Description

Project Manager (Part-Time, Contract)

Southwest Virginia Energy Storage & Electrification Manufacturing Project

Our New Economy Program utilizes the following strategies to achieve our goals of realizing a just economic transition through securing thoughtfully targeted investments for sustainable economic and community development while ensuring robust and meaningful community engagement:

• Create a locally rooted solar industry in Southwest Virginia, prioritizing projects that save money and spur local enterprise development;
• Provide targeted technical assistance to communities seeking to transform coal-impacted land from liabilities to assets by connecting good ideas with funding, partners and resources to realize community vision;
• Work in coalitions for good policies at the local, state and federal level that support a just transition, including coal plant closure transition planning;
• Build community resiliency and power through organizing across all of our program areas.

Job Description

Appalachian Voices seeks an experienced, motivated and creative project manager to provide essential capacity to our Southwest Virginia Energy Storage and Electrification Manufacturing Jobs Project (ESEM), which will support the transition to low-carbon manufacturing in far Southwest Virginia. This exciting collaborative effort brings together a strong team of technical service providers, economic development institutions, leading experts in the low-carbon field, and locally rooted manufacturers seeking to transition beyond the coal supply chain into the next generation of energy.

Since Spring 2021, the ESEM team has supported three local manufacturing companies in two major ways: by strengthening the companies’ business infrastructure and capacities to meet current and future business demand, and by supporting their diversification into low-carbon markets (e.g. batteries/energy storage, clean technologies). This project has already yielded substantial impacts to these local companies by increasing revenue generation, expanding and diversifying their customer pipelines and creating tangible job retention and growth.

The ESEM team was recently awarded a Federal US Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant to expand on this private sector-focused project. The award has two main objectives aligned with the ESEM vision:

• Identify resources that build company capacity and resiliency, and position them for diversified growth. This includes strengthening internal operational efficiencies (quality management systems, ISO certification, process improvements and automation, etc.), and company-driven workforce training and certification initiatives.
• Create plans that prepare local companies to enter low-carbon and clean energy technology markets. This includes performing company-driven ROI assessments to gauge readiness for low-carbon market diversification, supporting customer discovery and lead generation, and strengthening cross-company collaborative product development and industry outreach.

Timeline & Compensation

We are seeking to enter into a 2 year contract starting immediately, with the possibility of extension with additional funding. This is a 1099 contract position that is managed by the Appalachian Voices Regional Director of Community and Economic Development. The estimated weekly workload is approximately 15 hours per week, with some fluctuations week to week. We envision partnering with an individual or firm that will fit this scope into their portfolio of work, or one that is seeking part time contract work. Additional contract-based work in other project areas of the New Economy program may be available to create a more substantial contract for an individual or firm with the appropriate experience. The total compensation for completing the scope will be $37,500 annually. Eligible travel and project-related materials costs will be reimbursed by Appalachian Voices.

To Apply

Applications reviewed on a rolling basis, apply by July 7 for early consideration. To apply, please send a resume and brief letter to Adam@appvoices.org

Job Duties

Scope of Work

The Southwest Virginia Energy Storage and Electrification Manufacturing Jobs (ESEM) Project Manager (PM) position will be responsible for managing the workflow of the overall effort. The PM will carry out the following specific duties/roles:

Project workflow management: The primary role of the PM will be to assist project leads to maintain effective workflow management. The PM will be responsible for maintaining the workflow platform, ensuring that tasks are assigned, flagging internal and external due dates, and ensuring responsible parties are identified and engaged. The PM will have strong support in this responsibility from the project leads.

Opportunity research and vetting: The PM will be responsible for assisting the team in evaluation of new opportunities and potential stakeholders throughout the project timeline. The PM will need to rapidly and effectively research a broad spectrum of subjects and provide summaries and analyses to the project team.

Meeting coordination: The PM will be responsible for scheduling and coordinating virtual and in-person meetings with the project team and stakeholders. During those meetings, the PM will take detailed notes and circulate them to project team members afterward. The PM also will assist the project team in following up on identified action items.

Materials development: The PM will be responsible for drafting/editing outreach and engagement materials necessary for the scope of work. An individual with graphic design skills/experience is preferred. The PM will receive direction from the project leads on content for these materials.

Stakeholder outreach and engagement/coordination: The PM will assist the project leads in coordinating stakeholder outreach and engagement.

Grants management: The PM will play a key role in grant management for current federal and private funding sources. They will coordinate and bring substantial capacity for ongoing grant writing for subsequent phases of the project, with an emphasis on securing additional federal funding.

Logistics for meetings/travel: The PM will provide assistance to the project leads in setting up logistics for travel and meetings, such as identifying appropriate meeting space, arranging supplies and refreshments, and scheduling travel/lodging logistics for attendees.

Communications coordination/Press relations: An individual with press engagement and social media marketing is preferred. Responsibilities may include drafting press releases, posting to social media, and acting as a first point of contact for digital engagement to the public and potential stakeholders.

Work Schedule

Location & Workload

This position will be based out of Appalachian Voices’ Norton, Virginia office. We seek an individual who is located within the Southwest Virginia region. The Project Manager (PM) position is a part-time contractual position that is expected to require an average of 15 hours of work per week over a two-year period, with variable weekly workload. An individual with experience and/or comfort working in a “gig”-style capacity is required for this 1099 contract position. Office space in Norton can be made available, but remote work is acceptable as long as the individual is able to regularly travel to in person meetings with the project participants.