Energy Program Manager

This is an expedited recruitment, please apply no later than April 24th, 2024 for best

consideration.

Join the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) as we transform energy for the State of Maryland. Through the Strategic Energy Investment Fund, the Maryland Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard, Greenhouse Emission Reduction Act, Inflation Reduction Act and the Climate Solutions Now Act you will have an opportunity to work on the cutting edge of shaping and implementing Maryland’s environmental and clean energy policies. The mission of the MEA is to promote clean, affordable, reliable energy and energy-related greenhouse gas emission reductions to benefit Marylanders in a just and equitable manner. MEA will advance impactful energy policies and programs to help achieve Maryland’s clean energy and greenhouse gas reduction goals.

Position Responsibilities:

Energy Program Manager will work to develop and implement energy initiatives that support the State’s energy and climate goals while addressing equity and making the state more competitive. MEA’s energy programs consist of technical assistance, loans, and/or grants designed to help achieve Maryland’s energy and climate goals. Energy Programs Managers perform their duties under the direction of the Section Chief, Director and Assistant Director of MEA Energy Programs, and in close collaboration with other MEA Energy Program managers, Policy Team and Communication Team.

MEA is seeking an experienced professional to focus on collaborating with local governments to encourage the adoption of clean energy and greenhouse gas reducing initiatives incorporating energy efficiency, renewable energy, and transportation fuel reduction strategies. Engaging local governments in the state’s climate and energy goals is essential to our collective success and addressing the needs of historically underserved and overburdened communities.

Specifically, this position will be responsible for administering the Maryland Smart Energy Communities (MSEC) Program, MSEC is a comprehensive suite of grant and technical assistance programs designed to help local governments establish plans, set goals and implement actions with measurable energy and environmental outcomes. In addition, this position will be responsible for coordinating federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Programs across the state, including managing grants, leveraging the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflations Reduction Act (IIJA/IRA) funding to assist communities in comprehensive energy and climate planning and other initiatives.

The successful candidate should bring a passion for energy and environmental justice and be ready and able to implement real world efforts to help reduce the greenhouse gas emissions while helping to address equity issues with underserved and overburdened communities. Lastly, the successful candidate will be expected to attend, speak, and present at in-person and offsite meetings, seminars, community engagement events, conferences, and other events, where they will help represent MEA professionally and showcase agency energy goals or accomplishments.

The position will be responsible for the following:

• Developing and promoting the overall program vision;
• Collaborating with entities and stakeholders to reduce energy consumption, produce cleaner energy and save on energy costs;
• Collaborating with local governments and other stakeholders to engage in long term sustainability planning;
• Manage grantees in assigned functional areas through the entire grant process: developing and overseeing applications processes; producing grant agreements; providing technical review of proposals; evaluating financial feasibility; visiting grant project sites to verify compliance and completion of grant requirements; and providing technical review for approval of project related reports and invoices;
• Designing and implementing new energy programs in assigned functional areas including, but not limited to, making incentive recommendations, developing program documentation, and overseeing the program implementation process;
• Working with MEA’s HUB coordinator to assist local governments with Building Energy Performance Standard implementation;
• Working with MEA’s Attorney General’s office to ensure legal sufficiency of all documents;
• Conducting routine compliance-related activities, including awardee project compliance evaluations, site visits, and monitoring, to include statutory, regulatory, and programmatic requirements;
• Reporting program and solar industry metrics, insights, and data to internal MEA senior management and external parties on a regular basis;
• Staying actively informed regarding current and potential local, state, regional, federal, and international solar and other clean energy policy developments and market conditions that may directly or indirectly affect Maryland markets, businesses, and consumers, and;
• Performing other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in engineering, business administration, economics, finance, environmental policy or management, energy or an energy-related discipline, or a related field or equivalent experience;
• Previous professional experience relevant to the responsibilities of the position.
• Proficiency in the Microsoft Office (also known as “Microsoft 365”) Suite, with special emphasis on Excel, Google Sheets, or similar spreadsheet-based program(s). The successful candidate should not require instruction on these programs;
• Demonstrated proficiency in business and technical writing;
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• At least three (3) years experience in a role directly related to energy programs or policy.
• Direct experience working with state government, local government or community serving non-profit organizations.
• Experience in building energy efficiency, clean transportation or clean energy
• Experience developing and managing programs or complicated projects.
• Project management experience, which includes establishing and meeting key and communicating milestones and meeting deadlines.
• Experience and comfort with meeting, interacting with, and providing information to, senior management teams, executive leadership, and government officials.
• Experience with Salesforce or similar customer relationship management (CRM) software.
• Familiarity with specific federal grant compliance requirements including Davis-Bacon Wage Reporting, Buy American, etc.
• Experience working to develop draft legal agreements, such as but not limited to grant agreements, memorandums of understanding, financing agreements, and others.
• Experience and comfort with meeting and interacting with senior business and government officials.
• Project management experience, including establishing and communicating milestones, directing staff and meeting deadlines.
• Previous work interpreting and auditing contracts for vendors/subcontractors.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Position Location:

A hybrid remote telework and in-office schedule is available per the policies of the Maryland Energy Administration and State of Maryland, which may change from time to time. Currently, this position may require the candidate to be present in the office several days per week. In addition, the individual must be available in person other times as needed to perform certain job functions.

MEA is located in the Montgomery Park Office Complex at 1800 Washington Blvd, Baltimore Maryland. Montgomery Park is a historic building (coming up on its 100th anniversary) with onsite amenities such as a food court, electric vehicle charging access and shuttle to public transportation nodes.

To Apply:

Send a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and salary requirements by email with “Energy Program Manager- Community Energy Programs” in the subject line to Jobs.MEA@maryland.gov. Candidates will receive notification of receipt; however, only the top candidates will be invited to interview for the position.

Salary:

This is a full-time, State permanent position and accrues full State of Maryland benefits. Salary commensurate with experience and is in the range of $69,159 to $111,505 annually.