Are you passionate about addressing the climate crisis through decarbonizing buildings? If so, then join our growing team and help work toward a 50% reduction in energy use by 2050. At the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), you’ll be part of an organization that makes a difference and delivers energy savings to communities across the country.
ACEEE, a leading national nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC, seeks a manager to take on a leading role in supporting states and localities to effectively implement energy codes. ACEEE’s efforts drive policy and program innovation among local and state governments, utilities, and critical private-sector stakeholders. This role provides a unique opportunity to have a lasting positive impact as ACEEE and its partners launch the National Energy Codes Collaborative.
About ACEEE:
ACEEE conducts independent analysis and develops transformative polices to build a vibrant and equitable economy that uses energy more productively, protects the environment, and promotes the health, safety, and well-being of everyone. ACEEE increasingly works to implement those policies through partnerships with and technical assistance to those on the front lines of fighting climate change.
ACEEE’s organizational culture is collaborative and team-oriented with a strong commitment to its mission. Staff work at an energetic pace within a dynamic and entrepreneurial environment with opportunities for professional growth and development. There is a high degree of workplace flexibility, with an emphasis on results, making ACEEE an enjoyable and fulfilling place to work. ACEEE is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion while weaving equity into our research and policy work.
Position Description:
Buildings account for about a third of U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and are critical to reducing emissions, promoting energy affordability, and improving community health and well-being. ACEEE’s buildings program covers a variety of topics: energy efficiency and decarbonization, zero-energy and zero-carbon new construction, retrofits, embodied carbon, affordable housing, electrification, workforce development, resilience, and advanced building technologies.
The manager will be a member of ACEEE’s buildings program and will play a key role in the ACEEE-led National Energy Codes Collaborative. The Collaborative is a major new Department of Energy-funded initiative to establish a nationwide capacity-building network that empowers states and jurisdictions to effectively and sustainably implement updated building energy codes. Under the direction of the Codes Collaborative’s Director, this position will lead several innovative approaches to state and local capacity building. The manager’s activities will include working with project partners to develop Energy Code Implementation and Community Benefits Roadmaps, working with in-state and cross-jurisdictional Energy Code Implementation Fellows to support Roadmap implementation and Collaborative member capacity building, and identifying short-term, targeted technical assistance needs in Collaborative member states and jurisdictions. The manager will provide strategic direction and technical assistance in area(s) of expertise, including participating in and leading technical advisory groups (TAGs). The manager will work with a team that supports the Deputy Director in convenings, workshops, TAGs, resource development and other Collaborative activities. These activities are expected to lead to energy code implementation toolkits, externally reviewed research reports, topic briefs, presentations, and press interviews.
This position is an exciting opportunity for a candidate with experience in building energy code implementation at the state and/or local level. The manager will be expected to increasingly take on a leadership role with support from the Codes Collaborative’s Director and Deputy Director. The ideal candidate will also have a passion for addressing climate change through policy-focused research and an interest in furthering his or her career in a dynamic and growing sector. The manager will have the opportunity to contribute to or lead ACEEE research on energy efficiency and decarbonization in the buildings sector, including commercial, residential, and multifamily buildings.
In addition to contributing to ACEEE’s buildings program, this position collaborates closely with other teams at ACEEE, such as utilities, behavior, and federal, state, and local policy. Building on ACEEE research and the activities of the National Energy Codes Collaborative, this role may also provide expertise to external partners and policymakers.
Core Responsibilities:
- Providing technical assistance and strategic direction to states and localities implementing updated building energy codes
- Leading or contributing to state and locality energy code implementation roadmaps, which may relate to adopted model codes, state- or locality-specific provisions/amendments, and/or building performance standards or other innovative approaches to existing buildings
- Overseeing and coordinating the Energy Code Implementation Fellows program, including identifying Collaborative member needs that can be supported by Fellows
- Working with Collaborative members to define short-term technical assistance needs and, if needed, identifying partners to address those needs
- Identifying and engaging key stakeholders
- Developing content for and supporting in-person and virtual convenings and workshops on effective energy code implementation
- Organizing and leading forums and workshops at other relevant national events
- Participating in and potentially leading technical advisory groups
- Potentially participating in model energy code development consensus processes
- Leading and contributing to ACEEE deliverables and research including publishing technical reports, and summarizing findings for non-technical audiences on energy efficiency and decarbonization in new and existing buildings
- Writing blog posts, developing presentations, and speaking at webinars/conferences
Expectations:
- Expertise in effective energy code implementation at the state or local level, potentially including participation in or facilitation of regional or state energy codes collaboratives
- Ability to provide technical assistance to government agencies and private sector stakeholders
- Expertise in energy efficiency and decarbonization in buildings and homes
- Expertise in model energy codes and/or state energy codes, with preferred expertise in residential building codes and building performance standards (BPS)
- Ability to identify and formulate gaps and needs for energy code implementation at the state and local levels, provide technical assistance on actions to close gaps and/or identify other potential practitioners to support those needs
- Experience working with subcontracting/subcontractors a plus
- Ability to simultaneously manage and/or work on several ongoing projects with competing deadlines
- Ability to set goals, develop deliverables, and meet milestones and deadlines
- Team-oriented with strong interpersonal skills, articulate, and thoughtful
- Superb organizational and project management skills
- Excellent writing and oral presentation skills
- Ability to form research questions, collect secondary data and information, write up findings and formulate recommendations based on findings
- Ability to travel up to four times per year
Qualifications:
- A degree in engineering, architecture, public policy, environmental studies, or another similar field
- Bachelor’s degree and eight years of experience or
- Master’s degree and five years of experience, or
- PhD and one year of experience
- Experience with energy code implementation at the state or local level, which may include work for a relevant government agency, as a practitioner or implementer in the nonprofit or private sector, or in a community-based organization; experience with BPS implementation a plus
- Demonstrated passion for energy efficiency and affordable buildings, clean energy, environmental issues, and social justice
- Ability to independently lead program activities, mentor staff, and complete complex tasks
- Experience facilitating learning across networks or working groups of peer organizations, stakeholders, or representatives from diverse organizations/communities
- Experience with, or sound knowledge of, equity-driven clean energy policies and programs
- Project management skills, including facilitation and attention to detail
- Experience relevant to buildings, including building science, engineering, architecture, market transformation, and workforce development
- Experience contributing to proposal writing, fundraising and managing budgets
- Professionalism, poise, and the ability to work as part of a team, maintain a sense of humor, and interact with a diverse array of people, including high-level stakeholders
- Excellent communication skills, both written and oral (including public speaking and presentations)
- Highly qualified candidates will be expected to have been lead author on at least one major/complex report, energy code roadmap, or code compliance study.
Preferred start date: March 2024. The position can be located in Washington, DC, or remote.
Salary: Commensurate with qualifications and experience. Salary range is $73,736 – $101,774 ACEEE’s generous benefits package includes health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance coverage; a 403(b) retirement plan; transportation and bike-share benefits; three weeks of vacation in the first year and four weeks thereafter.
To apply: Use the link below to use the Paylocity Recruitment portal. Be sure to submit your cover letter and resume. We do not accept phone calls or emails about the position.
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ACEEE is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination with regard to race, sex, color, age, religion, creed, class, sexual orientation, national origin, and disability. ACEEE is committed to increasing diversity and inclusion in its organization and encourages applicants with diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds to apply.