Policy Advocate, Colorado

Natural Resources Defense

United States

On-site

USD 117,000 - 130,000

Full time

2 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Time to Unplug & Recharge

Family leave policy

403b matching

Hybrid in-office policy (8 days/month)

Comprehensive health benefits

Job summary

NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council) is seeking a Limited-Term Climate Policy Advocate based in Colorado to lead state and local policy design and advocacy. You will collaborate with diverse partners to advance equitable clean energy solutions and build coalitions across environmental and community groups.

You will represent NRDC in public forums, work with state agencies and legislatures, and help manage a multi-disciplinary team focused on decarbonization across power, buildings, and

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in environment, climate, energy policy, or related field.
Advanced degree preferred for specialized policy work.
4–7 years of work experience related to environment, climate, energy policy, or a related field—specifically in Colorado.

Responsibilities

Support the development and advancement of a broad portfolio of equitable climate and clean energy policies, including power sector decarbonization, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and transportation and building electrification.
Build partnerships and collaborate with community groups most impacted by environmental injustices (including Black, Indigenous, and people of color, and low-income and rural communities).
Develop and nurture durable partnerships with state climate coalitions and a wide network of allies, including the environmental community, frontline and environmental justice groups, consumer and low-income advocates, labor, the faith community, clean energy businesses, utilities, state and local decision makers and elected officials.
Lead and oversee research, analysis, and design of state and local climate and clean energy policies, including utility regulatory policy.
Provide written and oral advocacy at state agencies, the state legislature, and governor’s office.
Represent NRDC at conferences and serve as a spokesperson in the press for NRDC’s climate and clean energy mission in Colorado
Collaborate with a multi‑faceted internal team of campaign, communications, public engagement, and policy experts to advance a diverse portfolio of policy initiatives.
In partnership with Climate and Energy’s Western Regional Director and western team, sector teams (power, buildings, transportation and industrial), Equity and Community Partnership team, and other staff internally, set strategic goals and priorities, budgets, and timelines; effectively manage the budget allocated to Colorado; and deploy consultants and partners to meet project timelines and objectives.
Be a central part of a strong and collegial team that is focused on collaboration, approaches advocacy with innovation and optimism, and is committed to leveraging the full range of expertise within NRDC and among its partners to drive change.

Skills

Policy advocacy

Regulatory experience

Stakeholder engagement

Communication skills

Lobbying eligibility

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Overview

NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council) works to safeguard the Earth, its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. NRDC combines the power of more than 3 million members and online activists with the expertise of some 800 policy advocates, lawyers, scientists, and communication experts to confront the climate crisis, protect nature, ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. As an international nonprofit environmental organization, NRDC is working to address the world’s most urgent environmental challenges, and advance innovative, science‑based, and enforceable solutions.

Since our founding in 1970, NRDC has helped craft and deliver many of America’s foundational environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act. Today, we continue to lead in advancing and defending strong environmental protections at the local, state, federal and international levels, as well as through the marketplace. Our team works across the United States and around the world, from offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., as well as a representative office in Beijing and affiliate offices in New Delhi (through NRDC’s wholly owned for‑profit subsidiary, NRDC India Private Limited) and London (through its UK‑based partner NRDC International).

Supported by our members and online activists, NRDC is driving impactful solutions that confront the climate crisis, defend nature and safeguard public health acrossAsia, Africa, and the Americas. At NRDC, we believe lasting change happens when people bring their talent, passion, and expertise together for a common purpose: to build a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient world. Learn more at nrdc.org

POSITION SUMMARY

Our team is committed to transitioning our western economy to clean energy and addressing environmental and energy inequities through partnership, building the environmental movement and ambitious, effective policies. This position will be an integral part of the program’s advocacy success in the west. This role requires a commitment to advancing a just, equitable, and sustainable clean energy future in Colorado and requires working collaboratively, and in a team‑based setting with both internal and external partners, the ability to represent NRDC in the media and other public forums with credibility and enthusiasm, an interest in cultivating relationships with state and local elected officials and staff and state agencies. This role requires the willingness to occasionally travel to Colorado localities to advance NRDC’s policy goals. The position will be based in Colorado, with an expectation to travel to NRDC’s offices on occasion for team meetings, etc., as needed.

