The mission of the Green Ribbon Commission is to accelerate the implementation of the City’s Climate Action Plan by convening, organizing, and enabling leaders from Boston’s key sectors.
Boston Metropolitan Area | Full Time
Salary Range: approximately $140,000 plus benefits stipend
About the Green Ribbon Commission
The Green Ribbon Commission accelerates the City of Boston’s Climate Action Plan by convening our city’s most influential institutions across healthcare, higher education, commercial real estate, and cultural institutions. Our cross-functional, all hands on deck approach makes us one of the only organizations of our kind in the United States. In Boston we believe climate work is everybody’s work. The Green Ribbon Commission (GRC) has partnered with the City of Boston for 15 years to accelerate climate resilience, carbon neutrality, and climate justice in our city. Our robust and growing network of business and civic leaders is informed, engaged, and connected – helping design and implement the City’s climate mitigation and adaptation strategies. We work together to celebrate innovators in our city, share best practices, weigh in on important policy directions, and drive innovative cross-sector solutions. The GRC’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan focuses the work of the organization around 3 strategic goals: accelerate Boston’s path to coastal resilience; grid modernization and a just energy transition; and large building decarbonization.
The Position
The Director of Decarbonization and Energy Transition is a senior leadership role responsible for shaping and advancing the GRC’s work in building decarbonization, grid modernization, and the clean energy transition. The role will report directly to the Executive Director and work alongside the Director of Climate Resilience to drive actionable implementation of Boston’s climate goals.
The ideal candidate possesses a strong blend of strategic leadership, technical knowledge, coalition-building, and policy fluency, with a particular focus on decarbonizing buildings, modernizing our grid, and enabling a just, affordable, and responsible transition away from fossil fuels.
Responsibilities
Strategy and Program Leadership. Lead the GRC’s portfolio on building decarbonization and the energy transition, including electrification, clean heating and cooling, grid modernization, demand flexibility, and clean energy development. Develop and execute strategies that accelerate emissions reduction from the built environment and support stakeholders in compliance with relevant building performance standards (BERDO). Identify emerging challenges and opportunities related to grid capacity and clean energy deployment in Boston and Massachusetts.
Policy Engagement and Communication. Monitor and analyze relevant federal, state, and local policy developments related to building decarbonization and energy use, grid modernization, utility regulation, and clean energy development and communicate relevant policy matters to GRC stakeholders in a clear, concise, and timely manner. Support the development of new policy recommendations that could advance decarbonization and the energy transition.
Stakeholder Convening. Convene and manage working groups of the GRC alongside the Executive Director, Director of Climate Resilience, and additional partners. Particular emphasis on Commercial Real Estate, Cultural Institutions, and Grid Modernization working groups.
Thought Leadership and Best Practices. Represent the GRC in external forums, meetings and public events related to decarbonization and the energy transition. Identify best practices across GRC membership and communicate to others for the purpose of capacity building. Prepare presentations, memos, and briefings to stakeholders. Contribute to the GRC’s public voice on decarbonization and the energy transition both in Boston and beyond.
Organizational Management. Work collaboratively with the GRC’s Executive Director, Director of Resilience, and Operations Manager to set priorities, manage projects, and advance the GRC’s strategic plan. Coordinate with GRC staff, members, City of Boston, and other partners to ensure alignment across decarbonization and resilience efforts.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree in relevant field preferred.
- Minimum of 8 years relevant experience in climate policy, energy systems, building decarbonization, utility regulation, or clean energy transition in a business, government, or NGO organizational environment.
- Deep understanding of building energy use, electrification, and grid modernization.
- Demonstrated experience working across sectors and navigating complex stakeholder environments.
- Strong communications and analytical skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
- Proven leadership, facilitation, and project management experience.
- Knowledge of Massachusetts and Boston energy and building policy and regulatory contexts.
- Knowledge of district energy systems/thermal energy network innovation a plus.
Ideal Candidate
- Kind and helpful team player with passion for decarbonization and the energy transition.
- Right mix of strategic thinking, technical knowledge and policy fluency.
- Highly organized and effective project manager.
- Committed to shifting from climate planning to climate implementation.
- Excels at working with diverse stakeholders; such as anchor institution leaders, real estate developers, elected officials, government environmental leaders, policy advocates, etc.
- Skilled at convening large groups effectively, capable of achieving consensus and leading outcome driven meetings.
- Knowledgeable and supportive of the GRCs broader mission to accelerate climate action across multiple domains and eager to be a supportive team member in a small organization.
How to Apply
Please send a Resume and Cover Letter outlining your qualifications for this role to home@greenribboncommission.org. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through April 1st.