Strategic Initiatives Manager

MCE is a not-for-profit public agency that has set the standard for clean energy in our communities since 2010. We provide more renewable power at stable rates, and deliver cutting-edge energy programs to residents and businesses across four Bay Area counties: Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, and Solano. Our team, drawn from all walks of life, embodies a shared passion for environmental stewardship and community service. You’ll work alongside dedicated professionals innovating and collaborating to make our communities more energy-efficient, resilient, and sustainable.

We value a range of experience. Even if you feel that you do not meet all of the qualifications, we encourage you to apply. Application materials will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

About Strategic Initiatives

Strategic Initiatives is reimagining how we power the world. By tackling novel technology and strategy, the team fosters innovative, out-of-the-box strategies to move us collectively toward a clean energy economy while catalyzing equitable economic and community benefits.

As a Strategic Initiatives Manager

You are responsible for advancing MCE’s mission and strategy to maximize positive community impacts that result from the work MCE is doing. You will stay current with best practices and trends in environmental justice; strategies for a Just Transition; diversity equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts; corporate social responsibility; and community benefits. You are responsible for creating and submitting grant applications, doing complex research on novel technologies, hosting a database of potential incubator partners for new approaches for community benefits, facilitating cross-departmental project management and idea development for green baseload technologies, and reporting. You will be partnering with community members to help ensure MCE’s initiatives are meeting their needs.

You provide project management and coordination across MCE for critical programs. You are responsible for finding and incubating new projects or programs, finding new funding sources for those efforts and project managing grant applications, and being on call to support the team when the need arises. You are working closely with internal and external stakeholders to meet project milestones and deadlines.

Supervisor Responsibilities

This position may be a supervisory position.

Key Responsibilities (Illustrative Only)

• Managing and providing recommendations for new MCE activities, technological pursuits, and projects that support the equitable preservation and expansion of clean, renewable energy resources, improve social justice, decrease pollution, and reduce environmental impacts.
• Working cross-departmentally and building relationships to partner with subject matter experts to move forward innovative initiatives that align with MCE’s mission.
• Coordinating strategic partnerships with staff of public agencies, community organizations, contractors, business leaders, and MCE staff.
• Identifying appropriate new funding opportunities, partnering with staff to develop proposal content and submitting grant applications.
• Conducting complex research on emerging and novel technologies that hold promise to advance MCE’s mission, including meeting with related vendors or local project developers, assessing their proposals with due diligence, and curating a database or tracker of potential incubator partners for future work together.
• Project managing ad-hoc initiatives, grants, and other projects across internal and external stakeholders.

Minimum Qualifications

Required Skills

• Strong writing and oral communication/public speaking skills.
• Experience working with a diversity of individuals from various socio-economic, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.
• Experience creating and submitting grant applications
• Experience with project management.
• California residence is required with a strong preference for a candidate residing within commutable distance of MCE offices. MCE offices are located in San Rafael, and Concord CA.

Education/Experience

• Any combination of education and experience that would provide the knowledge and skills required to perform the duties of the position. Typically, a Bachelor’s Degree in economics, engineering, sciences, business, or closely related field.
• Five years (5) years of professional experience developing and/or implementing policy, technical research, advocacy, social responsibility and/or community/economic development in a closely related field.

Knowledge of:

• Green baseload renewable energy, including green hydrogen and biomass.
• Principles of Environmental Justice and a Just Transition.
• Grant writing best practices.
• Best practices on researching new technologies and staying abreast of industry changes.

Ability to:

• Demonstrate flexibility and leadership skills, as well as strong critical thinking skills.
• Model flexibility in responding to changes and a willingness to perform outside of one's comfort zone.
• Prioritize, consider alternatives, and respond quickly and effectively to unexpected and rapidly changing conditions.
• Proactively and creatively identify possible opportunities to advance MCE’s mission.

Language and Reasoning Skills

• Exercise sound judgment, creative problem solving, and commercial awareness.
• Interact professionally and effectively with customers, businesses, MCE staff and Board.
• Apply strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Manage projects and time efficiently.

Compensation & Benefits

Competitive compensation package offered, based on candidate experience along with generous benefits and perks, including fully paid premiums for health insurance, parental leave, dependent care subsidies, student loan repayment, and employee wellness program.

Starting Salary Range: $124,704 - $163,154

Application Process

As a part of the application process for the Strategic Initiatives Manager recruitment, all candidates must submit the following:

• Cover Letter (maximum one page) describing why you’re the best candidate for Strategic Initiatives Manager. If applicable, please note your key professional connections and influencers, and how these relationships could contribute to your success in this role.
• Current Resume
• Answers to all the applicable questions within the application.

As we narrow to our top pool of applicants, candidates moving through the recruitment process may participate in an initial all in one audio/phone interview, Face to Face Cross-team Panel Interview, Interview with External Energy Consultants, Face to Face Executive Interview. An additional skills assessment may be requested.

Work Environment

MCE offices support an environment that is accessible to those with reduced mobility. We are happy to provide more details if asked.

MCE makes reasonable accommodations of any known physical or intellectual limitations for qualified applicants with disabilities, sincerely held religious beliefs, and other conditions protected by applicable law.

MCE strives to maintain a COVID-free workplace. To that end, being fully vaccinated is a condition of employment for all employees.

MCE is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.