Executive Director, Potential Energy, Berkeley, CA

Executive Director

Posted on: August 28, 2013
Application deadline: September 20, 2013
Posted by: Potential Energy

ABOUT POTENTIAL ENERGY

Founded in 2007, Potential Energy (PE) adapts and scales technologies that improve lives in developing countries. Potential Energy is a market maker, bringing together key value chain actors and building the capacity of local businesses to distribute clean energy technologies. Our flagship Darfur Stoves Project provides Darfuri women with specially developed cookstoves, which require less firewood, decreasing women's exposure to violence while collecting firewood and their need to trade food rations for fuel. With an operating budget of $838,000 in 2012, Potential Energy has distributed more than 32,000 in Darfur and is now building off this success and replicating our model in Ethiopia. For more information, please visit www.potentialenergy.org.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

To support our vision to dramatically increase access to safe and clean energy technology, Potential Energy seeks an entrepreneurial and resourceful Executive Director to be based at its office at 2150 Allston Way, Suite 300, Berkeley, CA. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will have overall strategic and operational responsibility for Potential Energy's staff, programs, expansion, and execution of its mission. The Executive Director handles Potential Energy's public presence, develops its financial support, and represents the organization to partner organizations, sub-contractors, the media, funders/donors, and the general public. The ideal candidate will bring a blended background of exceptional private and social sector experience with a passion for working in high-impact start-up settings.


RESPONSIBILITIES


Leadership & Management:

• Ensure ongoing local programmatic excellence, rigorous program evaluation, and consistent quality of finance and administration, fundraising, communications, and systems; recommend timelines and resources needed to achieve the strategic goals
• Actively engage and energize Potential Energy's, board members, event committees, partnering organizations, and funders
• Develop, maintain, and support a strong Board of Directors: seek and build board involvement
• Lead, coach, develop, and retain Potential Energy's high-performance team
• Ensure effective systems to track scaling progress, and regularly evaluate program components

Fundraising & Communications:

• Develop and oversee implementation of annual strategic fundraising and communications strategy
• Deepen and refine all aspects of communications—from web presence to external relations with the goal of creating a stronger brand
• Use external presence and relationships to garner new opportunities

Planning & New Business:

• Build partnerships in new markets, establishing relationships with implementing partners and funders
• Be an external presence that publishes and communicates program results

QUALIFICATIONS

The ED will be thoroughly committed to Potential Energy's mission. All candidates should have proven leadership, coaching, and relationship management experience.

Concrete demonstrable experience and other qualifications include:

• Advanced degree in business, public policy or administration, environmental engineering or other relevant field
• At least 5 years of senior management experience
• Track record of effectively leading and regionally and/or nationally scaling a performance- and outcomes-based organization and staff
• Ability to point to specific examples of having developed and operationalized strategies that have taken an organization to the next stage of growth
• Unwavering commitment to data-driven program evaluation
• Excellence in organizational management with the ability to coach staff, develop high-performance teams, set and achieve strategic objectives, and manage a budget
• Field experience with working in unstable environments and with humanitarian relief operations; professional experience in Africa highly valued
• Past success working with a Board of Directors with the ability to cultivate existing board member relationships
• Strong marketing, public relations, and fundraising experience with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders and cultures
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills
• Action-oriented, entrepreneurial, adaptable, and innovative approach to business planning
• Ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people
• Passion, idealism, integrity, positive attitude, sense of humor, mission-driven, and self-directed 

HOW TO APPLY

Please email your resume and cover letter to jobs@potentialenergy.org by Friday, September 20^th, 2013, with Executive Director Search in the subject line.