CA Policy Associate

California Trout•Sacramento, CA

10d•$70,000 - $75,000•Hybrid

About The Position

California Trout (CalTrout) seeks a thoughtful, motivated, and collaborative California Policy Associate to support the organization's state policy and advocacy work in Sacramento and across California. Working under the direction of CalTrout's Director of Policy, this role will advance efforts to support healthy wild rivers and fish, functioning watersheds, climate-resilient ecosystems, and effective restoration throughout California. The ideal candidate is a confident and proactive relationship-builder who is comfortable initiating conversations, meeting new people, and developing professional relationships in highly social settings. The successful candidate should be excited about attending legislative receptions, conferences, coalition gatherings, and other events independently while actively building new connections on behalf of CalTrout. They are an excellent writer, passionate about conservation, intellectually curious, highly organized, interested in California policymaking, and above all else eager to learn. Prior experience in fisheries, water, or restoration policy is helpful but not required; the ability and desire to build knowledge around complex policy issues and a deep passion for California’s natural places is essential.

Requirements

Valid CA driver’s license, and flexibility to travel
Based in Sacramento for regular in-person work
An ideal candidate may have 1-3 years of professional experience in a similar position, however, relevant experience may come from paid or unpaid work, including volunteer, educational and lived experiences that helped you to build the competencies, knowledge, and skills needed for this position.
Candidate must be a thoughtful, motivated, and collaborative individual.
Candidate must be a confident and proactive relationship-builder who is comfortable initiating conversations, meeting new people, and developing professional relationships in highly social settings.
Candidate must be an excellent writer.
Candidate must be passionate about conservation.
Candidate must be intellectually curious.
Candidate must be highly organized.
Candidate must be interested in California policymaking.
Candidate must be eager to learn.
Candidate must have the ability and desire to build knowledge around complex policy issues.
Candidate must have a deep passion for California’s natural places.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience in fisheries, water, or restoration policy is helpful but not required
Experience or familiarity with California legislative or budget processes
Experience or familiarity with California water or natural resources policy and law
Experience or familiarity with State agency or regulatory processes
Experience or familiarity with Fisheries, aquatic ecosystems, watershed restoration, or conservation
Experience or familiarity with Coalition-based advocacy and stakeholder engagement
Experience or familiarity with Professional networking, community engagement, organizing, advocacy, or other work requiring proactive relationship development

Responsibilities

Monitor and prepare policy analyses of California legislation, the state budget, committee activity, and other developments relevant to CalTrout's priorities, including: bill analyses, briefing memos, position letters, regulatory comments, fact sheets, talking points, and other policy materials.
Track deadlines, hearings, amendments, and emerging issues and proactively flag opportunities or concerns.
Attend and testify on behalf of CalTrout at legislative hearings and briefings and provide concise, substantive summaries and recommendations to the Director of Policy and other CalTrout staff.
Regularly visit legislative offices to discuss CalTrout priorities and develop/maintain relationships with legislative staff.
Support development and drafting of CalTrout-sponsored legislation and advocate for CalTrout funding priorities in state budget process.
Help plan and facilitate events, including: CalTrout policy days at the Capitol, the Salmon and Steelhead Coalition Award Ceremony, and legislative staffer field visits.
Monitor relevant state agencies (CNRA, DWR, SWRCB), regulatory proceedings, rulemaking processes, board and commission activities, funding programs, and public engagement opportunities.
Track vacancies, appointments, leadership changes, and other developments within state agencies, boards, and commissions relevant to CalTrout's work.
Attend hearings, workshops, and agency proceedings and provide timely analysis and recommendations for CalTrout engagement.
Actively develop a professional network within California's policy and natural resources, water user, and agricultural communities and help strengthen CalTrout's relationships with policymakers, partners, and stakeholders.
Build and maintain relationships with legislative and agency staff, Tribal Nations and organizations, conservation partners, agricultural and water interests, restoration practitioners, and other stakeholders.
Engage respectfully and thoughtfully with stakeholders representing diverse perspectives and interests, seeking opportunities for common ground while remaining grounded in CalTrout's mission and conservation objectives.
Represent CalTrout as a constructive, credible, and solutions-oriented partner, recognizing that effective conservation policy often requires building durable relationships across differing interests and perspectives.
Work with CalTrout's regional and program staff to identify policy barriers, funding needs, opportunities, and emerging issues affecting projects and watersheds throughout California.
Help translate lessons from CalTrout's on-the-ground restoration work into potential statewide policy and funding solutions.
Maintain organized policy files, trackers, calendars, contact information, and other systems that strengthen institutional knowledge and continuity.
Collaborate with the CalTrout Communications team to write policy blogs, social media copy, and annual report language.
Drafting CalTrout state lobbying reports.
Assist with keeping the Sacramento office well stocked with office supplies and preparing for conference meetings with Coalition partners.
Drive to remote locations throughout California to visit project sites.