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We invite all interested candidates to apply for this opportunity. While we recognize that job seekers may hesitate if they don’t meet every requirement, we encourage dedicated individuals who meet all the basic and additional required qualifications of the role to submit an application. We value the opportunity to consider those who believe they have the necessary skills and ambition to succeed at NREL.
Job Description
This position is a program management support role providing direct assistance to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)’s Solar Energy Technology Office (SETO) funded efforts at NREL which includes a wide-ranging portfolio of projects. Primary focus is on supporting the NREL Solar program manager in coordinating project documentation across the NREL Solar portfolio including tracking and reporting of information relevant to NREL Solar’s performance. The position will directly report to the Solar Laboratory Program Manager, but will be a critical member of the Solar Program Operations Team (SPOT) and will work closely with the NREL Solar leadership team and project leads (also known as Principal Investigators or PIs) for SETO projects.
Professional II:
NREL’s Solar portfolio spans the entire laboratory work force and requires extensive hands-on and detail-oriented support to ensure the operations of the program are efficient and well-coordinated. The Project Coordinator will be responsible for providing coordination across the SETO PIs and Project Controllers (PCs) to ensure project information is completed accurately and tracked for quality and consistency. The Project Coordinator will also provide support in tracking and monitoring Program competitive opportunities, interests and responses.
In conjunction with the Solar Program Operations Lead, this staff member will work closely with staff across the lab to ensure project and reporting information quality. This role ensures the documentation for effective project management and coordination with DOE are in place between NREL and DOE. This person will work with project controllers (PCs) or equivalent project support staff across the lab to ensure information to PIs is clear and coordinated and ensure project information is timely and accurate. As needed, this position will also work directly with PIs when documentation is in question or inaccurate. This person will flag any issues with scope, schedule, and budget on projects and notify relevant team members, financial analysts and/or program management to address.
This position will be working regularly with the NREL Solar databases and tools including the Active Project Records database, the Competitive Opportunities/Partnerships database, and the Reporting Tool. The position will be responsible for tracking and monitor operational aspects of the NREL Solar portfolio daily in these tools.
This position is responsible for many periodic communications to project teams regarding project funding and status, as well as responding to staff questions on program operational needs such as documentation and reporting. This position is directly involved with staff to review and complete reporting requirements.
This position will provide insights into process improvements to further streamline internal processes around information collection, tracking, and reporting. As the portfolio continues to expand, enhancements such as interactive tools are critical to handle the volume of work. This position will work closely with the Program Operations Lead to develop and maintain the best solutions for handling the work volume.
Professional III:
- Manage and coordinate process of preparing, reviewing and submitting quarterly project reports to SETO.
- Engage with external clients at Department of Energy to address questions and requests
- Develop presentations, formal reports, and other communications to share program progress with internal staff/management and external clients
- Develop/maintain program database functionality, including but not limited to data quality and user experience improvement
- Train staff on Solar Program documentation and requirements
Basic Qualifications
Relevant Bachelor's Degree or equivalent relevant education/experience. General knowledge and frequent use of project management techniques, theories and concepts. Substantial knowledge of technical field and standards. Good interpersonal, conflict resolution, teaming and communication skills.
* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.
Additional Required Qualifications
Professional II
- Basic knowledge and experience with project management principles, concepts, practices and standards.
- Proficient use of Microsoft Excel.
- Strong understanding of project management and fiscal management principles.
- Excellent organizational skills and ability to streamline and simplify processes and reporting to minimize impact on staff.
- Exhibits initiative, creativity and resourcefulness.
- Strong team player able to work effectively independently and within a team setting.
- Commitment to excellent customer service complemented by exemplary interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal).
- Supportive attitude towards organizational and programmatic goals.
- Ability to proficiently prioritize conflicting priorities from multiple sources without compromising quality.
Professional III
- In addition to the above....
- Demonstrated experience applying project management and fiscal management principles.
- Demonstrated experience liaising with external partners and clients.
Preferred Qualifications
Professional II:
- Demonstrated knowledge of research and development project management practices.
- Experience in development and maintaining shared-resource tools like SharePoint and Microsoft Teams.
- Knowledge of NREL financial planning and tracking tools.
- Experience in use and/or development of Mail Merge software for processing high-volumes of personalized emails.
- Proficient in file sharing and cloud storage software
Professional III:
- Experience in developing/maintaining database functionality with knowledge of basic programming and database development.
- FileMaker Pro development
- Experience with Federal clients
- Coordination of teams to complete an effort
- Confidence in facilitating/leading meetings in an equitable and professional manner
Job Application Submission Window
The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.
