
Salary range: $98,275.00-107,000.00
Posting expires: 10/23/2026
Sustainability Program Manager
Internal title: Airport Manager
The City of Atlanta Department of Aviation (DOA) is seeking a highly skilled Sustainability Program Manager to join our dynamic Sustainability team. This role encompasses high-level oversight and coordination of sustainability projects and accreditation processes, particularly the ESG report, and Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) certification. It also includes strategic development of sustainability initiatives, as well as program and financial management.
The ideal candidate will be an excellent leader and will have experience in engaging stakeholders of different disciplines to produce results in a timely manner. The candidate will also be able to develop efficient strategies and tactics to ensure that all programs deliver the desirable outcome to our organization.
This candidate will apply proven communication skills, problem-solving skills, analytical skills, and knowledge of best practices to guide individual development and support the team on a variety of issues related to ESG reporting, maintaining ACA accreditation for DOA, and developing sustainability initiatives for the department.
Responsibilities will include, coordinating cross-functional teams for completing ESG and ACA required tasks, document creation, facilitating annual document review to maintain updated evidence of compliance, completing all tasks required for biannual ACA audits, maintaining a virtual library of documents, ensuring ESG and ACA required tasks and projects are completed on schedule, and contributing to sustainability strategy and planning for DOA.
Direction received is very general and focuses on end results and is typically collaborative in nature.
These are typical responsibilities for this position and should not be construed as exclusive or all inclusive. May perform other duties as assigned. Performs duties such as:
· Leads the delivery of sustainability projects with airport internal and external stakeholders including airlines, policymakers, NGOs, academia, and other stakeholders across the aviation value chain
· Establishes schedules, priorities, and standards for the organization, reviewing operations for efficiency and ability to achieve objectives, and preparing financial, budgetary, and operating reports
· Maintains program review and monitors trends. Assesses impact of sustainability programs established by the Department of Aviation
· Coordinates various programs relating to sustainability efforts, including recycling programs, energy conservation, and other sustainability issues
· Establishes work methods, timetables, performance standards, etc. for Sustainability team and initiatives
· Manages teams engaged in sustainability projects, including vendors and support staff as needed
· Creates/maintains a structure/environment in which team members can work together efficiently
· Accountable for strategic goals, including but not limited to, efficiency and functionality of all project completions, timeline adherence, budget, and resource management
· Monitors, measures, and reports on program status to Sustainability team, DOA leadership, and other stakeholders
· Utilizes life cycle assessment (LCA) and/or other methods to develop and implement sustainability metrics and other relevant data to inform goals and business decisions
· Takes primary responsibility for development of the airport's annual ESG report working closely with the Airport CFO’s office, the City of Atlanta’s CFO, and other key stakeholders
· Ensures compliance to maintain and advance Airport Carbon Accreditation and other sustainability-related accreditation, including developing policies and coordinating cross-functional teams within the DOA to complete all accreditation required tasks on schedule
· Manages the development, revision, and implementation of sustainability strategic plans
· Develops Sustainability program budget and assists with tracking spending
· Maintains the efficiency of the project management process including planning, scheduling, and budget and risk assessment. Identifies and mitigates potential risks
· Supports training and awareness campaigns to educate employees and stakeholders about sustainability practices
· Supports waste management and recycling programs at the Airport
· Performs other related duties as assigned
Must have high ethical standards; use independent judgment and discretion in managing teams and determining and deciding which procedures to be implemented; as well as setting priorities, maintaining standards, and resolving problems.
Serves as a resource or mentor to other employees. May lead or instruct less experienced workers.
This is a partial listing of necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the job successfully. It is not an exhaustive list.
· Thorough understanding of project/program management techniques and methods
· Knowledge of Engineering or sustainability-related field
· Ability to identify and describe a range of possible solutions for solving sustainability challenges
· Strong ability to research sustainability trends, regulations, and best practices
· Knowledge of sustainability-related laws, regulations and terminology
· Ability to work and coordinate with various government agencies
· Ability to comprehend and apply regulations and procedures of the department
· Ability to represent the DOA’s perspectives in collaborative efforts with both internal and external stakeholders
· Excellent stakeholder engagement ability
· Excellent problem-solving ability and time management skills
· Ability to handle multiple tasks, ability to work under pressure
· Ability to plan, organize, and complete assigned tasks on time
· Excellent verbal and written communication and organizational skills
· Skill in operating a computer and software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point
· Outstanding leadership and organizational skills
· Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering or a related discipline
· 5 years of progressively responsible sustainability, environmental compliance or related experience which includes 3 years of supervisory or administrative experience. Candidates with less experience who demonstrate exceptional qualifications will be considered
· PMP certification
· Experience with carbon accreditation
· Familiarity with Life Cycle Assessment
· Experience in the aviation sector
· Experience developing project plans including a project plan that includes the charter, scope, project management approach, management plans, statement of work, cost estimates, and schedule
· Experience working with cross-functional teams and staff of all levels
· Knowledge of project management best practices
· Experience in the indirect management of team members, including assisting in the development, training and assignment of work/projects to other members of a team
· Valid State of Georgia driver’s license required
· Required physical, lifting, and sensory capabilities are requirements to perform the job successfully. Typical environmental conditions associated with job.
· Working conditions, mostly in an office environment
· Light physical demand
It is the policy of the City of Atlanta (“COA”) that qualified individuals with disabilities are not discriminated against because of their disabilities regarding job application procedures, hiring, and other terms and conditions of employment. It is further the policy of the COA to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in all aspects of the employment process. The COA is prepared to modify or adjust the job application process or the job or work environment to make reasonable accommodations to the known physical or mental limitations of the applicant or employee to enable the applicant or employee to be considered for the position he or she desires, to perform the essential functions of the position in question, or to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment as are enjoyed by other similarly situated employees without disabilities, unless the accommodation will impose an undue hardship. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact the Human Resources Director for your department.
The City of Atlanta is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, ender identity, marital status, veteran’s status or national origin, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state, or local law. We value and encourage diversity in our workforce.

The City of Atlanta remains a transportation hub, not just for the country but also for the world: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is one of the nations busiest in daily passenger flights. Direct flights to Europe, South America, and Asia have made metro Atlanta easily accessible to the more than 1,000 international businesses that operate here and the more than 50 countries that have representation in the city through consulates, trade offices, and chambers of commerce. The city has emerged as a banking center and is the world headquarters for 13 Fortune 500 companies.
Atlanta is the Capital city of the southeast, a city of the future with strong ties to its past. The old in new Atlanta is the soul of the city, the heritage that enhances the quality of life in a contemporary city. In the turbulent 60's, Atlanta was "the city too busy to hate." And today, in the 21st Century, Atlanta is the "city not too busy to care".
For more than four decades Atlanta has been linked to the civil rights movement. Civil Rights leaders moved forward, they were the visionaries who saw a new south, a new Atlanta. They believed in peace. They made monumental sacrifices for that peace. And because of them Atlanta became a fast-pace modern city which opened its doors to the 1996 Olympics.
Die-hard Southerners view Atlanta as the heart of the Old Confederacy; Atlanta has become the best example of the New South, a fast-paced modern city proud of its heritage.
In the past two decades Atlanta has experienced unprecedented growth -- the official city population remains steady, at about 420,000, but the metro population has grown in the past decade by nearly 40%, from 2.9 million to 4.1 million people. A good measure of this growth is the ever-changing downtown skyline, along with skyscrapers constructed in the Midtown, Buckhead, and outer perimeter (fringing I-285) business districts.