ABOUT VOTE SOLAR

Vote Solar's mission is to realize a 100% clean energy future through a solutions-driven, people first approach. Founded in 2002, Vote Solar advances just and equitable clean energy policy in state legislatures and public commissions across the United States. Our expertise comes from a deep understanding of the legislative process, regulatory interventions, and the ability to identify and accelerate solar solutions. We are adept at bridging communities and bringing diverse stakeholders together to forge inclusive coalitions and winning campaigns.

Our goal is to effect real, tangible change. And we have the track-record to prove we can do it: Twenty years in, our work has made it so that one in three people live in a state with a 100% clean energy commitment. We’ll not only expand that number, but ensure that more people can participate in holding utilities and decision makers accountable for greater equity and justice in our energy system.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND JUSTICE

Vote Solar is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in the workplace and in the communities with which we partner. We strongly encourage and seek applications from women, people of color, including multilingual and multicultural individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, or medical conditions. Reasonable accommodations will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process. Please advise in writing of special needs at the time of application.

THE ROLE

Vote Solar seeks a candidate committed to help advance sustainable, equitable solutions to the challenges facing solar expansion in the region. The Regulatory Director, Northeast position will require both strategic thought leadership in advocating for technical solutions before state regulatory bodies, and collaborative coalition building and management in getting those solutions implemented. This role sits on the Northeast Regional Team and works with their colleagues, including communications and grassroots organizing experts, to advance concrete goals in regulatory and legislative venues. The ideal candidate is a results-oriented person who excels at building relationships and managing complicated projects.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Regulatory Director, Northeast’s primary responsibilities will focus on Massachusetts and New York, but will also include work in the remaining New England states. Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

REGULATORY AND LEGISLATIVE STRATEGY (50%)

• Intervene in regulatory proceedings at the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities and the New York Department of Public Service, and other public agencies to develop policies that promote distributed energy resources.
• Prepare expert testimony, draft discovery for utility and other witnesses, and advocate for Vote Solar’s positions in cross-examination—all in pursuit of regulatory outcomes that provide fair compensation for distributed energy resources and technologies that help grow deployment opportunities for distributed energy resources.
• Summarize complex, technical filings from the regulatory proceedings into publicly-accessible themes and issues that can be used to educate stakeholders on regulatory policies and processes and support strong coalitions that can influence decision making.
• Pursue innovative regulatory policies that address historical racial, economic and structural inequities and remove barriers to solar adoption by residential and business customers.
• Enhance and defend market opportunities for solar and distributed energy resources to provide flexibility and reliability services to the grid.
• Advise on state-level legislation that can open up new market opportunities for solar, storage, and other distributed energy resources in key states, with a focus on Massachusetts and New York.
• Partner with Northeast Regional Director on strategy and approach within key states.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP (20%)

• Provide thought leadership in designing new regulatory paradigms that prioritize renewables, climate justice, equity, and maximizing participation in (and benefit from) distributed energy resources.

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT & COALITION MANAGEMENT (20%)

• Build and collaborate with coalitions of stakeholders – including, for example, disadvantaged communities, environmental justice advocates, low-income advocates, consumer advocates, environmental advocates, energy efficiency proponents, energy storage providers, electric vehicle advocates, etc. – to develop and pursue win-win strategies.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND JUSTICE (10%)

• Continue personal learning and contributions to organizational work on diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Work to embed equity in all organizational internal practices and culture, as well as our programs.
• Bring openness and engagement to personal, professional, and organization-wide learning on race, class, gender, justice, and equity.

WHAT YOU’VE ACCOMPLISHED

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field. A relevant graduate degree is an advantage, but is not required.
• Five+ years of relevant work experience.
• Demonstrated ability to execute on key strategies to achieve our mission, including coalition building and policy writing that summarizes complex issues for various audiences ranging from policymakers to regulators to interested members of the public.
• A general understanding of US electricity markets and regulation.
• Working knowledge of political and/or issue-related campaigns.
• Ability to understand the perspectives of grassroots organizations and vulnerable communities and translate that into meaningful policy positions in the regulatory space.

OTHER THINGS YOU MIGHT HAVE ACCOMPLISHED OR WOULD BE EXCITED TO LEARN HERE

• A combination of technical expertise in clean energy policy and practice (particularly in the solar sector) and experience with formal regulatory proceedings.
• Expertise in technical and regulatory needs for scaling up clean, distributed resources, including a focus on improving resiliency and serving disadvantaged and other vulnerable communities.
• Experience in regulatory innovations to allow behind-the-meter solar + storage and other distributed energy resources to receive fair value.
• Integrated Resource Planning and clean energy resource procurement necessary to achieve state greenhouse gas or renewable goals and provide for the most cost-effective portfolio of utility-scale solar, storage, and other renewable resources.
• Ability to work with other Vote Solar team members on data visualization and policy communications to the public
• Effective collaboration with diverse populations and allies.
• Knowledge of utility ratemaking, procurement and/or grid operations.
• Transmission planning for renewables, for example to 1) facilitate the growth of large-scale hybrid clean energy and storage projects to provide energy and resource adequacy, 2) deploy distributed energy resources at scale to reduce the need for transmission investments and promote beneficial electrification.
• Experience managing a team or staff person working within an advocacy or regulatory environment.

MINDSETS

• A personal commitment to being a part of an inclusive and just workplace, including a commitment to being on a journey with Vote Solar to develop personal, and inter-personal core competencies related to diversity, equity, inclusion and justice.
• Passion for building strong new capacity at a growing organization.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.

LOCATION

Although this position is remote, we have a preference that the person who fills this role is based in the Northeast region, with a preference for Massachusetts or New York. Regional travel is required so proximity to transportation hubs is important. During the COVID-19 pandemic, all Vote Solar staff have been working from home and have limited work travel. When it is safe to do so, this position will require some regional day trips or overnight trips (plan for 1-2 trips per month) and national travel (plan for 2-4 trips per year).

BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is $110,000 - $135,000. Vote Solar provides full-time staff with a competitive package, including 4 weeks of paid vacation, 12 days of sick leave, 4 days of personal leave and 16 paid holidays. We also offer 100% employer-provided health, dental and vision care for both the employee and dependents; a retirement savings plan and an employer match of up to 3.5%; and a paid parental and medical leave policy for all regular employees.

Please send a resume and letter of interest detailing your interest in the role and how your previous experience would translate to this role through Workable. We will review applications on a rolling basis.