Job Abstract

Fairfax County, the largest local government in Virginia and nationally recognized for its financial stewardship and well-managed programs, is looking for an experienced professional to advance its Zero Waste and sustainable purchasing initiatives. Fairfax County spends $700 million annually on goods and services and its supply chain spans thousands of suppliers across hundreds of sectors. The Sustainable Procurement Team works to improve the social and environmental performance of its supply chain through programs such as Zero Waste and Green Procurement, Supply Chain Diversity and Equity, Corporate Social Responsibility, and other social and environmental efforts. The operational Zero Waste Plan, adopted by the Board of Supervisors in November 2021, is a multi-departmental effort aiming to achieve Zero Waste through a holistic, 4R approach: Reach Out, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. The Sustainable Procurement Team coordinates the multi-departmental Zero Waste Team and Program while also implementing procurement specific Zero Waste strategies. Under general supervision of the Zero Waste Team Lead, this position serves as the Zero Waste and Green Procurement Project Manager, developing, implementing, and monitoring initiatives that advance the operational Zero Waste program and integrating environmental factors into the county’s procurement of goods and services. This position supports the implementation of countywide policies such as the Operational Energy Strategy, the Government and Schools Zero Waste Plan, the One Fairfax Policy on social and racial equity, and other sustainability policies.

Responsibilities include:

• Develops and implements innovative approaches to advance the Zero Waste goal and other sustainability goals. Recommends improvements to existing County policies and processes.
• Develops and conducts education, outreach, and training campaigns aimed at County staff and key strategic vendors in support of Zero Waste and other Sustainable Procurement initiatives. Assesses training needs, designs and delivers appropriate training, analyzes and expands participation. Creates content for web pages, video, print, and other media.
• Creates, maintains, and expands data tracking systems to measure progress toward various sustainability goals and stakeholder participation. Tracks and analyzes key performance indicators. Regularly prepares summary reports and delivers presentations to leadership.
• Assists in coordinating and facilitating the work of staff on interdepartmental planning teams and other administrative and/or professional-level staff in activities related to the Zero Waste Plan and Sustainable Procurement initiatives.
• Assists with preparing written reports including requests for funding.
• Proactively collaborates with staff in all areas of Sustainable Procurement to advance environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
• Candidate must have an understanding of and a passion for the values of circularity, Zero Waste, and environmental sustainability and an interest in collaborating with colleagues to advance all sustainable procurement goals including supplier diversity & equity and corporate social responsibility.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following: (Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree in the field related to the assigned functional area; plus two years of professional work experience within the functional area.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check to the satisfaction of the employer.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Highly motivated self-starter who is passionate about sustainability and able to tackle multiple projects involving a variety of stakeholders.
• Experience supporting sustainability initiatives, managing medium to large projects, developing and delivering training, collecting and analyzing complex data, and expertise in Microsoft Office applications and other analytical software, such as PowerBI.
• Experience with sustainable sourcing, environmentally preferable procurement, and procurement and contracting policies and procedures.