JOB TITLE: PROGRAM SPECIALIST, EMISSIONS NEUTRAL BUILDINGS

LOCATION: AT LEAST ONE POSITION IN CALGARY AND ONE IN EDMONTON OR CALGARY (PREFERRED)

Two positions may be filled from this recruitment.

Download this position description as a PDF.

Alberta Ecotrust Foundation
Alberta Ecotrust is a registered charity created through a unique partnership between the corporate sector and the environmental community in 1991. Leading boldly ever since, our programs have expanded to build bridges across sectors, communities, and cultures, focus on solutions and skills, and financially support hundreds of high impact environmental organizations, programs and projects across Alberta. 

We increasingly utilize a co-benefits approach to ecosystem challenges, looking for outcomes that also include cleaner air, job creation in new economies, public health benefits, and energy-efficient affordable housing. Beyond grants, we are mobilizing and financing pathways to a sustainable, low carbon future. Our environmental priorities include:

• Nature-based Solutions & Conservation

• Climate Resilience & Emissions Reduction

• Circular Economy

Alberta Ecotrust respectfully acknowledges that our programs are delivered across the province of Alberta, comprising Treaty 6, Treaty 7, and Treaty 8 territory, the traditional lands of First Nations and Métis Peoples. We increasingly utilize a multi-solving approach to ecosystem challenges and pathways to a low carbon future and are committed to creating a safe, warm and welcoming environment for all people interested in applying for our positions.

Program Specialist, Emissions Neutral Buildings
The Program Specialist-Emissions Neutral Buildings plays a key role on Alberta Ecotrust Foundation’s Programs Team in launching the tactical operations of the Emissions Neutral Buildings Information Exchange (ENBIX).  

ENBIX is a new initiative that serves as a capacity and knowledge building centre for industry that strengthens the public, private, and civic capacities for zero-emissions buildings in Calgary, Edmonton and throughout Alberta. Over the next 12 months, ENBIX will be developed in partnership and collaboration with industry, government, and other key stakeholders. Over the long-term, it is our vision that ENBIX will be a catalytic, amplifying member of the Alberta based community of practice that exchanges knowledge of how to decarbonize the building sector. 

We are looking for individuals who are passionate advocates for climate solutions, green buildings, and industry. All team members at Alberta Ecotrust care deeply about securing resources for environmental and climate solutions, love to work across sectoral boundaries, and are committed to thinking outside the box in finding collective solutions to complex and urgent challenges. 

Your goal in this position is to develop, monitor, continuously improve and report on ENBIX. Your role is to help build capacity in the building industry to advance the construction and retrofits of emissions neutral buildings.

Applying your subject matter knowledge in emissions neutral buildings and deep energy retrofits, combined with your skills in capacity building, facilitation, collaboration, research, financial analysis and program administration and reporting, your work will help build capacity and relationships across the sector.

This position is responsible for the following:

• Facilitates capacity building initiatives, through event planning, network facilitation, and tool development.  

• Prepare (create and co-create) a variety of knowledge products including policy recommendations, white papers and other materials.

• Provide technical guidance and analysis, including review of energy audits, technical materials, financial analysis and business case evaluation, of various emissions neutral building and deep energy retrofit capacity building content. 

• Develop collaborations, partnerships and work cross-functionally with external agencies, industry, academia and community to develop and align planning, programs, products, services, research, policy development, for the Building Information Exchange.

• Collaborate with the communications team to develop a training and educational consortium with different providers across Alberta to help support, expand, and amplify their offerings related to emissions neutral buildings and deep energy retrofits.

• Develop and implement programming to support access to specified training in partnership with existing training and educational institutions.

• Represent ENBIX (and in turn Alberta Ecotrust) at public events and in programs and initiatives with partners and collaborators.

• Apply a multi-solving approach to optimize the co-benefits of emissions neutral buildings and deep energy retrofits including the application of a lens that does not create or exacerbate existing social and economic inequalities.

• Support administration and reporting related to external grant, and other Alberta Ecotrust reporting requirements.

• Support the Manager in providing a secretariat function for the Advisory committees of the ENBIX. 

• Research and continual environmental scanning to inform future programming.

• Collaborate with the communications team to synthesize, organize, and elevate various inputs and initiatives including (not limited to): training, events, podcasts, webinars, video content, case studies, studies, general sector information.

