Position: Home Energy Program Manager, Community Energy Program
Location: British Columbia (Remote)
Position Status: Permanent Full Time (32 hours/week, 4-day work week, Mon-Thurs).
Starting Salary: $72,000 – $86,000 depending on experience. Generous benefits package after three months.
Closing Date: August 28, 2024, Noon Pacific Time
About Ecotrust Canada
Ecotrust Canada is an enterprising non-profit that works with rural, remote, and Indigenous communities toward building an economy that provides for a healthy and resilient natural environment; sustainable and abundant energy, food, and housing; prosperous and meaningful livelihoods; and vibrant cultures and inclusive societies. We call this approach building an economy that provides for life. Our on-the-ground work and systems approach is entrepreneurial, partnership-based, and relentlessly practical. To learn more visit ecotrust.ca.
About the Community Energy Program
Ecotrust Canada’s Community Energy program is focused on designing and implementing solutions to energy insecurity in British Columbia’s rural and Indigenous communities. Our vision is energy security for all – where nobody has to choose between heating their homes and feeding their families. We work directly with communities on the ground to advance heating system retrofits and other household energy efficiency projects while advancing proactive, strategic policy research, and regional engagement to build toward systemic change.
Position Summary
Over the past six years, Ecotrust Canada has partnered with Indigenous communities to implement home energy upgrades that reduce energy costs while improving health and climate resilience. Our Home Energy Program Manager is responsible for developing and leading our program offerings: supporting, managing, and implementing energy efficiency retrofit projects (e.g. bulk heat pump retrofits) in partnership with participating communities. In addition, the selected candidate will play a leading role in the cultivation of meaningful community partnerships, and manage the team that supports the development and implementation of these projects.
We are looking for somebody who is a natural relationship-builder with experience working in partnership with Indigenous communities; who is highly organized and skilled in project/program management; and who brings skills and experience in team leadership and people management. Energy or housing sector experience is a bonus, not a requirement, as long as you are engaged and willing to learn.
This position will report directly to the Director of the Community Energy program. As this role is focused on rural and Indigenous communities, we encourage candidates with lived experience in the rural and remote coastal communities of British Columbia to apply. We also encourage candidates from groups underrepresented in the energy industry — Indigenous people, new Canadians, women, BIPOC, LGBTQ2S+ and people with disabilities — to apply.
The primary areas of responsibility are described below, and additional tasks and responsibilities may be assigned as needed.
Community Relationships:
- Maintain authentic, long-term, ongoing relationships and collaborative projects with community partners along with the Program Director and community energy team members.
- Establish clear partnership goals and protocols through annual project and/or partnership agreements with each community partner
- Lead coordination of community visits and community meetings to develop relationships, gather insights, and build next stages in project development and implementation as needed
- Complete project activities in a regionally and culturally sensitive and informed manner that ensures the wellbeing of the community partners and considers their goals in all areas
Project Development & Project Management:
- Lead & manage project development activities including the design and delivery of community workshops and presentations, development of community surveys, development of community reports, presentations, and other deliverables
- Manage the implementation of capacity-building, retrofit, and training opportunities with community members, including the development of budgets, RFPs and selection and co-management of third-party contractors in collaboration with community partners.
- Manage project budgets together with partner communities
- Lead retrofit project fundraising including the development and submission of funding applications to advance heating and cooling system retrofits and project development activities
- Oversee completion of building energy modelling and other analysis by staff or contractors
Program Leadership:
- Lead and support the development of a team of project managers
- Identify program capacity, staffing and funding needs, and collaborate with Director on hiring and other resourcing as required
- Implement a program strategy that aligns with initiative goals, including:
- Using a community-centred approach to identify and validate community needs and develop customized and appropriate solutions
- Identifying and addressing gaps that may be preventing projects from advancing in partner communities
- Supporting capacity-building whenever possible to ensure that people are available locally to maintain systems and that local communities benefit as much as possible from projects
- Track retrofit impact metrics across the program and support prompt & accurate reporting to program funders
- Support the development and growth of the Community Energy Initiative’s overall impact by:
- Providing input to the overall strategic direction of the Community Energy initiative
- Supporting the identification of new potential partnerships with communities, government, and NGOs
- Supporting the development of opportunities for funding and investment to sustain and grow the initiative’s impact
Essential Qualifications:
- Experienced in relationship-building and partnership development with Indigenous Nations
- Experience in leading and managing a team
- Experience in project or program management and coordination
- Experience in community engagement, facilitation and/or leading group processes
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Highly organized and strong attention to detail
- Interest in working in energy efficiency and housing sectors and willing to learn related subject matter
- Undergraduate Degree in Community Planning, Public Policy, Indigenous Studies, Economic Development, Arts, Business, Natural Resources or other related fields, or 4+ years equivalent project management experience in a business, community, government, social service, home renovation, or other relevant context
- Self-motivated and results-oriented, with the ability to take initiative and work independently
- Understanding of Canada’s colonial history, its ongoing impacts on Indigenous communities, and a commitment to Decolonization, Reconciliation and UNDRIP
- Excellent communication (oral and written) skills
- Interest in justice-based energy projects that improve access to affordable, clean energy
- Ability and willingness to travel throughout BC (estimated at once per month)
Assets (desired but not essential)
- Familiarity with Indigenous housing funding sources including ISC, CMHC and others
- Experience in grant writing and fundraising
- A background in energy efficiency or home renovation/construction is not required, but can be highly valuable
- Lived experience in rural and/or Indigenous communities in Canada
- Experience developing public communications campaigns and materials
- Understanding of building science principles and/or experience with energy projects
- Demonstrated commitment to sustainability and social change through educational, professional, and volunteer experiences
- Master’s Degree in Community Planning, Public Policy, Indigenous Studies, Economic Development, Arts, Business, Natural Resources or other related fields, or 6+ years equivalent project management experience in a business, community, government, social service, home renovation, or other relevant context
Worklife Balance and Well-Being
Our small team is ambitious – both in and outside of Ecotrust Canada – with our own passion projects. To support these ambitions we offer flexible hours, locations, and the ability to work time-in-lieu. We want this position to support your life goals, rather than detract from them. That said, we prioritize our community partners’ needs, their annual calendars (i.e., harvest seasons, festivals, etc.), and our project deadlines. Through strong communication and mutual support, we strive for a healthy work-life balance that benefits personal and professional growth.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Ecotrust Canada is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and our employees are people with different strengths, experiences and backgrounds who share a passion for our mission. Diversity includes not only ethnicity and gender identity but also age, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, religion, and many other parts of one’s identity. All of our employees’ points of view are key to our collective success, and inclusion is everyone’s responsibility.
Reconciliation
Ecotrust Canada is committed to building respectful and reciprocal relationships with Indigenous communities and peoples. We are committed to upholding and respecting Indigenous governance, rights, and title in the places we live, work, and dream together. For more information, please see our Framework for Advancing Reconciliation here.
Job Application – Program Manager, Community Energy Initiative
To apply, please:
- Submit your resume as a PDF with the title Home Energy Program Manager, and
- Provide a brief response to our questions in the form below (100-200 words each).
The application deadline is Noon Pacific Time, August 28, 2024. Please note that a cover letter is not required.