Sustainability Program Lead

About Overwatch Mission Critical

Overwatch is a service-disabled Veteran-owned small business (SDVOB) certified through the national veterans business development council (NVBDC), offering construction professional services, talent acquisition, and general contractor for the mission-critical infrastructure industry. Our mission is the construction and management of state-of-the-art data centers with the precision and reliability this industry demands. From high-end engineers to seasoned professionals, we deploy the people you need to get your data center off the ground. At Overwatch, it's more than a job. It's purpose.

Overview

The Sustainability Program Lead ensures sustainability is embedded into the team's core business decisions, upstream workflows, and operating models. The role advances financially material sustainability outcomes-including tax abatements, green financing enablement, and certification driven point reductions-while maintaining governed, accurate, auditable sustainability data systems to support decision making and continuous improvement.

The Lead programmatizes key sustainability initiatives (e.g., Green Globes, EcoVadis, recurring disclosures), manages customer and industry assessments, and represents the team in influential standards forums. As the in-house sustainability SME, the role builds trust with priority customers and internal stakeholders through credible, humble, and transparent leadership aligned with the team's culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

Main Responsibilities

1) Integrate Sustainability into Core Business Decisions

• Build self-serve tools, content, and workflows that ensure sustainability lenses are incorporated into campus and adjacent program activities (e.g., supply chain, materials, vendor selection).
• Embed sustainability criteria through the Role Play Wheel to increase upstream adoption of ESG requirements and reduce late-stage rework.
• Align cross-functional processes with consistent decision checkpoints and sustainability visibility.

2) Deliver Financially Material Outcomes

• Secure tax abatements, certification driven point reductions, and green financing readiness by aligning project and lease requirements with recognized sustainability standards.
• Reduce sustainability related risks through proactive planning, evidence based execution, and on time delivery of documentation and certifications.
• Communicate financial impact (e.g., abatements, avoided risks, improved financing attractiveness) through clear metrics and leadership reporting.

3) Data Governance & Decision Ready Insights-Ready Insights

• Maintain transparent, governed sustainability data systems that ensure accuracy, granularity, lineage, and auditability.
• Ensure data remains decision ready with increasing Datamart automation and visibility across carbon intensity, lifecycle carbon, and embodied carbon metrics.
• Reduce data exceptions and accelerate reporting cycles using standard models, controls, and automated processes.
• Partner with analytics to enhance Datamart capabilities and deliver dashboards that drive incremental performance improvements.

4) Certifications, Assessments & Disclosures

• Achieve Green Globes certification on all eligible projects while managing third-party workstreams to budget, SLA, and schedule requirements with no late-stage surprises.
• Improve the team's performance on customer and industry sustainability assessments (e.g., EcoVadis, GRESB, customer scorecards such as Zeus), integrating learnings into the team prototypes and business practices.
• Programmatize repetitive sustainability requests and disclosures for ELT transparency and efficiency-standardizing responses, reducing disclosure cycle time, and using AI and governed Datamart data.

5) Customer, Industry & Standards Engagement

• Serve as the in-house sustainability SME with customers and executives, modeling humility, accountability, and transparent communication.
• Engage in key industry and hyperscale forums (e.g., GBI/Green Globes hyperscale, GRESB, iMasons/Climate Accord) to shape practical, scalable standards beneficial to the team.
• Translate external guidance, standards, and expectations into internal playbooks, tools, and repeatable operational practices.

6) Program Management & Continuous Improvement

• Develop and manage a sustainability program roadmap with clear outcomes, milestones, KPIs, owners, and risk visibility.
• Design and document processes that "kill heroes," reducing dependence on individuals and increasing process reliability and scalability.
• Apply a Pareto-focused, "ask why" mindset to eliminate waste, challenge assumptions, and ensure efforts deliver outsized impact.
• Provide incremental, visible updates aligned with the team's cultural expectations for transparency and accountability.

