One Sky Job Opening - Energy Programmer

Job Posting
Energy Programmer

November 8, 2007

Are you interested in working for a young, ambitious, fast-moving non-profit organization?  Are you interested in sustainable living, the environment, leadership, international cooperation and human rights?  Would you enjoy living in a small town nestled in the Northern coastal mountains of B.C. with spectacular wilderness opportunities? Would you enjoy being plugged in to the exciting world of renewable energy, energy conservation and climate change?

One Sky is looking for a full time energy programmer to help us run a public engagement program targeted at B.C. municipalities and the reduction of local energy footprints leading up to the Vancouver Olympic Games. There is a strong possibility of an extension into a related job position after one year. We are looking for someone with strong project management skills, media and public relations skills to assume the responsibility of coordinating this project for up to 22 BC communities. We require someone with experience in both domestic and international energy related issues who is willing to explore alternative philosophical approaches and models to both environmental sustainability and international cooperation.  At One Sky we enjoy exploring the nexus between theory and application.  We are keen to humbly and enthusiastically try new concepts yet we also recognize the complexity of the subject matter. Candidates who are convinced they know how to solve the world's energy dilemma (if we just do this or just do that) need not apply. In a similar vein we are not looking for candidates with a particular technology to promote.  We are looking for a project manager with enthusiasm for the subject matter and an open mind.  We need someone with a sense of humour, with a sense of purpose, who is good with narrative and financial report writing, is able to discuss energy conservation and renewable energy production, is able to speak about energy efficiency policies to local governments and practical applications to home builders, and can see how important it is to run a non-profit efficiently, professionally and ethically.

You will join a qualified and dedicated team working out of our own sustainable office building.  If you care that your computer is powered by solar panels, the office hot water is generated by the sun, that there is a bicycle program operating in the backyard and if it matters to you that we recycle, that we run a resource centre and that visitors come to talk about energy issues almost daily, and if it does not bother you to be interrupted at work because our internship program is running a leadership and conflict resolution workshop (just when you were hoping to get some books done) and finally if you noticed that this is a run-on sentence and you are squirming to fix it this might be the job for you.

However, you will need to be qualified because we run a demanding environment!  People love to work here and we are proud to run a tight ship with meaningful results.  While it is true that we close shop when there is more than 20 cm of new snow (so everyone can go skiing) and we encourage people to lead balanced, healthy lives, we are also a highly motivated team that manages close to a million dollars of programming every year in some of the most demanding places and environments in the world.  We work in Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Mali, Cameroon and Peru.  We facilitate several networks and run local energy, food security, internship, and leadership programs. At times you will wonder how it all gets done and it will make sense to you that we needed to hire someone skilled, intelligent, dedicated and fun to ensure that the many energy related projects we have are properly resourced, managed, evaluated and promoted.

If you intend to apply, don't be modest! The competition can be intense. We read cover letters, we look for details and we search for soul as well as technical capacity - you will be an important part of a team that cares about each other and cares about the world. We will be looking for hard skills but we are not spring chickens when it comes to the desire to work with good people. Expect to be asked questions about your personality type, why you really want to work on sustainability issues and what keeps you busy in your spare time. Life is short -  this is not just a job, it is a perspective on the world. The pay is not great and probably never will be but the hometown is outstanding, the One Sky community and work has meaning and you will be challenged on many fronts to perform. It is a job with heart.

You will be supported in your work yet have an enormous amount of independence and decision-making regarding a rapidly evolving project on the issue of renewable energy and efficiency. Sound interesting?  To apply you must:

• Be a nice, friendly person whom we would like to work with everyday and whom we trust to represent our philosophy and organization in a variety of contexts.
• Be able to think outside the box
• Municipal governance experience an asset.
• Background in renewable energy and/or energy conservation.
• Have strong communications skills - both verbal and written.
• Understand the notion of energy equity. Work experience or travel in developing countries an asset.
• Fundraising and grant writing experience an asset.  Experience with budgets, cash flow.
• Be confident and capable with the usual software, e-mail and the internet.
• Be eligible to work in Canada and be able to travel to various participating BC communities.
• We like the idea of diplomas and degrees in environmental studies, community development, international development or related studies but what really matters to us is that you can run a project and prove it through your experience.

This is a full time position for a one-year contract with potential for renewal. The salary is commensurate with experience.  To apply send us a resume or C.V. and a really good covering letter explaining who you are, why you want to work for us, why you are interested in living in Smithers, what you do for fun and anything else pertinent that might make us want to interview you (do not limit yourself to one page!).  Send your application to .  Unfortunately, due to the large volume of applications that we receive, we will only get back to you if you have been selected for an interview.

The deadline to apply is December 3, 2007.
The position will commence January 15, 2008
For more information on One Sky visit our new website at http://www.onesky.ca