Job Description

Position Information
Announcement Number STAFF - VA - 26197
For questions regarding this position, please contact:
Heidi Gagnon
406-994-4361
Classification Title Managing Director
Working Title Director of Sustainability
Brief Position Overview
Montana State University (MSU) seeks a visionary leader to serve as the Director of the Office of Sustainability. The director will guide the campus in a way where sustainability is not only discovered and practiced but taught and lived. The director will be passionate about working with students and connecting them to faculty and others in ways that will prepare and empower them for improving and/or supporting their communities, state, country and the world.
Position Number 4C4522
Department Office of Sustainability
Division Office of Sustainability
Appointment Type Executive
Contract Term Fiscal Year
Semester
If other, specify From date
If other, specify End date
FLSA Exempt
Union Affiliation Exempt from Collective Bargaining
FTE 1.0
Benefits Eligible Eligible
Salary Salary commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications.
Contract Type MUS
If other, please specify
Recruitment Type Open
Position Details
General Statement
This Director will lead impactful programs, foster strong partnerships, and champion sustainability across operations, academics, research and student life. The Director will create and nurture a campus culture that builds coherence around, and elevates, student involvement with faculty research related to sustainability, positioning MSU as a "living lab" and embedding sustainability across the curriculum to advance transdisciplinary education.
Reporting to the Vice President for Administration and Finance, with a dotted line to student government (ASMSU), the Director will be passionate about working with students and will collaborate across all units of the university. The Director will lead a strategic shift from compliance and initiative-based sustainability to one rooted in curiosity, learning and community connection by creating a hub which connects people, fosters transdisciplinary exploration and supports students in exploring sustainability within the academic setting.
Duties and Responsibilities
1. Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Provide leadership that leverages and expands existing operational practices and programs with an emphasis on embedding sustainability into education and elevating the student experience with transdisciplinary collaboration.
• Guide the Office of Sustainability by creating visibility across campus and connecting people, practices, and ideas across departments.
• Represent the university's sustainability vision by positioning MSU as a model for integrative, student-centered sustainability education.
• Lead the design and implementation of a student-led zero waste program in partnership with Auxiliaries Services, University Facilities Management, and academic programs.
• Collaborate with MSU's Parking Director, University Police and other partners to establish and maintain a sustainable transportation program at MSU.
• Schedule, create agendas for and lead Campus Sustainability Advisory Committee (CSAC) meetings. The Director will serve as Chair of CSAC, facilitating stakeholder collaboration across campus.

2. Educational Integration & Academic Partnerships

• Partner with academic leadership and faculty across disciplines to connect, expand, and enhance sustainability-related and sustainability-infused curriculum and research.
• Support the development of transdisciplinary courses and hands-on learning models that provide genuine opportunities for students to explore real-world sustainability challenges.
• Develop ways that help students navigate sustainability offerings across MSU.

3. Student Engagement & Leadership

• Create systems that support and amplify student-led sustainability research, innovation, and projects across campus.
• Establish MSU as a "living lab" by curating real-world sustainability challenges for students to investigate, with support from faculty and staff.
• Collaborate with students to shape inclusive, purpose-driven sustainability experiences across the university.

4. Community and Relationship Building

• Build and facilitate a vibrant campus-wide sustainability network-illuminating existing efforts, celebrating community expertise, and curating opportunities for connection, alignment, and learning.
• Establish the Office of Sustainability as a central hub, a place where the full spectrum of MSU's sustainability work is highlighted, strengthened and celebrated through intentional collaboration.
• Represent MSU in local and regional partnerships, such as the City of Bozeman Sustainability Advisory Board
• Lead workshops and events that spotlight local innovations and deepen shared identity.

5. Institutional Reporting & Assessment

• Oversee strategic data reporting functions (i.e., STARS, Zero Waste Audit).
• Align institutional sustainability priorities with broader strategic planning, accreditation, and grant initiatives.
• Identify, compute and communicate metrics that reflect sustainability-related engagement, learning, and cultural change.
• Develop policy and operational proposals to enhance sustainability learning outcomes.
• Prepare an Annual Sustainability Report.

Required Qualifications - Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills * Bachelor's degree.

• Progressive experience leading sustainability efforts in an academic, nonprofit, or public sector setting.
• Demonstrated expertise in sustainability education and student engagement.
• Proven ability to design cross-sector partnerships and educational collaborations.
• Demonstrated strong leadership, facilitation, and communication skills with a deep understanding of how to influence institutional culture.

Preferred Qualifications - Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills * Master's degree

• Experience designing or leading sustainability curriculum or co-curricular programming.
• Experience with AASHE STARS reporting or equivalent frameworks.
• Familiarity with campus operations, planning, or systems thinking approaches to change.

The Successful Candidate Will

• Have a passion for working with students in a positive manner to enhance their educational experience and to help prepare them for productive lives after college
• Establish and maintain strong cooperative working relationships with a variety of constituencies, including students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members to advance sustainability goals through inclusive partnerships.
• Navigate complex stakeholder dynamics and systemic challenges by using adaptive approaches that foster innovation and shared ownership.
• Use sound judgement and initiative in decision-making, while maintaining professionalism and confidentiality.
• Have exceptional verbal, written and visual communications skills with the ability to translate technical sustainability concepts into presentations and reports for a variety of audiences.
• Find creative solutions to challenges, adapt to changing circumstances, and maintain motivation and resilience during periods of adversity.
• Manage and adapt to multiple priorities with attention to detail, accuracy, flexibility and adherence to deadlines in a dynamic work environment.
• Excellent organizational and conflict management skills.
• Effectively analyze complex data and make informed decisions.

Position Special Requirements/Additional Information
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
Physical Demands
This position requires occasional work on nights and weekends to accommodate special events and student and community meetings.
This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University's rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
This position has supervisory duties? Yes
Posting Detail Information
Number of Vacancies 1
Desired Start Date At the conclusion of a successful search
Position End Date (if temporary)
Open Date
Close Date
Applications will be:
Screening of applications will begin on December 13, 2025; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.
Special Instructions
This position is not eligible for new sponsorship.
EEO Statement
Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.
In compliance with the Montana Veteran's Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran's preference, please complete the veteran's preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.
Applicant Documents
Required Documents * Resume

• Cover Letter

Optional Documents

Skills Required