States and Region (S&R) Program Associate

ABOUT U.S. ENERGY FOUNDATION

U.S. Energy Foundation’s (EF) mission is to secure a clean and equitable energy future to tackle the climate crisis. We envision a healthy, safe, equitable economy powered by clean energy. We believe a thriving clean energy economy can create sustainable opportunities, spur innovation, and protect our climate—for today and future generations.

EF supports education and analysis to promote non-partisan policy solutions that advance renewable energy and energy efficiency while opening doors to greater innovation and productivity—growing the economy with dramatically less pollution. For more than 30 years, EF has supported grantees to help educate policymakers and the general public about the benefits of a clean energy economy. Our grantees include business, health, environmental, labor, equity, community, faith, and consumer groups, as well as policy experts, think tanks, universities, and more.

At EF, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are top organizational commitments. We are working daily to uproot racism and other forms of oppression and create equitable systems that support people to flourish. We aim to bring humility, transparency, respect, and an appreciation for others’ lived experiences to our interactions with colleagues, grantees, and partners.

EF’s Fundraising Philosophy

As EF’s primary clients/partners are our funders and grantees, EF commits to acting as a strategic and thought leader for our current and prospective funding partners and the field by:

1. Collaborating—and co-creating, where feasible and desired—on strategy development including the hosting and/or managing of funder collaboratives
2. Highlighting the opportunity for climate philanthropy to maximize benefits to historically excluded communities and those most impacted by climate change
3. Offering excellent, responsive service by providing proactive, compelling and timely updates and information

EF is headquartered in San Francisco, CA, and our more than 100 staff members are based in locations throughout the Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, and Western regions, where they can best serve our programs, partners, operations, and other functions.

POSITION SUMMARY

EF is looking for a highly organized and detail-oriented self-starter to join our States and Regions team as a Program Associate (PA). The PA will be a part of the Local Power Program, and split time evenly (50/50) to also support the Southeast Program team, including planning and managing projects and budgets, making and administering grants, and working with advocates and other partners to execute strategies and projects. The PA’s time will be focused on grantee and consultant relationship management through the administration of grants and contracts  both Local Power and the Southeast. Other key duties include providing administrative support to the team  (scheduling, drafting communications, etc.), developing and implementing systems and processes to facilitate internal and external collaboration, understanding and maintaining budgets, and planning and supporting meetings, conferences, and other events.

The PA portfolio for Local Power will include supporting grants and contracts across multiple states and across multiple regions. The PA grantmaking focus for the Southeast team will prioritize supporting grants and contracts in Texas, in particular.

In addition, the PA will work with:

1. Cross-programmatic teams, including, Policy, Strategic Communications, and States and Regions teams;
2. Cross-functional teams, including Operations and Strategic Partnerships; and
3. Grantees, consultants, and other partners outside EF.

EF actively seeks to expand DEI within our organization and through our work. We encourage people of color and candidates with diverse backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and perspectives to apply.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Grantmaking

• Track and execute all steps in the grantmaking process, including:
  • Serve as lead reviewer to ensure legal compliance for all EF/Energy Action Fund (EAF) grant proposals, including whether proposals follow IRS rules for 501(c)(3) activities and that EF proposals do not contain 501(c)(4) activities. (Note that EAF is EF’s sister 501[c][4] organization.)
  • Lead the process of grantmaking for EF by serving as the primary EF staff member to oversee the complete cycle of the grant process, from proposal development to application to compliance review to organizational approvals.
  • Review financials and conduct initial due diligence, keep the Local Power and Southeast teams informed of progress, flag questions that arise in a timely fashion, and seek additional information as needed.
• Prepare and circulate agendas, schedule meetings, and conduct relevant research to ensure effective conversations with grantees/consultants.
• Process grants/contracts through EF’s internal systems in a timely and responsive manner.
• Work collaboratively to manage and reconcile program budgets for cross-programmatic grants.

Internal Support and Coordination

• Foster effective coordination and integration, including using tools and systems to support collaboration and information-sharing (e.g., Asana, Slack), supporting regular team check-ins, etc.
• Schedule calls and meetings as needed and handle meeting logistics (arrange locations, prep the technology interface, ensure that agendas are circulated in advance, support meeting follow-up, etc.).
• Prepare initial drafts of documents and presentations for internal and external audiences, such as board dockets, funder reports, proposals, and presentations.
• Support teams on special projects as availability permits.

External Coordination

• Facilitate networking and information sharing among a culturally diverse set of grantees/consultants across the Local Power and Southeast portfolios, and build connections with national groups/experts, as appropriate.
• Organize and/or support regional/state-wide meetings and convenings.
• Represent EF and the States and Regions Program team at meetings, conferences, and other events as agreed upon with your supervisor.

Build the Team

• Generate and implement ideas for systems, programs, and operational improvement.
• Embody EF’s values of service, community, equity, learning, and transformational impact.
• Recognize that we are stronger when we are diverse and inclusive and embody these values in your internal and external EF work.
• Maintain collaborative relationships with peers and colleagues. Contribute to a positive and empathetic working environment.
• With assistance from your supervisor and others, formulate your own learning and development plan. Identify and seek out professional development opportunities, including networking, informational interviews, training, projects, etc.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Highly organized with keen attention to detail.
• Excellent communications skills: written, verbal, and digital.
• Proficient at handling multiple demands: experience supporting multiple priorities and juggling a variety of tasks for one or more individuals in a team environment.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in customer service and administration, thriving in a fast-paced work environment, and prioritizing competing obligations.
• Interest in one or more of the following areas: the philanthropic sector, the nonprofit sector, issue campaigns, public policy, or strategic communications. A pre-existing knowledge or interest in clean energy or climate is not required.
  • Pluses include:
    • Experience working on DEI
    • Project management experience
  • Grants management experience.
  • Internet savvy, including digital and social media, online survey tools, etc.
  • Technical skills: intermediate or advanced skills using Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook, preferably in a Mac environment; familiarity with Google Drive, Docs, and Sheets, and the Box platform. Experience using cloud-based relational database systems, such as Salesforce, is a plus. Experience using Asana or other project-management software.

SUPERVISION

Reports to the Program Director, Local Power.

COMPENSATION

This is a full-time position. The target salary for this position is $93,600 for a candidate based in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York City, Seattle, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., San Diego, or Boston, and $84,600 for candidates in other areas of the U.S. EF provides a comprehensive benefits package, including competitive salary, medical, dental, vision, disability, and retirement benefits and paid time off.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Ability to travel one to two times a year for three to four business days at a time.

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 required to spend extended hours at the computer. This position requires moderate levels of domestic travel.

WORK ENVIRONMENT 

EF is a remote-first work environment. This position may work remotely from anywhere in the U.S. with a strong preference for Central or Eastern time zones. Being located in one of EF’s small number of offices also is an option.

The office environment includes some shared workspace, some individual offices, and shared kitchen facilities, with moderate noise levels and a collegial atmosphere. On occasion, there are activities or events after work hours.