Populous is a global company driven by its three regions – the Americas, EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), and APAC (Asia-Pacific). Optimizing its global and regional operations, the organization can more readily focus and adapt to various global and local conditions in the marketplace.
Our regions are connected around common goals, principles and values as established by our Holdings Board (HB). At our core, we believe a commitment towards sustainable design and practice enables Populous to design projects to create the places people love to be, with an authenticity and sustainability that resonates and excites our staff and client base. This is fundamental to our desire to continually strengthen our culture and heighten the quality of our work.
The Sustainable Design Lead is a newly established role in each region, intended to push Populous forward as a global sustainable design practice. This position is expected to be entrepreneurial and collaborative across the Americas design environment, with an
emphasis on communication and collaboration -- pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in Environmentally Sustainable Design
(ESD).
THE AMERICAS ROLE
The Sustainable Design Lead will serve as our Americas leader, responsible for managing and driving value from sustainable design within the organization. This role is based in Kansas City, Populous' Americas Headquarters.
This role will cover the following areas across Populous’ service offerings:
Sustainable Vision & Strategy
ESD Technical Innovation
ESD embedment throughout our design process
The Sustainable Design Lead will be the internal and external focus for the organization’s sustainability positioning. This person will demonstrate a high degree of competency in the core technical requirements of ESD and will exhibit a strong awareness and understanding of the clear impact of a sustainable design approach to our clients, facility operators, the millions of people who visit our buildings, and, most importantly, our staff.
In coordination with the Global Head of Sustainability, the fundamental objective of the role is to develop an authentic national sustainability voice for Populous, one which ultimately and uniquely positions Populous in the sports, entertainment, and public assembly environment, not just within architecture.
Key Responsibilities
The Sustainable Design Lead will need to have their finger on the “environmental pulse” of the sports, entertainment, and public assembly markets, identify future innovations, and be keenly aware of, and proactively react to, new discoveries and technologies that could disrupt the business and industry.
ASPIRATIONS FOR THE POSITION
The Sustainable Design Lead will be successful if they possess and demonstrate the ability to:
Understand and anticipate future sustainability requirements of the organization and develop or advance the existing roadmaps (Sustainability Action Plan) for what that looks like and how it is implemented.
Serve as the external and internal voice for Populous’ approach towards sustainability, including, but not limited to, external comms (conference, print and digital media) and internal staff communications.
Identify and develop a strategy with the Global Head of Sustainability to articulate the authentic positioning of Populous’ sustainability story -- past and future.
Support significant project pursuits as needed.
Assess historical and current approaches to sustainable design and practice.
Learn the organization’s existing and desired capabilities and how those capabilities are dispersed across America to achieve the following primary objectives:
Implement Americas blueprint for how the firm is structured (internally) to deliver sustainability evolution/transformation. Assist in identifying and supporting the training and mentoring required for staff in each office.
Optimize the outwardly position of those capabilities for maximum commercial benefit to the organization.
Periodically update Americas Regional Board (ARB) on suitable targets, innovative tools, and solutions for defined desired outcomes or assessed existing gaps.
Plan, drive and support the appropriate adoption and periodic review of sustainable design and approaches by working with all groups and studios within the organization.
Drive project planning and delivery through the lens of sustainability initiatives.
Be the custodian of Populous’ ESD experience, ensuring all teams are working to deliver to our agreed vision for our project teams and clients.
Form a sustainability design community to leverage the best thinking and best practices in the way we collaborate - internally, with our consultants, and our clients.
The Sustainable Design Lead will ensure the enhancement and quality of sustainability design in all our projects.
The Sustainable Design Lead’s broad, industry-wide knowledge will be seen as essential to establishing the sustainability roadmap within the Americas region.
It is the desire of the Americas Regional Board (ARB) that the intelligence acquired as part of this effort will evolve our expertise in sustainable design into a strategic consultancy to advise our clients throughout the lifecycle of their developments, projects, and events.
GOVERNANCE OF THE POSITION
Americas Sustainable Design Lead will report to the Global Head of Sustainability.
The Sustainable Design Lead will drive the implementation of ESD, nationwide through direct interface with the Global Head of Sustainability.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Lead and grow a sustainability advisory as a source of revenue for the practice, utilizing existing talent across the Americas’ sustainability, architectural, interior, landscape, and brand activation teams.
Participate in the recruiting/training of key members of staff.
Lead the external engagement aspect of the sustainability practice, in coordination with the ARB, Global Head of Sustainability, EcoPOP, and Marketing.
Oversee the audit and administering of environmental commitments for compliance and certification.
Identify key areas of research and lead research teams internally, through external partnerships, and marketing.
Author publications with the aim of identifying and promoting sustainability-focused achievements of the practice.
PROJECTS
Help identify and work with sustainability champions of project teams to review project sustainability goals.
Work with project teams to establish an achievable path to LEED or other environmental rating certifications.
Initiate and lead charrettes for high-performance project teams with the help of dedicated ESD resources.
Oversee the tracking and reporting of project design performance expectations internally towards AIA 2030 Commitment reporting with the help of dedicated ESD resources.
Drive and influence the future sustainability trends associated with Populous’ building typologies.
Lead sustainability advisory projects.
Form and lead a team undertaking formal sustainability reviews of all major projects at all stages of design through completion of construction documents.
Track and report project pursuits relative to sustainability for Marketing.
Oversee the quality of all data submitted by Populous for environmental assessments and certifications with the help of dedicated ESD resources.
PEOPLE
Provide sustainability education, specific to the range of roles and seniority levels, across the practice – strategically aligned with project requirements and client pursuits.
Develop and deliver a process for internal knowledge exchange and staff participation in external educational courses.
Identify R&D streams, both undergoing or future, to be investigated, resourced, shared (internally and externally).
Identify talent for recruitment with a focus on sustainability – designers, analysts, and coordinators.
Other
Bachelor’s degree in architecture, sustainability, environmental policy, climate change, urban planning and design, engineering, or related field. Master's Degree preferred.
5+ years of experience in a Sustainability ‘Leadership’ role, preferably as a consultant, but will also consider industry experience.
Deep understanding of and experience with reducing both operational and embodied carbon emissions, promoting sustainable building practices and environmental stewardship in the built environment.
Experienced in implementing real-world mitigation and adaptation ideas and strategies as they relate to the built environment.
Experienced with some of the leading building environmental rating systems such as LEED, Green Globes, ILFI, WELL, etc.
Leadership experience including business development, proposal development, and project management.
Must be experienced in delivering exciting informative presentations and having an open dialogue with staff and clients.
Fundamental understanding of where the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industries are headed as they come to terms with and address the realities of climate change. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Populous offers a competitive salary and bonus packages. We strive to offer our staff the best benefits package in the industry, at the lowest cost to employees, including medical, dental and vision coverage, 401k, flexible spending accounts, paid time off and continuing education benefits. Populous is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, status as a protected veteran or status as a qualified individual with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable Federal, State or Local law.
No. 1 Most Innovative Company in Architecture by Fast Company
One of the 50 most innovative companies in the world for 2022 by Fast Company
No. 1 Firm in Cultural on Interior Design magazine’s Top 100 Giants
No. 1 Architecture Firm in Cultural Facilities by BD+C
No. 1 Architecture Firm in Convention Centers by BD+C
No. 1 Architecture Firm in Performing Arts and Concert Venues by BD+C
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Seniority level
Mid-Senior level
Employment type
Full-time
Job function
Design, Art/Creative, and Information Technology
Industries
Architecture and Planning
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