Senior Policy Advisor, Electricity

Third Way•Washington, DC

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Third Way is a national think tank and advocacy organization that champions moderate policy and political ideas. The Senior Policy Advisor for Electricity will support the Climate and Energy Program’s (CEP) electricity portfolio and lead policy development and advocacy efforts focused on electricity affordability. This includes developing and advancing policies across one or more of the team’s core workstreams—electricity markets and regulation, power sector economics, utility business model reform, transmission financing, and the data center and electricity nexus—and communicating those policy ideas to key external stakeholders including Congressional offices, federal agencies, utilities, grid planners, and other NGOs. The Senior Policy Advisor for Electricity will own a core body of work within CEP’s electricity portfolio, including setting priorities, managing timelines, and ensuring delivery of high-quality outputs; conduct and oversee in-depth research on policies to reform electricity markets, regulation, utility cost recovery, and transmission financing, with a focus on advancing electricity affordability; author high-impact written reports, memos, and other products that influence the public discourse and advance center-left policies to promote electricity affordability; develop a work plan, with input from supervisor, to set objectives for and contribute to CEP’s electricity portfolio as well as strategies, products, events, and other resources to advance those objectives; collaborate with fellow NGOs and with regulatory, utility, and other electricity sector stakeholders to identify policy needs and build consensus around proposals to meet them; manage relationships with key contacts from across the government—including Congressional offices, FERC, DOE, other relevant federal agencies, and state governments—to stay current on policy developments, advocate for center-left electricity policy solutions, and advise on effective policy implementation; collaborate with colleagues across the Climate and Energy Program to ensure policy proposals, products, and advocacy plans are coordinated for maximum impact; manage and coordinate contracts with consultants covering electricity workstreams outside the advisor’s core expertise; and represent Third Way in relevant meetings, working groups, congressional briefings, and public speaking engagements on electricity policy.

Requirements

A strong understanding of electricity policy needs and solutions in one or more of the following areas: electricity markets and wholesale market design, federal and state electricity regulation (including the Federal Power Act, PURPA, and RTO/ISO proceedings), power sector economics and financing, transmission and distribution development, utility business model and cost recovery reform, and the data center and electricity nexus
At least three years of experience in electricity policy, power markets, utility regulatory practice, energy economics, transmission and distribution, or a closely related field—including experience at or engaging with FERC, a state public utility commission, an RTO or ISO, a utility, a transmission developer, a research institution, or an advocacy organization
An ability to write clearly and persuasively on complex electricity policy topics for an audience of non-experts, including through reports, memos, and op-eds
An ability to work independently to identify opportunities to advance Third Way’s electricity policy goals, and to proactively surface new ideas to senior leadership
Experience with policy advocacy, including through public presentations, congressional briefings, direct outreach to policymakers, and press engagement
Experience developing and executing impactful strategies to achieve near-term and multi-year objectives
Passion for center-left policymaking and a genuine belief that smart electricity policy is essential to delivering an affordable, reliable, and clean energy future

Responsibilities

Own a core body of work within CEP’s electricity portfolio, including setting priorities, managing timelines, and ensuring delivery of high-quality outputs
Conduct and oversee in-depth research on policies to reform electricity markets, regulation, utility cost recovery, and transmission financing, with a focus on advancing electricity affordability
Author high-impact written reports, memos, and other products that influence the public discourse and advance center-left policies to promote electricity affordability
Develop a work plan, with input from supervisor, to set objectives for and contribute to CEP’s electricity portfolio as well as strategies, products, events, and other resources to advance those objectives
Collaborate with fellow NGOs and with regulatory, utility, and other electricity sector stakeholders to identify policy needs and build consensus around proposals to meet them
Manage relationships with key contacts from across the government—including Congressional offices, FERC, DOE, other relevant federal agencies, and state governments—to stay current on policy developments, advocate for center-left electricity policy solutions, and advise on effective policy implementation
Collaborate with colleagues across the Climate and Energy Program to ensure policy proposals, products, and advocacy plans are coordinated for maximum impact
Manage and coordinate contracts with consultants covering electricity workstreams outside the advisor’s core expertise
Represent Third Way in relevant meetings, working groups, congressional briefings, and public speaking engagements on electricity policy