Program Specialist, Remote within the west coast of the United States

Description About GRID Alternatives GRID Alternatives is a national leader in making clean, affordable solar power and solar jobs accessible to low-income communities and communities of color. GRID is an entrepreneurial, high-growth non-profit organization that provides direct solar installation and project development; clean mobility options; workforce training and service-learning opportunities; and low-income solar policy advocacy. Our Vision: a rapid, equitable transition to a world powered by renewable energy that benefits everyone. Our Mission: to build community-powered solutions to advance economic and environmental justice through renewable energy. What it's like to work at GRID… At GRID, we care about each other and know that each employee has a whole self that includes life outside of work. Our culture supports learning, growth and well-being of all of our team members. Summary of the role: The Program Specialist will support the Department’s Single-Family Solar & Storage program administration work, with a focus on utility interconnections, Charge Ready Home, project documentation review, regional support, process improvement, and program compliance. The Program Specialist will be expected to manage complex program workflows with a high degree of independence, serve as a subject matter resource for internal and regional staff, and help ensure projects move efficiently through required administrative, utility, incentive, and funding steps . What you will be doing (essential responsibilities): General Program Administration Review project documentation for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with applicable program, incentive, funding, and internal requirements at various points in the project lifecycle. Review and approve project records at key milestones, including Application Review, Design Review, Contract Review, Install Review, Final Review, and other required approval steps. Support timely project progression and ensure required documentation is complete for incentive invoicing, GRID-owned asset management, Investment Tax Credit documentation, and other funding or compliance needs. Field and respond to program-related inquiries from Headquarters staff, regional offices, and cross-departmental partners. Work cross-departmentally with GRID staff in Headquarters and regional offices to coordinate project logistics, identify and troubleshoot compliance issues, and provide guidance to staff as needed. Track and resolve outstanding project issues, including documentation deficiencies, delayed approvals, utility issues, and program-specific requirements that may affect project completion or invoicing. Support program administration for key solar, storage, and home upgrade programs, including DAC-SASH, SGIP, Charge Ready Home, GRID-owned systems, and other related program areas. Collaborate with the Program Administration team to improve workflows, update internal resources, and adjust systems and processes in response to new program requirements, utility changes, or operational needs. Utility Interconnections Coordinate and manage interconnection workflows across utility service territories, including PG&E, Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric, and other applicable utilities. Support interconnection application submission, status tracking, deficiency resolution, Permission to Operate, and related utility approval steps for both PV-only and paired solar and storage projects. Serve as a key point of contact for interconnection questions from internal team members, regional offices, and other GRID teams. Serve as a liaison between GRID and utility staff, including following up on delayed applications, resolving utility deficiencies, escalating issues when needed, and communicating status updates to relevant stakeholders. Manage and monitor centralized interconnection communications, including delegated or shared inboxes, to ensure timely responses, accurate tracking, and appropriate escalation of utility-related issues. Maintain familiarity with interconnection requirements across utilities to support accurate, timely, and compliant submissions. Develop, maintain, and update interconnection resources, including process documentation, utility-specific guidance, knowledge base materials, templates, trackers, and staff training resources. Support complex interconnection issues, including paired solar and storage projects, transformer upgrades, meter socket adapter installations, utility deficiencies, and projects requiring additional coordination with utilities or regional staff. Charge Ready Home Coordinate Charge Ready Home application, approval, deficiency resolution, incentive claim, and invoicing processes. Monitor Charge Ready Home project pipelines, status reports, document requests, and outstanding issues to help ensure projects advance efficiently and funding opportunities are preserved. Communicate with the Charge Ready Home program administrator regarding application status, deficiencies, program requirements, and other implementation issues. Maintain Charge Ready Home process documentation, internal guidance, trackers, and staff resources. Provide guidance to regional and internal staff on Charge Ready Home requirements, documentation needs, eligibility issues, and next steps. Support coordination of main service panel upgrade-related program processes that affect GRID’s ability to complete solar and battery projects. Regional and Cross-Team Support Serve as a resource for regional staff on project review, interconnection, Charge Ready Home, program compliance, and administrative requirements. Coordinate with regional outreach, construction, and program staff to identify project barriers, resolve outstanding issues, and keep projects moving through the pipeline. Provide regular updates to regional and internal stakeholders regarding project status, utility issues, documentation deficiencies, interconnection delays, and program-specific requirements. Help ensure regional staff understand outstanding project issues and the steps needed for resolution. Support or lead staff trainings, office hours, check-ins, or ad hoc guidance sessions related to interconnection, Charge Ready Home, project documentation, and program administration. Process Improvement, Training, and Knowledge Management Identify recurring project, utility, documentation, or program administration issues and recommend process improvements. Create, compile, update, and maintain internal process documents, knowledge base materials, templates, checklists, trackers, and training resources. Translate complex utility, incentive, or program requirements into clear internal guidance for staff. Support onboarding and training of team members or regional staff on interconnection, Charge Ready Home, project review, and related program workflows. Help ensure internal resources remain current as utility requirements, incentive program rules, and GRID processes evolve. Use project data, inbox trends, deficiency patterns, and staff feedback to improve workflows, reduce delays, and support timely project completion. Requirements Your areas of knowledge and expertise... Minimum 3 years' experience in power systems engineering, grid infrastructure, and renewable energy technologies Experience with program and project management methodologies and process improvements Strong written and verbal communication skills to liaise with technical and non-technical stakeholders Familiarity with interconnection queues, compliance standards, and utility processes Working experience with Google Suite, Salesforce, Asana Benefits and how we take care of you: Compensation: The compensation range for this non-exempt, fulltime position is $68,000-$74,000. The base pay that will actually be offered will vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, location, experience and take into account internal equity. Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision/Eye Care insurance, 5 weeks paid time off (PTO),13 paid holidays, Commuter Checks, 403b Retirement Plan, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Health Savings Account (HSA), STD, LTD, and AD&D insurance Where you will sit & the places you may go… The ideal candidate will sit on the WEST COAST of the United States, preferably within California. This position may require up to 25% out-of-town travel to regional offices and special projects such as org-wide celebrations, team building exercises, etc. Availability to work nights and weekends may very rarely be required. GRID Alternatives may provide vehicles for work travel and/or travel reimbursement for personal vehicle use. In this instance, applicants must hold a valid driver’s license and have a good driving record. Important to note for California applicants: **Hired CA candidates must be able to pass a screening for drugs that are illegal in the state of California, including: amphetamine, cocaine metabolite, opiates, and PCP. Reasonable Accommodation for Job Seekers with a Disability: If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to: [email protected] Ready to Apply? Submit a resume describing your interest. Due to the high volume of inquiries, mailed and emailed applications are not accepted. GRID Alternatives provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability or genetics. Because we value EID at GRID Alternatives, we encourage folks from all backgrounds to apply, even if you do not meet all of the preferred qualifications. Every member of GRID Alternatives must be dedicated to participating in the organization's equity, inclusion, and diversity (EID) work.