Director, Local Affairs

American Clean Power Association (ACP)•Washington, DC

5d•$140,000 - $175,000•Remote

About The Position

The American Clean Power Association (ACP) is seeking a Director, Local Affairs to lead association and industry advocacy efforts related to local affairs, siting, permitting, and social license issues impacting the development, construction, and operation of clean energy facilities nationwide. This role involves developing and advancing strategic local affairs initiatives, acting as a key connector across various ACP teams, and engaging with local officials, philanthropy, member companies, and industry stakeholders. The Director will operate as an individual contributor, leading through influence and collaboration, overseeing external consultants, and supporting committee leadership to strengthen ACP’s advocacy impact and industry leadership. The position is based in Washington, DC, but ACP is open to considering remote candidates, with regular travel expectations to ACP events and periodic travel to the DC office.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in political science, public policy, natural sciences, communications, or a related field.
8+ years of progressively responsible experience in clean energy, public policy, advocacy, stakeholder engagement, communications, campaigns, or related fields preferred.
Demonstrated understanding of clean energy, infrastructure, environmental, or land use issues and the ability to build consensus and drive change across diverse stakeholders and perspectives.
Experience building and supporting coalitions, partnerships, or stakeholder engagement efforts across a variety of audiences in a diplomatic fashion.
Existing relationships with local government, philanthropy, planning, land use, economic development, agricultural, and/or aligned stakeholder networks strongly preferred.
Demonstrated ability to think strategically, manage competing priorities, and develop thoughtful approaches to complex advocacy or stakeholder issues.
Track record of using sound judgment and data-informed analysis to make timely, well-informed decisions.
Strong analytical, organizational, and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and adapt quickly in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to develop and manage projects independently, establish priorities, solve problems proactively, and deliver against deadlines.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to develop effective materials and present clearly to diverse audiences.
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across teams and build trusted relationships internally and externally.
Demonstrated knowledge of computer software applications, such as Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
Ability to travel up to 40% of the time.
Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.
ACP will not sponsor applicants for work visas.

Responsibilities

Lead ACP’s local affairs advocacy efforts in coordination with state, federal, and policy colleagues to support aligned and effective advocacy strategies across the organization.
Develop proactive advocacy approaches, resources, and member tools that support clean energy siting, permitting, and community engagement efforts at the local level.
Track, evaluate, and serve as a thought leader on how to address emerging local and state-level siting trends, challenges, and opportunities, using sound judgment and industry awareness to help inform ACP strategies and member resources.
Partner with the SVP, State Affairs to manage consultants and external vendors, establish priorities, and ensure work plans and deliverables align with ACP goals and advocacy needs.
Represent ACP and coordinate ACP participation in external forums, conferences, and stakeholder convenings to strengthen relationships and elevate the clean energy industry’s voice among local decision-makers.
Work collaboratively across ACP teams to support coordinated advocacy campaigns, educational efforts, and long-term local affairs priorities.
Partner with ACP’s Local Affairs Committee to develop annual priorities, facilitate discussions, and advance work that supports ACP members and broader industry objectives.
Build and maintain trusted relationships with local government officials, regional organizations, philanthropy, landowners, economic development groups, planners, agricultural stakeholders, and other external partners.
Serve as a collaborative partner and resource to coalition organizations and regional groups, helping align strategies, share information, and strengthen advocacy coordination and impact across the clean energy landscape.
Coordinate closely with ACP’s mobilization, communications, and advocacy teams to support stakeholder engagement efforts and broader grassroots and grasstops initiatives.
Represent ACP externally with professionalism, credibility, and strong subject matter knowledge related to local affairs, community engagement, and siting issues.
Serve as the lead staff liaison for ACP’s Local Affairs Committee, partnering with committee co-chairs to develop agendas, facilitate meetings, coordinate follow-up actions, support member engagement, and execute the annual work plan.
Help ACP members navigate evolving local affairs challenges by sharing best practices, facilitating peer collaboration, and supporting education related to community engagement, siting, and permitting.
Identify opportunities for member convenings, workshops, and industry collaboration that strengthen relationships and support shared learning across the industry.
Maintain awareness of ACP member companies, regional assets, and stakeholder networks to support coordinated engagement and advocacy efforts when needed.
Leverage ACP research, policy analysis, and industry data to support local affairs advocacy efforts and strengthen external engagement materials and messaging.
Coordinate across ACP to strengthen and maintain the local ordinance database and related advocacy resources.
Partner with Communications and Policy colleagues to develop educational and advocacy materials for a range of audiences, including testimony, fact sheets, presentations, blogs, talking points, and position papers.
Assist ACP Membership and Conference teams in developing workshops, educational sessions, and programming for ACP events.
Model ACP’s core values — Collaborate Purposefully, Build Trust Together, Act with Integrity, Commit to Excellence, Own Your Accountability, Champion Diversity & Inclusion, and Communicate Transparently — to foster a collaborative, accountable, and high-performing team culture.