Description

The Coalition for Community Solar Access (“CCSA”) is seeking qualified applicants for a Senior Policy Director (Regulatory) to lead CCSA’s Regulatory Policy team supporting the organization’s regulatory efforts in its priority state markets. The anticipated start date for this position is immediate. CCSA is a growing organization working to open, protect, and serve markets for community solar across the country.  

You will lead CCSA’s Regulatory Policy team working closely with the VP of Policy and will partner with the Campaigns Team on regulatory needs across CCSA’s priority state markets. The role will include managing the regulatory team (2 Sr. Policy Managers) as well as providing regulatory support work in two of CCSA’s geographic regions. Management responsibilities include hiring, professional development, and workload management for the Regulatory Policy Team. Regulatory support work will include partnering with CCSA’s Regional Directors to support their state campaigns including tracking and prioritizing relevant regulatory dockets and participating in regulatory proceedings including workgroups, comment filings and testifying. Tasks will also include consultant management, member engagement and providing support and leadership along with the Regional Directors through CCSA’s existing state committee structure. The ultimate goal of this position is to support CCSA’s state campaigns focused on growing and optimizing state community solar programs as well as promoting the benefits of local clean energy production and encouraging the accelerated development of a more decentralized, distributed energy system.

CCSA is a fast paced, mission driven, collegial and fun work environment. The ideal candidate will share CCSA’s mission to expand access to solar for all and fit the fast paced and self-starting culture.

Qualifications:

• Expert written and spoken communication skills with strong technical knowledge or energy related issues and experience engaging with state regulatory commissions
• Ability to achieve policy and market goals in state regulatory processes including a combination of:
  • Data analysis
  • Workgroup participation
  • Written advocacy
  • Testimony
• Ability to effectively manage coalitions of stakeholders across multiple states
• Ability to work closely with partner organizations and manage competing priorities
• Ability to efficiently manage CCSA member input within the organization’s Committee process; working alongside the CCSA Regional Directors and broader coalitions of stakeholders
• Ability to speak to and work with both conservative and progressive constituencies
• Experience in state regulatory proceedings and solar energy policy
• Experience in project and personnel management

Responsibilities:

• Manage Regulatory Policy team of 2 Sr. Managers, including coordination with Campaigns Team
• Manage and co-lead state regulatory policy and engagement in two regions
• Assist CCSA’s Regional Directors in facilitating CCSA’s State Committee meetings and respond to member inquiries
• Act as a strategic thought partner for the Regional Directors on regulatory and policy related matters for their state campaigns
• Represent CCSA at in-person and virtual regulatory and stakeholder events
• Provide organizational support for regulatory and committee processes 
• Coordinate with external stakeholders including allied industry organizations and NGOs to advance CCSA’s policy goals
• Provide input into CCSA’s long-term planning efforts for new and existing markets
• Co-lead thought leadership development with VP of Policy

Requirements:

• Minimum 7+ years work experience in energy regulatory policy and advocacy; or 4+ years and a graduate degree with focus on electricity policy
• Experience working within state regulatory campaigns and/or federal policy
• Comfort with state-level utility regulation including rate of return ratemaking, preferably with a focus on solar or renewable energy
• Adaptable, versatile and self-motivated

The perks of working at CCSA:

• Base salary range is between $150,000-180,000 with the opportunity to participate in an additional performance incentive plan. Salary to be determined by the education, experience, knowledge and skills of application and alignment with market data. 
• This position also offers the opportunity for promotion and growth within CCSA
• Comprehensive benefits include health insurance (100% premiums paid for employees and 75% premiums paid for dependents); 100% paid vision and dental insurance for employees and dependents
• 3% retirement plan match
• Company sponsored short-term and long-term disability insurance, and life insurance
• Paid parental leave (eligible after 6 months of employment)
• 3 weeks paid vacation and 11 paid holidays
• Professional coaching opportunities
• A fun and collegial environment
• Weekly all-hands company meeting keeps you engaged and connected to the organization and your team members

Location:

• Remote - CCSA is a remote-first organization, however some travel will be required as necessary for participation in relevant regulatory dockets
• Flexible worksite - e.g. home or shared workspace

Preference may be given to candidates that are in close range to a major airport and are located in our Tier 1 market areas

Culture:

Our team members are passionate about expanding access to renewable energy solutions to every American energy consumer and are constantly striving to improve and better ourselves. We are committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in the workplace and in the communities with which we partner. If you will enjoy working in a growing organization with a collegial work environment, and in a fast paced and self-starting culture, you are probably a great fit for our team!

Applications Process:

Please send Cover Letter and Resume to CCSA Vice President of Policy, Molly Knoll (molly@communitysolaraccess.org) with email header “CCSA Sr Director – Regulatory Policy Application – YOUR NAME”. 

Studies have shown that some groups of people, like women, are less likely to apply to a role unless they meet 100% of the job requirements. Whoever you are, if you like one of our jobs, we encourage you to apply as you might just be the candidate we hire. 

The Coalition for Community Solar Access is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to ensuring that all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Team Values:

• Focus on Results. We have clear and ambitious goals that drive everything we do on a daily basis. Every day we ask ourselves the question: will the actions I take achieve results that get me closer to my goals? If the answer is yes, then we push forward. Setbacks happen and not everything is in our control, but we focus on what we can control and move toward our goals one victory at a time. 
• Foster Dialogue. We debate ideas, not people. We take the energy of our differences and channel it toward something that has never been created before. The problems we tackle are colorful and complex. To drive to the right decision, we believe in respectfully and productively debating ideas and leaving our egos at the door. 
• Put people first. We prioritize the well-being of our team and take the approach of the “whole person”. We believe that we bring our best selves to our professional lives when we are balanced and taking care of ourselves and each other.
• Inclusivity. We deeply value diversity of thought, background, and lived experience – and through this is where our most transformative, lasting innovation grows. As our industry expands, we are committed to actively bringing new people, businesses, and localities into the fold, especially those who are traditionally underrepresented.
• Member Service. We represent the collective voice of our members, who want to see community solar expand and grow. We provide a valuable service to our member community, keeping them up to date on our campaigns and policy initiatives, which helps them plan and grow their businesses. We also serve members by amplifying their collective voice to expand their impact in the market.

Mission and Core Principles:

The Coalition for Community Solar Access is a national Coalition of businesses and nonprofits working to expand customer choice and access to solar for all American households and businesses through community solar. Our mission is to empower every American energy consumer with the option to choose local, clean, and affordable community solar. We work with customers, utilities, local stakeholders, and policymakers to develop and implement policies and best practices that ensure community solar programs provide a win, win, win for all, starting with the customer.

CCSA’s Core Principles are a concise set of overarching principles that guide organizational vision, mission, core policies, and culture. CCSA’s elected Board is responsible for developing and maintaining the Core Principles, with at minimum, an annual audit. Process and decision making of Core Principles is done based on Board governance rules set out in the Bylaws of the organization.

• Opportunity: Open, expand, and protect competitive, sustainable community solar markets through comprehensive engagement in all aspects of community solar market design, enablement and innovation.
• Access: Allow all consumers the choice to participate in and receive a tangible economic benefit from new community solar assets, and ensure those economic benefits are communicated and realized in a clear, timely and transparent manner.
• Integrity: Guarantee community solar market rules create a safe, reliable marketplace for consumers to make informed choices for products that work for their needs.
• Value: Ensure project compensation is reflective of the full value of the locally-sited energy produced by community solar projects. 
• Efficiency: Champion transparent, non-discriminatory, and evidence-based rules on siting and interconnection for expedient and fair community solar project development.