Energy Coordinator

Founded in 1971 by volunteers, Alaska Center for the Environment (ACE) is Alaska's largest grassroots conservation organization, with 9 year-round staff, dozens of seasonal staff, nearly a hundred volunteers, and approximately 6,000 members across Alaska. ACE was established in order to preserve Alaska's wild lands while building sustainable communities and encouraging recreational opportunities.

Position Overview:

The Energy Coordinator is an integral part of the ACE program team.  The Energy Coordinator leads and directs the organization's work on energy in the Anchorage area and Mat-Su valley and works to fulfill ACE's energy vision. ACE's energy goal to inspire individuals, businesses and government entities to utilize and pursue renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy conservation as permanent, reliable solutions to growing energy demands. 

ACE envisions Alaska as an economic leader and top producer of clean energy technology. In order to achieve this vision, the Energy Coordinator educates the public, fosters awareness among decision makers, and promotes progressive legislation that promotes positive energy choices and curbs development of extractive carbon-based sources.

The Energy Coordinator educates and fosters awareness in the public sectors about the negative risks of extractive carbon-based energy sources and works to thwart new coal development in Southcentral Alaska.  The coordinator fosters awareness about the benefits of renewable technologies at the public level, and of energy efficiency in electrical energy consumption, through information gathering, advocacy, coalition building, and education. 

The theme of climate change runs through both the "no" and "yes" side of the coordinator's work, and the coordinator informs about the negative impacts of climate change on our oceans, forests, wildlife, and wild lands, inspires the public to reduce their personal impacts, and promotes renewable energy sources as a means to reduce impacts.  The coordinator works closely with multiple coalitions and allies in order to fulfill the energy goals and vision of ACE.

Supervisor: Conservation Director

Responsibilities:

The Energy Coordinator plans and manages all energy-related organizing work for Alaska Center for the Environment.  The coordinator establishes organizing objectives based on program and collaborative campaign goals. The coordinator builds community involvement, effective volunteer leadership and strong community, and works with organizing staff and coalition leaders to determine and implement strategies to build the number of supporters in the community, key partnerships with community leaders, government officials, donors and volunteer leadership to accomplish organizing objectives and win campaign goals. Issue areas listed below are subject to change in accordance with a shifting external environment.

Coal Development:

• Educate citizens through outreach and communications about the negative impacts of coal development.
• Collaborate with alliance partners to develop and implement Southcentral Alaska coal campaign goals.
• Work strategically with Alaska Coal Working Group and related allies to thwart new coal development in Southcentral Alaska.

Energy Efficiency:

• Educate and activate grassroots advocates about energy efficiency priorities.
• Compile an energy efficiency index that examines statewide energy efficiency efforts.
• Develop educational material for public distribution based on energy efficiency index.
• Develop and collaborate on a communications campaign that distributes energy efficiency information to the public and targeted business owners.
• Collaborate with ratepayer organizations to develop educational forums on energy efficiency.

Renewable Energy:

• Promote the use of public lands as resources for renewable energy production rather than for extractive carbon-based sources.
• Educate the public about the benefits and costs of multiple types of renewable energy, including geothermal, wind, hydroelectric, tidal, solar, etc.
• Assess significant hydroelectric proposals and formulate official positions in collaboration with the executive director for or against proposals.

Utilities and Power Generation:

• Be informed about electric utility requirements and implement a communication and education campaign to develop net metering champions.
• Educate the public about land use and permitting restrictions on homeowners for building home energy generation units.
• Develop relationships with and educate ratepayer groups about statewide energy policies.

Climate Change:

• Educate ACE members, decision makers, and the public about climate change impacts.
• Oversee outreach and education via electronic newsletter, website, and PowerPoint tools as part of the Alaska Conservation Solutions program.
• Collaborate with marine conservation groups to advocate for state and federal policies that limit contributions to ocean acidification and related marine ecosystem impacts.
• Collaborate with climate change allies to advocate for statewide policies that promote reduction of climate change impacts.

Qualifications:

The successful applicant will ideally possess:

• Experience with legislative and grassroots organizing.
• Demonstrated ability to plan and execute effective conservation campaigns.
• A strong interest in Alaska energy issues.
• Knowledge about statewide energy efficiency and energy conservation initiatives.
• Familiarity with issue-based campaign planning.
• 1 to 2 years experience working with the Alaska State Legislature, and/or experience regarding the state legislative process.
• Demonstrated effectiveness using traditional and new social media outlets.
• Proficiency and/or willingness to utilize web 2.0 networking tools.
• Ability to communicate technical information to non-technical audiences through verbal and written communication; excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a highly controversial and often demanding atmosphere.
• Proficiency with MS Word, MS PowerPoint, graphic design software, and website update content management systems.

Compensation: DOE; full health and dental benefits; 403(b) plan available

Start Date: Early February, 2010
Closing Date: January 29, 2010

To Apply:

Please send cover letter, resume, 1 writing sample, and references (email preferred).

Valerie Connor
Alaska Center for the Environment
807 G St, Suite 100
Anchorage, AK 99501