Education Program Director

Passive House Massachusetts (PHMass)

Job Description
Education Program Director (EPD)
Posted Date:  May 23rd, 2024

The Education Program Director (EPD) will work alongside the Executive Director to coordinate the Passive House Education Program – a new program which will provide increased training and resources to design and construction teams on projects that require Passive House Certification. New MA Building Codes will now require a dramatic increase in projects to achieve this rigorous certification. Given that this code change is new in 2024, the skills and building science knowledge required to be successful are new to a majority of project teams in MA. Thus the industry has an exciting opportunity to upskill project teams and have a significant impact on the quality and sustainability of (primarily) new construction projects. This program is funded through a Massachusetts Clean Energy Center grant for three years. 

The role will be responsible for establishing and maintaining communication with design and construction project team members – including developers, designers, consultants, and contractors – with the goal of identifying additional training that is critical for successfully achieving Passive House Certification. The vision is to both develop new training content and to promote existing trainings. We know the interest is high, although team members (designers, owners, supervisors and tradespersons) must overcome barriers of time away from work and learning different techniques than what have been generations-old standard practice. The Education Program Director will encourage and facilitate teams to attend the appropriate trainings. This role will also work directly with the Executive Director to manage third-party consultants in developing new training content; manage ongoing training courses; and run various in-person, virtual, and hybrid training sessions. 

This is a new position and the right candidate will be prepared to help develop this program and craft this position. Experience in the building industry is required.  Additional experience in creating, organizing and delivering on-line and in-person educational content is highly preferred. Access to a personal vehicle is required. Specific knowledge of the Passive House building standard is desirable, but not required. 

Qualifications 

  • Demonstrated knowledge of building practices and the construction and building trades industry;
  • Ability to engage with diverse stakeholders, including architects and engineers, property owners/managers/developers, HVAC companies, building officials, PH-certified professionals; construction managers, tradespeople, and suppliers;
  • Strong interpersonal skills, including initiating new relationships and understanding how to communicate in different methods (in-person, in writing, etc.) to suit people with busy schedules;
  • Effective oral and written communication skills and the ability to craft and edit documents and messages for a variety of audiences;
  • Proficiency with Excel, Google Docs, Google Calendar, PowerPoint, and related software;
  • Proficiency with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and other virtual meeting software.
  • Access to private vehicle for transportation to training events.

Location
This is a remote position (work-from-home), though requires attendance at in-person events in the Greater Boston area. These events happen on irregular schedules, but will be planned in advance. On average 15 hours/week may be at in-person trainings and events.  Attendance at Boston-located monthly board meetings, followed by monthly speaker events is critical (4-8pm, second Tuesday of each month). In addition, the EPD will meet monthly in-person with a board sub-committee formed to oversee this grant and new staff.

Compensation
This is a full-time position with a base salary and an additional stipend for health care plan costs. Salary will be commensurate with the experience, skills, and qualifications that the candidate brings to the position.

Application Process
Please send resume, cover letter and salary range requested to Aaron Gunderson, Executive Director, at Aaron@PassiveHouseMA.org. All applications will be reviewed by our ED and a Board of Directors hiring committee. Qualified candidates will be contacted for interviews.

ducation Program Director Task List

  1. Coordination with Design and Construction Teams on projects requiring Passive House Certification – ongoing
    1. Proactively reach out to newly enrolled Passive House project teams and maintain relationships;
    2. Collect information about the core team for each project, included contacts and roles;
    3. Provide teams with access to currently available training content (on-demand videos, upcoming scheduled trainings);
    4. Assist teams in accessing financial aid resources (Commonwealth Corp and others) for trainings which require enrollment fees (typically for Passive House Certifications, but not for the majority of courses, which are offered for free);
    5. Maintain contact with teams; invite to PHMass events and other trainings, as well as follow-up to obtain feedback.
  1. Training Needs Assessment – first six months
    1. Interview completed project teams to identify successes and failures, initially with ED;
    2. Create Education Needs Assessment in conjunction with ED;
    3. Together with ED, create Education Strategy, especially for new content with third-party trainers (design and construction firms with an established track record of successful Passive House Certified projects).
  1. Content Delivery – ongoing
    1. With ED, manage logistics for training sessions, including in-person, hybrid, and virtual;
    2. Identify and maintain list of live training sites and host partners; 
    3. Facilitate attendee, host partner, and instructor contact and questions.
  1. Outreach and Marketing – ongoing, with increasing independence after initial six months
    1. Develop and send Training Program newsletters, flyers, and promotional content
    2. Track participation metrics;
    3. Maintain relationships with promotional partners, training groups, and other relevant organizations;
    4. Communicate with PHMass board members, particularly with committee created to oversee this new role;
    5. Reach out to other professional organizations (NAIOP, BSA, NESEA, etc.)
    6. Assist ED with new promotional content and delivery methods.
  1. Potentially Manage future Program Coordinator – 9+ months, if warranted
    1. Determine future need for Program Coordinator, dependent on growth and success of the program;
    2. Draft description and responsibilities for role;
    3. Supervise role, including holding check-ins and managing tasks.