Project Manager, Building Innovation

New Buildings Institute (NBI) is at the forefront of a wide range of national and regional policy, program, and technical initiatives focusing on high performance buildings. Widely respected in the industry for its leading-edge thinking on improving building performance, NBI is a nonprofit, mission-driven organization committed to making a difference.

We work with national, regional, state, and local agencies, non-governmental organizations, utilities, and companies to promote improved energy performance in buildings. Projects include buildings research, design guidelines, policy, and code activities focused on making buildings better for people and the environment.

About the Position

NBI seeks a Project Manager to join our Building Innovation team with a focus on the Advanced Water Heating Initiative. The successful candidate will lead multi-year, national-scale projects focused especially, but not entirely, on central heat pump water heater development, field validation, and deployment.

The Project Manager will lead projects that yield client success and progress toward NBI’s mission to decarbonize the built environment. The Project Manager will represent NBI to clients, including the US Department of Energy and multiple utility companies, and stakeholders across the energy efficiency industry and across the building sector more broadly. Additionally, the Project Manager will regularly collaborate with NBI’s Development and other program teams including Leadership & Market Development and Codes & Policy.

• Reporting Structure: This position will report to the Director of Building Innovation.
• Location: This position is a full-time, exempt position. NBI’s office is in downtown Portland, Oregon. Qualified candidates outside the Portland area are encouraged to apply as we will consider hiring in a remote work location. Occasional overnight travel is anticipated for this position for conferences, events, professional development activities, or client meetings.

Job Duties & Responsibilities

Project Management

• Draft and implement scopes of work, work plans, budgets, timelines, and deliverables while ensuring efficient and cost-effective use of project resources to meet client needs. • Participate in negotiating vendor and subcontractor contracts. • Oversee vendors, subcontractors, and project team partners on multi-year, multi-partner projects • Clearly and regularly communicate with project staff at NBI and partner organizations about time commitments, task assignments, and progress to ensure projects remain on time and within budget. • Manage development and delivery of educational programming and presentations in a professional and polished manner.

Client Services

• Lead the completion of client and internal reports, presentations, and advocacy materials. 
• Develop and provide subject matter expertise in matters of building science, to clients, peers, and project teams.
• Develop publications, positions, and recommendations that are technically defensible and grounded in fact.
• Write, review, and publish technical documents, guidance documents, case studies, peer-reviewed papers, and policy briefs/proposals.
• Ideate, propose, shape, and perform technical research in cutting-edge building decarbonization topics.

External Leadership

• Become a subject matter expert on central heat pump water heaters and potentially other topics to be determined.
• Cultivate and maintain client and stakeholder relationships, as well as connections with industry organizations.
• Prepare and present to stakeholders in public meetings, conferences, and other convenings with the ability to customize messaging for audiences including local and state government officials, builders, architects, manufacturers, utilities, and others.

Additional Program and Project Areas

• Support other program efforts in the development, critique, edit, and delivery of communications assets and releases of reports, guidance, presentations, and other promotions.
• Support business development with proposal scoping, writing, and delivery.
• Provide project direction and other support for new and junior staff.
• Support the expanded knowledge of NBI staff by sharing lessons learned and new information to improve knowledge, processes, and strategies.

Candidate Qualifications

Required:

• Three years of professional experience working in the energy efficiency or decarbonization spaces, designing building mechanical systems, utility program planning/implementation/evaluation, green building consulting services, or a related field.
• Two years of project management experience.
• Bachelor's degree in architecture, engineering, energy policy, or related field.
• Proven ability to effectively manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Experience in, or deep knowledge of, building science and/or advanced building practices, including architecture, engineering, or construction.
• Ability to perform under pressure, work with a wide variety of constituents and meet deadlines.
• Strong writing and presentation skills, including public speaking.
• Ability to build and maintain professional relationships and partnerships with external market actors.
• Proficiency in MS Office software including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Other Desired Qualifications:

• Experience in mechanical or electrical system engineering and design, particularly related to water heaters, central building mechanical systems, and/or heat pumps.
• Advanced education in mechanical, architectural, or electrical engineering, architecture, or a related field.
• Experience working in or with mechanical engineering contractors, architects, and/or local, state, or federal government agencies.
• Experience writing winning proposals and other business development tasks.
• Graphic design capabilities (Adobe Creative Suite, PowerPoint, or others).
• Familiarity with advanced data analytics tools such as Tableau, PowerQuery, and Python.

Compensation and Benefits

NBI offers the following for this position:

• The salary range is $71,911.51- $97,080.59 (commensurate with experience). A cost of living adjustment may be provided to candidates living in high-cost areas.

Benefits:

• Insurance benefits (100% of employee only premiums paid by NBI; new hires are eligible the first of the month after 30 days of employment): Medical, vision, and dental insurance, Life insurance, AD&D insurance, Long Term Disability insurance.
• 160 hours of accrued Paid Time Off (combined vacation and sick for a full year).
• 11 paid holidays.
• Additional optional benefits available the first of the month after 30 days of employment include: Flexible Spending Accounts (healthcare & dependent care); Health Savings Account; Accident insurance; Cancer insurance; Critical Illness insurance; Short Term Disability insurance; Term & Whole Life insurance; Identity Theft insurance; Pet insurance.
• 401(k) with company and safe-harbor match available the first of the month after three months of employment.
• A dynamic, collaborative, and exciting place to work full of passionate and dedicated people all working towards our collective mission!

To Apply

Please click "Apply" below to email your resume and salary requirements. Be sure type "Project Manager - Building Innovation" into the subject line. Reference and background checks will be performed prior to employment. Any applicant with a mental or physical disability who requires accommodation should contact careers@newbuildings.org for accommodation.

NBI is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, gender expression, age, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, and disability in all of our work and activities, including hiring practices. We believe in a positive work/life balance and are committed to our employees’ health and well-being. NBI is also committed to championing diversity, equity, and inclusion across all areas of our organization, and have enacted hiring practices to support this commitment.

We understand that your career search may look different than others. Our hiring team wants to make sure that this would be a fit not just for us, but for you long-term. If you are actively looking or starting to explore new opportunities, send us your application! Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single requirement. At New Buildings Institute, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every single qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply.