Program Associate

Summary

Join the U.S. Energy Foundation's Clean Industry Program team as a Program Associate! This role supports grantmaking, administration, and collaboration with various stakeholders. You will manage program budgets, review grant proposals, and coordinate meetings. The position requires strong organizational skills, excellent communication, and experience in customer service. The ideal candidate will have an interest in industrial decarbonization and experience with grants management. This full-time position offers a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and a remote-first work environment.

Requirements

• Be highly organized with keen attention to detail
• Possess exceptional time management skills
• Have apt communication skills: written, verbal, and digital
• Be proficient at handling multiple demands; experience supporting multiple priorities and juggling a variety of tasks for one or more individuals in a team environment
• Demonstrate knowledge and experience in customer service, thriving in a fast-paced work environment, and prioritizing competing obligations
• Have an interest in one or more of the following areas: industrial decarbonization, iron and steel sector, aluminum sector, industrial heat decarbonization, paper and pulp sector, food and beverage sector, cement and concrete sector, chemicals and refining sector, transitioning and transforming utilities, climate justice, equity, the philanthropic sector, the nonprofit sector, issue campaigns, public policy, or strategic communications
• Ability to travel two to four times a year domestically for two to three business days at a time

Responsibilities

• Track and execute all steps in the grantmaking process, including serving as the primary contact for grantees and consultants
• Gather feedback and work with all parties to craft and finalize proposals and scopes of work
• Review financials and conduct initial due diligence of grantees and/or prospective grantees
• Keep the team informed of progress and flag questions that arise in a timely fashion
• Process grants/contracts through EF’s internal systems in a timely and responsive manner
• Prepare agendas, schedule meetings, and conduct relevant research to ensure effective conversations
• Prepare the Clean Industry team and grantees/consultants in advance of meetings to help deliver effective conversations, including circulating materials, flagging relevant questions, coordinating on meeting agendas, and setting clear expectations for meeting outcomes
• Assist in conducting research and perform due diligence on grant proposals or prospective grantees. Directly engage with grantees and consultants to seek additional information as needed
• Work collaboratively to manage program budgets and reconcile budgets with actual financials for cross-programmatic grants
• Foster effective coordination and integration within the Clean Industry team, including using tools and systems to support collaboration and information sharing (e.g., Asana, Slack, etc.), supporting regular team check-ins, etc
• Schedule calls and meetings as needed and handle meeting logistics (arrange locations, prep the technology interface, ensure that agendas are circulated in advance, support meeting follow-up, etc.)
• Prepare initial drafts of documents and presentations for internal and external audiences, such as board dockets, funder reports, proposals, and presentations
• Serve as a liaison to other EF teams to ensure that the Clean Industry team is fully integrated with other national programs
• Support the team on campaigns and communications projects as availability permits
• Facilitate networking and information sharing between a culturally diverse set of grantees/consultants, and build connections with national groups/experts, as appropriate
• Organize and/or support regional/state-wide meetings and convenings, including developing presentations and agendas
• Represent EF and the Industrial team at meetings, conferences, and other events as agreed upon with your supervisor
• Generate and implement ideas for systems, programs, and operational improvement
• Embody EF’s values of collaboration, service, learning, and responsibility
• Recognize that we are stronger when we are diverse and inclusive, and embody these values in your internal and external EF work
• Maintain collaborative relationships with peers and colleagues. Contribute to a positive working environment
• With assistance from supervisor and others, formulate own learning and development plan. Identify and seek out professional development opportunities, including networking, informational interviews, training, projects, etc
• Performs other duties and special projects as assigned

Preferred Qualifications

• Understanding of and appreciation for the opportunities and challenges in the industrial space
• Experience working on DEI
• Project management experience
• Grants management experience
• Internet savvy, including digital and social media, online survey tools, etc
• Technical skills: intermediate or advanced skills using Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook, preferably in a Mac environment; intermediate or advanced with Google Drive, Docs, and Sheets, and the Box platform. Experience using relational database systems. Experience with cloud-based relational databases, such as Salesforce, is a plus

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Medical, dental, vision, disability, and retirement benefits
• Paid time off
• Remote-first work environment