Required Experience Needed

• Demonstrated success delivering financial material outcomes (e.g., tax abatements, green financing alignment, certification driven value). -driven value).
• Experience with sustainability certification ecosystems (e.g., Green Globes/GBI, EcoVadis, GRESB) and customer sustainability scorecards.
• Strong data governance background, including carbon accounting, lifecycle/embodied carbon analysis, data lineage, controls, and Datamart automation.
• Proven ability to manage cross functional and third party workstreams with consistent on time, on budget delivery.
• Executive level and customer facing communication experience as a sustainability SME.

Years of Data Center Experience

• 7-10+ years leading sustainability or ESG programs in construction, real estate, industrial, technology infrastructure, or data center environments.

Certifications / Licenses Required - (needed prior to starting, needed shortly after starting)

The below are NOT needed to start but are preferred . Does not need to be all of them, but each one helps push the candidate forward.

• Sustainability certifications (e.g., Green Globes Professional (GGP), LEED AP, ISSP-SA/SEA, ENV-SP).
• PMP or other recognized program/project management certification.
• Experience with carbon accounting frameworks (e.g., GHG Protocol) and lifecycle assessment tools.
• Familiarity with ESG-linked financial mechanisms and reporting frameworks (e.g., CDP, SASB, TCFD).
• Experience with data automation, dashboarding, AI-supported disclosure processes, and Datamart optimization.
• Participation in industry standards bodies (e.g., GBI, GRESB, iMasons/Climate Accord).
• Leed Accredited Professional (Leed AP)

Preferred Tools/Software Proficiency: (Procore, Bluebeam, etc.)

Preferred Degrees/Degrees to look for:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Sustainability, Environmental Science/Studies, Architecture, Construction Management, Business, or related field required.
• Master's degree in Sustainability, Engineering, Business, or related discipline preferred.

Driver's License Requirement

For roles that require on-site presence or travel between work locations as an essential function of the position, candidates must possess and maintain a valid driver's license appropriate for the role and be eligible to operate a motor vehicle in accordance with applicable laws.

Communication Skills

Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in a professional work environment, including preparing written reports and documentation, conveying information clearly to team members, clients, and stakeholders, and responding appropriately to verbal and written communications related to job duties.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

This position operates primarily in an active data center construction environment, encompassing both indoor and outdoor work settings. The role requires the physical ability to perform essential job functions safely and effectively in a dynamic environment that includes ongoing construction activity and evolving site conditions.

The work environment includes areas and temporary structures owned, leased, or controlled by third parties over which Overwatch may have limited or no control. Because the project remains under construction, certain areas of the site - including access routes, staging zones, and temporary structures - may not yet be fully ADA-compliant until construction is complete or those third-party areas are finalized.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to walk, stand, stoop, twist, bend, and climb stairs or ladders for extended periods while navigating uneven, unpaved, or obstructed terrain.
• Must be able to lift, carry, push, or pull up to 50 pounds on an occasional basis.
• Must be able to drive between job sites and access all areas of an active construction zone, including raised platforms, scaffolding, and confined spaces.
• Must be able to tolerate exposure to outdoor weather conditions, dust, and construction-related noise, vibrations, and odors.
• Must be able to communicate effectively with contractors, engineers, and site personnel, and maintain situational awareness in high-activity environments.
• Personal protective equipment (PPE), including hard hats, safety vests, hearing protection, and steel-toe boots, is required.
• Must have sufficient visual acuity to read drawings, specifications, and safety signage, and to observe site activity.

Work Environment

Work is performed primarily in and around active construction areas, which may include unfinished buildings, temporary field offices, staging areas, and partially completed infrastructure. These locations may contain uneven surfaces, limited accessibility, and other conditions typical of construction projects prior to final completion. Overwatch does not control and cannot modify accessibility conditions within areas, facilities, or temporary structures owned or managed by third parties.

Reasonable Accommodation

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position, provided such accommodations do not create safety hazards, impede essential mobility within active work zones, or require modification of facilities not owned or controlled by Overwatch.

Benefits

We offer a competitive salary and benefits package, including health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, 401(k) plan, and paid time off. Relocation assistance is available to support candidates transitioning to the location.

OVERWATCH is committed to creating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. OVERWATCH considers candidates regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.