Program Associate, Renewable Energy

Great Plains Institute for Sustainable Development•Minneapolis, MN

19h•$52,000 - $62,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Great Plains Institute (GPI) is seeking a bright, organized, and highly motivated Program Associate to support climate and energy planning work. This role will primarily focus on projects assisting local governments in meeting climate mitigation and adaptation goals, with potential involvement in renewable energy co-benefits and energy resilience. While housed within the Renewable Energy team, the position will collaborate with the Communities team and may offer opportunities in other subject areas like climate resilience or clean transportation based on the associate's interest. Success in this role requires self-motivation, a community-driven approach, enthusiasm, and strong teamwork. The ideal candidate will be proactive, eager to learn and grow, possess excellent writing skills, be comfortable engaging diverse individuals, and be adept at balancing multiple priorities with effective time management. GPI's Renewable Energy Team works with various entities to accelerate renewable energy deployment, addressing barriers for wind, solar, and emerging technologies, and focusing on co-benefits and equitable energy systems. The Communities Program aims to accelerate equitable and inclusive action on clean energy, resilience, and climate solutions, supporting local governments in planning and project development. The position offers flexible hours, typically Monday through Friday during business hours, with occasional evening and weekend work. While some remote work is possible, the role requires two to three days per week in the Minneapolis office.

Requirements

1-3 years of paid or volunteer experience working with local or state governments, community organizations, renewable energy development, sustainability, or climate.
Competency in Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
Proficiency in design or desktop publishing tools such as InDesign, Illustrator, Canva, or other design tools.
Ability to manage Zoom or Teams small group breakouts, instantaneous surveys, and similar meeting management functions.
Excellent research, writing, and verbal communication skills.
Ability to identify solutions to challenges by communicating clearly, taking initiative, and thinking creatively.
Ability to work for many different people, juggle multiple tasks in an organized way and “manage up” to ensure effectiveness.
Excellent time and deadline management, project management, and team relationship skills.
Commitment to the mission and goals of the Great Plains Institute.
Passion for equitably solving the climate challenge and for the potential of aggressive deployment of renewable energy and clean energy systems.
Self-motivated, community-driven, enthusiastic, and a team player.
Ability to ask questions, take initiative, seek opportunities to learn and grow, and display strong writing skills.
Comfortable engaging all types of people.
Ability to balance multiple priorities.
Utilize effective methods for time management and organization.

Nice To Haves

Experience with both local governments and sustainability or climate.
Bachelor’s degree with a focus on environmental studies, sustainability, energy, or environmental justice.
Experience with GIS tools, programming languages, or other analytical tools or models.

Responsibilities

Assist with administrative tasks related to grants and other funding sources, including proposal development and grant reporting.
Coordinate with internal staff and external project partners to ensure timelines, deliverables, milestones, and goals are met.
Support the development of tools and resources for external stakeholders, including document production, presentation creation, and report layout.
Provide research and analytical support, including data collection, analysis, synthesis, surveys, interviews, and web research.
Gather, organize, and analyze data using spreadsheets, GIS, databases, and models.
Compile research results into various formats such as case studies, blogs, reports, and databases.
Coordinate external communications, including drafting case studies and blog posts, maintaining a communications deadline calendar, and updating websites.
Provide programmatic assistance as requested by management.
Plan and coordinate project meetings and events, including scheduling, agenda development, note-taking, and follow-ups.
Conduct outreach to ensure diverse and inclusive participation in meetings and events.
Understand meeting objectives and requirements by meeting with GPI program staff and external partners.
Manage live webinars, including real-time surveys, breakout sessions, and recording.
Handle event logistics such as venue identification, registration, sponsorship, travel and lodging, catering, handouts, and signage.
Serve as the point of contact for speakers' and participants' logistical needs.
Conduct post-event evaluations to identify areas for improvement.