Solar United Neighbors seeks Director for Maryland program

By Ben Delman on August 2, 2017
Participants pose in front of solar panels at the 2016 Maryland Solar Congress
Participants pose in front of solar panels at the 2016 Maryland Solar Congress

Solar United Neighbors is seeking a Maryland Program Director to support our ongoing solar work in Maryland.

Solar United Neighbors of Maryland is dedicated to solar being accessible and affordable for every resident of Maryland. We help homeowners form solar cooperatives and become owners, investors, and stakeholders in the solar economy. We ensure all Marylanders have equal access to solar programs and technologies for economic development. We are dedicated to the vision that if a large and diverse number of people have a financial stake in the clean energy economy, they will fight for it. By building, demonstrating, promoting, and advocating for ways for people to financially benefit from clean energy, we build a broad new constituency for change.

In addition to our work in Maryland, Solar United Neighbors implements state programs in D.C., Virginia, West Virginia, Florida, and Ohio. A core component of our state programs is to facilitate neighborhood solar co-ops. The basic approach is to gather homeowners, or businesses together and help them go solar as a group. By forming a group, participants can save off the cost of the installation. We also support co-op members through the decision-making process, creating a group dynamic that helps more people go solar, and we engage in policy work that improves and strengthens the solar market for everybody.

About the Position

The Program Director will implement solar co-op programs in Maryland and conduct extensive communications, outreach, press, and trainings around creating an accessible, affordable solar market in Maryland. We believe in a distributed model of leadership and work to train and empower many local leaders, with the Program Director supporting these efforts. Focus areas include:

  • Develop and implement solar co-ops in communities across the state, working to ensure that all Maryland residents have access to solar.
  • Develop and engage a citizen-led board for our programs.
  • Provide technical assistance to residents, businesses, and organizations interested in going solar.
  • Organize annual Maryland Solar Congress, open to all interested residents
  • Closely follow and contribute to the development of Maryland’s new community solar program, Grid of the Future proceedings, renewable portfolio standards, low-income solar access, and other solar-related policy issues.
  • Conduct extensive education and outreach on newly passed community solar regulations.
  • Develop and maintain relationships with community partners and stakeholders.
  • Represent us at wide variety of stakeholder meetings and community engagement opportunities.
  • Develop and implement volunteer engagement program.
  • Support ongoing fundraising and donor engagement efforts.
  • Maintain online web infrastructure for the our website, to include in-depth information on solar basics, authoring timely content on solar-related topics, as well as serve as an invaluable resource and forum for policy discussions and citizen engagement.

Applicant Requirements

CPN seeks a full-time Program Director to implement the above work. CPN will provide strategic oversight and support, including supporting the use of our organization-wide Salesforce contact management database and shared materials. The Program Director will function as part of the CPN team to deploy the solar co-ops. The Program Director will be responsible for hosting information meetings and meeting with co-op members, including a number of evening meetings and travel throughout the state.

Qualified applicants will have at least five years work experience, a strong understanding of effective organizing techniques, an ability to develop relationships with community members and organizations, and a strong motivation to help grow this program. Strong writing and verbal presentation skills essential. Interest in working collaboratively in a team environment required. Experience with online CRMs, solar basics, and solar project development a plus.

Applicants should send a resume and cover letter to https://www.solarunitedneighbors.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/nancy-HOA-1.jpg at jobs@solarunitedneighbors.org.