Senior Associate, Public Sector Programs - Chicago, United States - Elevate Energy

Description

Job Description

Job DescriptionSenior Associate, Public Sector Programs

The Senior Associate, Public Sector leads the development and operation of projects and programs that help public sector entities such as schools and municipalities implement decarbonization improvements that save energy and redirect costs into serving their communities. The Senior Associate is a member of the Nonprofit & Public Sector Team and reports directly to the Associate Director, Nonprofit & Public Sector, while collaborating closely with staff across the organization. The Senior Associate is responsible for successful management and completion of projects with an emphasis on serving schools and other public sector entities that focus on serving communities who have experienced the highest impacts of environmental injustice, increasing energy costs, and climate change. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, relationship management, internal and external communications (with clients/funders, utilities, partners/consultants, public sector customers, and internal project team), project scope coordination and delivery, budget and schedule management, strategic planning activities, supervision of project team assignments, and reporting to internal and external stakeholders.

The Senior Associate, Public Sector Programs reports to the Associate Director, Public Sector & Non-Profit. This position is a part- time role located in Chicago, IL and is fully remote.

Responsibilities

• Lead projects and programs following Elevate's project management processes and procedures and ensure compliance with Elevate's project management tools such as ERP system (Unanet) and Salesforce.
• Lead the delivery of public school decarbonization programs and other projects working closely with utilities, program implementers, outreach providers, community partners, school leadership, and other public agencies.
• Monitor the execution of projects and programs towards kWh savings and other program goals, adjusting work plan accordingly.
• Manage the budget and financial reporting, including developing and submitting forecasts, accruals, invoices, and check requests as needed; work with the associate director, project sponsor, and the Accounting department to review and obtain necessary approvals.
• Manage internal and external communications with clients/funders, partners, consultants, project team, and other stakeholders.
• Use Salesforce to track progress towards program goals including building reports and developing SOPs for project tracking.
• Respond to time-sensitive requests from utilities and partners. Manage communication and workflow between multiple utility stakeholders and team members.
• Develop and maintain project risk registers and conduct lessons learned sessions with the appropriate stakeholders as necessary to promote continuous improvement; work with technical and QA/QC teams to maintain and improve quality.
• Coordinate work assignments with project team members and communicate resource needs with appropriate stakeholders.
• Develop and maintain relationships with School Districts. Provide School Districts with guidance around decarbonization planning and upcoming grant opportunities. Support School Districts and schools in their applications for grant-based funding opportunities
• Provide support to team members conducting outreach to public sector customers, including guidance around community engagement and stakeholder communications.
• Maintain required job knowledge and skills and core professional competencies. This includes staying up-to-date with utility energy efficiency and decarbonization programs as well as potential federal funding opportunities available to schools and other public sector entities.
• Assist public schools in navigating implementation of decarbonization measures, including researching, understanding, and applying for federal funding opportunities.
• Provide strategic program input for the team, business unit, and Elevate's strategy, as needed.
• Support and lead business development opportunities and identify additional funding sources for the Nonprofit & Public Sector Team; conduct research and develop internal and external presentations and proposals as needed.
• Attend and participate in staff inter-departmental teams and staff meetings and assist in other departmental and/or organizational activities as required.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor's degree in related field or additional relevant experience required
• Three to five (3-5) years of experience of relevant preparatory work required
• Project Management Professional (PMP) or similar certification a plus
• Familiarity with local public sector utility incentive programs
• Education or experience in the energy, utility, or public sector field preferred
• Strong interpersonal skills to engage with school and other public sector leadership and stakeholders
• Experience working with public schools and their leadership preferred
• Knowledge of federal funding opportunities available for public sector entities preferred
• Experience with grant and contracts management helpful
• Exceptional organizational and coordination skills
• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving skills with a demonstrated attention to detail
• Advanced experience with a CRM platform such as Salesforce
• Experience developing and implementing values-driven, community-rooted programming
• Ability to foster meaningful and authentic relationships that are supportive and inclusive, particularly in environmental justice and frontline communities
• Basic understanding of commercial building energy systems and technologies a plus
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and fast-moving client engagements required
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines with high degree of accuracy
• Deep understanding of environmental and economic justice, equity, and adverse effects of cumulative impacts of climate change on frontline communities
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team as well as managing and coordinating the day-to-day activities of project teams

Organization DescriptionWe design and implement programs that reduce costs, protect people and the environment, and ensure the benefits of clean and efficient energy use reach those who need them most.

At Elevate, the greatest asset of our organization is the kind of people we attract. Elevate employees co-create our energetic and collaborative environment, where constant learning and service to others take priority. We empower individuals to challenge conventional thinking in pursuit of innovation and we seek dynamic, hardworking team members who are inspired to work with people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Every day we make a difference by placing our team, clients, and community partners first. From our mission to our focus on staff wellbeing and career development opportunities, there's no better place to grow your career than Elevate.

CompensationThe total compensation for this position includes a part time flexible schedule with 20 – 25 hours per week. This is a non-exempt individual contributor position with a salary range of $65,000 - $75,000, based on experience.Anti-Discrimination PolicyElevate is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or job applicant based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, or marital status. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, termination, promotion, transfer, layoff, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.ADA AccommodationElevate will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with a disability so that they can perform the essential functions of a job unless doing so causes a direct threat to these individuals or others in the workplace, and the threat cannot be eliminated by reasonable accommodation, or if the accommodation creates an undue hardship to Elevate. Contact the People Team with any questions or requests for accommodations.