Senior Policy Specialist, Clean Energy Transmission

Founded in 1936, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF or Federation) is America's largest and most trusted grassroots conservation organization with 52 state/territorial affiliates and more than seven million members and supporters, including hunters, anglers, gardeners, birders, hikers, campers, paddlers, and outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes. The Federation's mission is to unite all Americans to ensure wildlife thrive in our rapidly changing world through programming focused on conserving wildlife, restoring habitats and waterways, expanding outdoor opportunities, connecting children with nature, and addressing the causes and consequences of climate change. The Federation is committed to inspiring all people around our shared love of nature and wildlife by creating a welcoming and inclusive community representative of all Americans.

To advance our mission, we are seeking a full-time Senior Policy Specialist, Clean Energy Transmission to join our Climate and Energy team, working out of our National Advocacy Center in Washington, DC, with telework options. Our Climate and Energy team advances domestic policies primarily at the federal level that curb greenhouse gas emissions, speed an equitable transition to clean energy and industry, and expand natural and technological carbon removal. NWF seeks to grow bipartisan support for short- and long-term congressional and executive action on climate, working with a range of partners to build diverse coalitions. The Senior Policy Specialist will help develop NWF's policy and advocacy priorities with regards to the needed deployment of additional clean energy transmission capacity in the United States, integrating our commitments to climate stabilization, habitat and natural resource conservation, environmental justice, and community engagement. You will report to the Associate Vice President of Climate and Energy and work alongside the rest of the team in Washington, D.C.

As the Senior Policy Specialist, Clean Energy Transmission, you will lead our Federation initiative to advance the environmentally and socially responsible buildout of more resilient grid infrastructure that can better incorporate and support renewable and zero/low-carbon energy technologies at the pace and scale needed to stabilize our rapidly changing climate, and provide communities more reliable power in the face of increasingly frequent and more intense climate-change related weather events. You will advise and collaborate with the AVP and colleagues from the climate, public and private lands, environmental justice, Tribal outreach, and other teams and regional offices in shaping and representing clean energy transmission policy for NWF. You will serve as an in-house expert on transmission policy, and will perform research, writing, policy analysis, lobbying, public and media education, coalition building and maintenance, and intra-organizational communication and coordination.

Primary Responsibilities Will Include:

• Policy Analysis and Advocacy - Building on our existing policy platform and other products and in collaboration with NWF's public lands team, science team, and other internal experts, you will advocate for approaches at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the Department of Energy (DOE), the Bureau of Land Management, and various regional grid operators that steer the grid toward responsible buildout, as well as keep watch on transmission deployment trends and recommend NWF engagement in key regulatory actions through public comments and communications strategies. You will also advocate for increased government funding to bolster transmission technology innovation, plus economic development, wildlife habitat protection, and environmental and economic justice for communities in the path of the new transmission and renewable energy development; and you will educate members of Congress about policy solutions.
• Coalition Participation and Partnership Development - You will lead NWF engagement in the Sustainable FERC coalition, the CARE Coalition, and other working groups on clean energy transmission; pursue new relationships and collaborate with NGO, labor, environmental justice, Tribal, academic, and business partners to advance federal policy priorities; and work with regional staff and field organizers to identify partners at the state and local levels, especially within our network of 52 independent state and territorial affiliates.
• Stakeholder Education - You will lead engagement in key regions (the Rockies, the Southeast, the Northwest, and Northeast) to facilitate stakeholder education and participation in federal rulemaking, such as by organizing virtual workshops to educate and engage community leaders, experts and academics, conservationists, sportsmen and -women, and local officials while working to understand region-specific geographic, environmental/wildlife, recreational, and cultural needs; work closely with Federation affiliates to advise and support their participation in advocacy and stakeholder dialogue; and craft educational and persuasive materials for a variety of audiences.