The position you are applying for is part of the bargaining unit represented by The Washington Baltimore News Guild (WBNG / The Newsguild-CWA Local 32035).

This is a limited term 2 year position.

Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the following essential functions:

Support the development and advancement of a broad portfolio of equitable climate and clean energy policies, including power sector decarbonization, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and transportation and building electrification.

Build partnerships and collaborate with community groups most impacted by environmental injustices (including Black, indigenous, and people of color, and low‑income and rural communities).

Develop and nurture durable partnerships with state climate coalitions and a wide network of allies, including the environmental community, frontline and environmental justice groups, consumer and low‑income advocates, labor, the faith community, clean energy businesses, utilities, state and local decision makers and elected officials.

Lead and oversee research, analysis, and design of state and local climate and clean energy policies, including utility regulatory policy.

Provide written and oral advocacy at state agencies, the state legislature, and governor’s office.

Represent NRDC at conferences and serve as a spokesperson in the press for NRDC’s climate and clean energy mission in Colorado

Collaborate with a multi‑faceted internal team of campaign, communications, public engagement, and policy experts to advance a diverse portfolio of policy initiatives.

In partnership with Climate and Energy’s Western Regional Director and western team, sector teams (power, buildings, transportation and industrial), Equity and Community Partnership team, and other staff internally, set strategic goals and priorities, budgets, and timelines; effectively manage the budget allocated to Colorado; and deploy consultants and partners to meet project timelines and objectives.

Be a central part of a strong and collegial team that is focused on collaboration, approaches advocacy with innovation and optimism, and is committed to leveraging the full range of expertise within NRDC and among its partners to drive change.

The above list of duties is not comprehensive but generally demonstrates the types of matters under this position’s responsibility. Other duties may be assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum Education & Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in relevant field or an equivalent combination of education and direct experience

Advanced degree is a relevant field preferred

4-7 years of work experience related to environment, climate, energy policy, or a related field—specifically in Colorado.

Skills, Abilities, Competencies

Experience working on state or local policy, with a preference for legislative experience.

Experience intervening in utility commission and related regulatory proceedings is preferable.

A sense of mission and passion for public interest and environmental advocacy.

Experience navigating diverse stakeholders, building consensus on policy issues, and driving toward positive outcomes within a team, in a coalition, and with other external partners, in particular partners that reach beyond the traditional environmental community.

Broad‑based interest in climate and clean energy work, including the ability to quickly get up to speed on NRDC’s policy priorities.

Ability to represent NRDC with maturity, judgment, and professionalism.

Strong oral and written advocacy skills, including a willingness to represent NRDC in a variety of public forums and in the media.

Willingness and ability to register as a state lobbyist.

Ability to travel to NRDC U.S. based offices, approximately 5-10% annually.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position within the described work environment.

Frequently: Perform desk‑based computer tasks

Frequently: Ability to interact and communicate with employees and others as necessary

Frequently: Attend planned meetings and collaborate with management and coworkers

Frequently: Hand draw illustrations for advocacy materials

Occasionally: Ability to attend events and activities in the office or offsite

Work is sometimes performed primarily in office. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet in office settings and moderate in other situations. Hours of employment may sometimes require working flexible and/or longer hours, including nights and weekends, when necessitated by projects. The job includes work‑related situations such as those involving challenging, important, urgent, time‑sensitive, or multiple matters.

NRDC is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in our work and in our workplace. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming diverse voices and perspectives is essential to solving the planet's most pressing environmental problems, and we encourage applications from candidates whose identities have been historically under‑represented in the environmental movement.

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment. Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and is commensurate with skills and experience. Internal equity will be reviewed and considered to determine a final offer. For this position, the salary range is $117,000 to $130,000.

Perks & Benefits

Not only do we care about taking care of our planet, we care about taking care of you. When you join our team, we invest in your total well‑being. Here is a small glimpse on how we plan to support you:

Time to Unplug & Recharge: Enjoy a generous time‑off policy, highlighted by a company‑wide year‑end Rest & Recharge Week to reset for the new year.

Family – First: Generous family leave policy beyond federal requirements for all NRDCers

For your Future: Matching 403b whether you contribute or not

Hybrid Policy: The freedom to balance your time around your needs that means, 8 days per month in‑office. In-office day requirements can be met with off‑site work events such as retreats, conferences, and other work‑related travel.