Executive Vice President, California and Regional Market Acceleration

About The Role

CALSTART is seeking an Executive Vice President, California and Regional Market Acceleration to lead California strategy and provide thought leadership and close support to stakeholders across CA, from elected officials to agencies to members of the clean transportation industry. In this role, the EVP will oversee the leadership of the organization’s regional offices (California, Midwest, Northeast) while driving growth into emerging markets, including the Southeast and Texas. The Western Region represents the most advanced and influential clean transportation market in North America, driven by ambitious climate policy, significant public investment, and rapid industry innovation.

The leader will oversee the Business Development team and work in close collaboration with the EVP of Initiatives, Head of Policy, and VP of Strategic Programs and Innovation to ensure that CALSTART is developing the best strategies and programs to advance innovation and clean transportation technology across light‑duty vehicles, trucks and buses, innovative mobility solutions, and charging and fueling infrastructure.

Serving as a key thought partner to the CEO, the EVP will translate California’s successful models into actionable strategies that can work in other regions, while also identifying and replicating new ideas emerging from those markets. The approach ensures strategies are tailored to each region’s unique regulatory environment, infrastructure realities, fleet dynamics, and political landscape.

What You’ll Do

• Lead CALSTART's strategic growth and programmatic impact across the Western Region, with a strong emphasis on California as a leading market for zero‑emission transportation.
• Oversee and guide CALSTART’s current regional offices and help build the organization’s presence in growth markets such as the Southeast and Texas.
• Lead the Business Development team to align regional priorities with organizational growth and mission.
• Identify the specific programs, partnerships, and policy actions needed to accelerate transportation electrification in California and in each region CALSTART serves.
• Develop deep familiarity with the unique regulatory, infrastructure, fleet, and market conditions in each region and use that understanding to inform strategy.
• Serve as a key thought partner to the CEO, EVP of Initiatives, Head of Policy, and VP of Strategic Programs and Innovation, helping to align regional priorities with CALSTART’s organizational mission.
• Drive collaboration and knowledge sharing across regional teams, ensuring lessons learned and successful models in one market are adapted for others.
• Represent CALSTART in key regional and national forums shaping transportation policy and investment strategies.
• Build and maintain deep partnerships with federal, state, and local agencies, utilities, fleets, manufacturers, and technology providers.
• Facilitate collaboration between public and private stakeholders to accelerate deployment of advanced transportation technologies.
• Lead large‑scale programs and initiatives that support technology commercialization and market adoption.
• Identify opportunities to pilot and scale innovative technologies across fleets, infrastructure networks, and mobility systems.
• Champion new ideas and help build organizational support for innovative approaches to market transformation.
• Guide regional staff and cross‑functional teams to deliver impactful programs and measurable outcomes.
• Support CALSTART’s broader organizational strategy by ensuring regional initiatives contribute to national goals.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and high performance.

What You’ll Bring

• 15 or more years of relevant experience, preferably in transportation, clean energy, advanced vehicle technologies, environmental policy, or related industries.
• Strong relationships with California and other regional government agencies, officials, and stakeholders.
• Bachelor's degree in environmental science, public policy, business, or a related field.
• Proven experience leading business development and regional growth.
• Experience developing, securing, managing, and executing government or large‑scale funded programs.
• Demonstrated leadership in managing complex programs and multi‑stakeholder partnerships.
• High level of personal initiative and ability to develop and pursue a regional strategy.
• Strong communication and relationship‑building skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining high‑quality outcomes.
• Understanding of the policy, regulatory, and market landscape affecting clean transportation in western states.
• Ability to work collaboratively across teams and with diverse stakeholder groups.
• Deep familiarity with California’s clean transportation policy and regulatory landscape, including agencies such as the California Air Resources Board and California Energy Commission.
• Strong relationships with fleets, manufacturers, utilities, and mobility innovators operating across CALSTART’s regional markets.
• Experience navigating large‑scale public funding programs and public‑private partnerships.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including spreadsheet analysis for program budgeting and reporting.
• Willingness to travel within the regions and occasionally to other parts of the country.

Leadership Competencies

• Work with public and private clean transportation ecosystem in California, the West Coast and other regions to develop the “Playbook” for each region that responds to the current market and regulatory landscape and will propel clean transportation forward in each of those regions.
• Established network of industry, government, and nonprofit partners across California and the broader Western Region.
• Knowledge of zero‑emission transportation technologies including electric and hydrogen systems.
• Experience with transportation electrification programs and infrastructure initiatives.
• Expertise in areas such as policy analysis, transportation planning, financial modeling, workforce development, or environmental justice.
• Familiarity with federal, state, and regional funding opportunities.
• Experience managing government grants and contracts.
• Familiarity with transportation markets in the Southeast, Texas, or other emerging clean transportation regions.
• Advanced degree in environmental science, public policy, business, or a related field.
• Program or project management certification.

Salary

US$ 180,000 – 230,400 per year.

Benefits

• 100% company‑paid comprehensive health benefits for medical, dental, vision, short‑term and long‑term disability, and life insurance.
• Retirement plan with generous company contributions.
• FSA for health and dependent care.
• Three weeks of vacation in the first year.
• 11 paid company holidays.
• Paid sick time and paid family leave.
• Other benefits as part of full‑time employment.

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

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