Associate Director, Climate Strategy

SALARY RANGE: $120,000-$125,000 (position level & salary commensurate with education & experience)

LOCATION: Offices of Climate and Environment and Sustainable Energy

CLOSING DATE: When position is filled

AREAS OF CONSIDERATION: All sources

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) is the Philadelphia region’s Metropolitan Planning Organization. We believe DVRPC is a place to work, learn, and create a career in a professional and stimulating environment that values diversity, innovation, and bringing your best self to work. If your background and experience match the following vacancy, we would like to hear from you. 

DVRPC seeks an Associate Director of Climate Strategy to coordinate the integration of climate action, including mitigation and adaptation, across multiple divisions of DVRPC. This new position will report to the Director of Community Planning. This high-level position requires advanced professional work with management, supervisory, and administrative responsibilities for several technical planning offices; a progressive approach and vision for integrating climate data, research, planning and programs into DVRPC’s work; and leadership in instilling collaboration across the agency. In addition, this position is charged with assisting upper management with administrative and compliance duties and commission-wide tasks. 

Candidates should demonstrate deep knowledge and experience with issues around climate change, climate mitigation, and climate adaptation and resilience. As this is a growth area for DVRPC, the candidate should possess a vision of what role DVRPC can play in this space, how climate priorities can be integrated into metropolitan planning processes, how current processes can be evaluated or organized through a climate lens, and how best to integrate the work across functional units, including transportation and regional planning. The ideal candidate should also bring an understanding of the key partners working on climate in the region, including their needs and challenges. The candidate should also bring ideas and experience in best practices around community engagement and messaging about climate action. 

Candidates will oversee the majority of work in the Offices of Climate and Environment and Sustainable Energy. Most staff currently working in those Offices are expected to report either directly or indirectly (whether Manager level or other) to this new Associate Director (AD), though some staff may remain reporting to the Livable Communities AD. Final organizational structure will be determined based on the candidate's experience and expertise. 

Beyond overseeing specific offices, additional responsibilities include managing consultant contracts for climate-related work, including DVRPC’s Clean Energy Transition Plan and Regional Resilience Landscape Assessment, working closely with the relevant DVRPC project managers; providing oversight and guidance on the MSA-wide Comprehensive Climate Action Plan, working closely with staff and stakeholders; providing guidance on DVRPC’s NREL Clean Energy to Communities Technical Partnership; and researching peer regions’ best practices in climate action. The candidate will support their staff by giving direction and oversight to a wide variety of climate planning and programming activities. 

Other assignments include direct involvement in the development of DVRPC’s annual Unified Planning Work Program (Work Program), monthly progress report review, product review, participation in monthly Directors’ meetings, and outside partner coordination and relationship management. The candidate should be forward thinking and enthusiastic about coordinating with staff on the progression and integration of climate action into DVRPC’s planning work. 

Assignments are performed in accordance with overall agency policies and professional standards. Work will be reviewed by the Director of Community Planning, with input from the Executive Director, and possibly other Directors, as appropriate, through meetings, coordination activities, and the evaluate of results. 

Responsibilities 

• Directs the work of the Office of Sustainable Energy and the Office of Climate and Environment, acknowledging that there is flexibility in how these Office are currently arranged, and that new Offices could be created. 
• Provides direct input into the development of the annual Work Program, prepares budgets; works with Office managers to define projects and studies, determines work assignments and priorities, and undertakes related administrative actions. 
• Identifies and pursues new opportunities for funding in this rapidly evolving field, coordinating amongst staff and partners to prepare grant applications for government and philanthropic funds, pursues funding, and oversees administration of grants and consulting contracts. 
• Explores opportunities generated from new federal or state policies and programs, and advises on appropriate Commission responses, as well as ensures county and local governments are aware of these opportunities, and develops DVRPC might assist local governments in participating.
• Establishes and maintains positive relationships across DVRPC to assure climate priorities are integrated into the agency’s work across all divisions and offices, including work related to transportation planning, community and economic development, and natural resource protection.
• Develops and maintains constructive federal, state, county, municipal, nonprofit and institutional relationships, along with relationship building with peer regions, augmenting relationships held by existing staff. 
• Represents DVRPC at public and private meetings, conferences, and other events. 
• Develops and communicates annual performance expectations, prepares interim reviews, and year-end evaluations for supervised staff.
• Develops methods of communication, mentoring, and encouraging professional development for direct reports and their staff. 
• Performs related work as required. 

Qualifications 

• Extensive knowledge of the principles, practice, and objectives of climate action planning and programming, including both mitigation and adaptation, and the ability to relate this knowledge to metropolitan planning. 
• Knowledge of metropolitan planning organization (MPO) core functions, governing structure, and processes.  
• Experience with public policy and governmental affairs, and familiarity in cultivating grant opportunities is a bonus. 
• Demonstrated supervisory experience in a variety of projects, with proven ability to manage, motivate, mentor, plan, and direct professional staff.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment to come up with appropriate, right-sized solutions for a regional approach to climate action.
• Considerable knowledge of demographic and economic data sources, standard statistical techniques, and research methodology.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with peers, colleagues, outside partners and the general public by fostering a culture of collaboration. 
• Ability to focus on details and possess strong organizational skills. 
• Demonstrated ability to enhance DVRPC’s mission with forward-thinking ideas for the future. 
• Proficient with Microsoft Office and Google Suite software. 
• Ability to prepare and deliver clear and concise presentations and written reports. 
• Ability to have a consistently high level of emotional intelligence. 
• Should possess and entrepreneurial inclination with the proven ability to cast a vision to diverse stakeholders and achieve buy-in. 

Minimum Experience & Training  

A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible professional experience in climate planning, including at least three years in a supervisory or similar administrative capacity. A Master’s degree in city or regional planning, policy, public administration, design, or a related field is preferred.

DVRPC IS AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. FULL CONSIDERATION WILL BE GIVEN TO ALL ELIGIBLE, QUALIFIED APPLICANTS WITHOUT REGARD TO AGE, ANCESTRY, COLOR, DISABILITY, DOMESTIC OR SEXUAL VIOLENCE VICTIM STATUS, ETHNICITY, FAMILIAL STATUS, GENDER IDENTITY OR EXPRESSION, GENETIC INFORMATION, MARITAL STATUS, MEDICAL CONDITION (INCLUDING PREGNANCY), NATIONAL ORIGIN, RACE, RELIGION, SEX, OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION, MINORITY, DISABLED, & VETERANS CANDIDATES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. NOTE: YOU MUST BE LEGALLY ELIGIBLE TO WORK IN THE US.