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Managing Director, Industry
Job overview and requirements
Fresh Energy is hiring for a full-time Managing Director of Industry to join our Energy Transition team. This position directs Fresh Energy’s Industry department, holding primary responsibility for steering Fresh Energy’s work to transition Minnesota’s industry and agriculture sectors away from fossil fuels and onto carbon-free electricity and/or low- or zero-carbon fuels, in service of advancing Fresh Energy’s strategic imperative to create a carbon neutral economy through high-impact integrated solutions. The Managing Director will work to expand and diversify funding resources for the department as well as shape and drive the focus and priorities of Fresh Energy’s work in advancing innovative, high-leverage opportunities to reduce carbon emissions and spur an equitable energy transition across Minnesota’s industry and agriculture sectors.
Our story
As experts in energy and climate, Fresh Energy understands that there are solutions within reach that can help us prevent the very worst damages of climate change. For over 30 years, Fresh Energy has been speeding Minnesota’s transition to a clean energy economy to ensure that our region enjoys good health, a vibrant economy, and thriving, equitable communities today and for generations to come. Our mission is to shape and drive bold policy solutions to create equitable carbon-neutral economies by 2050.
Fresh Energy has historically worked to decarbonize the electric power sector, closing coal plants, restricting the build-out of natural gas plants, and facilitating the deployment of carbon-free renewables like wind and solar. In recent years, we have turned our focus to additional sectors of the economy that also require urgent decarbonization. Fresh Energy has been an early proponent of strategic electrification, recognizing that to achieve the level of carbon reduction we need now, we must combine deep decarbonization of electricity generation with thoughtful electrification of buildings, transportation, and other sectors of the economy—while continuing to promote energy efficiency and ensure all solutions are equitable. For those end-uses that cannot be decarbonized via electrification, we also identify and promote the best use cases for low- and zero-carbon alternative fuels while hedging against false decarbonization solutions. However, as Minnesota effectively moves away from carbon-intensive fuel for electricity generation, investments continue in fossil gas infrastructure systems used to heat homes and power industry and agriculture.
Fresh Energy’s focus on regulation, policy, and market transformation in Minnesota’s industry and agriculture sectors is particularly crucial at this time. Our experts are paving the way for Minnesota to advance innovative, high-leverage opportunities in industrial decarbonization, focusing on early opportunities in clean fertilizer and clean steel. As the needs and opportunities grow to move quickly on the transition to clean energy, Fresh Energy is expanding its staff, creating a great opportunity for a Managing Director role to lead our advocacy in 1) assessing, selecting, and advancing the changes to industry and agriculture regulatory and policy structures needed to meet Minnesota’s greenhouse gas emissions reductions goals, and 2) spurring innovative market transformation to equitably transition energy systems in Minnesota’s industry and agriculture sectors.
Compensation and benefits
- Starting salary range: $90,000 – 112,000 based on experience with opportunity for compensation change based on performance, equity across the organization, strategy, and organizational budget.
- Full-time, exempt position, working 40 hours per week. We believe in caring for others at work and at home. Fresh Energy is committed to keeping the workload in alignment with the true hours worked and respecting the space needed to take personal time to care for your wellbeing and your family members.
- 24 days of PTO (increases each year of employment), 15 paid holidays, and a flexible, family-friendly schedule; every Fridays the office closes at noon.
- We provide medical and dental plans, additional voluntary vision, short- and long-term disability, life, AD&D insurance, and 5 percent of annual salary contribution to your 403(b)-retirement plan from your first day at Fresh Energy. Fresh Energy will contribute a match of 1:1 up to 3% of your eligible gross salary should you decide to contribute to your plan.
- In addition, we incentivize transit, biking, and walking, offering a dollar-for-dollar bus pass match, $1 for each trip to and from work by bike or walk, and an indoor bike storage area, as well as gym, and showers available for Fresh Energy staff as part of being a tenant of the Historic Hamm Building.
- We pay 50% of the day’s parking for a full-time employee who would like to use this benefit for business parking (i.e. working from the Fresh Energy Office or in downtown St. Paul) at a covered lot in downtown St. Paul that Fresh Energy contracts with. The Employee will pay the remaining 50% of the daily parking fee. The total cost per Employee is pay-per-use.
- Generous parental leave eligible on the first day of full-time employment. Eligible employees are entitled to up to twelve (12) weeks of leave under this policy. Fresh Energy will pay an eligible employee for the first six (6) weeks of leave with the rest of the leave being unpaid or being paid through the use of PTO. A full-time employee can carry-over the eligible 80 PTO hours each fiscal year plus up to an additional 80 hours of leave to cover the remaining 6-weeks that is not paid by Fresh Energy. Employees returning from leave are eligible for a flexible work schedule subject to coordination with their managers.
- All our employees are fully vaccinated for COVID-19. We update our in-person protocols to safeguard the health and safety for all employees.
- We promote and sponsor individual and joint professional workshops and trainings. Each employee is eligible for $1,000 per year to support professional development activities.
- We are intentional in co-creating relevant and inclusive flexible hybrid workplace. We foster a respectful, collaborative, and fun work environment.
Reports to
Senior Lead, Innovation and Impact
Essential responsibilities
A. Policy and Programs: A managing director role leading the Industry department within the Energy Transition team to lead our advocacy in 1) assessing, selecting, and advancing the changes to industry and agriculture regulatory and policy structures needed to meet Minnesota’s greenhouse gas emissions reductions goals, and 2) spurring innovative market transformation to equitably transition energy systems in Minnesota’s industry and agriculture sectors.
