Principal Associate, State Campaigns, Energy Modernization Project

The Environment Portfolio at The Pew Charitable Trusts

For more than 30 years, Pew has been a major force in engaging the public and policy makers about the causes, consequences, and solutions to some of the world's most pressing environmental challenges. Our environment work spans all seven continents with more than 250 professionals working at the local, national, and international levels to reduce the scope and severity of global environmental problems, such as the erosion of large natural ecosystems that contain a great part of the world's remaining biodiversity, and the destruction of the marine environment. Pew's global environmental program focuses on science-based, nonpartisan, and sustainable solutions to help protect the planet and people. We work in partnership with governments, Indigenous rights holders, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, local stakeholders, scientists, and other researchers to advance public policy so that nature and communities can thrive.

Since 1990, Pew has worked in North America, South America and Australia to protect large and critically important terrestrial ecosystems, including rivers and other freshwater resources, coastal temperate rainforests, interior mountain ranges, the northern boreal forests, Australia's Outback, and Chilean Patagonia. We work to ensure these natural systems remain bountiful, functioning, and resilient, providing essential ecological services such as clean air and clean water, sustenance and food security for local communities and more broadly for the welfare of current and future generations. Our work relies on the sciences of conservation, sociology, biology, and economics to advocate for practical and durable solutions to the loss of biodiversity.

In the sea, reforms to how our oceans are managed are essential to address overfishing, pollution, and loss of habitat. Pew began its oceans program in the United States, focusing on ending overfishing and protecting fragile marine habitat. Starting in 2005, Pew's ocean conservation program expanded around the world and played a significant role in reforming marine fisheries management in the European Union and on the high seas and creating large scale marine reserves around the world. Our work is grounded in the best available science and pursues domestic and international conservation measures that are long-term and provide permanent, durable protections for marine ecosystems. We also work to address systemic threats to the ocean, including from plastics, over-and-illegal fishing, seabed mining, and climate change.

Energy Modernization Project

The Energy Modernization Project aims to secure policies that help meet increasing energy demand and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by modernizing the transmission grid, accelerating adoption of distributed energy resources such as solar and batteries, and increasing clean energy generation.

Position Overview

The principal associate, energy modernization project, will contribute to the development and implementation of state campaign strategies and serve as a policy advocate for state-level regulatory and legislative policies that modernize the transmission grid and accelerate adoption of large-scale and local, distributed energy generation. Reporting to the project director, energy modernization, state campaigns, the principal associate collaborates with the state campaigns team to support the day-to-day execution activities across multiple priority states, which includes developing policy priorities, drafting written communications and government relations campaign materials, and working with external contractors and grantees to meet programmatic objectives. The principal associate will also collaborate with communications and government relations colleagues to develop content for the website and other external campaign communications materials.

Located in Pew's Washington, DC, office, this position participates in Pew's hybrid work program with core days in the office and the flexibility to telework the remaining days. Staff also enjoy four telework "flex weeks" per year.

Responsibilities

• Foster a work environment that inspires excellence, values impact, encourages transparency, builds mutual trust, embraces and values diversity, and is collaborative, caring, and compassionate.

• Work with the project director and state campaigns officers to support and execute day-to-day implementation of multiple state policy and advocacy campaigns that lead to grid modernization or distributed energy generation policy outcomes.

• Identify potential partners, supervise external consultants and grantees to ensure objectives are met, and develop and maintain excellent working relationships with government and partner organizations.

• Monitor state policy and energy developments, including activities and positions of state government officials, regulators, trade associations and utilities, advocacy groups, and others that relate to grid modernization and power decarbonization.

• Conduct policy analysis on emerging energy topics and present findings to inform programmatic activities; develop and maintain broad substantive knowledge of power decarbonization and grid modernization policies to inform and advance program priorities.

• Draft campaign materials, such as web content, fact sheets, presentations, and policy briefs for internal and external education and advocacy efforts, ensuring factual accuracy.

• Collaborate closely with Pew staff including communications, government relations, field operations, and others to ensure coordination of campaign activities.

• Participate in activities that support program and Pew-wide objectives.

Requirements

• Generally, six years of applicable experience, including experience working in state policy institutions or on public policy advocacy campaigns.

• Possesses knowledge of the clean energy sector and related emerging issues.

• Aptitude to apply a non-partisan, evidence-based approach to projects and campaigns that require support across the political spectrum.

• Develops and manages productive and collaborative relationships with partners, contractors, external stakeholders, and colleagues, including communications, government relations, and additional internal support functions.

• Skilled at informing and influencing internal and external audiences through written and oral communications; detail-oriented, fact-based applied research and writing experience for various internal and external audiences.

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.

• Prior to commencing employment with Pew, candidates who were registered to lobby in any jurisdiction must certify termination of previous registration(s) and provide copies of termination notices to Pew.

Key attributes and preferred experience

• Develops and moves projects forward with a high degree of independence and autonomy, and exercises sound judgement in problem-solving.

• Comfortable managing and meeting multiple deadlines and balancing short- and long-term goals, while maintaining attention to detail.

• Experience with state policy institutions and processes desired.

• Knowledge of energy grid or transmission policy or systems is ideal.

Travel

This position requires domestic travel to meetings and conferences, including up to 20% of the time during key periods.

Work Authorization

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the country for which they are seeking employment without visa sponsorship.

Salary Range

The salary range represents a reasonable estimate of the annual salary based on Pew's commitment to provide equitable and market-competitive pay. The actual salary offered will take into consideration many factors including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills and experience, internal pay equity, and business need.

Total Rewards

We offer a competitive salary and benefit program, including: comprehensive, affordable health care through medical, dental, and vision coverage; financial security with life and disability insurance; opportunities to save using health savings and flexible spending accounts; retirement benefits to help prepare for the future; and work/life benefits to maintain a good balance.

Pew is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, ethnicity, gender, or any other protected characteristics.