Associate, Federal & External Affairs, U.S. Climate Alliance

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Position description

The U.S. Climate Alliance is a bipartisan coalition of governors sustaining America’s fight against climate change with bold, state-led action. The Alliance Secretariat helps its member states and territories accelerate climate action by providing a broad range of technical, analytical, policy, and capacity assistance and resources. It also coordinates engagement with the federal government and national partners to drive solutions across government in support of an ambitious, durable national climate framework. For more on the Alliance, visit www.usclimatealliance.org.

JOB SUMMARY

The Alliance seeks a highly-motivated Federal & External Affairs Associate to help governors’ offices advance their climate and clean energy priorities by supporting impactful federal engagement strategies and managing relationships with external partners. Key responsibilities include tracking federal policy developments at the executive and legislative levels; advising Alliance members and Secretariat staff on federal actions and opportunities for engagement; drafting and editing federal components of the Alliance’s weekly newsletter; managing relationships with partner organizations; supporting rollouts of coalition announcements to maximize positive impact; assisting with the facilitation of international exchanges; and maintaining relevant databases and distribution lists. The Associate reports to the Manager of Federal & External Affairs and works as part of a broader team that includes Alliance states, consultants, and external partners.

This position is based in Washington, DC and operates on a hybrid schedule.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Federal policy tracking and advising

• Track and analyze federal policy developments with impacts to US emissions-reduction and resilience goals, including executive and regulatory actions by the federal government and congressional activities on Capitol Hill
• Work with Secretariat policy leads, member states, and partner organizations to evaluate and prioritize opportunities to engage strategically on federal policy matters
• Oversee and maintain federal policy trackers that are used by Alliance members and Secretariat staff to stay up-to-date on policy developments and opportunities for engagement
• Provide verbal and written updates to Alliance members and Secretariat staff on federal policy developments, including through staff meetings, briefing memos, the Alliance’s weekly newsletter, and biweekly meetings with Governor-Office Representatives
• Collaborate with Secretariat policy leads to develop written materials on federal policy matters, such as communications toolkits and comment letters
• Draft and review federal activities as part of the Alliance’s annual work-planning process, partnering collaboratively with Secretariat staff to ensure alignment across teams and sectors
• Act as a liaison to federal and congressional officials, as appropriate

External partner relations

• Act as a liaison and primary point of contact for partner environmental organizations, cultivating cooperative relationships in support of Alliance states’ climate goals
• Represent the Alliance in meetings and events with external partners and ensure that meeting notes and action items are appropriately documented, tracked, and acted upon
• Support Secretariat policy leads in cultivating relationships and regularly communicating with partner organizations focused on their issue areas
• Assist with agenda development, meeting facilitation, and follow-up from the Alliance’s monthly call with national advocacy groups
• Develop and execute rollout plans for Alliance announcements, newsletters, press releases, updates, and events, with the aim of maximizing positive impact with relevant partners
• Compile invitation lists for special events, working closely with Alliance leadership to create opportunities for networking and meaningful partner engagement
• Draft talking points for Secretariat staff members who are speaking with external audiences to ensure we are speaking with one voice and telling the Alliance’s story most effectively

International exchanges

• Assist with cultivating, planning for, and executing opportunities for Alliance states and staff to engage the global community
• Support Alliance leadership in preparing for participation in major international forums, including the annual UN Climate Change Conference (COP)
• Develop invitation lists and coordinate participation by Alliance state officials in international events and convenings
• Draft briefing memos, talking points, or other written materials as needed

Systems maintenance

• Maintain systems essential to the Alliance’s federal and external affairs work, including federal policy trackers
• Regularly update databases and distribution lists used by the Alliance to stay in contact with partners across the environmental community, including federal agencies, international governments, congressional offices, nonprofits, think tanks, and advocacy groups

Support for Alliance events, meetings, and products

• Conduct research, create presentations, and draft written materials for Alliance members on an as-needed basis
• Create materials to support the Alliance’s meetings, learning labs, and events, including by working with Alliance states, consulting outside experts, and conducting desk research
• Contribute to Alliance products across other sectors and workstreams

Other duties as assigned

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Federal and External Affairs Associate is not a supervisory role.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with relevant work experience required
• 2-3 years of experience working on climate and clean energy issues, with past experience working in or around state or federal government strongly preferred
• Demonstrated strong research, analytical, writing, presentation, and briefing skills
• Familiarity with U.S. climate and energy policy, with deep knowledge of federal and congressional policy landscape. Capitol Hill experience a major plus
• Familiarity with tracking systems and databases (e.g., Microsoft Excel or Airtable) and project management platforms

SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

• Critical and strategic thinker who can synthesize complex information and identify opportunities for effective and timely intervention
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with an ability to tailor one’s style and content to meet a variety of circumstances, without requiring frequent direction
• Aptitude for building consensus and bridging differences among groups of stakeholders with often divergent perspectives and priorities
• As part of a small and busy team, key skills include:
  • Self-motivated with strong ability to find solutions in the face of challenges
  • Maximum flexibility in accepting and professionally executing a range of tasks
  • Demonstrated ability to prioritize multiple, competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
  • Ability to diplomatically engage diverse counterparts and use personal discretion in working with sensitive information
  • Ability to work under pressure and handle stress
  • Ability to work collaboratively across teams

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The essential functions of this role will generally be performed in a typical professional office environment with routine use of standard office equipment. Employees are expected to either work on-site in accordance with the U.S. Climate Alliance’s hybrid work policy, which currently requires regular in-office presence, or may be approved to work remotely elsewhere in the contiguous U.S., provided the employee maintains a dedicated workspace that supports confidentiality and productivity. Employees approved for remote work must ensure limited background noise and environmental distractions to effectively perform essential job functions.

Application instructions

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