Air Quality Program Manager

Nashville, TN, USA|Onsite

Job Overview

Employment Type

Full-time

Work Schedule

Standard Hours

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Paid Time Off

Retirement Plan

Professional development opportunities

Tuition Assistance

Employee wellness programs

Job Description

Vanderbilt University is a prestigious private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee. Renowned for its commitment to academic excellence, research, and community engagement, Vanderbilt supports a diverse community of faculty, staff, and students across multiple campuses totaling 12 million square feet on 330 acres. The university's Environmental Health, Safety, and Sustainability (EHSS) division is an integral part of its Real Estate, Facilities, and Development operations, providing essential research-centric safety services and university sustainability leadership. EHSS supports a world-class research institution with over 27,000 members in the university community, ensuring that health, safety, and environmental standards are maintained throughout the campus and facilities.

The Air Quality Program Manager position at Vanderbilt University is a critical role within the EHSS team. This position is responsible for managing and overseeing air quality compliance and safety-related programs to ensure the university meets its environmental regulations and sustainability goals. The Program Manager collaborates with a diverse network of stakeholders, including university leadership, staff, faculty, students, postdoctoral researchers, external regulators, and contractors. A key aspect of this role includes managing Title V permit compliance related to air emissions from various university sources such as emergency generators, fuel tanks, natural gas boilers, and the co-generation plant. Additionally, the manager oversees asbestos management, refrigerant use, and supports greenhouse gas regulations in partnership with the sustainability team.

The role emphasizes the importance of evidence-based practices and continual improvement, relying on rigorous research and benchmarking against peer institutions. The Air Quality Program Manager also develops policy and procedural documents, delivers comprehensive training and education programs, and supports university-wide compliance with environmental health and safety laws, regulations, and funding agency expectations. This position does not carry supervisory duties but plays a lead role in key projects and initiatives, driving efficiency through data management, safety informatics, and leveraging modern software platforms.

Overall, this role offers a challenging yet rewarding opportunity for a well-qualified environmental health professional to impact sustainability and safety at a leading academic institution. The ability to work across disciplines and foster collaboration is essential, ensuring that Vanderbilt continues to set a high standard in air quality and environmental health management while supporting scientific research and campus operations.

Job Requirements

A baccalaureate degree is required
Minimum 8 years of relevant experience with a bachelor’s degree, or minimum 5 years with a master’s degree
Certification in related field such as Certified Hazardous Materials Manager, Professional Engineer, Asbestos Inspector, Certified Safety Professional, or Certified Industrial Hygienist
Expert knowledge in environmental compliance, environmental science, air quality, asbestos management, hazardous waste, and environmental management
Ability to respond effectively and quickly to emergencies
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft and Adobe software
Ability to plan and manage multiple tasks and projects effectively
Strong interpersonal and customer service skills
Ability to build and maintain respectful and productive relationships
Capacity to work collaboratively and appreciate diverse perspectives
Willingness to stay current with evolving regulations and best practices

Job Qualifications

A master’s degree in related field and/or other related technical specialty is preferred
A baccalaureate degree is required
Minimum 5 years of experience with a master’s degree, minimum 8 years’ experience with a bachelor’s degree
Certification is required
Certifications that may be relevant include Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM), Professional Engineer (PE), Asbestos Inspector, Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), or other applicable certifications
Expert knowledge in environmental compliance, environmental science and engineering, air quality, asbestos management, hazardous waste, and environmental management theory, concepts, standards of performance, best practices, granting requirements, and regulations
Strong written and verbal communication skills including the ability to develop engaging online and in-person training materials, presentations, programmatic documents, procedures, and reports
Advanced skills in Microsoft and Adobe products such as TEAMS, PowerPoint, Excel, and Word
Advanced data management, analytical, quantitative, technical, and problem-solving skills
Ability to quickly learn and adapt
Ability to successfully plan and execute multi-task and multi-project requirements and deliverables to meet objectives and deadlines
Strong interpersonal communication and customer service skills
Ability to build and maintain effective respectful and working relationships in a service-oriented environment with a diverse range of people and understand their needs and goals
Exhibit sensitivity, tact, inclusion, and respect for diversity
Ability to work effectively with others as a team as opposed to working separately or competitively is necessary
Ability to understand and appreciate different and opposing perspectives on an issue

Job Duties

Collaborate with leadership and a broad range of internal and external stakeholders including regulators to implement and continuously improve goals and initiatives in furthering environmental health and safety
Engage and collaborate to provide support, education and outreach, while building productive relationships across the organization
Assist Vanderbilt’s main campus operational functions and additional campuses with compliance requirements related to air quality
Prepare and submit reports to regulatory agencies as required
Manage air quality regulatory requirements for emergency generators, fuel tanks, natural gas boilers and VU’s co-generation plant including permit obligations, modifications, reporting, certifications, and renewals
Management of refrigerants used in chillers, air conditioning, and appliances
Manage asbestos sampling and abatement contractors and associated asbestos recordkeeping and reporting requirements
Partner with the sustainability team related to regulated greenhouse gas emissions where applicable
Provide services to VUMC Facilities Management in accordance with the service level agreement (SLA) related to air emissions, asbestos removal, and regulatory review
Lead various projects and initiatives
Develop and report on key performance indicators and progress dashboards
Support the university community with compliance with all applicable safety and environmentally related laws, regulations, and granting agency expectations
Assist VU Risk Management and VU Finance with periodic environmental risk evaluations and asset reporting obligations for Vanderbilt’s insurance providers
Contribute to development of policy and procedural documents intended to address existing and emerging EHSS needs
Design, implement, and manage outreach, educational, and training materials for EHSS areas of expertise
Provide technical guidance and expertise to community members, including researchers, related to air quality including Title V, asbestos and GHG compliance
Provide emergency response as appropriate
Manage contractor activities related to their area of responsibility
Drive efficiency and effectiveness using safety informatics and metrics, databases, software and instructional technology
Adhere to EHSS standards to meet customer and administrative expectations
Act as backup for EHSS’s Water and Soil Quality Program Manager
Additional job responsibilities as needed and specific to area of expertise and focus in EHSS