that different community groups experience when interacting with County services and programs to enhance project design and delivery.
• Work with minimal supervision, "hit the ground running," and have the flexibility to change course quickly and effectively.
• Provide leadership and promote teamwork while planning, directing, and coordinating staff activities.
• Define difficult problem areas, research them and provide valid alternatives and recommendations.
• Integrate equity, race, and social justice in both internal and external initiatives.
• Represent the work group and the department on boards, committees and in community groups.
• Speak effectively, make public presentations, conduct outreach, training and/or public education as necessary.
• Be comfortable in a fast-paced, people-focused environment.
• Prepare and edit comprehensive reports, letters, and other written materials.
• Effectively frame and communicate complex concepts for different audiences, orally and in writing.
• Track changes in and compliance with existing contracts, grants, laws, codes, and rules.

Sustainability Department

Formed in 2014, the Sustainability Department strives to improve the sustainability of the County’s operations and the greater community through work that is designed to bring solutions today while solving for tomorrow.

The Department has programs to help the county both fight and prepare for climate change, ensure clean energy, water, and air, and conserve resources for future generations through waste reduction.

Our Department aims to:

• Transform Systems: Create systemic change by leading policy development and planning, influencing and aligning with state and federal mandates.
• Catalyze Regional Climate Solutions: Advance regional climate solutions by forming impact networks, securing funding, and adopting strategies for economic efficiency.
• Empower Community Leadership and Action: Enable communities to lead and act on climate issues, fostering resilience and adaptability.

About the Work

The County’s Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP) is a strategic roadmap to guide unincorporated San Mateo County in preparing for climate risks and creating impactful greenhouse gas emission reductions.

The CCAP outlines priority actions to achieve a 45% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions over 1990 levels by 2030 and carbon neutrality within unincorporated San Mateo County by 2040.

https://www.smcsustainability.org/climate-change/climate-action-planning/cc-action-plan

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying.

• A typical way to qualify is five years of experience in the field of resource conservation which has included program implementation and coordination.

Knowledge of:

• Basic supervisory principles and practices.
• Principles and practices of project management, implementation, and evaluation
• Principles and practices of contract management
• Principles, practices, trends, and technical information related to sustainability
• Pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations

Skill/Ability to:

• Provide leadership and promote teamwork.
• Plan, assign, direct, and review the work of others.
• Train others in departmental and program specific policies and procedures.
• Plan, implement, coordinate, and evaluate multiple complex programs, projects, and activities.
• Serve as subject matter expert in resource conservation.
• Speak effectively and make public presentations, conduct outreach, and provide training and/or public education as necessary.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of individuals at all levels including those from government, business, private and non-profit agencies, community groups, and the public.
• Serve as representative for various committees and community groups.
• Integrate equity and create the conditions that allow all people in the county to reach their full potential into work duties.
• Supervise permanent, temporary, contract and volunteer staff on a project basis.
• Identify problems and work to resolve them.
• Prepare comprehensive reports, letters, and other written materials.
• Provide information regarding planning, developing, and monitoring a project's scope, timeline, and budget.
• Translate technical topics for professionals and elected officials and communicate across multiple disciplines.
• Research and develop grant applications and other project funding solutions.
• Research and analyze information/data to formulate findings and recommendations.
• Interpret laws, regulations, and data.
• Track and monitor compliance with pertinent mandates, laws, codes, rules, regulations, and agreements.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

SALARY & BENEFITS

The annual salary range for this position is $123,510 - $154,461.

This is a permanent and fully benefited position in the Sustainability Department.

Health & Wellness

• 3 medical / 2 dental plans

• Vision care paid by the County of San Mateo

• Long Term Disability and Basic Life Insurance paid by the County of San Mateo Employee Wellness Program

• Voluntary Benefits

Paid Leave

• 13 vacation days/year, more with years of service

• 12 paid holidays and 962 hours sick leave per year

Work/Life Programs

• Commute Alternatives and Travel Subsidies

• Employee Assistance Program

• FSA and Dependent Care Assistance

Retirement

• Pension Benefits through the County of San Mateo

• Health Benefits for Retirees

• Deferred Compensation Plan

• Retirement Reciprocity

Click to learn more

Additional Information

Open & Promotional. Anyone may apply.

Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, extra-help/limited term positions prior to the final filing date will receive five points added to their final passing score on this examination.

Application Materials

The following are required to be submitted:

1. Regular online employment application form
2. Responses to the supplemental questionnaire
3. Cover letter expressing interest in the position
4. Resume

The examination process will consist of an application screening based on the candidates' application materials.

Candidates who pass the application screening will be invited to a panel interview (weight: 100%).

Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification.

All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination.

All examinations will be given in San Mateo County, California and applicants must participate at their own expense.

IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button.

If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org/ to apply. Responses to the supplemental questions must be submitted in addition to our regular employment application form.

A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required employment application and supplemental questionnaire.

TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE:
Application Deadline: Monday, May 4, 2026, by 11:59 PM
Application Screening: Wednesday-Friday, May 6-11, 2026
Combined Panel Interviews (virtual): Monday-Tuesday, May 18-19, 2026

About the County
San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels.

Analyst: Sarah Hyunh (04152026) (Senior Sustainability Specialist - J080)