Chief Growth Officer

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a global, nonprofit organization that serves as the foremost coalition of leaders from every sector of the building industry working to accelerate the role of buildings in decarbonizing global economies and promoting equitable, healthy, and resilient communities.   

USGBC’s vision is that buildings and communities will regenerate and sustain the health and vitality of all life within a generation. One of the compelling and increasingly urgent strategic imperatives for this organization is to align green building with frameworks and technologies that drive equitable systems change and market transformation at scale. 

Aligning green building strategies with the transformation of broader systems will enable USGBC to accelerate progress and optimize outcomes for all. USGBC upholds its commitments to ensuring that buildings are environmentally responsible, profitable, and healthy places to live and work through its programs and standards, including LEED, the most widely used green building rating system in the world. 

Over the past 30 years, USGBC has cultivated a global green building movement that has revolutionized how buildings serve the people inside of them and the world around them. Today, USGBC’s programs and products support thousands of global organizations and practitioners in defining industry leadership, inspiring innovation, and accelerating positive environmental, social, public health in order to help ensure green building and resilience outcomes for all stakeholders and communities.

Through LEED and its other programs, USGBC has defined how buildings promote healthy ecosystems and communities, protect biodiversity, reduce energy and natural resource consumption, and achieve many other positive environmental outcomes. Today people in over 180 countries and territories live, work, learn and play in LEED certified buildings. Yet, the role of buildings continues to evolve as the world responds to new and urgent climate challenges. USGBC is committed to expanding the global green building community of practice and its influence by improving its value proposition to members and stakeholders, continuing to grow the market for LEED and developing new offerings and partnerships that drive measurable outcomes.  

USGBC is also focused on applying its global convening power to build interdisciplinary coalitions that broaden the movement and improve its effectiveness as an agent of positive change, including advocating for bold progress related to industry practice, national and international standards, and governmental policy in alignment with its mission.

USGBC works closely with Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), the premier certification body responsible for global delivery and quality oversight of green building and green business sustainability standards. GBCI administers credentials and certifications for the U.S. Green Building Council (LEED), the International WELL Building Institute (WELL Building Standard), and the International Finance Corporation (EDGE) as well as its own programs (PEER, SITES, TRUE Zero Waste, and IREE).

Responsibilities:

The Chief Growth Officer is a newly created officer-level role in the organization. The Chief Growth Officer reports to the CEO and will work collaboratively with the CEO, the Board of Directors, and the other members of the Executive Leadership Team to lead USGBC and GBCI to achieve sustained growth and increased global engagement, influence, and impact to advance its mission. 

The Chief Growth Officer will elevate the USGBC and GBCI brands globally through development and execution of effective, coordinated market transformation strategies for marketing and communications, policy and advocacy, market development and sales, community building and engagement, partnerships, and fundraising. The key focus for this role and its newly aligned organization will be to work in close partnership with the global leadership team, including the new Chief Products Officer, to build awareness and increase demand for the organizations’ programs, products, and impact as tools for advancing market transformation at scale. 

The Chief Growth Officer will have a deep understanding of the USGBC and GBCI ecosystem and reputation including members, product users, and partners, market drivers, and the marketplace for similar offerings. S/he will oversee five global teams with over a 100 highly skilled professionals working across these five core areas: 

• Market Transformation & Development: Advance USGBC’s mission around the globe by increasing adoption of high-value green building tools and services, expanding and strengthening engagement and partnership and maximizing access to knowledge and market leadership opportunities

• Marketing & Communications: Utilize robust marketing and communication strategies to drive global market transformation and development efforts, leading brand strategy, creative direction and messaging that maximizes growth, value creation, influence and impact

• Advocacy & Policy: Accelerate creation of green buildings and communities by working with state, local and federal agencies and policy makers to promote supportive policies, including those that are focused on access to needed capital (Green Bonds) and technologies

• Membership & Customer Service: Support and grow our broad membership and client base, delivering value and exceptional service

• Fund Development: This is a new position and team that will be stood up by the Chief Growth Officer to build and implement a diverse development strategy that aligns with organizational priorities for mission, program and community advancement  

Additional Responsibilities:

