Appalachian Solar Finance Fund Program Coordinator (Full-Time)

About Appalachian Voices

Appalachian Voices is a nonprofit advocacy organization that brings people together to protect the land, air and water of Central and Southern Appalachia and advance a just transition to a clean energy economy. We currently have over 40 staff members across the region, with offices located in Boone, NC; Charlottesville, VA; Norton, VA; and Knoxville, TN.

Commitment to Equity

Appalachian Voices is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion both in our work and in our organizational structure. We seek applicants who share and exhibit these principles. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to employment practices that ensure employees and applicants for employment are provided with equal opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information or any other factor that is not related to the position.

We understand people gain skills through a variety of professional, personal, educational, and volunteer experiences. We encourage candidates to review the position details and responsibilities listed. If you have the transferable skills necessary to fulfill many of the requirements of this role, we encourage you to apply. We may tailor the role to a talented or passionate candidate.

Position Details

Appalachian Voices is excited to announce an opening for an experienced and motivated Appalachian Solar Finance Fund Program Coordinator to provide essential capacity to the Appalachian Solar Finance Fund (www.solarfinancefund.org) to support solar development in coal-impacted Central Appalachian communities. This is a full-time position (40 hours per week) for an initial one-year period, with the possibility of extension depending on funding availability. This position is managed by the Appalachian Solar Finance Fund Director and includes the potential for advancement into a leadership role for this growing program.

The Appalachian Solar Finance Fund is a regional financial and technical assistance program designed to accelerate solar development and economic growth in coal-impacted communities throughout Central Appalachia. It issues competitive sub-grant awards for solar projects on nonprofit and public institutions, and provides extensive pre-development technical assistance for solar projects on nonprofit, public, and commercial entities that serve as anchor institutions in their local communities. The Appalachian Solar Finance Fund partners closely with regional blended capital platform Invest Appalachia to deploy a flexible suite of credit enhancements and repayable financing products. These products leverage large-scale repayable investment into promising solar projects which face financing obstacles related to risk mitigation, cost of capital, or timing of investment.

Since its launch in October 2021, the Appalachian Solar Finance Fund has pledged $1.6 million to support 47 solar projects in five Central Appalachian states. These projects will result in $15 million in private and public investment, 6.4 megawatts of new solar development, $25 million in lifetime financial benefit across 42 coal-impacted communities in Central Appalachia, 20 new solar jobs created, 104 additional solar jobs directly retained, 116 additional jobs supported, and 4,065 tons of CO2 equivalent emissions reduced annually. This maturing program is poised for significant new investment to grow its scope and impact.

Location

This position is fully remote, and office space can be made available at any of Appalachian Voices’ physical office locations for hybrid/in-office working. Preference will be given to candidates located within the Central Appalachian region. Occasional travel to in-person events and site visits within the program’s service region is required.

Primary Roles & Responsibilities

The Appalachian Solar Finance Fund Program Coordinator position will carry out the following specific duties/roles:

• Administrative support (30%): Support completion of administrative tasks, grant compliance procedures and overall program coordination. Track and update the status of program applications; draft contracts and follow up with applicants and awardees; and file supporting documentation to ensure ongoing compliance with contractual procurement guidelines and federal grant management protocols. The Appalachian Solar Finance Fund Program Coordinator will be trained to manage this work with ongoing support from the Appalachian Solar Finance Fund Director.
• Project pipeline development and stakeholder outreach/engagement (30%): Assist the Appalachian Solar Finance Fund Director in stakeholder outreach and engagement to develop the program’s project pipeline by coordinating with partners, solar industry professionals and potential applicants in targeted areas.
• Data Management and Organization (20%): Manage and organize data produced by the Appalachian Solar Finance Fund, including impact metrics for federal and non-federal grant reporting. Emphasis on clarifying and increasing efficiency of data tracking processes, with support from the Appalachian Solar Finance Fund Director and Appalachian Voices’ Government Grants Manager.
• Opportunity research (10%): Support the Appalachian Solar Finance Fund Director and Executive Committee in identification and evaluation of new program opportunities and potential stakeholder partnerships. Research opportunities and provide summaries and analyses to the project team.
• Fundraising and grant management (10%): Play a supporting role in grant coordination for current and future federal and private funding sources. Coordinate and bring substantial capacity for ongoing grant writing for the program, with an emphasis on securing additional funding.

Skills & Qualifications

• Very strong organizational skills and the ability to track multiple priorities at once.
• Experience or strong aptitude with project management, including budgets.
• Strong writing skills; grant writing experience a plus.
• Experience coordinating collaborative efforts preferred, including public facing events and activities.
• Strong knowledge base in the solar sector preferred, particularly as it relates to solar development in Appalachia. 

Timeline & Compensation

We are seeking to hire immediately for this full-time, non-exempt, term-limited position. This position is included in a union-represented collective bargaining unit and specific terms and conditions of employment are subject to a Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The term of the position is one year with the possibility of extension with additional funding. Appalachian Voices offers competitive compensation and benefits that include employer-paid health care, vision, and dental policies with options to include family members at a reduced cost; short- and long-term disability plans; generous paid vacation and parental leave; flexible working hours; and an employer-matched retirement plan.

Salary is commensurate with experience; however, the expected salary range is between $55,000-$65,000; candidates seeking the higher end of this range should be able to demonstrate a very strong background, experience, or other factors. We are open to feedback from the market and would welcome the opportunity to connect with candidates who may be outside of the compensation band. Appalachian Voices is committed to equity in pay practices.

How to Apply

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until this position is filled. For early consideration, candidates shall apply by June 7th, 2024. Using this link, please submit (1) a resume, (2) a brief cover letter that addresses why you are interested in this role and why you would be a good fit for the position, and (3) a list of three references.

Appalachian Voices participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.