The City and County of Honolulu is looking for a new chief resilience officer to lead the city's Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency.
The chief resilience officer tracks, manages, and develops plans regarding the impacts of climate change on city infrastructure, and monitors areas across Oʻahu that could potentially be at risk.
The role also works to ensure residents are prepared for climate disasters and are able to quickly and efficiently recover. CCSR also heads Climate Ready Oʻahu, Honolulu’s annual sustainability report, and the 2025-2030 climate action plan.
Krishna Jayaram, the city's deputy managing director, described this position as someone who will manage the “before and after” of climate emergencies. He explained that Hawaiʻi feels the impacts of climate change at a different level than many places on the continent because it’s the only island state, making it more susceptible to sea level rise and worsened storm seasons.
“This person needs to be really knowledgeable about this space, because our home is just so unique,” Jayaram said. “We care about responding to climate change in a way that's culturally and historically appropriate, or cultural and historically backed, or culturally and historically sensitive. I cannot deny that knowing this place, its culture, and its history really matters.”
The next chief resilience officer will take the place of Ben Sullivan, who left the position earlier this month. Under Sullivan’s leadership, the CCSR was chosen as one of the 50 finalists of the global Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayor Challenge, which supports local governments’ community-focused projects.
CCSR, in partnership with the Office of Economic Revitalization and the Department of Transportation Services, is leading an initiative to integrate transit development with innovative food growing, food distribution, and food access opportunities.
Jayaram hopes the next person in the position continues to pursue similar community-driven projects that support the longevity and resilience of Hawaiʻi.
“They have to have a strong grasp of place, science, policies, history, and the culture,” Jayaram said. “We want knowledge, we want vision, and we want the ability to execute. And lastly, we want somebody who can inspire, motivate, and lead their people.”
Ideally, the team wants to close the application window by the start of November, but they say they will search until they find the right fit. The position’s salary is not specified, but Jayaram says it can be up to $150,000.
Interested applicants can send a resume and cover letter to MDoffice@honolulu.gov.
