Consulting Associate, Sustainability
ERM · Walnut Creek, CA · Yesterday
HybridManagement$73k–$91k/yrFull-time
Make an Impact on the Future of Sustainable Business Are you passionate about helping organizations solve complex sustainability challenges and create meaningful environmental and social impact? Whether you're a recent graduate or an early-career professional, this is an opportunity to work alongside industry-leading experts, support global organizations on their sustainability journeys, and build a career at the intersection of business strategy, climate action, and corporate responsibility. ERM is seeking a Consulting Associate, Sustainability to join our Corporate Sustainability team. In this role, you'll collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and multinational clients to develop sustainability strategies, reporting programs, and measurable solutions that help organizations create long-term value. Why This Role Matters Organizations around the world are facing increasing expectations from investors, customers, employees, and regulators to demonstrate their sustainability performance. As a Sustainability Consultant at ERM, you'll help clients navigate these challenges by transforming sustainability goals into practical, measurable actions that drive business and environmental outcomes. Your work will help organizations improve transparency, strengthen sustainability performance, reduce environmental impacts, and make informed decisions that support a more sustainable future. What Your Impact Is In this role, you will: Support the development of sustainability strategies and ESG initiatives for leading organizations across multiple industries.Contribute to sustainability reporting and disclosure efforts that help clients communicate progress and build stakeholder trust.Assist clients in identifying and prioritizing key environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues.Help organizations establish sustainability goals, metrics, and programs that drive measurable results.Collaborate with experienced consultants to deliver high-quality solutions that address climate, energy, and corporate sustainability challenges.Support projects that influence business decisions and contribute to meaningful environmental and social outcomes. Required What You'll Bring Bachelor's or Master's degree in Environmental Science, Engineering, Business Administration, Sustainability, or a related field, or equivalent experience.0–2 years of relevant experience in consulting, corporate sustainability, industry, government, or a related environment.Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to develop clear and professional reports and deliverables.Ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.Self-motivated with the ability to work independently while collaborating across teams.Willingness to travel as needed to support projects and client engagements.Driver's License Required: This position requires a valid driver's license and/or the ability to operate a company vehicle due to the nature of job duties, which include frequent travel to various client locations across a large geographical area. This position is not eligible for immigration sponsorship. Preferred Familiarity with sustainability reporting frameworks, ESG metrics, and corporate sustainability disclosures.Knowledge of sustainability strategy development and performance measurement.Experience with greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories, carbon footprinting, climate-related initiatives, or energy efficiency programs.Exposure to environmental management systems or process improvement frameworks such as ISO 14001, ISO 45001, or similar standards.Experience conducting research, benchmarking, data analysis, or sustainability-related assessments. Key Responsibilities Provide technical support for sustainability strategy, ESG, and corporate sustainability reporting projects.Conduct materiality assessments and evaluate environmental, social, and governance topics for clients.Support the development and writing of sustainability reports across a variety of industry sectors.Assist in designing and implementing sustainability management systems and programs.Contribute to climate and sustainability initiatives, including:Sustainability vision and goal developmentPerformance metrics and target settingGHG inventory development and verificationCarbon footprint assessmentsEnergy efficiency initiativesLife cycle analysesBenchmark client sustainability performance against peers and support data-driven goal setting.Deliver project work within scope, schedule, budget, and quality expectations.Collaborate closely with ERM Partners, Project Managers, and technical specialists to execute client projects successfully.Communicate effectively with clients, project teams, and external stakeholders.Support multiple concurrent projects while maintaining a high standard of quality and professionalism. For the Consulting Associate, Sustainability position, the anticipated annual base pay is $73,000–$90,889 (CAD/USD). Actual pay will depend on factors such as education, experience, skills, location, performance, and business needs. In some cases, pay may fall outside this range. This role may be eligible for bonus pay (casual and fixed term/flex force employees are not bonus eligible). We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including paid time off, parental leave, medical, dental, vision, life, disability, AD&D insurance, 401(k) or RRSP/DPSP, and other applicable benefits to eligible employees. Note: Bonuses, commissions, and other forms of additional compensation are not guaranteed and subject to the sole discretion of ERM and its policies and procedures. Who We Are: As the largest global pure play sustainability consultancy, we partner with the world’s leading organizations, creating innovative solutions to sustainability challenges and unlocking commercial opportunities that meet the needs of today while preserving opportunity for future generations. At ERM we know that creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment is an essential part of making our company a great place to build a career. We also see our diversity as a strength that helps us create better solutions for our clients. Our diverse team of world-class experts supports clients across the breadth of their organizations to operationalize sustainability, underpinned by our deep technical expertise in addressing their environmental, health, safety, risk and social issues. We call this capability our “boots to boardroom” approach for its comprehensive service model that allows ERM to develop strategic and technical solutions that advance objectives on the ground or at the executive level. Please submit your resume and brief cover letter. ERM does not accept recruiting agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias, ERM employees or any other company location. ERM is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes. ERM is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. Thank you for your interest in ERM!