• Own and drive the planning, development, and execution of the global growth strategy for increasing brand awareness and value, and adoption of products and services
• Rigorously prioritize resources, including talent resources, to achieve mission advancement, organizational growth and other priority outcomes
• Identify, vet, and select significant opportunities to pursue in support of the organization’s growth strategy
• Drive membership and mutually beneficial partnerships to advance USGBC’s global presence and influence among industry leaders, policymakers, peer organizations, and stakeholders
• Identify and grow diverse revenue streams to ensure financial sustainability of the organization
• Cultivate existing and new relationships with potential funders, including public agencies, corporate donors and foundations. Lead organizational pursuit of appropriate mission-aligned funding opportunities
• Work collaboratively with teams across the organizations to identify, track, prioritize and meet marketing & communications, advocacy, customer support and fund development needs
• Acquire and maintain a deep understanding of the needs, priorities and expectations of existing and prospective customers through research, data analysis, and gathering opinions of key stakeholders to inform growth strategy and priority setting for product development and optimization
• With the Chief Products Officer, work to leverage the new Innovation and Research team to create opportunities to enhance growth by building and/or expanding reputation, thought leadership, and engagement with existing and new audiences
• Develop metrics to measure success and identify areas for improvement
• Serve as a dynamic and passionate spokesperson representing USGBC, GBCI and specific products and services at relevant industry events and meetings. Focus on developing robust communication competencies with staff to expand the bench of spokespeople
• Attract, develop, inspire, empower, and retain diverse, high-performing teams of global professionals, establishing clear priorities, success metrics, and program objectives as part of visionary and hands-on leadership
• Cultivate and promote a diverse and inclusive working environment where we respect each and every person, act with integrity, honor collaboration, and embrace continuous improvement

Metrics for Success (Year One):

• Developed a comprehensive vision for this new department that outlines the department’s connection to and activities in support of the strategic plans of USGBC and GBCI
• Set a comprehensive talent strategy for this department that has integrated talent resources in place today and has begun to add needed new talent resources in support of strategic mission and business priorities of USGBC and GBCI including the highest standards of organizational excellence and effectiveness
• Developed department and team-level KPIs that align with organizational strategic plan priorities for USGBC and GBCI
• Established a culture of transparency and accountability, open communication, shared ambition, and continuous improvement
• Viewed by the CEO, management team, staff and board members as a collaborative and valued thought leader who is ensuring that growth and transformation initiatives are in place to support strategic plan priorities of USGBC and GBCI

Required Experience & Qualifications:

• A minimum of 15 years of experience in nonprofit or business growth, marketing, business development, sales, or related discipline with a minimum of 5 years of executive-level leadership in a relevant role
• Strong business acumen (negotiation, process improvement, change management). An ability to manage business operations in multiple domestic and international geographies with a diversified customer and employee base
• Proven track record of: 
  1. Achieving business goals and sales targets (financial and programmatic)
  2. Building, managing, motivating, and empowering highly effective and diverse teams, including cultivation of future leaders 
  3. Leading design and implementation of marketing, advocacy and/or sales efforts to scale adoption and create value
  4. Establishing and maintaining mutually beneficial partnerships

• Direct experience overseeing department-level financial planning, management and analysis, including budget development and resource planning
• Strong interpersonal skills including empathy for others, engaging in active listening, and building effective working relationships
• Demonstrated commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Environmental Justice including a strong and demonstrated cultural competency in dealing with individuals from diverse regions and backgrounds
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience as an effective public speaker at the national and international level
• A personal work ethic of integrity, accountability, achievement, and persistence to model a healthy workplace environment
• Demonstrated broad knowledge of standards, research, and certifications and their relationship to building communities and cities that protect health, climate and natural resources and enhance quality of life both in the U.S. and globally is a plus

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

• This position will be based out of the Washington, DC headquarters with a hybrid schedule of in-office and remote work based on organizational policy, need and manager discretion
• Full Time, permanent, salaried, benefits-eligible, exempt status
• Travel is required both domestically and globally; approximately 25% including the annual Greenbuild conference, industry events, and stakeholder meetings and gatherings

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred

Benefits:

• Employees work for an established, mission-based and member-driven nonprofit organization with a compelling vision and global reputation for impact
• The position offers competitive compensation commensurate with experience and skill level, generous benefits package, 401k matching and comprehensive health insurance
• The headquarters office is a LEED Platinum commercial interior space in a LEED Gold certified building in the LEED Platinum certified central business district in the first LEED Platinum certified city, Washington, DC. The office serves as an example and test space for green design and construction products and practices.  It is close to public transportation and incorporates many healthy and environmentally friendly features.