Job description
POSITION SUMMARY

Climate Solutions is looking for a talented Program Manager to manage our Sustainable Advanced Fuels (SAF) program, one of Climate Solutions’ three Strategic Innovations programs designed to catalyze replicable, scalable, economically practical solutions to climate change. This is a full-time, exempt position located in Seattle, Portland or Olympia reporting to Eileen V. Quigley, our Director of Strategic Innovation and working in close consultation with Ross Macfarlane, our Senior Advisor for Business Partnerships, as well as Climate Solutions’ policy team. The best candidate is well-versed in the sustainable advanced fuels arena, a strong policy analyst and advocate, and an excellent communicator who can work well with various practitioners in the advanced fuels arena.

ORGANIZATION’S MISSION

Climate Solutions’ mission is to accelerate practical and profitable solutions to global warming by galvanizing leadership, growing investment, and bridging divides. Since 1998, Climate Solutions has pioneered the vision and cultivated political leadership in the Northwest for the proposition that clean energy and broadly-shared economic prosperity can go hand-in-hand. Through our Business Leaders for Climate Solutions, Northwest Biocarbon Initiative, New Energy Cities, and Sustainable Aviation Fuels programs, Climate Solutions builds a powerful constituency for local, regional, and national action on climate and clean energy. For more information about Climate Solutions, visit www.climatesolutions.org.

PROGRAM SUMMARY

Climate Solutions’ Strategic Innovation Team is focused on developing solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and remove carbon pollution from the atmosphere at the scale required to address the climate crisis. We identify the pathways to a low carbon future and create replicable models for emission reduction and carbon storage that provide economic as well as climate benefits.

The SAF program is driving the development of clean fuels in the Northwest. Its goal is to accelerate low-carbon alternatives to petroleum fuels for use in airplanes, marine vessels, trucks, automobiles, and other vehicles in the Northwest to enable significant reduction in carbon emissions from the transportation sector. SAF’s objectives include: (1) passing clean fuels policies in Washington and Oregon, (2) developing and communicating materials that demonstrate how low-carbon fuels can be made sustainably and cost-effectively, and (3) building the coalition to support the transition from fossil-based to sustainable fuels in Northwest.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Hands-on leader responsible for creating and implementing SAF’s annual work plan and for achieving the program’s policy advocacy, communications/education, and collation-building goals.
Work with Climate Solutions policy team to build support for strong clean fuels policy in Washington and Oregon to build market demand and accelerate development of sustainable advanced fuels.
Engage and convene leaders in business, government, academia and other sectors in support of key policies.
Maintain a steady flow of communications relating to the SAF program, including blog posts, digests, and periodic white papers, on the benefits of SAF, supply chain development, and related matters.
Engage a range of SAF constituents in communications activities, especially blog writing.
Actively and consistently reach out to SAF partners and prospective allies to discuss SAF goals and objectives and engage them in SAF activities as appropriate, including recruiting members to the SAF network.
Provide assistance with Climate Solutions participation in international roadmapping efforts relating to SAF.
Supervise SAF interns and possibly one or more staff as the program grows.
Add new contacts to the SAF contact list and manage the SAF list in the database.
Additional duties may be assigned within the course of the work.
QUALIFICATIONS

Skills and Knowledge:

The SAF Program Manager must have experience with and knowledge of the challenges and opportunities for developing sustainable advanced fuels and the broader context of climate and clean energy transition.
Excellent understanding of policy, policymaking, advocacy and how to engage key constituencies in supporting policy.
S/he must be a skilled communicator and an analytical, clear thinker, who is able to understand and translate complex technical issues for public understanding. Strong, clear, accessible writing and verbal skills are a must.
Strong commitment to the mission and vision of Climate Solutions.
Excellent project management and organizational skills, the ability to multitask and move smoothly between strategic discussions and management of coalition processes to translating and executing outcomes from discussions.
Strong attention to detail; highly energetic, organized, focused, reliable, hard-working.
Maturity and an ability to deal with experts, scientists, thought leaders, and policymakers.
A self-starting individual with a can-do attitude and a sense of humor.
Ability to work effectively both independently and with a team in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
Ability to operate desktop computer and Microsoft Windows and Office Software, including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and specialized software applications in a network environment.
Experience:

At least two years of experience, including a primary leadership role, in areas directly relating to sustainable advanced fuels.
At least two years of experience advocating, advising, analyzing or making public policy.
Experience facilitating group processes, scoping complicated projects, breaking down tasks, resources, and deliverables into work plans with timelines required.
Education and Training:

Bachelor’s Degree at a minimum. An advanced Degree in a relevant field would be applicable, but is not required.

Licenses or Certificates:

Possession of, or ability to possess, within three months, a driver’s license and auto insurance.

REMUNERATION

This is a full-time exempt position. Salary range starts at $55,000. Generous benefits include:

Paid employee medical, dental, life and long term disability.
Four weeks of vacation.
Retirement contribution after 3 months of service.
Sabbatical.
How to apply
TO APPLY

Email a résumé, cover letter and at least three professional reference contacts in PDF format to employment@climatesolutions.org.
Please put SAF PROGRAM MANAGER as the subject line of the email and address the cover letter to Eileen V. Quigley, Director of Strategic Innovation.
Please label the cover letter and resume with your last name.
In the body of the email, please let us know how you found out about the position.
The position will remain open until filled, but priority review will be given to candidates who have submitted their applications by September 15, 2014. Applications received after that date may be reviewed in a second round.
No calls please.
Climate Solutions is committed to equal opportunity in employment and promotion for all qualified persons without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, military or veteran status, the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, pregnancy and childbirth, family responsibilities, or any other basis protected by applicable laws, regulations, or guidelines relating to discrimination in employment.