Project Manager II, Electric Bus Programs

CALSTART; Pasadena (CA); On-site; USD 72,000 - 86,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Paid vacation

11 paid holidays

Sick time

Family leave

Job summary

CALSTART seeks a Project Manager to support the ZESBI Incentive Project and School Bus Team, coordinating incentive processing, data management, and cross-team collaboration.

You will liaise with the California Energy Commission and CARB, helping drive seamless applications, reimbursements, and end-user experiences across programs.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of California or national school bus and/or infrastructure industry knowledge.
• 2–3 years of project management experience.
• Ability to synthesize information for stakeholders and deliver clear communications.
• Strong problem-solving and deadline-driven work with minimal supervision.
• Bachelor's Degree in Public Administration, Sustainability, Environmental or related field.

Responsibilities

• Support School Bus Team to implement Electric School Bus Incentive Projects.
• Be liaison and first point of contact for incentive processing team.
• Assist with data collection, vendor/product lists, and portal troubleshooting.
• Collaborate to administer seamless joint application processes (infrastructure and vehicles).
• Engage with state agencies and stakeholders.
• Develop SOPs and internal controls under PM direction.
• Support contract schedules and deliverables.
• Leverage expertise to advance CALSTART's zero-emission bus initiatives.

Skills

School bus industry knowledge

Project management

Stakeholder communication

Problem solving

Time management

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Public Administration, Sustainability, Environmental or related field

Tools

MS Excel

CRM systems

Job description

About Us

CALSTART is a mission-driven industry organization focused on transportation decarbonization and clean air for all.

For over 30 years, it's been CALSTART's mission to develop, assess, and implement large-scale, zero-emission transportation solutions to mitigate climate change and support economic growth.

CALSTART works with businesses, organizations, governments, and communities to create real-life impact toward clean air and equitable access to clean transportation for all.

CALSTART provides scientific, technical and policy support for regulatory development and clean technology and infrastructure acceleration.

About The Role

CALSTART is seeking to fill a Project Manager to join our School Bus Team and support the administration of the Zero Emission School Bus and Infrastructure (ZESBI) Incentive Project-a $500 million initiative that will be implemented over the next several years.

The successful candidate will play a key role in the implementation of the ZESBI Incentive Project, supporting efforts under the School Bus Programs Initiative and Market Acceleration activities, as well as engaging with key external stakeholders; including the California Energy Commission (CEC) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

Duties & Responsibilities

Support School Bus Team to implement Electric School Bus Incentive Projects. Be the liaison and first point of contact for incentive processing team. Be first point of contact for technical elements of the project including data collection, managing lists of approved products and approved vendors. Provide exceptional customer service to zero-emission school bus incentive project applicants while explaining complex processes and requirements. Under direction of the Electric School Bus, Lead Project Manager, support cross-team functionality to administer a seamless joint application (infrastructure and vehicles) process from start to finish. Support synergies between internal school bus and infrastructure funding mechanisms, particularly Standard HVIP, ZESBI, the HVIP Public School Bus Set Aside, and EnergIIZE, in order to articulate a seamless end-user experience for school districts and stakeholders. Support infrastructure and school bus stakeholder industry engagement as it relates to the above synergies and industry momentum more broadly. Work with internal Salesforce team to administer and implement the ZESBI incentive processing portal for applicants and incentive recipients. Work with internal Incentive Processing team to properly process applications, reimbursements, troubleshoot portal issues, etc. Work with other teams and departments within CALSTART to provide assistance to zero emission school bus applicants/incentive recipients and help projects succeed. Under direction of the Electric School Bus, Lead Project Manager, work with state agencies, industry stakeholders, and the above-mentioned team members to execute incentive design, stakeholder engagement, participation and policy implementation, and end-user experience. Monitor applications, incentive agreements, reimbursements, and other documentation Support the development of project SOPs and internal controls for these deliverables, under direction of the Electric School Bus, Lead Project Manager. Under direction of the Electric School Bus, Lead Project Manager, support with client contract schedules, contract deliverables, etc. Leverage expertise to further CALSTART's reputation in the zero-emission school bus and infrastructure industries.

Qualifications

Experience and Knowledge:

• Years of experience: 3-5 years California or national school bus and/or infrastructure industry knowledge
• 2-3 years of project management experience
• Proven ability to synthesize large amounts of information into clear understandable language for stakeholders and other interested parties
• Excellent problem-solving and critical thinking skills as well as ability to communicate via presentations and written deliverables
• Strong ability to meet or exceed deadlines and able to work with minimal supervision
• Bachelors Degree in Public Administration, Sustainability, Environmental or other related fields or analogous experience
• Ability to gather and analyze information and problem solve to propose a solution
• Demonstrated experience using computer applications, including MS Suite, CRM, etc.
• Experience working on projects that require a high refinement of detail
• Experience using both written and verbal means to communicate with other agencies, stakeholders, industry, and the general public
• Ability to engage with varied audiences
• Experience establishing priorities and balance multiple activities to meet rigorous deadlines

Desired Qualifications:

• Two years of experience with designing grant applications, preferably for zero-emission school bus and/or infrastructure related projects.
• Processing applications and/or reimbursements for zero-emission incentive projects and/or experience with Salesforce.
• Experience with planning and/or deploying zero-emission school buses and/or supporting infrastructure.
• Knowledge of the advanced transportation industry, zero-emission vehicles and supporting technology.

$72,000 - $85,760 a year

We understand that not everyone will match the above qualifications 100%. If your background isn't perfectly aligned but you feel you would be a great addition to the team, we'd love to hear from you.

We're a tight-knit team of world-class innovators, business minds, and change agents who believe passionately in our mission and put our team ahead of self. We are committed to the continued development and growth of our employees and invest in your success! We care about your personal well being as much as your professional success and offer generous benefits to full time employees including:

• 100% company paid comprehensive health benefits for Medical, Dental, Vision, Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability and Life Insurance, Retirement plan with generous company contributions, FSA for Health and Dependent Care, 3 weeks of vacation time in the first year of employment, 11 paid company holidays, paid sick time, paid family leave, and more!

Our inclusive environment focuses on making decisions based on merit without regard to race, color, hair texture, gender, religion, age, nationality, social or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, LGBTQIA+ status, marital status, pregnancy, disability, genetics, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.