- Steer overall work specific to the Industry department, including identifying highest leverage opportunities and ensuring effective execution.
- Propose and conduct regulatory, policy, legislative, legal, technical, and financial analysis as related to policy proposals, changes, and approaches.
- Make written and oral presentations to collaborators, utilities, regulators, policy makers, and other stakeholders as part of the program’s outreach and advocacy functions.
- In collaboration with the Communications department, create and publish reports, white papers, web content, e-newsletters, and other program information. When appropriate, work to optimize media coverage of program goals, activities, and successes; this may include media interviews as well as writing op-ed pieces, and also includes the recruitment and training of effective messengers.
- Represent the Industry department in interactions with funders and regularly evaluate new opportunities for fundraising and reporting on progress.
- Serve as a deployable expert, working with the Imperatives Team, to ensure that the transition away from fossil fuels in the industry and agriculture sectors are accelerated by ending subsidies and other investments in fossil fuels and carbon-intensive infrastructure by 2030, while also supporting the workforce and communities most impacted by the transition.
- Model and lead a culture of collaboration, identifying and implementing new strategies to better achieve Fresh Energy’s mission and imperatives through work between or across departments such as Buildings, Clean Electricity, Public Affairs, Communications, and/or Energy Access and Equity.
- Effectively manage all resources under the Industry department, modeling a commitment to a diverse, inclusive, and anti-racist organization.
- Ensure that Fresh Energy’s advocacy campaigns are intentionally inclusive and appropriately engage under-resourced communities, rural communities, BIPOC (Black, indigenous, and people of color) communities, and other traditionally under-represented Minnesotans.
- Support the creation and management of the annual budget for the Energy Transition team.
- Regularly assess opportunities for new partners or collaborations outside of Fresh Energy that will advance the Industry department’s goals.
B. Participate in culture of collaboration and model our core values.
- Exemplifying openness, humility, and continuously seek improvements in program, policy, workflow, organizational expertise, or individual skills.
- Shape and support organization-wide systems such as our fundraising activities, career development, and performance review systems.
- Work effectively in the context of your immediate team, the broader Fresh Energy team, and with external partners; enhance collaboration by maintaining honest communication, seeking and respecting diverse viewpoints, engendering trust, fulfilling responsibilities, and ensuring that all team members and their contributions are valued.
- Model organization core values and culture such as practicing the coach approach, nurturing an intrapreneurial attitude, embracing a learning attitude as means to progress professionally, developing work autonomy, acting with honesty and integrity and collaboratively seeking ways to advance equity and justice. You can read more about our core values and mission here: https://fresh-energy.org/about-us.
- Exhibit a clear commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and provide leadership in continually advancing Fresh Energy’s commitment to equity and being an anti-racist organization. You can read more here: https://fresh-energy.org/our-commitment-to-diversity-equity-and-inclusion.
- Exemplifying openness, humility, and continuously seek improvements in program, policy, workflow, organizational expertise, or individual skills.
C. Demonstrate capacity for growth and learning and engage with opportunities which support Fresh Energy’s overall mission and strategy.
Job qualifications
Demonstrable experience and passion for the subject area/matter, with an openness to learn about different perspectives or ideas, to grow within Fresh Energy’s culture, and to show commitment to climate action. An entrepreneurial drive/spirit that is balanced by humility, along with a deep appreciation of how to collaborate with fellow staff, partners, and opposing views is a must.
- Demonstrated expertise in industrial and/or agricultural processes, stakeholder engagement, and policy design; an understanding of or experience working in Midwestern industry and/or agriculture is highly preferrable.
- A JD or PhD plus MS or MA plus at least seven years of experience in energy, environment, policy, economics, technology, or related fields, OR a MS or MA plus at least ten years of experience in energy, environment, policy, economics, technology, or related fields, OR a BS or BA plus at least twelve years of experience in energy, environment, policy, economics, technology, or related fields.
- Ability to develop and lead a program.
- Ability to conduct rigorous information-gathering and compile findings into easily digestible and compelling formats.
- Experience engaging, influencing, and working collaboratively with a variety of stakeholders across different interests.
- Experience presenting before regulators, policymakers, utilities, and other key stakeholders.
- Experience engaging in regulatory, legislative, and administrative proceedings.
- Planful and results-oriented.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Solid computer skills in Windows environment, including MS Office.
- Self-starter who is able to work independently.
- Team player who desires working in an environment where working as a team is valued and practiced.
- Demonstrated ability to perform well in fast-paced environment.
- Ability to work occasional evenings/weekends is required.
Hiring Process and Timeline
- The position will remain open until filled and we will review applications on a rolling basis; preference will be given to applicants submitting on or before January 26th.
- Our hiring team will select finalists for an initial 45-minute interview via video conference.
- Finalists will be invited back for an approximately 60-minute second-round interview in-person; at that time, we will ask for three references and two work samples relevant to this contract, e.g. a professional writing sample, or other relevant materials.
- Ideally the selected candidate would begin work on or before March 11th.
- Fresh Energy’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Equal Opportunity Employer Policy reflect our commitment to ensure equality, treat everyone with respect, and promote diversity in the workplace.
To apply
Email cover letter and resume to the Fresh Energy Hiring Team at [email protected] with the subject line “Managing Director, Industry.” Please include cover letter and resume in one PDF document with your name as the title. No phone calls, please.
