Senior Policy Operations Associate

Environmental Protection Network; Remote; USD 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A nonprofit organization focused on environmental issues is seeking a Senior Policy Operations Associate to provide operational support to the Senior Director of Policy. This remote role requires 2-4 years of experience in project coordination and strong organizational skills. The ideal candidate will assist with meeting coordination, track project milestones, and manage communications across teams. Candidates with an interest in environmental justice are encouraged to apply, as the organization emphasizes building relationships with marginalized communities.

Benefits

Annual salary of $74,261

90% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance

Career development funding up to $500/year

Flexible work schedule

Three weeks of paid time off

Qualifications

• 2-4 years of experience in administrative support or related field.
• Experience supporting senior leadership and coordinating cross-team projects.
• Highly productive in remote working environments.

Responsibilities

• Support operational needs and priorities for the Senior Director of Policy.
• Assist in meeting planning and coordination.
• Track project milestones and support team communications.

Skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Project coordination

Interest in environmental justice

Ability to work independently

Tools

Google Docs

Spreadsheets

Job description

Priority Deadline February 23rd

Background: The Environmental Protection Network (EPN) is a 501(c)(3) non‑profit organization with an annual budget of over $5 million. EPN has a small staff across the country, a number of contractors, and more than 700 EPA alumni volunteers focused on building and defending the capacity of environmental agencies and the communities they serve to address the most urgent health and environmental crises. EPN works to:

• Ensure that EPA advances policies, budgets, and institutional changes to address climate and environmental injustices, as well as other pressing public health needs.
• Provide pro‑bono capacity‑building technical assistance and training to frontline communities, NGOs, and under‑resourced state/local/tribal government agencies.
• Provide pro‑bono support to civil servants.
• Educate Congress and serve as a critical resource for facts, objective analysis, and scientific rigor for reporters and NGOs.

Work will be predominantly remote, as EPN does not have an office. There will be some in‑person meetings in locations in the United States. You will work closely with other staff, including EPN’s Senior Director for Public Affairs, Director of Policy, and the Manager of Civil Service Resilience. We are looking for this position to start immediately.

About The Position

Reporting to the Senior Director of Policy, the Senior Policy Operations Associate will partner with and support the Senior Director in managing the day‑to‑day work of the National Policy, Reimagine EPA and Civil Service Resilience programs and teams. This is an ideal opportunity for someone who loves working in deep collaboration with a senior leader and can quickly adapt to changing landscapes and conditions. This staff member will support three main workstreams:

• Work closely with our Senior Director of Policy to support operational needs.
• Assist with meeting planning, coordination, and tracking next steps.
• Help coordinate projects, monitor milestones, and support communication and follow‑up on action items across the team as needed.

Responsibilities

Executive & Operational Support

• Work closely with the Senior Director of Policy to manage operational needs and priorities.
• Provide high‑level support for correspondence, scheduling, calendar management, and preparation of materials.
• Assist with special projects and tasks as directed by the Senior Director.

Meeting Planning & Coordination

• Support planning, coordination, and logistics for meetings, including internal team meetings and external stakeholder meetings.
• Track meeting notes, action items, and next steps to ensure follow‑through.
• Synthesize discussions and communicate key takeaways to relevant team members, volunteers and external partners.

Project Coordination & Team Support

• Assist with coordinating policy projects and initiatives across the team.
• Track project milestones, deliverables, and timelines to ensure progress.
• Support internal and external communications, including following up on action items and coordinating next steps.

Qualifications

• 2–4 years of experience in administrative support, project coordination, operations, or a related field.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including synthesizing meeting notes and follow‑up tasks.
• Experience supporting senior leadership and coordinating cross‑team projects.
• Attention to detail and ability to track tasks, deadlines, and project milestones.
• Highly productive in remote working environments.
• Self‑starter.
• Interest in environmental justice, US environmental and health policy, and/or the work of EPA.
• Experience with or knowledge of social justice and equity issues.
• Detail‑oriented and unafraid to ask questions.
• Ability to work independently, on many different projects, and switch effectively from one task to another.
• Experience working in collaborations or with multiple partners.
• Strong work ethic.
• Familiarity with Google Docs and Spreadsheets.

Core Competencies

• Building Relationships: Establishes and maintains positive, professional relationships with colleagues, leadership, and stakeholders. Collaborates effectively by listening actively, communicating clearly, and following through on commitments. Builds trust and facilitates team alignment by understanding others’ perspectives and supporting smooth coordination across projects and initiatives.
• Making Decisions & Demonstrating Judgement: Uses sound judgment to make timely, well‑informed decisions that balance priorities, risks, and organizational goals. Evaluates available information, considers potential impacts, and identifies the best course of action. Seeks guidance when appropriate while taking ownership of decisions and their outcomes. Knows when to manage up to senior leadership.
• Managing Execution: Effectively plans, organizes, and prioritizes tasks to ensure projects and responsibilities are completed on time and to a high standard. Tracks progress, identifies obstacles, and proactively takes action to keep work moving forward. Holds themselves accountable and helps others stay aligned to achieve team and organizational goals.
• Planning: Anticipates needs and develops clear, organized plans to achieve goals and meet deadlines. Breaks down complex projects into manageable steps, identifies resources, and sets realistic timelines. Adjusts plans as needed while keeping priorities and team objectives in focus.

Pay

• An annual salary of $74,261 based in D.C. We will adjust the salary up or down based on locality.

Benefits

The Environmental Protection Network is a fully remote virtual environment. We think about our compensation as a package of total rewards that starts with a competitive salary.

Work‑Life Balance

• Employees are encouraged to balance a 40‑hour work week with a flexible work schedule and core hours of 11 AM–4 PM ET.
• 11 paid Federal Holidays and other paid days when the office is closed, including:
• The work day before or after July 4
• The day before and after Thanksgiving
• The week of December 25th and the week of Jan 1st (FY25‑Dec 22nd‑Jan 2nd, FY26‑Dec 21st‑Jan 1st, FY27‑Dec 20th‑Dec 31st)
• Organization‑wide non‑meeting days on all major holidays that fall outside of the federal calendar (our staff can submit these to our calendar based on religious or cultural holidays).
• 3 weeks (120 hours) of paid time off (inclusive of sick, personal days, and vacation).
• 5 days of annual disaster relief time off in the event of a natural disaster impacting you or your family (does not carry over or pay out upon exit).
• 5 days of annual bereavement (does not carry over or pay out upon exit).
• 3 annual “EPN” days to be used for any purpose across the year (does not carry over or pay out upon exit).

Financial Security

• Competitive market‑based salary.
• Annual tenure bonus (determined annually, where funds are available).
• Performance‑based bonuses where applicable.
• 401(k) Retirement Plan, 4% company match.

Wellness Benefits

• 90% employer‑paid health, dental, and vision insurance (50% employer‑paid family).
• 100% employer‑paid life (50 K), opportunity to purchase additional life coverage is available for employee and spouse.
• 100% employer‑paid short and long‑term disability insurance.
• Access to employee‑paid FSA, HSA, and commuter benefits.
• Up to 6 weeks of paid leave upon the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

Career Development

• Up to $500/year for professional development‑related expenses.
• Ongoing access to internal professional development training.

Additional Benefits

• $150 monthly cell phone plan and home internet reimbursement.
• Up to $2,000/year for the purchase of phones, computers, headsets, software, or other equipment used consistently to carry out staff responsibilities.
• Applicable travel expenses will be reimbursed, including travel time outside of your local area.

Environmental injustices disproportionately impact the most marginalized people in society, including people of color, people from working‑class backgrounds, women, and LGBTQIA+ people. Because we believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities.