Director, Environmental Affairs

Job Description

The Enviva team is driven by our shared vision for a renewable energy future. We are a fast-growing, purpose-driven, global energy company specializing in delivering sustainable wood bioenergy solutions. We are the world’s largest producer of sustainable wood pellets, which provide a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels.

The Director, Environmental Affairs, is a key senior management role that leads and enhances environmental affairs functions at Enviva, the world’s largest producer of sustainable renewable biomass pellets. This role has ownership of internally and externally visible projects and leads environmental permitting and compliance efforts for the company. As such, the role has high visibility and engagement with the company’s executive leadership, environmental regulators, and various internal and external stakeholders. This person will be responsible for developing, influencing, implementing, and managing environmental permitting and compliance strategies for current and future manufacturing plants and port facilities.

In addition, this person will be responsible for owning, prioritizing, managing and developing the talent of Enviva’s environmental permitting and compliance managers to ensure that the team executes environmental strategies to meet the company’s business objectives for all facilities. This includes 1) filing and obtaining permits that meet regulatory requirements while providing flexibility for future growth and optimization, 2) interpreting and implementing the permit requirements to ensure environmental compliance, 3) ensuring necessary actions are completed correctly and on time and 4) managing and mitigating compliance risks with cross-functional stakeholder engagement. The Director, Environmental Affairs will anticipate, propose and drive continuous improvements to achieve industry leading environmental compliance, reduce operating costs, and increase operational flexibility.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement and influence environmental permitting and compliance strategies for business needs to ensure environmental stewardship of the company in the wood products industry.
• Engage and build relationships with environmental regulators across company footprint.
• Influence and represent Enviva with regulatory agencies and public interest groups in the permitting and compliance process.
• Engagement with executive leadership at the company to further enhance, elevate and strengthen environmental affairs functions.
• Manage and develop a team of talented environmental permitting and compliance managers, external environmental consultants, and environmental legal counsel.
• Own and drive priorities for all permitting and compliance matters for the team to ensure achievement of company’s goals and environmental compliance.
• Implement permitting strategies in the permit application process for all facilities, including ongoing permit modifications to allow for operational flexibility and growth.
• Effectively collaborate, communicate and influence internal cross-functional stakeholders, including operations, engineering, corporate development and construction teams.
• Manage, enhance and direct an environmental compliance team, including management of allowed emissions in compliance with issued permits. This includes overseeing testing and reporting at the facilities.
• Define, develop and manage the delivery of environmental Key Performance Indicators.
• Apply, Enviva’s Operational Excellence Management System and Operational Discipline to achieve the shared Environmental Excellence vision.

Qualifications

• BA/BS in Environmental Engineering or similar degree and a minimum of 5 years’ experience in an environmental role. There is a strong preference for working experience in wood products or another industry focused on Clean Air Act compliance.
• Prior environmental work experience in at least 4 of the following: VA, NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, or MS.
• Broad knowledge of Federal and State environmental regulations, with focus in the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. Working knowledge of RCRA, SARA/CERCLA, TSCA, EPCRA and Industrial User wastewater is preferred.
• Knowledge of environmental permitting process and requirements applicable to process-based manufacturing, with an emphasis on air permits and compliance. Additional areas of knowledge include wastewater, stormwater, solid and hazardous waste, wetlands, Corp of Engineers, and other environmental requirements.
• Demonstrated project management experience in an environmental affairs function with the focus on environmental permitting and compliance.
• Strong understanding and experience with managing and executing successful emissions testing and compliance program.
• Leadership qualities and strategic thinking.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks/projects with shifting priorities.
• Desire to quickly learn a growing wood-pellet industry and take on new challenges.
• Demonstrate excellent written and verbal communications, planning, documentation, and organization skills.
• Willingness to travel periodically (regionally / domestically) and up to 50%.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and SharePoint.
• High degree of professionalism
• Ability to self-start and pace work to keep multiple projects on track.

Preferred Qualifications - What Will Set You Apart

• Demonstrated people management experience in an environmental affairs function with the focus on environmental permitting and compliance.
• Strong understanding of implementation of ISO 14001 or other Environmental Management Systems.
• Proficiency with database, project management, and reporting processes.
• Knowledge of advanced statistical analysis methodologies (i.e. hypothesis testing, regression, etc.).
• Understanding of EPA Method required testing and certification process.
• Working knowledge of Ambient Air Quality Modeling.

Travel requirements

• Willingness to travel up to 30-50%. This is an estimate looking at the year in total and is subject to variations depending on work needs.

Working Conditions

• This position is hybrid in office/work from home. Must be available to work in the Raleigh, NC office.

Physical Requirements

• Able to perform tasks such as lifting, walking, climbing, stooping, sitting, standing, pushing, crawling. and/or pulling.
• Ability to safely and successfully perform the essential job functions consistent with the ADA.
• Able to work on computer screen format for during a normal work day.
• Able to walk construction sites at various stages of completion, conditions, weather, and temperatures (e.g., over 100oF to below 32oF).

EEO Statement

Enviva is dedicated to the principles of equal employment opportunity (EEO) in any term, condition or privilege of employment. Enviva does not discriminate against applicants or employees on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, uniform service member, genetic information or any other status protected by law. Enviva complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which we operate.