The Green Bank for Rural America, a nonprofit subsidiary of Appalachian Community Capital, seeks an experienced, dynamic, and visionary leader for the role of President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to build and lead the infrastructure to deploy green energy investments in low-income rural communities impacted by declines in the fossil fuel industry.
ACC was recently selected to receive a $500 million Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) Clean Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA) award to catalyze green energy investments in low-income rural communities impacted by declines in the fossil fuel industry. This place-based effort will be a hub for investment and technical assistance to community lenders, local leaders, and workforce development partners in coal, energy, underserved rural, and Tribal communities across the United States.
The Green Bank for Rural America has structured a robust national program that prioritizes 582 counties in Appalachia, energy and underserved rural, and Native communities – 30% of all US persistent poverty counties – with financing and technical assistance activities being available in all eligible underserved rural communities nationally.
Under the GGRF award, Green Bank for Rural America will pass through 90% of funding to Community Lenders serving the target market and provide technical assistance services to community lenders and community stakeholders to ensure the program goals as outlined are met or exceeded. The goals fall into the categories of:
- Reduction of air pollution and greenhouse gasses;
- Benefits to Low-Income and Disadvantaged Communities, including creation of quality jobs and support for BIPOC businesses;
- Market Transformation, leveraging private capital for projects.
Beyond the GGRF award, the Green Bank for Rural America aspires to become a self-sustaining entity to continue to provide financing for clean energy and green economy investments in underserved rural communities.
The Position
The President and Chief Executive Officer of the Green Bank for Rural America leads the organization to implement the workplan to meet or exceed the objectives set out in the EPA CCIA award. This involves organizational design, startup, staffing, and management of this purpose-formed organization. In addition, the President and CEO will chart and lead a path for Green Bank for Rural America to be a sustainable organization serving Appalachia, energy, and underserved rural communities beyond the specifications and performance period of the EPA award. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of the ACC, the President and CEO will report to the Green Bank for Rural America Steering Committee appointed by the ACC Board of Directors. ACC will retain a portion of the EPA CCIA award to conduct oversight and audit functions to comply with EPA requirements.
Key Responsibilities:
The President and CEO will be the first position hired for the Green Bank for Rural America. Near-term responsibilities will focus on building the infrastructure for this start-up organization. Overall, the primary duties and responsibilities include:
Strategic Leadership:
- Be the standard bearer for the vision of Green Bank for Rural America.
- Partner with the Green Bank for Rural America Steering Committee, Green Bank for Rural America target market stakeholders, other EPA GGRF award recipients to optimize short, medium, and long-term impact of this opportunity.
- Outline and lead opportunities to expand the reach and offerings of Green Bank for Rural America within and beyond the performance period of the EPA award.
- Be a strong advocate for equality and equity and ensure that diversity, equity, and inclusion are embedded within the Green Bank for Rural America.
Operational Leadership and Supervision:
- Lead the launch and start-up of the organization.
- Hire and lead a virtual/hybrid staffing structure.
- Motivate team members into a high-performing management team and highly engaged staff members.
- Supervise all operations and activities to ensure they produce the desired results and are consistent with the overall strategy and mission.
- Oversee all aspects of the Green Bank for Rural America work plan to ensure successful implementation that meets or exceeds the outputs and outcomes envisioned in the proposal.
- Anticipate challenges to implementation and navigate overcoming challenges and/or managing changes to program scope.
- Ensure adequate levels of capacity-building support to Community Lenders to enable outcomes that meet or exceed those set forward by the Green Bank for Rural America.
- Oversee activities related to compliance, risk management, and reporting requirements of Community Lenders to Green Bank for Rural America, Green Bank for Rural America to ACC, and ACC to EPA.
Financial Management and Resource Development:
- Manage operational resources to maximize operational efficiency and productivity.
- Be accountable for prudent management of the fiscal activities of Green Bank for Rural America, including budgeting and reporting, by hiring a strong CFO and team that will ensure transparency and efficient resource allocation.
- Set and support ambitious fundraising goals for new capital to complement and sustain the EPA award.
- Set and support fundraising goals for operations to meet the organization’s anticipated needs.
Good Governance:
- Engage with the Steering Committee and its associated oversight Committees to support its governance responsibilities.
- Engage with the ACC Board and leadership to support its oversight responsibilities.
- Ensure regular review and updates to the strategic and business plan of the Green Bank for Rural America, as required, under Steering Committee approval.
- Establish annual budgets for Steering Committee approval and prudently manage the organization’s resources to achieve its priorities.
- Ensure compliance with Conflict of Interest policies and recommend amendments to those policies.
Qualifications:
Successful candidates will bring a range of skills, experience, and attributes including:
- 15+ years of experience in development finance, impact-investing, and/or major grant-making management and leadership, including executive roles.
- Experience fundraising for operations and capitalization of impact investing activities.
- Hands-on experience working with CDFIs and community lenders / development finance organizations.
- Practical experience with clean energy finance, including project and/or portfolio-level metrics and measurement for Net Zero objectives.
- Experience working within rural and/or energy-impacted communities and Low Income Communities.
- Master’s degree or equivalent work experience in finance, management, climate science or relevant fields.
The position will be hybrid and based in Washington, DC or other Green Bank for Rural America offices to be established in Appalachia. Monthly travel will be required or more frequently as necessary.
Application Process:
To apply, upload a Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF resume and cover letter which conveys your interest in this leadership opportunity. For other inquiries, contact Olive Idehen at Olive.Idehen@marcumllp.com. Resume reviews begin immediately. The Search Committee anticipates advancing interviews and selection activities later in June and to make a hiring recommendation to the Steering Committee by early July.
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