Executive Director - People's Solar Energy Fund

Remote

People’s Solar Energy Fund – Executive Director

Organizational Overview

The People's Solar Energy Fund (PSEF) is a member-organized 501(c)3 nonprofit committed to advancing community-led renewable energy projects nationwide. Operating as a member resource commons, PSEF offers a range of capital, technical assistance, peer support services, and capacity-building and training programs for community-based organizations. Collectively, we are building a hub where frontline communities have the resources to lead the just transition.

Founded in 2018 by leading environmental justice organizations, PSEF is designed to dismantle barriers to entry for historically excluded communities, support leaders of color, and build the organizational and financial infrastructure needed to ensure frontline communities have a pathway to solar ownership. To make this vision a reality, PSEF supports community-owned renewable energy projects by pairing them with accessible and affordable financing, capacity-building, and technical assistance. To date, we have supported member projects with $2M in loans and mini-grants.

PSEF believes firmly that it is not only possible for frontline communities to own their own solar - it is essential. Community ownership of solar builds local self-sufficiency, strengthens resilience during disasters, creates quality jobs, reduces household energy burdens, and generates reinvestment in local economies.

Organizational Structure

PSEF operates as a dynamic and interconnected ecosystem, bringing together frontline community leaders nationwide to catalyze and sustain community-owned solar projects. Through shared collective knowledge, financial and technical resources, and advocacy, PSEF members are moving their communities to a just transition through community-owned solar projects. Now in its eighth year, PSEF is a flourishing network of community-led nonprofits, cooperatives, tribal entities, and municipal organizations functioning as a shared commons. Together, PSEF is building towards the collective goal of elevating equitable, locally-owned renewable energy projects as a blueprint for thriving and resilient communities.

PSEF is a member-directed non-profit organization, founded on cooperative principles. It supports its members with products and offerings that advance community-accountable models of clean energy projects and is governed by a Board appointed by PSEF Members. This governance structure ensures accountability to our target communities.

The Opportunity

PSEF is entering its next chapter at a pivotal moment to determine the future of energy in this country. As households wake up to higher bills while the cheaper, cleaner sources of electricity that could relieve them grow less accessible, public confidence in the infrastructure meant to serve communities is eroding. Within that loss of faith lies a profound opportunity to connect communities to one another and build the collective energy infrastructure they own and govern themselves. PSEF exists to help communities seize it. And as a member-led Commons of frontline organizations, PSEF is uniquely positioned to turn rising costs and narrowing options into an undeniable case for community-led, community-owned solutions. To meet this moment, PSEF is building toward a $100M integrated capital fund for and by frontline communities, leading into a just energy future.

This next chapter will require visionary leadership, disciplined execution, strong relationships, and a deep commitment to the members and communities at the center of PSEF’s mission.

Core Values

Justice: PSEF commits to shifting power and resources to under-resourced communities so that they have pathways to ownership, decision-making, and long-term stewardship of their resources.
Equity: PSEF acknowledges the historic and present-day systemic barriers disproportionally impacting frontline communities and communities of color, and co-designs products, offerings, and pathways that seek to address those disparities.
Diversity: PSEF elevates and amplifies a variety of perspectives, experiences, identities, geographies, and approaches. PSEF recognizes the value and validity of many ways, and understands the limiting view of believing in one right way to do things.
Empowering Under-Resourced Communities: PSEF trusts the wisdom, leadership, and lived experiences abundant in under-resourced communities and is led by this wisdom in the mission and work.
Fostering Leadership: PSEF creates pathways designed to cultivate the capacity, confidence, and skill of under-resourced communities so that they can develop, own, and lead their own renewable energy projects.

Position Summary

The People’s Solar Energy Fund (PSEF) seeks a visionary and enterprising Executive Director with proven capital mobilization experience to lead the organization through its next chapter of growth and impact. A central priority will be raising philanthropic and investment capital to strengthen PSEF’s financial sustainability and expand its ability to finance community-owned renewable energy projects. This leader will bring strong financial acumen, an understanding of community finance, and the ability to cultivate relationships with funders, investors, and strategic partners.

Leading an operating budget of $2.2M, the Executive Director will guide PSEF through an important period of organizational and cultural evolution. This leader will work closely with the Board to translate the strategic plan into clear priorities, actionable workplans, and measurable results, ensuring member voices help shape the organization's direction. The Executive Director will also bring an enterprise-level perspective to evaluating PSEF's business models and identifying opportunities for sustainable growth.

The successful candidate will be an accessible, knowledgeable, and trusted partner to PSEF's members, with a strong understanding of their needs and the challenges of advancing community-owned energy projects. Working with a remote team of 10, the Executive Director will prioritize member readiness and success, ensuring PSEF delivers meaningful value and can demonstrate the impact of its support. This leader will balance decisive executive leadership with the collaborative principles of energy democracy, bringing staff, members, and the Board together around shared priorities while building a stronger, more sustainable organization.

Key Responsibilities

The Executive Director will provide overall strategic and operational leadership for PSEF, including:

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP & EXECUTION

Lead the implementation of PSEF’s strategic plan, translating long-term priorities into annual operating plans, clear goals, measurable outcomes, and actionable workplans.
Build out programs and systems to advance identified key focus areas (“business models”) in support of the strategic plan to maximize benefit to members and their communities.
Facilitate participatory planning and decision-making with the Board, staff, and members, ensuring community perspectives inform organizational priorities and direction.

