Green Connection Program Officer

The Bay Area Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is seeking a Program Officer to manage the Green Connection program, which links owners and managers of affordable multi-family housing to an array of technical assistance aimed at improving energy efficiency and incorporating green building practices within their buildings. 

Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is a national nonprofit 501(c)3 organization with a local focus, which is represented by thirty-two field offices across the country. Since 1981, Bay Area LISC has partnered with community development organizations to transform distressed communities and neighborhoods into healthy ones - good places to live, do business, work, and raise families. We have built the field of affordable housing by providing nonprofit community developers with the skills, information, and financial support they need to be effective agents of change. Bay Area LISC has broad-based expertise in affordable housing, community economic development, commercial revitalization, organizational development and energy efficiency and green development. 

ABOUT GREEN CONNECTION 

Bay Area LISC's Green Connection program promotes energy efficient and green affordable housing through technical assistance, trainings, grants, financing, and policy support. Since 2002, we have been helping multifamily affordable housing properties to become more energy efficient.

By collaborating with a partnership of organizations through a Public Goods Charge-funded program called "Energy Action", we served for four years as a clearinghouse, providing trainings, funding resources, contractor referrals and other information, as well as policy support and financing to affordable housing providers throughout California.

In 2005, we expanded Green Connection beyond energy efficiency to include the broader elements of green building. We are currently partnered with Build It Green (a nonprofit organization promoting green building throughout the construction industry) to deliver resources and services for green affordable housing, as well as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide energy efficiency and sustainable energy technical assistance for HUD-assisted multifamily affordable housing properties. 

In short, the Green Connection program builds the capacity of the affordable housing sector to understand and utilize energy efficiency, renewable energy, resource conservation, green building, and green maintenance mechanisms through two tracks: Sustainable Energy and Green Building. In this way, Green Connection hopes to partner the community development field with the environmental movement to create healthy and sustainable communities for all - and particularly for low-income individuals and families. 

For more information about national LISC, Bay Area LISC, and Green Connection, visit our websites at www.liscnet.org and www.bayarealisc.org. 

GREEN CONNECTION PROGRAM OFFICER RESPONSIBILITIES: The LISC Green Connection Program Officer will manage both tracks of the program: Sustainable Energy and Green Building. 

Specific responsibilities for Green Connection's Sustainable Energy track will include: 

A. Energy Efficiency Partnership with HUD: 

* Provide general project management assistance to nonprofit housing owners/developers to identify and implement effective energy efficiency improvements, including:

o (i) on-site energy assessments for lighting and basic measures and/or referrals to energy audit providers;
o (ii) customized support in developing specifications for energy efficient equipment; and
o (iii) aid in accessing federal, state and local energy efficiency programs and resources;

* Develop and deliver a suitable energy training curriculum for property personnel and residents that will include information on:

o (i) energy efficient property management practices, inclusive of maintenance and procurement policies;
o (ii) Energy Star products and bulk purchasing options;
o (iii) household energy tips; and
o (iv) information on energy efficiency programs, utility rebates, and financial assistance programs for low-income households;

* Ensure that affordable housing developers and property managers have access to information on contractors qualified in energy efficient and green building practices by cataloging resource guides and directories and promoting outreach and training programs for contractors of affordable housing projects.
* Work with the Department of Energy to expand and simplify its Energy Star Bulk Purchasing program to increase access and market Energy Star products to affordable housing providers.
* Develop and deliver training curriculum for housing developers and project contractors promoting renewable energy technologies in the construction and substantial rehabilitation of affordable housing. 

B. Policy Support: 

* Continue LISC's participation in providing written and oral testimony on sustainability and energy efficiency issues in affordable housing to such entities as the California Energy Commission, California Public Utilities Commission, California State Legislature, US Green Building Council and the California Housing Tax Credit Allocation Committee;
* Work with HUD and affiliated lenders to craft internal policies that require and support the installation of energy efficient, renewable energy, and green measures into new and existing properties; 
* Work with statewide utility companies to create policies which earmark funds within existing multifamily rebate programs for affordable housing and/or enhance marketing strategies to better serve the multifamily affordable housing sector. 

