Director – Energy and Carbon Management & Resilience Program

Thank you for considering a career with the Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY).

The team at RFCUNY is made up of dedicated, talented professionals committed to providing the services that allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries.

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Primary Location:

The CITY COLLEGE of NEW YORK

Bargaining Unit:

No

The CUNY Building Performance Lab (CUNY BPL) seeks an experienced and strategic leader to serve as Director of the Energy and Carbon Management & Resilience (ECMR) Program, a statewide workforce development initiative preparing the next generation of professionals for careers in building performance, energy management, weatherization, decarbonization, and climate resilience.

Funded through a combination of public and private investments, ECMR provides industry-aligned training, certifications, paid traineeships, and career pathway opportunities to both matriculated and continuing education students across New York State. The program works closely with higher education institutions, government agencies, employers, workforce organizations, labor partners, and community-based organizations to expand access to high-quality careers within New York's growing clean energy economy.

Reporting to the Director of Training, the ECMR Director will provide strategic leadership for program growth, partnership development, employer engagement, statewide expansion, and organizational effectiveness. They will serve as the primary representative of the program to external stakeholders, while overseeing program implementation through a team of managers, coordinators, instructors, and partner organizations.

The ideal candidate is an experienced workforce development leader who excels at building partnerships, developing innovative initiatives, managing complex stakeholder relationships, and leading high-performing teams.

Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Program Growth

• Lead the strategic planning, growth, and continuous improvement of the ECMR Program.
• Develop and implement initiatives that strengthen workforce pathways in building performance, energy efficiency, weatherization, sustainability, and climate resilience.
• Identify opportunities to expand program offerings, geographic reach, industry engagement, and participant impact.
• Monitor workforce trends, industry needs, and policy developments to ensure program relevance and responsiveness.
• Establish annual goals, key performance indicators, and growth strategies aligned with organizational priorities and funding requirements.

Partnership Development and External Relations

• Serve as the initial point of contact for employers, government agencies, workforce organizations, educational institutions, labor partners, industry associations, and community-based organizations, facilitating introductions and coordinating handoffs to appropriate ECMR team members.
• Cultivate strategic partnerships that support participant recruitment, training, certification attainment, traineeships, and employment opportunities.
• Represent ECMR at conferences, meetings, advisory groups, public events, and stakeholder convenings.
• Foster collaborative relationships that strengthen New York State's clean energy workforce ecosystem.

Business Development and Resource Expansion

• Work with leadership to develop sustainable growth strategies and expand program impact.
• Explore innovative approaches to program delivery, employer engagement, and workforce development.

Program Leadership and Oversight

• Provide oversight of program operations, implementation activities, participant services, instructional delivery, and partner engagement.
• Ensure program activities align with sponsor requirements, organizational objectives, and industry best practices.
• Monitor program performance, outcomes, deliverables, and participant success metrics.
• Lead continuous improvement efforts to enhance program quality, effectiveness, and participant experience.

Team Leadership and Management

• Supervise and support program staff, including managers, coordinators, instructional personnel, consultants, and other team members.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing work environment.
• Support staff development, coaching, performance management, and succession planning.
• Promote effective communication, accountability, and teamwork across all program functions.

Financial and Administrative Oversight

• Oversee program budgets, financial planning, and resource allocation.
• Monitor grant and contract compliance requirements.
• Review programmatic and financial reports and support sponsor reporting activities.
• Ensure program resources are used efficiently and effectively, in compliance with applicable programmatic rules and sponsor requirements.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred in the areas of workforce development, education, public administration, sustainability, business administration, engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum seven (7) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in workforce development, higher education, sustainability, energy, economic development, training, or related sectors.
• Demonstrated success managing complex programs involving multiple stakeholders, funding sources, and partner organizations.
• Experience supervising professional staff and leading cross-functional teams.
• Strong relationship-building, communication, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Experience managing budgets, grants, contracts, or publicly funded initiatives.

Preferred

• Familiarity with workforce development, clean energy, building performance, weatherization, sustainability, or related industries.
• Experience working with higher education institutions, government agencies, community organizations, and employers.
• Experience supporting program growth, partnership development, and statewide or multi-site initiatives.
• Knowledge of New York State workforce development and clean energy programs.

Pay Range:

$115,000 - $130,000

RFCUNY Benefits
RFCUNY Employee Benefits and Accruals

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
The Research Foundation of the City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-Verify Employer. It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.