Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Energy & Sustainability Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Energy & Sustainability Manager leads an organization's energy strategy and sustainability programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy efficiency, integrate renewables, and ensure compliance with ESG reporting standards. This role manages cross-functional projects (capital and operational), conducts energy audits and measurement & verification (M&V), implements ISO 50001/energy management systems, oversees utility and carbon accounting, and partners with procurement, facilities, operations and senior leadership to deliver cost-effective decarbonization and resilience initiatives.

Key SEO / LLM keywords: energy management, sustainability manager, carbon reduction, energy audits, ISO 50001, GHG Protocol, Scope 1 Scope 2 Scope 3, energy efficiency, renewable integration, sustainability reporting, CDP, net zero, energy procurement, building automation systems (BMS), measurement and verification (IPMVP).

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Energy Analyst or Energy Engineer with 1–4 years of experience
Sustainability Coordinator / Sustainability Analyst
Facilities Manager or Building Engineer transitioning into strategic sustainability roles

Advancement To:

Director of Sustainability or Director of Energy & Sustainability
Head of ESG / Head of Corporate Sustainability
VP of Facilities or VP of ESG / Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO)

Lateral Moves:

Sustainability Consultant or Energy Consultant (project/consulting track)
Facilities Operations Director / Asset Manager
Corporate ESG Reporting Lead

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead the development, implementation and continuous improvement of a company-wide energy management strategy, including setting and tracking short- and long-term energy, carbon and water reduction targets aligned with science-based targets and corporate net‑zero goals.
Plan, scope and deliver complex energy efficiency capital projects (lighting, HVAC upgrades, heat recovery, chiller plants, controls) from feasibility and business case development through procurement, installation, commissioning and post‑project M&V to ensure guaranteed savings and ROI.
Conduct detailed energy audits and benchmarking across corporate facilities, manufacturing sites and real estate portfolios using ASHRAE Level 1–3 methodologies, identifying low-cost/no-cost operational savings and prioritized CAPEX opportunities.
Develop, implement and maintain an ISO 50001 aligned Energy Management System (EnMS), including energy policy, energy review, objectives/targets, action plans, operational controls and management review processes to drive continual improvement.
Own corporate GHG inventory development and reporting (Scope 1, Scope 2 – market/location based, and Scope 3 categories), implementing GHG Protocol best practices, data collection systems and third‑party verifications for CDP, regulatory filings and sustainability disclosure.
Lead renewable energy strategy and procurement including on-site solar PV, virtual power purchase agreements (VPPAs), green tariffs, and renewable energy certificates (RECs) to maximize renewable penetration and cost-effective decarbonization.
Manage utility bill and energy consumption data systems, including meter aggregation, interval data ingestion, data cleansing, analytics and visualization to identify anomalies, trends and savings opportunities using tools such as EnergyStar Portfolio Manager, Tableau/Power BI or energy analytics platforms.
Design and implement measurement and verification (M&V) plans based on IPMVP principles to quantify project energy savings and verify contracted performance for internal and external stakeholders.
Create robust business cases and financial models (NPV, IRR, payback) for energy projects and decarbonization investments, collaborating with finance to secure capital, incentives and energy performance contracting (EPC) arrangements.
Drive operational behavioral change and staff engagement programs (training, workshops, communication campaigns) to embed energy awareness and sustain efficiency gains across departments and sites.
Coordinate with procurement, legal and risk teams to manage energy supply contracts, demand response programs, hedging strategies and supplier sustainability requirements to reduce energy cost exposure and support ESG goals.
Oversee sub‑metering strategies and BMS/BAS integration for real‑time control optimization, fault detection and predictive maintenance to reduce energy waste and improve asset performance.
Lead compliance activities related to energy and environmental regulations, incentive programs, utility audits, and relevant reporting frameworks such as CDP, GRI, SASB and local regulatory submissions.
Manage vendor selection, contractor relationships and performance oversight for energy services companies (ESCOs), engineering firms and MEP contractors, ensuring delivery to scope, schedule, safety and budget.
Prepare and present quarterly and annual sustainability and energy performance reports for executive leadership and the board, translating technical results into strategic implications and actionable recommendations.
Coordinate and prioritize capital projects with facilities, operations and real estate teams to align energy improvements with business requirements, safety and production schedules.
Build and maintain strong working relationships with site leadership, plant managers and cross‑functional teams to drive site-level energy action plans and ensure alignment with corporate sustainability objectives.
Identify and secure external funding, rebates, grants and tax incentives (federal, state, utility) to offset project costs and accelerate implementation of energy and sustainability initiatives.
Conduct lifecycle assessments (LCA) and embodied carbon assessments for major capital projects and procurement decisions to inform low‑carbon material choices and design strategies.
Lead sustainability risk assessments and resilience planning related to climate impacts, energy supply disruptions and regulatory changes to protect operations and supply chains.
Support product/operations teams to reduce Scope 3 emissions through supplier engagement, procurement policies, circularity initiatives and design for energy efficiency or reuse.

