New York is leading the nation in the fight on global climate change and the transition to a clean energy-powered economy. The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act) has created the most aggressive climate change goals in the nation and requires an ambitious agenda that blends proven catalysts with innovative approaches while operating across a broader energy arena that is rapidly evolving. New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA) is a driving force in realizing this agenda. NYSERDA works with stakeholders that span residents, business owners, developers, community leaders, local government officials, universities, utilities, investors, entrepreneurs, and more, to develop, invest, and foster conditions that:

• Attract the private sector capital investment needed to expand New York’s clean energy economy.
• Overcome barriers to using clean energy at a large-scale in New York.
• Enable New York’s communities and residents to benefit equitably from energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Job Overview

NYSERDA’s Director, Commercialization will be charged with leading NYSERDA’s Commercialization and Ecosystem Team (formerly known as Technology-to-Market team) and identifying opportunities to support scalable adoption across NYSERDA’s programming. Fundamentally, the Commercialization unit is charged with the development and delivery of programs and initiatives to enable and accelerate deployment of clean energy solutions that can deliver meaningful reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, advance adaptive and flexible grid infrastructure, clean energy generation and alternative transportation, and improve the value proposition of innovations to consumers. While much of NYSERDA’s historical commercialization work has focused on technical innovation, the work has expanded into business model and process innovation, among others.

The Director will be responsible for an annual new investment budget of $15-20 million annually through 2025 and the management of an existing $130 million portfolio of investments with additional state investment possible. The Director will lead a team of approximately 5-7 full-time staff, plus contractors and consulting support. The Commercialization team is part of the Innovation business unit, which also includes a research and development team and an operations team. The Commercialization Team’s current portfolio includes investments in climate and energy-related incubators, accelerators, direct investments in climatetech start ups, human capital, marketing and other initiatives. The team is regularly called upon as experts for agencies and authorities of New York as well as other states and the federal government, maintains positions on relevant boards of directors, and develops and participates in conferences and speaking engagements. The Director, Commercialization, will also lead the development of a strategy and initiatives to bring alignment and coordination to disparate climatetech initiatives across the State.

The Director will work in close concert with leadership and staff in other NYSERDA business units and divisions, such as Clean and Resilient Buildings, Large-Scale Renewables, Distributed Energy Resources, Transportation, Economic Development, and Workforce. While the latter units focus on deploying proven technologies to reach specific market goals, Innovation helps keep the funnel of new, better solutions moving from university labs through early market adoption, while advising programs on commercialization considerations such as risk mitigation, financing, insurance, and other challenges that new solutions face in scaling deployment. The Innovation unit looks for ways to continually bring solutions with better value propositions forward, as well as provides a broad understanding of overall clean energy system design, integration, and technology and system architecture trade-offs. Within this work, the Commercialization team supports early deployment of innovations and ensures State and agency planning take commercialization considerations into account.

Alongside the above work, the Director, Commercialization, will need to establish partnerships with a broad range of stakeholders engaged in supporting New York State’s clean energy and climate ecosystem and its coordination nationally with relevant market participants. These include other state agencies and entities in New York (DPS, ESD, Ag & Markets, DFS, NYPA); peer-state innovation partners (MassCEC, CA CEC); federal innovation partners (DOE, ARPA-E); academic partners; market participants (venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and firms); and catalyzers of the state’s innovation ecosystem (incubators, accelerators, and other organizations). Particularly at the current junction in decarbonization, the Director, Commercialization will be an essential member of NYSERDA’s leadership team and across the State.

Primary Responsibilities

Strategy & Leadership

• Serve as the leader for the Commercialization team: Set the strategy (key activities and priorities), align internal and external resources against the strategy, develop execution plans, and establish the team to deliver the strategy.

• Serve as a key strategy and policy advisor within NYSERDA and New York State on commercialization matters: Provide strategy, technical, and other expertise within NYSERDA and to Office of the Governor, Department of Public Service, state agency partners, and other actors. Contribute to key NYSERDA strategy and policy deliverables (e.g., energy storage, hydrogen and similar roadmaps). Support economic development and equity considerations, where appropriate, so that New York State is maximizing the economic development benefits of investments and advancing a just transition.
• Be a relentless champion for commercialization within NYSERDA: Lead efforts with staff and leadership across NYSERDA to ensure that a commercialization perspective is embedded in strategy, resource allocation, policy and program design across NYSERDA and help other business units apply an innovation perspective to their programs and initiatives.

• Be a relentless champion for in support of New York State’s climate tech innovation ecosystem and its integration with national ecosystems: Act as a coordinator and catalyst for the innovation ecosystem in the State and throughout the country. Act as a key contact point between the market and government and between research and development and commercial solutions across technology, finance, insurance, regulatory, and other considerations. Communicate NYSERDA’s Commercialization work; position NYSERDA to intervene in NYS’s climate tech innovation ecosystem most effectively to drive towards State goals.

Resource Alignment

• Lead efforts to optimize NYSERDA and New York State’s financial resources and funding sources to catalyze climate tech commercialization: Structure and manage NYSERDA’s Commercialization budget. Be creative and entrepreneurial in identifying additional financial resources and funding sources to unlock essential work across New York State. Maintain a clear investment thesis and prioritization framework for projects. Lead the production of operating plans, investment plans, and business cases to be presented to NYSERDA, DPS, and state leadership.
• Lead efforts to optimize NYSERDA’s and New York State’s people resources to catalyze climate tech commercialization: Manage NYSERDA’s commercialization staff and contractor resources. Determine capabilities and facilitate professional development of in-house and external people resources. Act to ensure that NYSERDA and New York State more broadly have the innovation talent necessary for New York State to lead the way in climate tech innovation.

Program Design, Delivery, Evaluation, and Transformation

• Design programs to drive climate tech innovation within New York State: Develop programs to accelerate research, development, and commercialization of clean energy technologies and further enhance the energy tech innovation ecosystem within New York State. Lead market analysis, technical review, and stakeholder engagement to ensure that programs reflect sound market, technical, and delivery fundamentals.
• Lead the delivery of commercialization programs and projects: Manage resources to ensure program delivery.
• Conduct ongoing program evaluation and evolve program offerings to achieve greatest impact and efficiency: Act to ensure that programs achieve greatest impact and remain responsive to market fundamentals, operationally efficient, and flexible given changing needs.

Staff and Organizational Development

• Lead, manage, and motivate the Commercialization team within the Innovation business unit
• Develop staff and serve as a coach, mentor, and a role model within the Innovation unit and broader organization.
• Substantially contribute to the development of a high-performing, highly collaborative culture within the Innovation unit and broader organization; foster an inclusive work environment; and bring a strong equity focus to all activities.

• Support overall efforts across NYSERDA to deliver on ambitious climate goals.

Minimum Qualifications

• Required: Bachelor's degree and 10 years of relevant experience in leadership positions related to climate technology research and development, technology commercialization and innovation best practices and policies
• Demonstrated record of success in setting strategy, managing a portfolio of programs and initiatives, people management, and successfully delivering solutions within business or government
• Deep understanding of energy technology commercialization and the establishment of effective innovation ecosystems
• Demonstrated problem-solving ability, entrepreneurial edge, resourcefulness, adaptability, and pragmatism.
• Ability to develop, lead, and coach a team to achieve their potential
• Proven success in forging productive and influential relationships with a broad range of stakeholders.
• Exceptional communication (verbal and written), presentation, and interpersonal skills that resonate with audiences of different backgrounds
• Strong work ethic and resolute integrity

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree and 8 years experience.

Please submit two files, one for your cover letter and another for a resume.

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