Senior Policy Advisor

Colorado Communities for Climate Action (CC4CA) is a coalition of 42 counties, cities, and towns across Colorado working to strengthen statewide and federal climate policy. CC4CA’s members span Colorado’s Western Slope and Front Range; small rural towns and major suburbs; counties and municipalities; and wealthy, middle income, and low-income neighborhoods.

With member populations ranging from under 1,000 to more than 500,000, CC4CA local governments represent more than one-quarter of all Coloradans. Rural communities make up two-thirds of the membership, and half are in western Colorado.

CC4CA is seeking a mid- or senior-level policy/advocacy professional to serve as the Senior Policy Advisor.

What You’ll Do: Overall Responsibilities

The Senior Policy Advisor is responsible for researching, analyzing, developing, and advocating for CC4CA’s policy positions on climate and clean energy policies at the state and federal government levels (roughly 30%), for communicating and collaborating with representatives of allied organizations, relevant industries, and agency policy and regulatory staff on policy adoption and implementation (roughly 60%), and for other responsibilities (10%). This position will work closely with CC4CA’s Advocacy Director and reports to the Executive Director.

What You’ll Do: Specific Responsibilities

Policy Research, Analysis, Development, and Advocacy Responsibilities (~30%)

• Guiding CC4CA’s development of policy positions and procedures regarding state and federal legislation and rulemaking
• Analyzing and developing amendments or alternatives to policy proposals
• Building relationships and collaborating on policy development and advocacy with representatives of allied local governments, organizations, individuals, and industry representatives
• Tracking state and federal legislative and regulatory proceedings and other policymaking venues to proactively identify opportunities to advance CC4CA’s policy objectives
• Researching new and emerging public policy opportunities and adapting them for consideration by CC4CA in a manner consistent with CC4CA’s policy objectives and strategic direction

Policy Advocacy Communication and Coordination Responsibilities (~60%)

• Collaborating with allied local governments (from CC4CA member and non-member jurisdictions), allied organizations, agency staff, industry representatives, and others in advocating policy positions to impact regulatory and legislative proceedings
• Representing CC4CA and delivering written and oral testimony in legislative and regulatory meetings and hearings
• Working with allies, legal counsel, and/or other parties to petition for participation in regulatory proceedings and to develop legal briefs for submission to regulatory bodies
• Preparing written materials to describe CC4CA’s policy positions for inclusion in CC4CA’s external and internal member communications
• Preparing letters, position papers, and similar documents for submission to state and federal entities
• Assisting other CC4CA staff members in developing talking points, testimony, and opinion pieces
• Advancing and championing organizational initiatives that strengthen and clarify CC4CA’s commitment to equity and climate justice
• Assisting with workshops, briefings, trainings, written guides, and other resources for CC4CA members

Other Duties as Assigned (~10%)

The Senior Policy Advisor will generally lead the policy and procedural side of CC4CA’s regulatory and agency program implementation advocacy efforts, while the Advocacy Director generally leads the local official engagement, media, and other elements of the strategy on a particular project or campaign. The Senior Policy Advisor may play a key role in CC4CA’s legislative advocacy, as well.

With a small staff heavily engaged in multiple advocacy efforts, we often adjust these responsibilities to reflect CC4CA’s organizational capacity and bandwidth demands at any given time. These responsibilities may also shift in a longer-term fashion, as well, as CC4CA’s staff changes, organizational priorities evolve, and based on direction from the CC4CA Board.

What You’ll Do: Additional Responsibilities (All Staff)

All staff are expected to participate in Board and committee meetings as appropriate, support fundraising efforts, proofread and otherwise support each other’s work, and support our organizational commitment to equity and inclusivity. The Senior Policy Advisor and other individual staff members may also be assigned to staff Board committees and ad-hoc working groups, provide support to Board members on specific projects, or lead or support other specific non-advocacy projects.

Qualifications

Most fundamentally, this is a policy development and advocacy role for a coalition of local governments advocating for stronger state and federal climate policy. The Senior Policy Advisor will be a central part of a small team amplifying the voices of local elected officials and local governments in legislative, regulatory, and other key policy arenas.

A strong candidate for the Senior Policy Advisor role will have some or all of the following:

• A strong commitment to climate action and advocacy
• Comfort and skill in managing multiple projects and competing priorities, working efficiently, and working effectively as part of a small, mutually supportive team while operating in a fast-paced, politically complex environment
• Experience in development of and advocacy on climate and clean energy public policy
• Subject matter expertise with the climate policy issues that CC4CA focuses on, including: reduction of greenhouse gas and co-pollutant emissions from the electric, oil and gas, buildings, transportation, industrial, and agricultural sectors; energy utility resource planning and infrastructure investment focused on transition to renewable energy; carbon sequestration; climate resilience; and climate/environmental justice.
• The written and verbal communication skills to turn complex ideas into compelling briefings, letters, white papers, and testimony for regulatory body and legislative policy adoption processes
• Familiarity with the workings of regulatory agencies and legislative bodies (especially at the state level in Colorado)
• Familiarity with the workings of county and municipal governments (especially in Colorado)
• Experience working with local elected officials and local government staff
• Understanding and commitment to the concept of equity as a process and outcome

This position does not have any specific education requirements.

We recognize that many great candidates for the job will not necessarily meet every qualification listed above. Similarly, strong candidates may come from a less traditional background. We are interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and if you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for the role.

CC4CA is committed to building a more diverse and inclusive organization. We encourage applicants from all cultures, races, ethnicities, geographies, political affiliations, sexual orientations, gender identities, marital or family statuses, and all other identities represented in Colorado or protected by law. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to participate in the job application and interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. We are an equal opportunity employer.

Working for CC4CA: Work Environment

The Senior Policy Advisor will join a nimble, high-performing small team deeply committed to strengthening climate policy in Colorado. The team coordinates and collaborates closely with each other, allied local government officials, and other organizations. Everyone on the CC4CA team works remotely with frequent virtual meetings and occasional in-person meetings. CC4CA values a welcoming and supportive work environment as well as a flexible work environment to accommodate employees’ needs and schedules.

The Senior Policy Advisor will regularly participate in in-person events around the Denver region, such as providing legislative and regulatory agency testimony, supporting elected officials providing testimony, and meetings with state legislators and agency staff. The role involves a small amount of state travel.

• Location: Remote (work-from-home) in the Denver Metro Region
• Closing Date: Open Until Filled (open until at least May 30, 2023)

Working for CC4CA: Compensation and Benefits

CC4CA’s current staffing is all contract positions, but CC4CA is planning to transition to a conventional employee model later this year or in January 2024. This role can be set up as a contract position or a full-time salaried position. Because of the very small size of CC4CA’s staff, we can design the compensation package to fit the needs of the individual hired for this role. If structured as a contract position, compensation will be between $8,000 and $9,500 per month. If structured as a salaried position, the total value of the compensation package will be in the same range, and can include health insurance and a retirement plan. Whether structured as a contract role or salaried position, the workload will be generally equivalent to a full-time position with at least 15 days of vacation, 11 holidays, and six days of sick leave in the first year.

To Apply

Please click "Apply" below to email a cover letter, resume, and 2-3 writing samples. Please also include 2-3 references and indicate your preferred pronouns and how you learned about us. Open until filled (open until at least May 30, 2023).