Director of Economics, Sustainability & Innovation

Date: July 11, 2025

Position Title:

Director of Economics, Sustainability & Innovation

Department and Reports to:

Village Manager

Summary of Position:
Director of Economics, Sustainability & Innovation will be responsible for providing leadership and

strategic direction to identify, innovate, evaluate, and validate emerging business opportunities that

can be operationalized and commercialized to drive integrated growth across three business

segments, Recycling & Solid Waste, Environmental Solutions, and Sustainability Innovation. This

position will operate with a high degree of cross-functional agility using outstanding influencing and

interpersonal skills to conceptualize, develop and lead the innovation roadmap that will help Village

evolve from incremental improvements in our existing businesses to high impact value emerging

growth opportunities and innovative technologies using continuous discovery and delivery.

Duties Include:
• Lead a team responsible for monitoring the external environment and market

assessment of new technology ensuring awareness and identification worldwide
while developing innovative partnerships with external partners.

• Create business cases for programs and projects to drive the Village’s Sustainability

Innovation business growth and overall integrated growth strategy, including
financial returns, capital requirements, project risks and project management.

• Identify, develop and execute new partnership opportunities.

• Manage proforma development, due diligence, and integration process for emerging

businesses as a lever for market/industry entry and to support the Village’s
decarbonization and plastic circularity goals.

• Report to the board of directors and senior leadership on Sustainability Innovation

initiatives and project development.

• Establish an active and actionable global network of internal and external subject

matter experts to collaboratively innovate and co-innovate existing and new
offerings with speed to market, optimum design and to maximize efficiency.

• Assess macro trends, technology innovation data, customer insights and business

objectives to identify unmet customer needs and underserved markets to drive
innovation and enhanced sustainability opportunities and priorities.

• Develop technology innovation governance structure to fit in line with program

delivery methodologies to screen and validate opportunities though use cases,
testing and rework.

• Partner with Business Development to manage Emerging Business Development

acquisition pipeline and Business Case Development.

• Nurture a culture of customer obsession, entrepreneurism, and innovation.

• Promote the Village’s innovation agenda; influence and obtain support from

business leaders and senior management for successful execution of the agenda.
Patrol assigned areas to prevent and detect signs of intrusion and ensure security of
doors, windows, and gates

• Collaborate with law enforcement and emergency services when necessary

Position Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Sustainability, Business

Administration, or a related field

• 3+ years executive-level exposure (i.e. comfort in front of and experience working

directly with executive and board-level committees) is preferred.

• Experience in progressively responsible roles that required the analysis of data,

budgeting, planning, proforma development, analysis of growth opportunities,
processes to determine investment strategy and project management.

• Excellent negotiation skills, communication, presentation and interpersonal skills.

Ability to communicate effectively and professionally across various levels of the
organization and with key external customers, vendors and consultants.

Please Submit Letter of Intent and Resume

to James Ellexson, HR Director at

Jellexson@maywood-il.gov

Within 5 Business Days from Posting Date