Job Title: Director of Codes, Standards and Research
Location: Washington, D.C. area; Hybrid work environment.
Position Reports to: Executive Director (ED).
About The Position: This full-time position leads the Gypsum Association’s (GA) efforts in building code and standards-setting activities, publications development, research and participates in activities to further the GA’s mission of advancing the development, growth, and general welfare of the gypsum industry in the U.S. and Canada.
Key Responsibilities:
- Serves as the staff liaison to the Building Code and Technical Committee (BCTC), overseeing mission, goals, and strategies.
- Collaborates with the Director of Marketing, Education and Technical Services who serves as the first-line respondent to technical information inquiries received via phone and email.
- With the Director of Marketing, Education and Technical Services, liaises and develops relationships with other associations to strengthen the gypsum industry’s position.
- Collaborates with the Director of Stewardship and External Affairs particularly where technical concepts, information and content must be suitably communicated to various A/E/C audiences; and where projects and initiatives span the technical and promotional realms.
- Leads developing the GA’s mapping and execution of strategy for industry standards development with external organizations (i.e., ASTM, UL, NFPA, etc.).
- With the Director of Marketing, Education and Technical Services creates, revises, and updates industry technical documents produced by the GA (30). GA-600 Fire Resistance and Sound Control Design Manual is the 400-plus page flag-ship publication that is revised on a three-year cycle.
- Liaises with member company technical personnel.
- Provides strategic direction and support to industry building codes development.
- Works closely with the GA’s external building code consultants (U.S., Canada).
- Sets and leads the GA’s objectives around testing, engineering, and product safety programs.
Required Skills:
- Demonstrated knowledge of construction materials and practices.
- Demonstrated knowledge of sustainable building trends and practices and evolution of environmental analysis tools (I.e., product category rules, life-cycle assessments, environmental product declarations).
- Exceptional technical aptitude.
- Experience developing or working with technical standards.
- General knowledge of operating practices and principles of trade associations.
- Attention to detail, including organizing a multitude of activities and ensuring follow-through.
- Strong leadership, negotiation, communication, and collaborative skills.
- Public speaking skills with requisite professional demeanor.
- Professional credentials or professional licensure (i.e., PE, AIA, LEED AP) is preferred.
- Bachelor’s degree with at least 10 years’ experience in the design field, building materials industry, and/or construction industry.
Ability to:
- Evaluate effectiveness of programs and initiatives and develop strategies to improve, as necessary.
- Meet deadlines and work well under pressure.
- Work effectively with representatives from GA member companies.
- Effectively work with and motivate staff within a small organization.
Salary Range: $130k – $150k.
Description of Additional Benefits:
- 401(k) plan with employer matching
- Medical/Dental/Vision insurance coverage
- Life insurance
- Long-term disability insurance
- Paid vacation
- Observance of U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Federal holidays schedule
- Free parking at GA office
Other:
- Candidates must be qualified to work in the U.S.
- Offer of employment will be subject to a background check.
- Travel upwards of 25 percent.
About the Gypsum Association
The Gypsum Association (GA) represents the collective interests of gypsum panel (aka drywall or gypsum board) manufacturers based in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Gypsum panels are used to cover the walls and ceilings in virtually the entirety of residential dwellings constructed in the United States and Canada. Gypsum panels are also used extensively in non-residential construction. The primary performance attribute of these products is fire resistance.
Members of the GA manufacture over 95 percent of the gypsum panels sold in the U.S. and as can best be estimated, over 95 percent of the panels sold in Canada. Similar associations exist in Europe, Australia, and Japan. The GA liaises informally with Eurogypsum in Belgium; however, the two organizations operate independently of each other and have no formal affiliation.
The GA was established in 1930 and was incorporated in Illinois in 1960. It was headquartered in Evanston, IL, until 1988 when the operation relocated to the Washington, D.C. area. Today, the GA office is in downtown Silver Spring, Maryland.
While the GA has a relatively small number of members (8), it represents a very large industry. The most current estimate of the North American gypsum panel industry places its market value at upwards of USD 20 billion. It is estimated that the industry directly employees between 7,000 and 10,000 people.
ASSOCIATION FOCUS
The GA is a small-staff association that is focused on providing services to its members in the areas where it can create the greatest collective benefit. It does not have a trade show or engage in broad public relations campaigns. The primary areas of specific focus include:
- Serving as a leader for the gypsum industry in the twin realms of building codes and technical product standards creation and management. This role includes interfacing with relevant ancillary organizations that represent constituencies similar to those of the Gypsum Association – i.e., the wood products industry; the steel industry; contractor organizations; and technical organizations, such as the International Code Council; National Fire Protection Association; Underwriters Laboratories; and the National Research Council of Canada.
- Standards and technical documents creation. The GA creates many technical documents on gypsum panels for the benefit of A/E/C professionals. Examples abound on www.gypsum.org.
- Serving as the sustainability leader for the industry. The GA is quite engaged in taking a leadership role in providing sustainability services for the industry. It has developed and published Life-cycle Analysis (LCA), Product Category Rules (PCR) and industry average Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) for North American gypsum panels.
- Coordinating the regulatory focus of the industry. This generally involves working with Federal-level regulatory agencies on precise, focused issues. The GA is increasingly involved in state level regulatory matters.
- Serving as a lobbying coordinator for the industry on an as needed basis. The GA is not an active lobbying organization, nor does it employ (or intend to employ) a registered lobbyist; however, it does serve as a lobbying coordinator for the industry on occasion. In such situations, the GA does employ the services of a lobbying firm on a short-term basis.
STAFFING AND HEADQUARTERS OFFICE
Staff consists of five individuals:
- Executive Director
- Operations and Special Projects Manager
- Director of Codes, Standards and Research
- Director of Marketing, Education and Technical Services
- Director of Stewardship and External Affairs
Roughly 20 key-partner vendors and consultants support the GA.
Our 2,500-sf office is in downtown Silver Spring, Maryland. We are approximately three blocks from the Silver Spring metro station.
ASSOCIATION SET-UP
The GA presently has two committees: one specifically addresses building code and industry technical issues [Building Code and Technical Committee (BCTC)] and the second addresses external issues [External Issues Committee (EIC)], including sustainability, regulatory issues, and governmental topics. It also has responsibility for the specific safety and promotion issues that need to be addressed by the organization.
Committees meet face-to-face twice each year in the spring and fall. These in-person member meetings span three days, each typically in March and October. Task groups meet regularly via video conferencing throughout the year.
TO APPLY
Interested candidates should send a resume, salary requirements, and cover letter explaining why they are qualified for the role and how they will contribute to the success of the organization to smeima@gypsum.org.