Associate, State Policy (Intermountain West)

Ceres.org•Arizona or Colorado Remote, AZ

9d•$50,600 - $60,150•Remote

About The Position

The Associate, State Policy, as a part of the Policy Team at Ceres, supports Ceres’ state-level policy strategy in the Intermountain West, with a focus on Arizona and Colorado. The Associate will play an active role in identifying policy opportunities, supporting campaign execution, and engaging companies and investors in advocacy efforts to help advance Ceres’ priorities on climate, clean energy, clean transportation, and clean buildings. This position is well-suited for a highly motivated professional seeking to build experience in state policy strategy, business engagement, and coalition-based advocacy. This is a full-time, non-exempt, remote position reporting to the Senior Manager, State Policy, overseeing Ceres’s state-level policy engagement in the West. The Associate must be located, and work, in the state of Arizona or Colorado and will travel 10-15% for in-person meetings and events. Candidates must be flexible to work with employees in all US time zones.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or commensurate experience required.
Minimum of two (2) years of full-time related work experience required; government or nonprofit sector experience on policy issues preferred.
Ability to work remotely, both independently and as part of a team.
Knowledge of climate policy trends, sustainability trends and current Intermountain West policy issues preferred; interest in sustainability and climate policy issues and developing subject matter expertise in the Intermountain West a plus.
Demonstrated interpersonal skills and project management abilities.
Strong administrative and organizational skills.
Strong analytical skills to evaluate policies, political and stakeholder landscapes.
Demonstrated writing, editing and research skills.
Experience working in advocacy settings with private sector entities preferred.
Experience working with diverse constituent groups.
Familiarity with policy research, or communications work a plus.
Proficient with word-processing, spreadsheet, presentation, database, social media and email applications.
Interest in being part of a diverse workforce and willingness to support Ceres’ Commitment to Inclusion and Equity.
Willingness to travel as needed.

Nice To Haves

government or nonprofit sector experience on policy issues
Knowledge of climate policy trends, sustainability trends and current Intermountain West policy issues
interest in sustainability and climate policy issues and developing subject matter expertise in the Intermountain West
Experience working in advocacy settings with private sector entities
Familiarity with policy research, or communications work

Responsibilities

Track and analyze state policy developments, legislative activity, and regulatory proceedings in Arizona and Colorado, providing summaries and preliminary analysis to inform the Sr. Manager’s identification of opportunities to advance clean energy and climate policy priorities.
Monitor policymaker priorities, stakeholder dynamics, and political landscapes to inform advocacy approaches, including incorporating equity into policy analysis.
Develop memos, briefings, and background materials to inform Ceres’ state policy strategy and external engagement.
Under guidance from supervisor, represent Ceres and manage relationships with coalition partners.
Support relationship management of Ceres Networks’ company and investor members.
Assist with recruitment of investors and businesses to engage in state-level policy advocacy opportunities such as sign-on letters, advocacy campaigns, and events.
Participate in policy coordination calls and respond to requests from partners and companies.
With guidance and approval from supervisor, draft and distribute content to advocacy partners and Policy Network members.
Represent Ceres in coalition meetings and working groups, as needed, and track key outcomes and next steps.
Coordinate lobbyist activities and work collaboratively with external contractors.
Engage with policymakers and participate in lobbying and advocacy meetings.
Make recommendations to Ceres staff on policy advocacy and stakeholder engagement strategy.
Support development and execution of state policy strategies, including the planning and execution of state policy events, webinars, and advocacy days that elevate business and investor voices.
With guidance and approval from supervisor, draft formal comments, sign-on letters, blogs, social media and other content about state policy advocacy efforts.
Track progress against policy goals using tools such as Salesforce and Quorum.
Help maintain regular communication with stakeholders, ensuring timely follow-up and alignment with campaign goals.
Provide administrative, logistical, and writing support to the policy team.
Support state policy related conference calls, webinars, and events with businesses and investors.
Contribute to proposals and reports to funders and partners.
Participate in occasional travel for policy advocacy events, team retreats, conferences, or partner meetings.
Support special projects of the Policy team, as assigned.

Benefits

opportunities for hybrid and remote work
80%, 82% or 85% (depending on your coverage election) employer paid health insurance
85% employer paid dental insurance
a 403(b) retirement plan with a generous match that starts on day one
generous allowances for commuter and work from home expenses
flexible spending accounts to set aside money on a pre-tax basis for eligible expenses
10 holidays
generous vacation
additional paid time off including week-long summer and winter breaks
summer Fridays
sick, personal, and parental leave