The Illinois Alliance for Clean Transportation is hiring an Executive Director.
The Illinois Alliance for Clean Transportation (IACT) is a unique partnership of business, industry, community, and government, all working together to advance clean transportation. It is one of 85 Clean Cities and Communities (CC&C) coalitions across the country. New board leadership has developed a strategic plan and core funding is secure. With a committed board ready to grow, IACT is entering a new chapter — and is seeking the right person to lead.
This is a builder role. The new Executive Director will shape IACT’s programs, partnerships, and presence across Illinois at a time when clean transportation technologies and markets are accelerating and community support is growing. This opportunity is best suited for a person who will bring energy, creativity, resourcefulness, collaborative leadership and relationship building skills. The successful candidate will also be a good listener, quick learner, with aptitude and humility to leverage resources and experience across the CC&C network.
ABOUT IACT
IACT is one of the earliest CC&C coalitions designated by the U.S. Department of Energy, originally serving the Greater Chicago area and now operating statewide. Its mission is to advance clean transportation solutions across Illinois by connecting fleets, local governments and businesses, utilities, and community organizations with the technology solution providers, funding, and technical assistance they need to move toward cleaner, lower-emission transportation.
IACT’s affiliation with the national CC&C network means its new Executive Director will have access to peer mentorship from experienced coalition directors across the country, ongoing technical support, information, and tools from DOE and its national laboratory partners, and a community of professionals who have built their careers around exactly this kind of work. For the right person, this network is one of the most valuable professional assets in the clean transportation field.
WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR
We are looking for someone who is likely at an early-to-mid point in their career who is ready to lead. This person may, or may not, have prior nonprofit executive experience. Either way, the individual will have the drive, resourcefulness, and people skills to grow into it quickly and make it their own.
You might currently be working at a peer CC&C coalition, a state energy office, a clean transportation nonprofit, a utility’s sustainability program, or a DOE contractor or national laboratory. You understand — or are eager to learn — the landscape of clean transportation policy, technology, and funding. You are energized by building rather than managing, and you are the kind of person who figures things out.
Specifically, we’re looking for someone who is:
- A relationship builder who earns trust quickly — with a board, with members and partners, with funders, and with the broader CC&C network
- An excellent communicator who can translate complex technical or policy content clearly for diverse audiences: fleet managers, policymakers, community partners, businesses, and funders
- A fast, self-directed learner who is comfortable getting up to speed on new topics and asking for help from people who know and have experienced more
- Resourceful and entrepreneurial — someone who sees constraints as a design challenge and is creative about programs, partnerships, and funding development
- A motivator who can engage and encourage board members to contribute their time and talents in meaningful ways
- Comfortable with ambiguity and iteration; energized by the early stage of something, not frustrated by it
- Financially literate enough to manage a budget, navigate grant reporting, and understand the fundamentals of nonprofit finance
- Well-organized and adept at developing and managing all aspects of clean transportation programs and projects
- A confident team builder who can judge talent, set clear expectations, empower leadership in others, and foster a positive, welcoming culture
- Comfortable with technology and modern digital tools, including artificial intelligence
- Genuinely passionate about clean transportation and its environmental, economic, and public health dimensions
WHAT YOU’LL DO
As IACT’s Executive Director, you will work closely with the board to provide organizational leadership, serving as a spokesperson and key relationship manager, while also leveraging board members in these capacities.
Core areas of responsibility include:
- Planning & operations: Develop and execute annual work plans and budgets, featuring new and existing education, technical assistance, policy, and other programs, in collaboration with the board, aligned with IACT’s strategic direction
- Member services & programs: Connect Illinois fleets, local governments, and communities with clean transportation technologies, funding, and technical assistance
- Staff Supervision: Provide supervision and support to three current part-time contract staff while growing the team as funds permit and fostering a positive culture
- Communications & external presence: Represent IACT publicly through speaking, advocacy, and media engagement; build IACT’s visibility and reputation statewide and across the national CC&C network
- Fundraising & development: Identify and pursue funding opportunities — grants, partnerships, earned revenue — to sustain and grow organizational operations and all programs
- Board & stakeholder engagement: Build and support the board of directors and engage IACT’s members, partners, and stakeholders across Illinois
- Network & DOE relationship: Maintain IACT’s DOE designation and serve as the primary coalition point of contact with DOE and the CC&C network
PREFERRED BACKGROUND
We are more interested in trajectory and disposition than in a specific resume.
That said, strong candidates will likely bring some combination of the following:
- Experience working in or alongside a mission-driven nonprofit, coalition, public agency, or advocacy organization
- Familiarity with the clean transportation, clean energy, or sustainability policy landscape — either through direct work or through programs like DOE’s Accelerate internship
- Conversant in advanced vehicle fuels and systems such as electric, renewable natural gas, other renewables, efficiency technologies, and others, as they continue to evolve.
- Experience with grant-funded programs, including research, application, management, and reporting
- A track record of building relationships and working across sectors — government, private, nonprofit
- A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (public policy, environmental studies, communications, business, public administration, or similar) — or equivalent experience
- Willingness to travel regionally and occasionally nationally for CC&C meetings, conferences, and stakeholder engagement
Position Details
This is a full-time, W-2 employee position. Salary range is $80,000–$100,000, commensurate with experience, plus a benefits package including health insurance contribution and paid time off. The position is remote but requires Illinois residency, or relocation. IACT is an equal opportunity employer. The board is looking for a leader who will successfully scale IACT’s budget, unlock new revenue streams, and expand the organization’s footprint — directly creating the organizational capacity for team growth and long-term career advancement.
HOW TO APPLY
This search is being conducted by Sam Spofforth at GoForth Partners on behalf of IACT. To apply, please send a resume and a short letter (no more than one page) describing why this role interests you and what you would bring to it. Applications are held in strict confidence.
Send materials to: jobs@il-act.org
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Early applications are encouraged.