Qualifications:

• A Bachelor's degree and 8 years of relevant experience, with a working knowledge of clean energy transmission, smart grid technology, renewable energy permitting/siting, grid resilience and modernization, energy storage, or related policy.
• A Master's or other advanced degree in environmental policy or law, environmental engineering, climate change, environmental economics, or relevant field can count towards experience.
• Familiarity with the U.S. political system and have issue advocacy experience, plus be skilled at synthesizing and communicating information for policy or advocacy audiences in a compelling and accurate manner in writing and orally.
• Well organized with excellent attention to detail, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks, set goals, and meet deadlines.
• Comfortable working in a dynamic team and also independently, and be a go-getter with initiative to get things done.
• Strong interpersonal and networking skills with the ability to work well with diverse interests, including labor, business, conservation, and environmental justice and Tribal representatives.

NWF Values:

Your actions are expected to reflect the staff values of the National Wildlife Federation: collaboration, mindfulness, empowerment, inclusivity, and mission focus. Your competencies should include:

• Being motivated by values of equity and responsibility to those most marginalized
• Consistently bringing a high level of empathy and social skills to work and interpersonal interactions
• Being committed to deepening an environmental justice approach in policy priorities, program development and partner engagement
• Actively seeks feedback, direction, and guidance from all team members and keeps staff informed of decisions that impact them
• Being dedicated to advancing NWF's internal equity transformation and compelling partners and allies to incorporate equity into their work
• Passion for and commitment to NWF's mission.

Travel Requirements:

Travel will consist of about 20-30% of time throughout the U.S.

Compensation And Benefits:

The salary range for this position is currently $90,000 - $95,000 annually, dependent upon qualifications and experience.

We are proud of our designation by Mogul as a Top 100 Workplace with the Best Benefits in 2021! We value work-life balance and a family-friendly atmosphere with flexible scheduling. We want you to be able to integrate work and personal life with attention to your self-care, so that your work schedule is not depleting. We offer benefits so you feel restored and fueled through the day and week.

We offer these supports to help manage your mental, emotional, and physical health:

• Paid time off: Vacation that starts off at three weeks accrual, unlimited wellbeing (this time can be used for physical, spiritual, emotional, cultural, religious or financial wellbeing for yourself, a partner, or family member - including pets), 10 holidays, and 3 floating holidays
• We close down for a paid winter break between December 25 to January 1 to recognize end of-year stress, and time for reflection, rejuvenation, and spending time with family.
• Up to 16 weeks of fully paid Family and Medical Leave
• Low-cost health, dental, and vision insurance options - all outpatient mental health is covered at in-network rates
• Therapist available at no cost
• Pet insurance and discount perk program
• Annual wellbeing allowance

In addition to your salary, we offer the following supports to your personal finances:

• Retirement plan with immediate match and vesting
• Annual year end retirement contribution
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Adoption and Surrogacy assistance
• Pet adoption stipend
• Student Loan management

Applicants are invited to learn more about National Wildlife Federation's benefits package at https://www.nwf.org/About-Us/Careers

Application:

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Candidates should submit a cover letter and resume.

We strive to increase diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) in all elements of our work and with our partners to support the interdependent needs of wildlife and people in a rapidly changing world. We recruit, employ, train compensate, and promote regardless of race, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity (including gender nonconformity and status as a transgender individual), age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, genetic information, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Applicants are invited to learn more about National Wildlife Federation's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion at nwf.org/equity.

We recognize that people come with a wealth of knowledge and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job. Your experience, which may include paid and unpaid work, including volunteer work, helps build the competencies and knowledge that translates to our openings. Whether you're new to the field, returning to work after a gap in your employment, or are taking the next step in your career path, if you believe you could excel in this role we encourage you to apply! Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and a culture of excellence. To be eligible for this role you must be a U.S. citizen or have valid work authorization to work in the U.S

Please let us know if you require accommodations during the application or interview process by reaching us at hrhelp@nwf.org or 703-438-6244.

If selected for this position, a background check will be conducted.