The Arctic Energy Alliance (AEA) is a not-for-profit organization, established in 1997 to help communities, consumers, producers, regulators and policy makers to work together to reduce the costs of environmental impacts of energy and utility services in the Northwest Territories (NWT). The AEA is supported by various territorial departments and agencies, and does fee-for-service work in the private sector. The AEA is currently recruiting a COMMUNITY ENERGY PLANNING (CEP) COORDINATOR. 

18 Month Term Position

LOCATION:

This position is located at an Arctic Energy Alliance (AEA) office to be determined; or

could be located in another NWT community; however, the incumbent must be a resident of the Northwest Territories (NWT).  The position will involve significant travel to NWT communities.

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

AEA is a non-profit organization whose mission is:

To promote and facilitate the adoption of efficient and renewable energy practices by all members of NWT society.

Reporting to the Executive Director and working as a member of the AEA team, the CEP Coordinator’s role is to work with the Community Energy Planning Team to achieve the project goals and objectives.

The overall goals of the CEP project include: community and territorial capacity building; increasing energy literacy; and reducing GHG emissions through adoption of green energy strategies.

The CEP project objectives are: to facilitate meaningful community engagement in collaboration with the local community energy champion; work in partnership with the local community energy champion to develop a community energy plan based on the community engagement process; and arrive at an adopted community energy plan that includes an action/implementation plan.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Liaise with the team lead, local community energy champions, AEA staff and possibly subcontractors to achieve the project goals by:

• Providing expert advice and knowledge on current “northern best energy practices” in the fields of community energy planning to NWT communities;
• Preparing and delivering CEP workshop and course materials in collaboration with local energy champions and the CEP team;
• Maintaining and improving the AEA “CEP Toolkit for Northern Communities”;
• Networking with other communities and organizations in Canada and abroad in order to keep up to date on current best practices in community energy planning;
• Drafting the CEP in collaboration with the local energy champion and AEA CEP project team;
• Facilitating the relationship between NWT communities and potential CEP funding sources; and
• Other related duties as required.

The position will require travel to other NWT communities.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

The following are required qualifications:

• Northern (NWT) cross-cultural competency and strong communication skills;
• Experience organizing and holding meaningful community engagement in smaller NWT communities;
• An ability to work with the public and co-workers in a respectful and professional manner;
• Knowledge of, and commitment to energy awareness, as well as a strong personal interest in energy and climate change issues;
• An ability to assume responsibility without direct supervision, to make decisions, exercise initiative and judgment, prioritize work assignments and meet deadlines while working within a team environment;
• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office software, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook; and
• Ability to travel.

The following are preferred qualifications:

• Project management experience;
• Facilitation training and experience;
• Post-secondary education in related studies;
• A minimum of two years of experience in a related position, or equivalent knowledge and experience acquired through work experience will be considered;
• Proficiency in the Zoom platform; and
• Ability to speak, write or understand any of the NWT’s Indigenous languages in addition to English.

Working Conditions

Time is split between in-office work and time spent in the field supporting and overseeing project deliverables. The incumbent spends about 30 to 60 days per year in communities outside their home. Extensive travel.

Physical Demands

There is limited physical effort required for this position; however, the incumbent will need to be comfortable travelling by winter roads and/or in small aircraft at different times of the year.

Environmental Conditions

A major amount of the work is completed indoors.  Some extreme weather may be experienced on site and during community visits.

Sensory Demands

There is a need for attention to detail. Awareness of and respect for cultural differences where the cultural practices may be unknown.

Mental Demands

The incumbent may be away from home about 12 times per year traveling to NWT communities for periods of up to 5 days in unfamiliar communities with limited amenities resulting in a disruption of family and social life.