Building Decarbonization Program Manager

King County has established the Executive Climate Office to elevate and accelerate Executive Constantine and the County's commitment, coordination, and ability to deliver on climate action internally and in partnership with cities and partners. As part of this office, the Building Decarbonization Program Manager will lead and coordinate countywide efforts to achieve deep, equitable reductions in building greenhouse gas emissions.

The position will provide strategic leadership and direction for the Executive Climate Office's work and on building decarbonization with a focus on reducing emissions in existing buildings, increasing building energy efficiency, ensuring equitable decarbonization, and improving health and safety outcomes. This includes leading development of an overall Countywide Building Decarbonization strategy and supporting a wide range of ongoing policies and programs.

The County is committed to partnering with and supporting frontline communities historically excluded from the environmental and climate change action. The Executive Climate Office commits to prioritizing inclusion and justice for all people in County work on climate, with the aim of decreasing disparities in our organization and our communities.

We are seeking a creative leader to join a team of staff that will operationalize, implement, and realize the Executive's vision for solving climate change in the building sector. The position will help support and collaborate with diverse internal and external stakeholders to scale the County's efforts to reduce building related GHG emissions.

This full-time position is anticipated to extend through the end of 2025 with the possibility of extension based on continuing availability of funds and ongoing operational needs. The position will report to the Director of the Executive Climate Office.

Responsibilities

Develop and Lead the Countywide Building Decarbonization Accelerator Initiative
Using funds from the Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program, develop and implement a Countywide Building Decarbonization Accelerator Initiative. The Accelerator will include (but is not limited to) development of a countywide Building Electrification strategy, education and communication of existing and emergent federal and state incentives for County residents, support for low- and moderate-income households and small businesses, and coordination with similar efforts among the King County-Cities Climate Collaboration (K4C) partners.
This position will develop and oversee the grant application process in coordination with a grant administration team.
Lead Pursuit of Funds and Execute CPRG Work
Lead work to develop a regional Building Decarbonization Action Plan as part of EPA's Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG). This includes close coordination with Puget Sound Clean Air Agency on managing a sub-grant, leading a regional committee on building decarbonization, and executing development of the Action Plan by early 2024 to support regional entities pursuing CPRG implementation grant applications.
Partner with cities and organizations (such as K4C partners) to develop or enhance countywide approaches to reduce building emissions.
Partner with internal and external stakeholders to track and pursue grant opportunities to advance building decarbonization work.
Direct Support to Energize! Heat Pump and Solar Work
Provide direct support as needed to King County's Energize! heat pump and solar program, administered by the Department of Local Services, to ensure program success, identify opportunities to expand and scale the program, and support program evaluation.
Support the King County Strategic Climate Action Plan
Support the implementation of the King County 2020 Strategic Climate Action Plan,
Support the development of the King County 2025 Strategic Climate Action Plan.
Own priority actions directly related to countywide building decarbonization.

Qualifications

Functional and technical knowledge and experience in a range of building decarbonization and climate related topics.
Familiarity with energy efficiency, building electrification, and decarbonization of residential and/or commercial buildings - policies, program models, technologies, design and delivery processes, operations.
Demonstrate success managing across a high number of complex projects and resources.
Experience advancing justice, inclusion, and equity at an individual and organizational level.
Ability to work collaboratively with a multi-agency team of dedicated King County staff developing and implementing the King County Strategic Climate Action Plan.
Strong systems thinking and organizational skills.
Creativity and ability to operate with ambiguity.
Demonstrated ability to research and provide recommendations on complex issues using analysis, experience, and judgement.
Evidence of advanced oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills in engaging with diverse audiences, collaborators, and staff.

Desired:

At least five years of experience leading and managing climate policy and related projects, with a focus on building energy efficiency and decarbonization.
Ability to manage a demanding workflow with competing deadlines, solve problems, resolve stress and conflict, initiate timely responses to changes in the political and institutional environment, and exercise sound judgment and decision-making authority using tact and diplomacy.
Experience leading teams to solve complex challenges.
Demonstrated ability to research qualitative and quantitative data and provide recommendations.
Experience working with/in limited English-speaking populations, immigrant/refugee communities, BIPOC communities and culturally diverse communities.
Experience leading and facilitating discussions of focus groups, workshops, collaborative governance processes, and community-driven policy development.
Experience approaching challenges by using a critical lens to understand the root causes of problems to arrive at best possible solutions and outcomes
Commitment towards relationship building and uplifting community voices.
Experience with strategic planning and program development
Experience in building coalitions and managing complex stakeholder relationships.
Experience in framing policy issues and funding options for elected officials and other leaders.
Demonstrated success building partnerships and working collaboratively with a wide range of internal and external constituencies (e.g., communities, industry, academia, tribes, NGOs, and all levels of governmental agencies and institutions).
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