BACKGROUND

About Energy Trust of Oregon

Energy Trust of Oregon is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to energy efficiency and renewable energy development. We serve Oregon customers of Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural, Cascade Natural Gas and Avista, and SW Washington customers of NW Natural. Year over year Energy Trust is recognized as one of the 100 Best Nonprofits to Work For in Oregon.

Our Vision

Clean, affordable energy for everyone.

Our Commitment to Diversity

We recognize the lack of diversity in our industry, and we actively seek to address it with our hiring and retention practices as well as our values. We believe every person and their lived experience is integral to building a vibrant culture and delivering effective services to all customers we serve. We are committed to the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion, and we encourage candidates with diverse backgrounds and experience to apply.

Our Location

Energy Trust provides a range of work location options, including remote, hybrid and in-office work. This position will represent Energy Trust in public settings and potentially at community events. We are open to candidates who live throughout Oregon and Washington. The Contracts Manager would be expected to report to the office on a quarterly basis, at minimum.

What We’re Looking For:

The Contracts Manager plays a vital role in supporting Energy Trust’s purpose and values by providing a wide range of services related to contracts and customer program participation and incentive forms, including procurement support, contracts portfolio management and administration, and ensuring that our agreements align with relevant regulations, organizational goals and policies, and standard operating procedures. They analyze information to achieve desired outcomes, tackle complex problems, and serve as a key team member and trusted advisor in helping to identify strategies to minimize risk and improve processes and workflows. Additionally, they offer support, guidance, and training to personnel at all levels regarding contracts matters.

The Contracts Manager is responsible for negotiating, drafting, and finalizing contracts relating to Energy Trust programs, projects, and operations. They interface with employees across the organization helping to: develop, review, and approve forms that define obligations and responsibilities for program participation, incentive and grant funding; act as a subject matter expert and support competitive solicitations for identifying and selecting contractors according to organizational policies and procedures, including Energy Trust’s supplier diversity program requirements; help integrate contracts and forms with Energy Trust data systems; and maintain contracts and contract records. The Contracts Manager takes considerable initiative, yet if the candidate is not an attorney, will perform any work that is legal in nature under the oversight of an attorney. The position is not supervisory in nature, but the Contracts Manager may mentor and provide oversight of interns.

What You’ll Do:

This is an unprecedented time for work in the way we use energy and to meet the challenge of climate change. Energy Trust Contracts Managers play an integral role across Energy Trust, working closely with program leaders to efficiently manage our contracting process with a diverse set of service providers, utilities, government agencies, and funders many of whom have complex contracting processes and requirements. If you are excited about both contracting and working towards clean affordable energy for everyone, Energy Trust and this position are for you!

• Do you enjoy the different elements of the contract lifecycle – from shepherding the initial set up to reviewing final terms
• Do you love to put your “organizational intelligence” to work when drafting contract scopes and terms and developing contracting workflow and processes?
• Are you interested in educating and advising internal teams on contract requirements, including managing organizational and legal risk, information security, data privacy, and insurance requirements?
• Are you passionate about building a thriving and successful supplier diversity program?
• Does the idea of being the information hub excite you?

If your answers are “Yes” we would like to talk to you about joining our Legal/Contracts team.

• Under supervision of in-house legal counsel, negotiates and drafts contracts for a range of programs and projects. Contract types and complexity varies widely, but may include nondisclosure agreements, intellectual property licensing agreements, enterprise software agreements, services agreements including complex, multi-million dollar program management and delivery services agreements.
• Ensures that contract scopes and terms reflect accurate interpretation and implementation of Energy Trust policies, principles, and program needs and are compliant with governing law and regulation.
• Develops and reviews program forms that define energy program participation obligations and responsibilities.
• Generates and/or edits unique documents (letters, memos, etc.) with the express purpose of translating programmatic desires and requirements into legally sufficient documentation detailing the contractual aspects.
• Drives plain language improvements for contract language and process improvements related to contract management and administration and compliance.
• Conducts research in areas of specialty as needed; gathers and compiles data and information; prepares memos and/or reports. Capable of analyzing a regulatory framework and applying it to the situation at hand.
• Reinforces consistency in the organization’s policies and procedures and provides support and training related to competitive solicitation and contracting requirements and administration.
• Works with Energy Trust staff to develop competitive solicitations, such as requests for proposals; and review proposals for Energy Trust programs and services.
• Supports Energy Trust contracting processes and systems and process and system improvements.
• Interacts with a diverse workforce and be comfortable working in culturally diverse settings and groups.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office software, including Word, Excel, Outlook, OneDrive,etc., meeting collaboration software (e.g. Teams/Zoom, etc.), SharePoint, Adobe, DocuSign, and willing to learn new skills and applications.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

• This position does not supervise other Energy Trust employees.

What You’ll Need:

• 3-5 years providing similar types of directly related contracting support functions.
• Demonstrated understanding, experience and proficiency with contract negotiation and development, solid negotiation and administration skills.
• Demonstrated knowledge, experience, and proficiency with contracting language, processes and systems.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to empathize with others; experience and aptitude for rapport-building and working collaboratively with colleagues across work disciplines and contract counterparties.
• Strong and effective written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to prioritize (and reprioritize), work under pressure and flexibly to meet deadlines, and be able to thrive in a fast-paced work environment.
• Experience and demonstrated success in positions requiring problem-solving skills and critical thinking.
• Experience that demonstrates focus on managing time and work product in a manner that is accurate, detail-oriented, and well organized.
• Customer service skills and experience. Must be able to interact with a diverse workforce and be comfortable working in culturally diverse settings and groups
• Commitment to being part of maintaining, and improving a diverse, equitable, respectful, and inclusive workplace with a desire to continue education and training in the broader fields of inclusion and workplace diversity across all dimensions of equity.
• Ability to use discretion and keep sensitive legal and financial-related information confidential. Capable of exercising initiative and sound judgment and reacting with discretion under varying conditions.

What You’ll Get:

• Health/dental/vision insurance
• Employer sponsored and paid life/disability
• 401(k) with a company contribution of 6% of your salary after 90 days of employment
• TriMet pass
• Access to health and dependent FSA/HSA accounts
• Generous paid vacation, holidays and sick days
• Paid volunteer hours
• Employee assistance program
• Career advancement opportunities
• Great colleagues and culture
• Flexibility to work from home and/or an office space at the Portland, OR location
• Work from home laptop provided

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and People of Color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Energy Trust we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace—if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right candidate for this or other roles.

Please submit a cover letter, resume and application (found on Energy Trust’s website www.energytrust.org/About/careers) .

Attn: Contracts Manager

Energy Trust of Oregon is committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all persons regardless of race, color, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, medical condition, genetic information, mental and physical disability, political affiliation, union membership, status as a parent, military or veteran status or other non-merit based factors. We will provide reasonable accommodations throughout the application, interviewing and employment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, contact us. Energy Trust of Oregon is an E-Verify employer. This policy is applicable to all phases of the employment relationship, including hiring, transfers, promotions, training, terminations, working conditions, compensation, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment.

Energy Trust is committed to pay equity. Energy Trust is committed to fair employment practices and non-discrimination, including pay equity for all employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of protected class (race, sex, veteran status, disability, age, color, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation) in the payment of wages or screen applicants on the basis of their current or past compensation. We determine salary by completing a review of your application materials to evaluate your related education, experience and training.

Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, depth of experience, and certifications in the pay equity assessment to determine equitable salary placement.

Starting Compensation: $90,500.00 –  $115,700.00