Engineering Specialist (External Affairs) - Pella, IA

SUMMARY:

This role is a member of the design assurance/external affairs team and is responsible for supporting the company's sustainability, environmental, and regulatory disclosure obligations which includes understanding, implementing, and continuously improving regulatory reporting processes related to various programs. The specialist plays a hand-on role in preparing, managing and improving reporting processes ensuring accurate data collection, documentation, and timely submission of required reports to state agencies, regulatory bodies, producer responsibility organizations (PROs), and other external organizations. The specialist will build repeatable reporting workflows, maintains a multi-jurisdictional compliance calendar, and partner with internal stakeholders (Environmental/Health/Safety, Sustainability, Legal, Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, and Finance) to ensure submissions are complete, accurate, auditable, and aligned with evolving sustainability and regulatory expectations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Take extreme ownership of end-to-end preparation and submission of sustainability and compliance reports for programs like, but not limited to, extended producer responsibility (EPR), greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), PFAS regulatory reporting, Energy Star reporting, and product certifications. Maintain and execute a master compliance and sustainability reporting calendar across multiple jurisdictions to ensure all submissions are completed and sent on time. Coordinate report submission to state portals, regulatory agencies, PROs, and other third-party organizations, including managing usernames, access credentials, and portal requirements. Track confirmations, receipts, and follow-up actions; maintain organized records of filings, correspondence and supporting documentation.

Translate regulatory and sustainability reporting requirements into standard operating procedures (SOPs), work instructions, templates, and checklists. Build scalable, repeatable workflows for data intake, validation, approvals, submission, and archival. Identify gaps and implement improvement opportunities to reduce compliance risk, improve efficiency, timeliness, and increase data quality and accuracy (e.g., automation, system integration, standardized data definitions). Establish internal controls to support audit readiness, including version control, sign-offs, change logs, retention schedules.

Collect, consolidate, and validate required inputs from internal systems and teams (EPR, purchasing, shipping, waste manifests, production data, supplier declarations, lab results, EHS systems). Perform reasonableness checks, reconcile discrepancies, and document assumptions, methodologies, and calculations. Maintain robust documentation for audit or regulatory inquiries, including supporting source evidence and calculation workpapers.

Serve as the primary point of contact for reporting-related questions across departments. Engage suppliers and external partners to obtain required disclosures or certifications (packaging and material composition, PFAS statements, emissions factors where relevant). Provide management with status updates, risk flags, and compliance metrics (upcoming deadlines, submission status, nonconformance trends).

Monitor changes in compliance-related regulations including EPR, PFAS, and GHG reporting requirements across relevant jurisdictions. Assess the impact of new or updated regulations on reporting processes, data needs, and internal systems. Recommend practical process improvements, system updates, or resource needs to support ongoing compliance and transparency.

Demonstrate the "Pella Total Competitiveness System" through projects that support growth, operational excellence, customer satisfaction and profitability. As part of the broader design assurance team, provide support and other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

Associate's degree (A. A.) or equivalent from two-year college or technical school and two year related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read, interpret, and summarize sustainability, environmental, and regulatory requirements, including ESG disclosures, environmental statutes, and agency guidance. Strong written communication skills with the ability to draft clear, accurate documentation, including regulatory submissions, methodologies, standard operating procedures, and internal guidance materials. Ability to communicate complex sustainability and compliance requirements in a clear, practical manner to cross functional partners with varying levels of technical or regulatory expertise. Ability to synthesize detailed information into concise updates for internal stakeholders and management (status, risks, and upcoming deadlines). Comfortable corresponding with external stakeholders, including regulatory agencies, producer responsibility organizations (PROs), suppliers, and third-party auditors.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to work with quantitative sustainability and environmental data, including emissions metrics, material volumes, waste data, and compliance thresholds. Comfortable performing calculations, reconciliations, and reasonableness checks to validate reported data and identify discrepancies. Ability to understand and apply calculation methodologies, emissions factors, and regulatory formulas, documenting assumptions and sources clearly. Ability to analyze trends and variances in sustainability and compliance data to support accurate reporting and identify potential risks or improvement opportunities. Capable of organizing large datasets and maintaining calculation workpapers to support auditability and regulatory review.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to interpret regulatory and ESG reporting requirements and translate them into clear, repeatable reporting processes. Ability to exercise sound judgment when requirements are ambiguous or evolving, escalating issues appropriately and documenting decisions. Strong attention to detail with the ability to identify data gaps, inconsistencies, or compliance risks before submission. Ability to manage multiple deadlines across jurisdictions, prioritize tasks effectively, and adapt to shifting regulatory timelines. Ability to continuously improve reporting processes by identifying inefficiencies, control gaps, or opportunities for standardization and automation.

COMPUTER SKILLS

Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including use of formulas, data validation, pivot tables, and structured workbooks for sustainability and compliance reporting. Working knowledge of Microsoft Word and PowerPoint for drafting regulatory narratives, internal documentation, and management updates. Experience working with enterprise systems and data sources (e.g., ERP systems such as Thrive and Oracle, EHS platforms, sustainability or ESG reporting tools, supplier portals). Ability to navigate and submit reports through state or third party regulatory portals, maintaining access credentials and submission records. Comfort working with shared document repositories and collaboration tools (e.g., SharePoint, Teams) to manage version control and approvals. Interest in leveraging technology, automation, or system integration to improve sustainability data collection, reporting accuracy, and efficiency.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

None required.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

10%

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.