Author Archive: KaibaWhite

GENERAL PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

While Austin has successfully grown a thriving local solar and renewables industry, people of color and women are underrepresented in the renewable energy field. There is a lack of solar specific pathways in educational and training programs, and a lack of knowledge and resources in clean energy industries to enable hiring a more diverse workforce. Solar Austin and Huston-Tillotson University (HT) aim to overcome the hurdles by piloting an internship matching program to place women and students of color at solar and other clean energy companies. Our goal is to help facilitate pathways for under-represented students into clean energy jobs, and develop a set of best practices to provide a resource for clean energy companies wishing to improve their diverse and inclusive recruitment and hiring processes.

Solar Austin and HT were awarded grant funds via the City of Austin’s “Equitable Access to Green Jobs” program, and are seeking to hire a Program Manager whose management includes company recruitment, securing company commitments to the program guidelines, student recruitment, pitch/recruitment event coordination, intern placement, connecting students with job training and scholarship resources, and follow-up data collection and analysis. This part-time position is grant funded for 9 months, starting immediately, with the possibility to extend with successful fundraising. This position could be full-time or nearly full time, if paired with other duties described in the Solar Austin Communications & Event Coordinator job description. 

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Work with Huston-Tillotson University staff and faculty to develop internship program structure from best practices
• Connect with and enrolling solar and energy efficiency companies to host interns
• Recruit college and high school students for clean energy internships
• Plan and execute intern recruiting event
• Mentor interns and companies hosting interns – provide candid feedback to program participants, both corporate and student
• Assist with fundraising to fully implement program
• Report back to the Solar Austin board of directors and Huston-Tillotson regularly on program progress and developments
• Measure, track, and analyze data from program participants (companies and interns)
• Write final report

CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS:

• Cultural competency and experience working with communities of color and underserved populations. 
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills, including the ability to convey information to different audiences, such as professionals and students.
• Exhibit strategic diversity and inclusion skills and strong track record of successfully implementing programs and initiatives
• Communicate and influence a broad range of employees and leadership regularly as a subject matter expert for diversity and inclusion
• Experience working with key business stakeholders to develop external partnerships
• Experience doing basic data collection and analysis
• Proven ability to build relationships and influence key partners, ability to get results through collaboration

HELPFUL, BUT NOT REQUIRED

• Bring experience in developing best practices to create internship program aligned to  business and academic needs
• Experience driving culture change and collaborating closely with leadership to create and implement D&I solutions that align with, and reflect, our mission, culture, and overall business strategy
• Grant writing or fundraising experience 

APPLY:

To apply, email info@solaraustin.org with your resume, cover letter and desired salary range.

Solar Austin is an equal opportunity employer. Women, people of color, and LGBTQ candidates are encouraged to apply. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF POSITION:
Solar Austin’s mission is to accelerate the transition to clean renewable energy in Central Texas to build a healthy community and a strong local economy. Solar Austin works with utilities (mostly Austin Energy) and decision makers to improve and expand solar programs and policies and works to educate the public through monthly happy hours with speakers, emails, social media and other events.

Solar Austin is a mostly volunteer run organization, but we need part time help to get our work done and achieve our mission. The Solar Austin Communications and Event Coordinator will work under the supervision of the President or another member of the Board. The Communication and Event Coordinator will take on many of the routine duties required to host monthly happy hour events as well as other administrative and research duties, as assigned.

This position can be paired with the Solar Austin Clean Energy Jobs Program Manager position for someone looking for closer to full-time work.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Attend monthly Solar Austin board meetings on the 1st Wednesday of each month from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
• Coordinate and Attend monthly happy hours on the 4th Tuesday of each month from 5 to 8pm (including setup). Coordination includes:
  • Speaker Coordination: working with Board Members to identify happy hour speakers, contacting and confirming speakers at least 6 weeks in advance, putting together short biographies, photos and a brief descriptions of speaker and topic.
  • Event Marketing (at least 1 month in advance): creating an Eventbrite invitation for each event, posting happy hour information to the Solar Austin website, sending an email blast to the Solar Austin supporter list, creating event pages on Facebook and MeetUp, and effectively promoting all events on Facebook, Twitter, MeetUp and any other useful platforms and calendars.
  • Event Management: Bring all needed materials to and from event, get AV set up and staff the sign-in table. Show people where to sign in; collect donations; be welcoming and answer questions (or direct questions to a board member).
• Manage sign-in sheets and petitions by adding contacts to Solar Austin database.
• Communications: Write regular monthly blog posts on Solar Austin website. Share posts via the Solar Austin Facebook and Twitter accounts. Post daily updates to the Solar Austin Facebook and Twitter accounts.
• Assist with solar, utility, and other research as needed.
• Other administrative duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Education: High school diploma or GED required; some college work preferred
• Knowledge: How to utilize social media to engage the public; some knowledge about solar energy and/or policy
• Work Experience: Some previous professional experience required; experience putting on events and using social media professionally strongly desired
• Skills: Excellent written and oral communication skills; well organized; good computer skills (experience with WordPress required; basic HTML beneficial, but not required); good social media skills (particularly Facebook and Twitter); graphic design and video skills valued, but not required
• Capabilities: Self-motivated; organized; ability to work independently, desire to learn about and advance solar energy policies and programs

APPLY
To apply, email info@solaraustin.org with your resume, cover letter, writing sample and social media samples.

Solar Austin is an equal opportunity employer. Women, people of color, and LGBTQ candidates are encouraged to apply.