• In collaboration with the Alberta Ecotrust evaluation framework team work to develop a BIX specific evaluation framework, consistent with the national Results Based Performance Framework, Theory of Change, and key metrics methodologies.

• Collaborate with the Alberta Ecotrust Investment and Grant teams by working to identify and implement areas for cooperation in the field of emissions neutral buildings and deep energy retrofits to support potential direct investments and granting programs. 

• Maintain and grow the ENBIX network, including academic institutions, training organizations, associations, private business in the building sector, public entities, private entities, NGOs, and government partners in Alberta elsewhere when appropriate. 

• Assist in the development of funding proposals, campaigns, and other materials that support and fund the exchange.

• In collaboration with the communications team establish and ensure effective CRM usage including use of communication and query tools for building marketing lists and crafting messaging for emails and text messaging platforms.

• Collaborating with the team to promote Alberta Ecotrust's culture of philanthropy internally and externally.

• Manage procurement and external consulting contracts where required.

• Maintain accurate and complete files to ensure reporting is accurate and audit ready. 

• Contribute ideas and expertise to strategic discussions.

As the Centre matures and our team grows, the Specialist position will have the opportunity to evolve with the services required to initiate and support the Emissions Neutral Buildings Information Exchange. 

We are looking to fill up to two positions one in Calgary and the other would ideally be Calgary or Edmonton based. You will directly report to the Manager, Emissions Neutral Buildings and you will frequently collaborate with the Communications Team as well as the rest of the Alberta Ecotrust team. 

A successful candidate will possess the following skills and expertise:

• Post-secondary education in environmental studies, energy management, engineering, business, finance, economics, public policy or a similar discipline.  An additional MBA, Communications, or Education degree or training would be an asset.

• 5 or more years of experience that include time managing complex, multi-year programs or projects, including planning, implementation, and evaluation.

• Experience and expertise with emissions neutral buildings and deep energy retrofits. This includes past experience with construction management, energy auditing, energy management, monitoring & verification of energy cost savings and greenhouse gas emissions, retrofit planning, renovation and/or building design.

• Direct experience or general exposure to network development, event planning, capacity building, material or curriculum development, webinar hosting, technical material development.

• Financial acumen and understanding of the relevant metrics utilized in business case development in the field of energy, energy efficiency, green buildings, development, etc.

• Excellent verbal and written communication. 

• Experience/good aptitude for various software and other technology. 

• Excellent skills for data reduction, analysis and presentation.

• Attention to detail.

• Excellent administrative skills including organizing, meeting logistics, committee communications.

• Familiarity with social innovation approaches and how to apply them for the purposes of improving outcomes.

Workplace Culture & Position Location

Alberta Ecotrust provides a flexible schedule and an inclusive, positive, and collaborative team culture. A hybrid model is employed at Alberta Ecotrust with flexible office hours combined with remote working.  Travel between Calgary and Edmonton and around Alberta will be required as part of this position.

In Calgary, we have a casual workplace in a heritage building with lots of meeting space, a full kitchen, great access to transit, local restaurants and the downtown core. In Edmonton, we have a co-working space at Work Nicer for individual workspaces, meetings, and collaborative spaces when needed. Our staff are extremely motivated to make a difference, and you’ll be part of an innovative team that gets to do interesting, meaningful work aligned with their shared values and desire to improve the world. 

How to apply:

1. Submit your application to Alberta Ecotrust via our online recruitment system by October 15, 2023 with the subject line “Program Specialist - Buildings”, please note that candidates will be reviewed as they are submitted and hiring will be ongoing submission of early applications will be to the candidates benefit.

2. Combine your cover letter and resume as one PDF document, named as follows: LastName_FirstName_Program Specialist_Buildings.

3. Your cover letter and resume combined must not exceed four pages.

Remuneration

This is up to two full-time positions, 37.5-hour work week with every third Friday as an earned day off, with a competitive salary range of $75,000 - $85,000 per year, plus paid health benefits and three weeks' vacation, Christmas break, and day off for your birthday. 

Alberta Ecotrust is an equal opportunity employer that strives to build a team that reflects the diversity of the community we work in and encourage applications from traditionally underrepresented groups such as women, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, people identifying as LGBTQ2SI, people with disabilities, and others with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. If we can make this easier through accommodation in the recruitment process, please let us know by emailing a.linsky@albertaecotrust.com

Please note that only those selected for an interview will be contacted. We thank everyone who applies.