Secondary Functions

Maintain and continuously improve centralized energy and sustainability data systems, respond to stakeholder data requests, and develop dashboards and KPIs to support decision-making.
Provide technical support for new construction and retrofit design reviews, ensuring energy efficiency, passive design principles and low-carbon technology integration are specified and implemented.
Organize and deliver training for facilities, operations and procurement teams on energy best practices, meter reading, submeter troubleshooting, and sustainability reporting requirements.
Participate in external working groups, industry associations and benchmarking initiatives to stay current on policy, technology and regulatory trends and represent the organization in sustainability forums.
Support internal audit and third‑party verification processes for energy projects, ISO 50001 audits and sustainability disclosures, coordinating corrective actions and documentation.
Assist in procurement and evaluation of energy analytics, carbon accounting and building controls vendors, developing RFPs and performing technical and commercial evaluations.
Champion continuous improvement initiatives such as demand-side management programs, behavioral nudges, and digital optimization (machine learning for predictive control) to reduce energy intensity.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Energy auditing and assessment: ASHRAE Level 1–3, building systems diagnostics and operational assessment experience.
Energy management systems: ISO 50001 implementation, internal auditing and continual improvement practices.
Carbon accounting & reporting: GHG Protocol, Scope 1/2/3 inventories, CDP, GRI/SASB familiarity and third‑party verification processes.
Measurement & Verification (M&V): IPMVP best practices and experience developing M&V plans and validating savings.
Energy project financial analysis: NPV, IRR, payback, life‑cycle cost analysis and experience building investment-grade business cases.
Renewable energy procurement: on-site solar design basics, PPA/VPPA knowledge, RECs and green tariffs.
Building automation and controls: BMS/BAS knowledge, controls optimization, fault detection and energy optimization strategies.
Metering and data analytics: utility bill normalization, interval meter data ingestion, SQL/Excel/Power BI or Tableau for energy analytics.
Regulatory & compliance knowledge: local/national energy codes, utility incentive programs and reporting requirements.
Technical project management: specification writing, tendering, contractor management, and experience delivering CAPEX projects on time and budget.
Familiarity with energy performance contracting (EPC/ESCO) and guaranteed savings models.
Experience with sustainability frameworks and targets: SBTi familiarity, net‑zero strategy development and sustainability KPI frameworks.

Soft Skills

Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills with executives, operations and external vendors.
Excellent written and verbal communication; ability to translate technical energy data into clear business insights for senior leadership and non-technical audiences.
Strategic thinking and problem solving with a bias for data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement.
Leadership and people management, including coaching cross-functional teams and driving cultural change.
Project leadership under competing priorities, with strong organization and time management.
Negotiation skills for supplier contracts, energy procurements and incentive negotiations.
Adaptability and resilience in a fast-evolving regulatory and technology landscape.
Collaborative mindset; proven ability to work cross-functionally across engineering, procurement, finance and operations.
Attention to detail with high integrity in data handling and reporting.
Training and facilitation skills to lead workshops and drive site-level adoption.

(Combined total: 20+ hard & soft skills recommended; above lists include prioritized skills matched to market job postings.)

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Energy Engineering, Environmental Science, Facilities Management, Sustainability, or related STEM/business discipline.

Preferred Education:

Master's degree in Energy Management, Environmental Science, Sustainable Business, Engineering or MBA with sustainability concentration.
Professional certifications such as Certified Energy Manager (CEM), LEED AP, ISO 50001 Lead Implementer, BREEAM, or Certified Measurement & Verification Professional (CMVP).

Relevant Fields of Study:

Mechanical / Energy / Electrical Engineering
Environmental Science / Sustainability / Climate Science
Facilities Management / Building Science
Sustainable Business / Environmental Policy

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

5–10 years of progressive experience in energy management, facilities engineering, sustainability programs, or related roles. Experience may vary by portfolio size and industry.

Preferred:

7+ years leading energy and decarbonization programs across multiple sites or a commercial/industrial portfolio, with demonstrated success delivering capital energy projects, ISO 50001 or comparable EnMS, verified energy savings and sustainability disclosures (CDP/GRI).
Proven experience working with finance on business cases, experience with procurement and contract negotiation for energy supply or EPCs, and familiarity with relevant regional energy regulations and incentive programs.