Program Manager - Portland Solar For All

Position: Program Manager – Portland Solar Access Program

Reports to: Sr. Program Manager – Renewable Energy

Compensation*: Competitive starting salary $88,800- $112,800 commensurate with skills and experience, Full Pay Range: $88,800 - $136,700

*Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, depth of experience, and certifications in the pay equity assessment to determine equitable salary placement. Candidates should expect compensation offers within the starting compensation range. The full pay range is included to show the potential earnings for this position with sustained high performance.

Employment Classification: Exempt

Anticipated Start Date: As soon as possible

Office Location: Portland Metro Area, Oregon, USA

About Energy Trust of Oregon

Energy Trust of Oregon is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to energy efficiency and renewable energy development. We serve Oregon customers of Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural, Cascade Natural Gas and Avista, and SW Washington customers of NW Natural. Year over year Energy Trust is recognized as one of the 100 Best Nonprofits to Work For in Oregon.

Our Vision

Clean, affordable energy for everyone.

Our Commitment to Diversity

We recognize the lack of diversity in our industry, and we actively seek to address it with our hiring and retention practices as well as our values. We believe every person and their lived experience is integral to building a vibrant culture and delivering effective services to all customers we serve. We are committed to the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion, and we encourage candidates with diverse backgrounds and experience to apply.

Our Location

Energy Trust provides a range of work location options, including remote, hybrid and in-office work. This position will represent Energy Trust in public settings and potentially at community events. We are open to candidates who live throughout Oregon and Washington. The Program Manager – Portland Solar Access Program would be expected to report to the office on a quarterly basis, at minimum.

What We're Looking For:

Given its funding source, the estimated end date of this position is 12/31/2029, with potential for other opportunities after its conclusion.

The Portland Solar Access Program will build and lead development, strategy and implementation of a five-year initiative to increase deployment of solar to benefit people with low incomes. The Portland Solar Access Program is funded by a grant from the Portland Clean Energy Benefits Fund (PCEF) paired with public purpose funds from Energy Trust of Oregon.

This position is responsible for collaborating with grant partners, building partnerships with community-based organizations, leading the continued development and implementation of a program to install solar and storage systems to benefit households with low incomes, including enabling upgrades such as roof repairs and workforce development activities to support opportunities in the construction trades. This position will represent the program publicly, report on grant activities, manage program subcontracts, and develop and track an annual budget of approximately $5 million. This individual reports to the Sr. Program Manager – Renewable Energy.

This position is expected to report to the Portland office quarterly at a minimum for all staff and other in-person meetings.

What You'll Do:

• Lead grant program strategy to meet goals for project completion and customer participation. Manage a complex budget so that layer’s state and local funding provide no-cost participation for households that meet income qualifications.
• Collaborate with multiple program partners to ensure that strategies and implementation are aligned and coordinated to identify and qualify applicants, meet installation targets, and deliver workforce development activities.
• Support community organizations to work effectively with trade allies to recruit households with low incomes to install solar and storage systems.
• Build on and maintain strong relationships with partner organizations. Ensure that commitments to community partnership agreements are fulfilled.
• Develop and implement a solicitation process to select multifamily building solar + storage projects for funding. Collaborate with program partners to ensure selected projects provide meaningful benefits for households with low incomes.
• Manage deliverables and budgets for subcontracts with partner organizations.
• Work with staff and partners to understand and address barriers to completion of solar projects on households with low incomes. Identify opportunities to layer or extend funding for critical home repairs by building relationships with peer energy or housing programs, roofers and other trades.
• Develop technical assistance tools and other resources to support these projects.
• Collaborate with Energy Trust renewable energy staff to ensure that Portland Solar Access Program incentives and requirements are smoothly integrated with Energy Trust’s solar + storage program and other incentive programs.
• Establish and manage comprehensive grant reporting and tracking processes that ensure compliance with Portland Clean Energy Fund and Oregon Public Utility Commission requirements.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.
• Perform all functions of the job in a safe manner.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

This position has no supervisory responsibilities but will oversee the work of contractors, suppliers, vendors, and interns as necessary while managing specific program components and other efforts. The Program Manager will work jointly with other staff on coordinating efforts as a team leader.

Requirements

What You'll Need:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline (engineering, science, economics, business, finance, or environmental science preferred) or equivalent professional experience.
• 5 years of experience in renewable energy or energy efficiency, preferably in program administration or project development.
• 2 years of demonstrated experience successfully overseeing the work of contractors, suppliers, or vendors.
• Experience in developing and managing contracts.
• Ability to manage and track multiple work streams happening simultaneously.
• Basic technical knowledge of solar electric and battery storage systems.
• Experience with grant management and reporting preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to define strategic market directions and translate these to a coordinated set of program goals, actions, approaches, and key indicators.
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word software applications.
• Ability to work constructively with parties that may have divergent interests.

The above information is designed to outline the major functions and position requirements of this job. It does not identify all tasks that may be expected, nor address the performance standards that must be maintained.

Benefits

What You’ll Get:

• Health/dental/vision insurance
• Employer sponsored and paid life/disability
• 401(k) with a company contribution of 6% of your salary after 90 days of employment
• TriMet pass
• Access to health and dependent FSA/HSA accounts
• Generous paid vacation, holidays and sick days
• Paid volunteer hours
• Employee assistance program
• Career advancement opportunities
• Great colleagues and culture
• Flexibility to work from home and/or an office space at the Portland, OR location
• Work from home laptop provided
• Read more about our benefits here

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Please submit your resume and a brief cover letter that shares your interest in this role. All applications must be submitted via Energy Trust’s website at www.energytrust.org/About/careers.

All offers of employment are conditional pending the successful completion of a background check (which may include employment verification, education verification, criminal history, motor vehicle record) and reference checks.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that candidates from certain demographics are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification—for example, women and People of Color. At Energy Trust we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace—if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right candidate for this or other roles. 

Energy Trust of Oregon is committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all persons regardless of race, color, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, medical condition, genetic information, mental and physical disability, political affiliation, union membership, status as a parent, military or veteran status or other non-merit based factors. We will provide reasonable accommodations throughout the application, interviewing and employment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, contact us. Energy Trust of Oregon is an E-Verify employer. This policy is applicable to all phases of the employment relationship, including hiring, transfers, promotions, training, terminations, working conditions, compensation, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment.

www.energytrust.org