Southern Regional Manager, Market Development

About UsHighland Electric Fleets’ electrification-as-a-service (EaaS) model aims to make electric school buses and other clean heavy duty vehicles attainable for every district across the US and Canada. Our turnkey solution tackles financing, vehicle procurement, infrastructure upgrade and maintenance to create a reliable and affordable fleet for our customers.
We know that cleaner buses create healthier communities and it’s our mission to eliminate the barriers to better student health and cleaner air - just 10 electric buses will reduce the pediatric asthma risk for 1,500 students!*
We are looking for candidates that want to help support this mission…
*Source: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Based on estimates for Highland customer with large fleet
Job Description:The Southern States Regional Manager is a key engagement role that will facilitate the company’s expansion and integration into specific markets in the southeastern United States. This individual will join a growing regional team to cover market development activities, including policy advocacy, market education, and community stakeholder engagement.
The Regional Manager will leverage their experience with advocacy, government partnerships, organizing, campaigning, and/or local commercial project development to develop relationships with people in school districts and their stakeholders that will help districts decide to electrify school bus fleets.
This individual will conduct this work in close coordination with the commercial team to support the development of projects with the school districts in these communities and leveraging government partnerships. This individual will also work with the team to evaluate new states, devise strategies for approaching different state markets, and advocate for well-justified policy changes to enable market entrance or expansion.

Responsibilities:

• Professionally represent Highland at various school, business, local government, and community activities throughout the region
• Present to groups, classes, and organizations in a variety of settings about the value of electrifying school bus fleets
• Coordinate closely with Highland’s sales and project development teams on projects in the region including acting as an educational and strategic resource when it comes to favorable policies and incentive programs.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships across the regional fleet electrification stakeholder landscape (grassroots to regional advocacy groups; local, municipal, state, and regional politicians, policy makers and program administrators; utilities; school board members and senior school district staff; etc.)
• Engage a wide variety of stakeholders from school board officials to nonprofits to build an understanding of EVSB’s and comfort with Highland.
• Develop and execute strategies/campaigns designed to mobilize stakeholders within and around a school district to encourage a school district to electrify its bus fleet
• Meet with and mobilize individuals to contact their local elected officials or government employees in support of EVSBs
• Research school districts and their stakeholders to understand the decision-making dynamics around EVSB procurement
• Plan and coordinate events and Highland’s participation in events
• Create materials (e.g., letters, written comments, presentations, handouts)designed to support market education and EVSB policy development
• Support marketing efforts in the region

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 5 years of experience in local project development (e.g., renewable energy development), government affairs, community organizing, political campaigns, and/or policy advocacy, preferably with a transportation electrification, clean technology, or climate background.

Preferred Qualifications

• Located in the Southeast, US region preferred with the ability to travel throughout the Southern, US region
• Passion for working in community organizing, advocacy, communications, public affairs, and/or policy
• Strong time-management, planning, and organizational skills
• Motivational self-starter with ability to multi-task, prioritize, and work within the parameters of a gated and deadline driven environment
• Background in government affairs and key stakeholder engagement
• Ability to recognize and address problems with expedited solutions
• Demonstrated leadership and relationship management skills
• Ability to take part in collaborative efforts with peers and colleagues
• A strong commitment to building community
• Relevant Master’s Degree (MBA, MPA, etc.) considered a plus
• Interest or prior knowledge of electric veh