Climate Program Associate – San Francisco, CA

Organization: The Energy Foundation

Position Title: Climate Program Associate

Location: San Francisco, CA

Hours & Compensation: Full-time. $50,000 – $55,000/year.

Application Deadline: June 7, 2013.

Posted On: May 17, 2013.

 Organization Overview: 

The Energy Foundation’a mission is to assist in the nation’s transition to a sustainable energy future by promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy. The Energy Foundation has a dual character; it functions primarily as a grant-maker to non-profit groups, but when it determines there is an unmet need in the field, it may convene workshops, commission papers, or take other direct initiatives.

EF’s Climate Program seeks to build support for effective policies that would put a price on carbon and help us avoid the most serious impacts of climate change. Our grantees work on building carbon markets in leading states such as California and the Northeast, and at the national level on a carbon cap or tax. Our goal is to put global warming pollution on an immediate downward trend and set the U.S. on a trajectory of 80% carbon reductions by 2050. We are working to build support from both sides of the aisle for policies that can help achieve this goal. Our grantees are leaders from a range of constituencies as well as leading analysts and communicators who share our vision of using the power of markets to reduce carbon pollution. We work collaboratively with all other program sectors at the Energy Foundation.

Description:

The Program Associate’s (PA) primary responsibility is to support the work of the Climate Program Director (CPD) on the execution of grants, as well as providing administrative support. The PA will assist with tracking the program budget, reviewing grant proposals, writing reports, monitoring the grant cycle, and communicating with grantees, and other funders. While the PA typically works within one program sector, collaboration and coordination across sectors is required.

Responsibilities:

Processing & Tracking Grants:

• Review grant proposals and ensure content is appropriate and all necessary documents are included;
• Write briefs of grant proposals and submit for approval;
• Process and track incoming grant proposals and grant reports into the grants management software;
• Monitor spending and deadlines for contracts (known as Foundation Initiated Projects, or FIPs).
• Monitor budget targets, reconcile program budgets with accounting team and keep PD informed of budget status;
• Write evaluation report of closed grants and compile and submit final grant reports and evaluations for approval;
• Create consulting contracts as requested, enter into software for approval;
• Coordinate joint grants, shared consulting contracts and other contracts as needed;
• Recommend grants for consideration;
• Write ‘decline’ letters for rejected proposals.

Interacting with Grantees:

• Assign work to consultants, follow up on the work through regular contact;
• Collaborate with grantees and consultants on proposal revisions, as needed;
• Coordinate and assist grantees and consultants with EF’s grant-making process by requesting additional information when needed, responding to questions, notifying them of the status of their grant, etc.;
• Represent EF by participating in meetings with grantees and consultants as requested.

Administrative Duties:

• Organize program conferences and meetings;
• Schedule calls and meetings and manage PD calendar and travel as requested;
• Keep track of upcoming deadlines, outstanding requests, and remind PD of priorities.

External Communication:

• Draft or edit reports and proposals for funders, including the core funder report;
• Write board docket reports and prepare program docket tables;
• Draft news updates for partners and board, as requested;
• Support the PD in communications with other foundations;
• Proofread and suggest edits to written materials generated by peers, as requested.

Strategy & Research:

• Stay current on latest sector news and information through contact with grantees/other experts and by reading reports, press releases, articles, etc.;
• Research specific topics and prepare reports and visual aids, as requested;
• Present sector updates during program and staff meetings/

Build the Energy Foundation Team

• Generate and implement ideas for program and office improvement;
• Maintain a good sense of humor and positive attitude.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, plus two years work experience in the fields of energy, climate, environmental studies, or public policy or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Ability to read and analyze professional journals and technical procedures; ability to write reports and business correspondence; ability to effectively respond to questions from grantees and groups of managers
• Experience managing data in spreadsheets, building charts and record keeping
• Strong quantitative skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office programs, especially Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Well organized and experienced in office functions including filing, calendaring, use of general office equipment
• Strong interpersonal skills that have been demonstrated in a professional setting
• Ability to prioritize and juggle diverse tasks while maintaining attention to the details
• Ability to travel 2-3 times a year for 2-3 business days at a time
• Proven ability to work well under pressure, take initiative, and be a creative problem-solver

How to Apply: 

Please email a cover letter and resume, subject line “PA Climate job”, by June 7, 2013 to [email protected]. No phone calls, please. Only those applicants selected for interviews will be contacted by Energy Foundation.

Contact Information:

The Energy Foundation, http://www.ef.org

301 Battery Street, Floor 5, San Francisco, CA 94111

Job URL: http://www.idealist.org/view/job/hN6zmjkg5Zh4/