Specific responsibilities for Green Connection's Green Building track will include: 

A. Partnership with Build It Green and the Green Affordable Housing Coalition:

* Provide resources to build the capacity of affordable housing developers and providers to build and maintain green projects and to institutionalize the knowledge and practice of green building within the affordable housing field through the following activities:

o Design and deliver trainings on such topics as building commissioning, green design and construction, green maintenance, etc.;
o Coordinate green physical needs assessments for rehabilitation projects;
o Develop a buyer's cooperative to access green materials from suppliers at discounted rates;
o Conduct data collection from nonprofit housing organizations to populate the GREENBase Database and track actual costs and savings of green projects;
o Serve as the LISC staff liaison to the Green Affordable Housing Coalition's general membership meetings and Steering Committee meetings;
o Perform additional duties as per the work plan developed by the partnership. 

B. Green Loan Fund: 

* Assist in the creation of a Green Loan Fund that offers predevelopment financing at low interest rates for green new construction and rehabilitation affordable housing projects and provides project specific technical assistance to help with design, procurement, and installation of green materials through the following activities:

o Assist with identifying potential candidates for the green loan funds;
o Coordinate green technical assistance with projects receiving green loan funds;
o Assist with internal efforts to expand and diversify the green loan pool. 

ADDITIONAL DUTIES: 

* Represent Bay Area LISC and provide field updates on the Green Connection program to National LISC's Green Development Advisory Group; 
* Represent Bay Area LISC on various groups, such as Build It Green's Nonprofit Network Steering Committee and Global Green's Project Advisory Committee for Net Zero Affordable Housing; 
* Assist with efforts to expand and diversify funding for the program, including funder prospecting and proposal writing; 
* Serve as a clearinghouse for information related to energy efficiency and green building in multi-family affordable housing and provide such information as needed by the community; 
* Help Bay Area LISC with other related work responsibilities as appropriate and assigned. 

QUALIFICATIONS 

Experience in affordable housing, green building, and energy efficiency is preferred. 

Preferred skills and experience include: 

* A good understanding of energy conservation technologies common to multi-family housing, including lighting, central heating and cooling systems, energy controls and building shells and analysis; 
* Ability to interpret energy audits of multi-family buildings;
* Strong familiarity with available financial and technical assistance programs for energy conservation, including experience with program application processes;
* An understanding of the financing and operation of nonprofit multi-family affordable housing, including experience working with a nonprofit housing organization;
* Familiarity with green building guidelines (such as LEED, Alameda County Waste Management Authority, etc.) for multifamily and/or residential applications; 
* Experience with green building design and construction techniques for multifamily housing; 
* Familiarity with common green building materials used in multifamily housing; 
* Experience and/or familiarity with renewable energy technologies in a multifamily residential application; 
* An understanding of the California Solar Initiative, the California Public Utilities Commission, the California Energy Commission, and/or energy policies and their impacts on the affordable housing community; 
* Experience supervising staff. 

Minimum experience and skills include the following: 

* Strong interest in energy efficiency and green building. 
* Strong interest in programs to assist lower-income households and communities. 
* Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to work closely with a wide range of client organizations and staff including building maintenance staff and management, project managers, design consultants and public agency staff;
* Computer skills; word processing and spreadsheet capabilities are essential; 
* Strong facilitation and training skills; 
* Strong personal initiative and organizational skills. 

A Master's degree in urban planning, public policy, sustainable development or a related field is preferred but not required. Supervisory experience preferred. 

COMPENSATION: LISC offers a competitive annual salary and excellent benefits package. 

APPLY TO 

Qualified applicants should email, fax or mail a resume and brief cover letter describing their interest in the position.

Search: Green Connection Program Officer
Bay Area LISC
369 Pine Street, Suite 350
San Francisco, CA 94104 

DEADLINE: Position open until filled. 

LISC IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER