Palm Beach County is losing its climate change czar.

Natalie Schneider, hired in April 2015 to serve as the county’s climate change and sustainability coordinator, is leaving that post to accept a job in private industry.

"Natalie has done an outstanding job representing the county in our four-county Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact, and helping us build our local resilience program," Deputy County Administrator Jon Van Arnam told commissioners in an email announcing Schneider’s resignation, which will be effective on Friday.

She will "take a position with a national firm with operations in this area," Van Arnam said.

The county has begun a search for her successor.

Schneider was the county’s first sustainability coordinator, a job that paid her $85,962 per year. Her hiring made Palm Beach County one of the few counties in the state with a manager whose task is to help the county plan for and cope with climate change.

"She has represented us proudly on panels at a number of regional, state and national conferences over the last three years and has made dozens of presentations to local businesses, cities and community organizations," Van Arnam said.