CAPITAL RAISING & FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP

Secure funding from philanthropy, mission-aligned investors, and public sources to ensure organizational sustainability and access to capital for member projects.
Raise funds for PSEF’s loan fund and explore and develop additional financing solutions, including a potential equity fund, to expand access to capital for member-owned renewable energy projects.
Provide effective financial management, with clear and appropriate budgeting, forecasting, and reporting to the Board regularly.

MEMBER ENGAGEMENT & COMMUNITY IMPACT

Oversee staff in identifying member needs, building programming to support member readiness, and amplifying our commons-based culture and approach.
Clarify and amplify the value of PSEF membership to grow number of aligned members.

ORGANIZATIONAL & PEOPLE LEADERSHIP

Provide strong internal leadership to the team, building systems and structures to provide role and decision-making clarity, leverage the expertise of team members, and ensure accountability and high-performance, while utilizing a cooperative, commons-based approach.
Oversee day-to-day operations, ensuring organizational policies, processes, and resources support efficient execution and long-term sustainability.

BOARD, EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS & MOVEMENT LEADERSHIP

Serve as a strategic partner to the Board of Directors, providing timely information, sound recommendations, and clear reporting to support effective governance and decision-making.
Be a compelling and engaging public face to members, community leaders, funders, investors, vendors, partner organizations, the financial community, and the public, building visibility and amplifying the work of members.
Strengthen partnerships across the renewable energy and climate justice ecosystem, connecting members with opportunities, expertise, and resources that advance their work.

Leadership Competencies & Characteristics

While no single candidate will bring every competency, strong candidates will offer many of the following skills, characteristics, and experiences:

Mission-Aligned and Justice-Centered Leadership – Exhibits deep commitment to and experience with PSEF’s mission of community ownership, energy democracy, and equitable access to capital for low- and moderate-income, BIPOC, and under-resourced communities. Brings a strong racial equity lens and an understanding of power dynamics, solidarity economics, and the principles of a shared commons.

Collaborative, Accessible, and Inclusive Leadership – Utilizes a participatory management style, balancing clear, decisive leadership with an inclusive approach that honors PSEF’s member-led governance. Builds authentic and transparent relationships with members, staff, and the Board. Communicates openly and fosters a culture of inclusion, trust, and shared ownership.

Capital Raising and Financial Expertise – Brings demonstrated success raising operating funds and lending capital from philanthropic, public, and mission-aligned investment sources. Combines strong financial management with knowledge of community financing. Experience with financing solar projects or developing commercial solar projects is highly valued, along with familiarity with CDFIs, green banks, or loan funds. Policy, advocacy, or legal expertise is an additional asset.

Relationship-Building and Movement Partnership – Demonstrates emotional intelligence, empathy, and strong listening and conflict-resolution skills. Builds trust across diverse constituencies, cultivates relationships with funders and mission-aligned investors, bridges differences, and can repair strained relationships while strengthening PSEF’s broader network. Moves comfortably between BIPOC communities and the Wall Street investor community.

Strong Organizational and People Management – Brings experience leading and developing teams, including remote staff, with clear expectations, accountability, and appropriate support. Builds organizational capacity, strengthens systems and infrastructure, and leads through change in ways that foster stability, transparency, and staff engagement across generations and career stages.

Transparent Governance and Strategic Leadership – Understands nonprofit board governance and member-directed or cooperative structures, with the ability to lead decisively within established governance frameworks. Communicates proactively with the Board, provides clear financial reporting, maintains appropriate boundaries between governance and operations, and keeps the organization focused on strategic priorities.

Adaptive, Steady, and Solutions-Oriented Leadership – Navigates uncertainty, shifting policy and funding environments, and organizational transitions with resilience and sound judgment. Establishes clear priorities, makes disciplined choices about where to focus resources, and balances immediate financial and operational needs with long-term movement-building goals.

Location, Compensation & Benefits

This is a fully remote position and can be based anywhere in the United States. The Executive Director will be expected to travel about 4 times a year to Board meetings, conferences, staff retreats, and/or member gatherings.

Compensation for this role is commensurate with experience, skills, and qualifications. The salary range is $160,000 - $200,000, accompanied by a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance, generous paid time off including Summer Fridays, retirement savings plan with employer contributions, and opportunities for professional growth.

PSEF is an equal opportunity employer committed to building an open, inclusive, and affirming work environment that reflects the rich diversity of the communities our members serve. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Please note that while this position is remote, applicants must reside in and be authorized to work in the United States.

How to Apply

To express your interest in this opportunity, please submit your resume and cover letter here. All inquiries and discussions will be handled with the utmost confidentiality.

PSEF is committed to an accessible workplace. If you need reasonable accommodation in

completing this application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection

process, please let us know.

About Maneva

Maneva Group is a leading woman- and minority-owned executive search firm dedicated to connecting exceptional talent with organizations committed to making a meaningful impact. Through a consultative and client-focused approach, Maneva Group partners with mission-driven organizations to build transformative leadership teams.

Our name, Maneva, comes from the combination of two Sanskrit words: “Mānav” meaning mankind & “Sevā” meaning service. We are driven by the ideal of our name - service to humanity.