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. California in particular serves as the global proving ground for zero-emission transportation technologies, with policies, programs, and market adoption trends that often shape national and international transportation strategies. 

This 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. The role requires deep collaboration with government agencies, industry partners, utilities, fleets, and technology providers to accelerate market transformation. 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. This approach ensures that strategies are tailored to each region’s unique regulatory environment, infrastructure realities, fleet dynamics, and political landscape. Ultimately, the EVP will be the strategic spark that drives new thinking across the organization and the champion who helps those ideas gain traction in each regional market. 

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. California in particular serves as the global proving ground for zero-emission transportation technologies, with policies, programs, and market adoption trends that often shape national and international transportation strategies. 

This 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. The role requires deep collaboration with government agencies, industry partners, utilities, fleets, and technology providers to accelerate market transformation. 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. This approach ensures that strategies are tailored to each region’s unique regulatory environment, infrastructure realities, fleet dynamics, and political landscape. Ultimately, the EVP will be the strategic spark that drives new thinking across the organization and the champion who helps those ideas gain traction in each regional market. 

• Lead CALSTART's strategic growth and programmatic impact across the Western Region, with a strong emphasis on California's role as the 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 

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