NRDC is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization. We use law, science, and the support of 3.1 million members and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. NRDC was founded in 1970 and our people helped write some of America's bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act and many of the implementing regulations. Today, our team of more than 700 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy advocates, communications experts, and others work across the United States and the globe from our offices in Beijing; Chicago; New Delhi; New York; San Francisco; Santa Monica; and Washington, D.C. 

Position Summary 

NRDC’s Green Finance and Economic Development (GFED) team is seeking an Advisor for Housing and Energy Finance, with a preference for working in our Washington, DC or New York City office, but working from other NRDC offices will be considered This role will report to the GFED’s Managing Director and will be responsible for leading NRDC’s engagement on housing and energy finance initiatives growing out of NRDC’s work in 25 cities across the country. The Advisor will be responsible for developing and implementing scalable place-based initiatives at the intersection of housing and energy affordability, supply, sustainability, and resilience. The Advisor will collaborate closely with colleagues in GFED’s Economic Development division, as well as city leaders, a bench of technical assistance providers, financial institutions, and other stakeholders to launch innovative citywide housing models that integrate energy efficiency, electrification, health/safety repairs, and resilience investments while connecting programs to sustainable funding and finance streams. 

The successful candidate is flexible, thrives in collaborative and diverse environments, embraces solving complex and nuanced problems, holds a record of results implementing city projects, possesses technical finance expertise (housing or energy finance), and has excellent communication and collaboration skills. Most importantly, the successful candidate will demonstrate a genuine alignment with the values of NRDC and seek to apply their passion and skills entrepreneurially to achieve meaningful, positive impacts on people and planet. 

The position you are applying for is part of the bargaining unit represented by The Washington Baltimore News Guild (WBNG / The Newsguild-CWA Local 32035).  

This is a limited term 18 month position

Program Design, Management, and Implementation 

• In partnership with city leaders, Technical Assistance providers, and other NRDC colleagues lead the design, management, and implementation of funding and financing models for a citywide whole-home retrofit program model that integrates energy efficiency, electrification, health/safety repairs, and resilience upgrades. 
• Develop and pilot models in specific partner cities, including frameworks that capture eligibility criteria, financing mechanisms, and delivery models (e.g., “one-stop-shop” or bundled service delivery). 
• Coordinate with local partners (e.g., green banks, Community Development Financial Institutions, housing departments, utilities, community organizations) to refine project delivery pathways, with a particular focus on sustainable funding and financing approaches. 
• Assist with developing metrics and impact tracking systems to measure program success (e.g., energy savings, affordability improvements, greenhouse gas reductions, job creation). 

Strategy Development 

• Support the development of a programmatic model linking home retrofits and other city-based housing and energy initiatives to community finance and scalable investment vehicles. 
• Create clear and compelling materials for city audiences that use existing nationwide landscape scans to synthesize stepwise examples of effective city-level retrofit or home-repair programs. 
• Identify and support the development of potential funding sources (public, philanthropic, and private capital) and financing models/structures that maximize programmatic impact. 
• Provide input into strategic plans that position NRDC to expand its role in the pro-housing and equitable decarbonization movement. 
• Help identify key leverage points for aligning housing affordability, climate, and community development objectives. 

Advocacy 

• Support coalition-building and partner engagement efforts within the pro-housing and green finance ecosystems. 
• Help develop talking points, policy summaries, and briefing materials for external advocacy and city engagement. 
• Track and analyze relevant local, state, and federal policy developments impacting housing affordability and finance. 
• Represent the organization in select stakeholder meetings, coalitions, or working groups to advance equitable, scalable housing retrofit solutions. 

Thought Leadership 

• Contribute to case studies or replication frameworks documenting financing models, lessons learned and best practices across cities. 
• Draft memos, blogs, and/or presentations highlighting the organization’s role and insights in advancing equitable housing retrofit and finance solutions. 
• Contribute to internal and external communications articulating a vision for scalable, inclusive, and investable city retrofit programs. 
• Support synthesis of learnings from partner cities and national networks to generate replicable frameworks or policy briefs. 
• Participate in cross-team discussions to ensure the NRDC's housing finance strategy reflects cutting-edge practice and field trends. 

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in housing and/or energy finance or development, in addition to a bachelor’s degree in a related field (e.g. Policy, Finance, Business, Economics, Sustainability). Advanced degree preferred. 
• Experience in one or more sectors preferred. Developer, government, corporate, investor, or non-profit.  
• Strong experience and record of results implementing projects within city government or working as a local or regional partner, funder or technical assistance provider on city project implementation. 
• Demonstrated experience and expertise in leading and managing complex projects that require both cross-partner and inter-organizational coordination, communication, and collaboration. 
• Knowledge of and experience in a range of funding and financing mechanisms for building retrofits and energy investments, including utility mechanisms, bonds, loans, etc. 
• Demonstrable alignment and deep commitment to NRDC’s mission and purpose with an ability to communicate this passion to others with a positive and high-energy attitude, integrity, and a commitment to working collaboratively with peers and colleagues. 
• Visionary, forward-looking, and strategic thinker with a multidisciplinary approach to problem solving. Demonstrated track record of working across disciplines (environmental, financial, legal, scientific, etc.), with ability to leverage diverse methods from those fields. 
• Strong and demonstrated commitment to working toward more equitable racial and economic outcomes. 
• Deep understanding and demonstrated commitment to and competency in racial equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice principles, including contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment and experience with advancing DEIJ. 
• Strong project management, planning skills, and capacity to handle and prioritize multiple tasks, set priorities, and meet deadlines under frequently changing circumstances. 
• Experience with public speaking on technical and non-technical topics, with an ability to communicate successfully with a wide variety of audiences and constituencies. 
• Excellent interpersonal and active listening skills, with a collaborative working style. 
• Experience managing and supervising staff a plus. 
• Exceptional writing, communication, organization, and analytical skills.  
• An entrepreneurial spirit rooted in creativity, resourcefulness, flexibility, and humility. 
• Passion to solve complex and unstructured problems collaboratively. 
• A good sense of humor, listens to others, and accepts different opinions; is cooperative and able to build bridges. 
• Ability to travel when necessary. 

NRDC is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in our work and in our workplace. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming diverse voices and perspectives is essential to solving the planet's most pressing environmental problems, and we encourage applications from candidates whose identities have been historically under-represented in the environmental movement. 

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.  

We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment. Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and is commensurate with skills and experience. Internal equity will be reviewed and considered to determine a final offer. For this position, the salary range is $150,000 to $170,000.  

NRDC operates under a hybrid work model. Employees are required to come to the office 8 days per month. 

As a science-based organization, NRDC aims to do our part to help contain the COVID-19 public health crisis. For the sake of health, safety, and equity, we ask that people be vaccinated unless they have an approved medical or religious accommodation or other exemption in accordance with state and local law. We consider a person to be vaccinated two weeks after receiving one full course of a CDC-approved vaccine. In accordance with state or local law, new hires will be asked to attest to vaccination, those wishing to do so may request medical or religious accommodations or other exemptions via NRDC Employee Relations. NRDC treats all vaccine-related data confidentially, in keeping with local, state, and federal laws. 

To apply, visit www.nrdc.org/careers and upload your résumé and cover letter. Please mention where you saw this posting and upload any additional materials that showcase your abilities. Due to the high volume of applications, we will contact only those candidates we would like to interview. Please no phone calls, emails, or in-person résumé drop-offs. 

If you experience technical problems while applying or if you are a person with a disability and need assistance applying online, please reach out to iCIMS Customer Care at 1-800-889-4422. 

For more about NRDC, visit www.nrdc.org.