Job Description

The Arlington Initiative to Rethink Energy (AIRE), a division of Arlington County’s Office of Sustainability and Environmental Management (OSEM), is seeking an enterprising and innovative Energy Specialist – Project Manager to support implementation of its growing portfolio of community facing energy programs. The project manager will support strategic design, development and delivery of energy efficiency, renewable energy, energy adaption/resilience, and clean transportation programs and projects. This position will manage energy projects in a “team-centric”, collaborative, and results-orientated manner, including implementation of potential state and federal grant projects.

In September 2019, Arlington County adopted an updated Community Energy Plan (CEP) that sets defined goals for renewable energy resourcing, decarbonization, transition to carbon-neutral transportation, and arriving at a carbon-neutral community. The CEP is operationalized through the CEP Roadmap, which integrates dramatic transition and emerging technologies in transportation and built environments, creates a pathway toward energy resilience, and introduces energy equity into policy and program design. Over the past year, the OSEM has prioritized and focused efforts on state and federal grants, with focus opportunities funded under the Inflation Reduction Act. At present, OSEM has received awards and has several direct and collaborative applications pending. Collectively, these grants offer project managers exciting opportunities in the building, transportation, and adaptation/resilience sectors, enhanced by energy equity and environmental justice goals and objectives.

Specific duties include:

Energy/climate program management in all phases from design through application development, administration, implementation, reporting, and evaluation with the knowledge and ability to federalize projects based on funding source;
Working within the AIRE Team to advance strategic planning and implementation for the climate and energy programs addressing the broader CEP and implementation of greenhouse gas reduction strategies under the CEP Roadmap;
Develops, manages, and implements energy programs and initiatives to reduce the County’s community-wide energy consumptions;
Supports energy efficiency, electrification, renewable energy, and clean transportation programs and projects with an emphasis on innovate program design and delivery;
Contributes technical assistance and strategic planning to the climate and energy programs that drive CEP 2019 goals and the CEP Roadmap (implementation/operationalization program to manifest the CEP Policies);
Supports measurement, evaluation, and reporting of metrics that calculate GHG emissions reductions and other CEP/CEP Roadmap milestones, benchmarks, and goals;
Supports development, publication, and updating energy, climate, and/or sustainability dashboards and website(s); and
Works collaboratively with the AIRE Team and the OSEM Bureau Chief to develop public-friendly communications to staff, internal and external stakeholders, and the public through verbal presentations, program outreach materials, written memos, position papers, and Board Reports.

The successful candidate has excellent communication and presentation skills and will possess the following:

Energy Project management experience, with enhanced consideration where this experience has been developed under federal and/or state-funded grant programs;
Involvement with design and development of successful grant applications;
Knowledge of and/or experience with energy programs and projects designed to promote energy equity, positive public health outcomes, decision-support tools, and/or energy efficiency financing mechanisms; and
Familiarity with greenhouse gas inventories and developing effective reduction strategies and technologies for energy use, buildings, transportation, waste, and other operations.

Selection Criteria

Minimum:

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Management, Engineering, or related field, plus:
Two (2) years of progressive energy or equity program and project management experience, including energy efficiency, renewable energy, and/or clean transportation.

Substitution: Additional education may be substituted for experience.

Desirable: Preference will be given to applicants with Master’s degree and/or experience with one or more of the following:

Cross-departmental and/or external partner collaboration on energy performance;
Identifying and understanding indicators and impacts of environmental justice and equity in the energy sector;
Outreach experience with low-to-moderate income, underserved or disadvantaged communities; and/or
Assessing design and installation of energy-efficient system modifications for performance and cost-effectiveness.

Preferred certifications:

Certified Energy Manager (CEM);
LEED AP Credentials; and/or
LEED Green Associate.

Tagged as: Renewable Energy/Sustainability

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