This is a full-time position to be a California co-lead for NRDC’s Energy Efficiency for All (EEFA) project and lead the project’s work on healthy building materials nationwide. The position is a collaboration between Energy Efficiency for All (EEFA) and Health and Food division, both within our Healthy People and Thriving Communities program. This person would report to both the Western Director of Energy Affordability for EEFA and Western Director, Toxics in the Health and Food Division.
As the co-lead for NRDC’s EEFA work in California, this position would lead EEFA’s policy and campaign work in Los Angeles, working closely with local partners and agencies as part of a multi-year campaign for clean energy and water efficiency in lower-income rental housing. Across the state, EEFA California members work with numerous partners and community groups to ensure that low-income households benefit from cleaner, healthier, and more affordable housing, by expanding energy efficiency program offerings, increasing accessibility and demand for energy efficiency products and services, and promoting best practices to improve the comfort and performance of multifamily properties. This position would support these efforts by advocating for more effective and comprehensive policies and program designs in multiple venues, including the LADWP Board of Commissioners, LA City Council, California Public Utilities Commission, the California Energy Commission, and various other state and local agencies. In addition, this staff person would enroll and mobilize new CA partners for our Federal Defense efforts focused on supporting low income energy and housing programs and funding. The EEFA co-lead would also work toward implementation of complementary clean energy solutions in the affordable multifamily housing sector (e.g., community solar, workforce development).
This position will also lead EEFA’s work to address health threats from toxic exposures in the home, with an emphasis on healthy building materials. This person will provide technical and policy expertise and project management for EEFA’s expanded work to increase the adoption of less toxic materials. They will oversee our funding of health-focused partners and rollout of a strong foundation of scientific knowledge regarding specific healthier building materials to use in energy efficiency retrofits. This new role will leverage that knowledge and those relationships within California, across other EEFA states and through our national network to secure policy and market victories to promote energy efficiency retrofits that lead to healthier living environments.
Under guidance from the Western Director for Energy Affordability, the EEFA California advocate will:
- Advocate for access to, funding and financial support for green building measures and deep energy retrofits (including distributed energy resources such as energy efficiency) that benefit and protect low-income tenants and properties, including supporting complementary policies such as community solar and equitable workforce development.
- Build partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders, including policymakers and agencies, utilities, regulatory commissions, building owners, community representatives, and local, state and federal groups—with a focus on Los Angeles county and Southern California.
- Promote good housing and energy efficiency policies and program designs (including tenant financial benefits and co-benefits) that support continued affordability for low-income MF households.
- Co-lead and grow the CA EEFA coalition with guidance from the Western Director for Energy Affordability, with a focus on Los Angeles county and Southern California.
- Provide strong expertise, creativity, and experience to inform strategy, campaign activities, and stakeholder engagement across the entire project.
- Integrate California into and otherwise support EEFA’s Federal Defense efforts to support low-income energy and housing programs and funding.
- Actively coordinate with other programs within NRDC as appropriate to achieve shared objectives, and work to integrate EEFA as a central aspect of NRDC’s clean energy agenda.
- Travel throughout California, as well as other locations, approximately 20% of time.
The Healthy Homes Advocate will lead EEFA’s work on healthy buildings in collaboration with our Health division. This person will jointly report to the NRDC’s health division for this portion of their work.
- Build coalitions that align health experts and stakeholders with energy, housing, builders and contractors, and community stakeholders, among others. Leverage these coalitions in support of increasing the use of healthier building materials in energy efficiency retrofits.
- Advocate for policy solutions and good program design to facilitate investments in healthier building materials for energy retrofits.
- Convert state and local leaders and policymakers into healthier retrofit champions.
- Develop an awareness-raising campaign among key stakeholders, including manufacturers, contractors and those involved in specifying building materials.
- Work with the Health Division team (scientists, attorney, policy specialists) to advance regulatory and market policies to eliminate harmful chemicals in building materials and improve indoor air quality.
- Be part of a strong and collegial team that is both focused on meeting project expectations and using the full range of expertise at NRDC and among its partners to support effective change.
- 3+ Years related work experience preferred in any combination of areas involving utility regulatory, energy efficiency or clean energy policy, environmental health, indoor air quality, housing quality, affordable housing development, housing advocacy, community organizing or engaging multiple and diverse stakeholders.
- Demonstrated experience in strategic thinking, creative problem-solving, and implementation of collaborative projects, preferably involving project management, running advocacy campaigns, and engaging in energy, health and/or housing advocacy.
- Demonstrated commitment to work with people of all backgrounds, ethnicity, cultures and political viewpoints.
- Strong writing, public speaking, communications and analytical skills—including basic quantitative analysis.
- Persuasive written and oral advocacy skills, especially related to communicating technical and analytical information in a clear and persuasive manner.
- Commitment to and knowledge of environmental, public health and social equity issues.
- Familiarity and demonstrated relationships with non-profit and advocacy organizations beyond traditional environmental groups, as well as key California policymakers, agencies and staff; experience advocating on Federal or State legislative or agency regulatory matters.
- Ability to blend leadership, initiative, and independence with collaborative, team-first cultures.
- Must have demonstrated ability to work in collaborative contexts effectively as a member of a team.