Senior Director, Federal Affairs

About Us

The American Clean Power Association (ACP) is the leading voice of today’s multi-tech clean energy industry, representing energy storage, wind, utility-scale solar, clean hydrogen, and transmission companies. ACP is committed to meeting America’s energy and national security goals and building our economy with fast-growing, low-cost, and reliable domestic power. Learn more at cleanpower.org.

Position Summary

The Senior Director, Federal Affairs serves as a key member of ACP’s federal advocacy team, leading legislative engagement and contributing to the development and execution of strategy in support of the association’s policy priorities. This role is responsible for managing relationships with congressional offices and advancing ACP’s priorities across a range of issue areas.

The position supports engagement on issues including permitting and transmission, tax and trade, offshore wind, and emerging priorities, working closely with members of the Federal Affairs team and internal partners to ensure coordinated outreach and consistent messaging. The role leverages relationships on Capitol Hill, particularly with offices central to current legislative priorities, to inform engagement strategy and support effective advocacy.

Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Federal Affairs, the Senior Director works across policy, communications, and membership teams, as well as with external stakeholders, to align strategy and execution. The role brings forward perspective on legislative dynamics, helps shape approaches to engagement, and supports the team in advancing priorities in a complex and evolving policy environment. This position requires strong judgment, the ability to navigate competing priorities, and a thoughtful approach to stakeholder engagement.

Essential Functions / Major Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty and responsibility satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable an individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Other duties may be assigned to meet business needs.

• Serve as a primary liaison to congressional offices and key policymakers, building and maintaining relationships that advance ACP’s federal priorities across multiple issue areas.
• Lead legislative engagement across ACP’s policy priorities, shaping approach and outreach in coordination with internal teams to advance a consistent and effective advocacy strategy.
• Leverage relationships on Capitol Hill to inform and refine engagement strategy, aligning outreach and messaging with broader legislative priorities and evolving dynamics.
• Provide perspective on legislative developments, identifying risks, opportunities, and areas for engagement, and helping guide the team’s approach in response.
• Drive alignment across issue areas by coordinating messaging and outreach with Federal Affairs colleagues and internal partners, ensuring a consistent and effective approach to congressional engagement.
• Represent ACP in meetings with congressional offices, coalition partners, and external stakeholders, communicating positions clearly and with credibility.
• Lead and contribute to coalition efforts with partner organizations, helping align stakeholders, navigate competing priorities, and advance coordinated advocacy strategies.
• Engage with ACP members and committees to ensure advocacy efforts reflect member priorities and inform the organization’s approach to federal engagement.
• Develop and communicate materials for a Capitol Hill audience, including briefs, talking points, and policy updates that support legislative engagement and inform internal and external stakeholders.
• Partner across policy, communications, and membership teams to align priorities and ensure coordinated execution of federal affairs efforts.
• Contribute to broader Federal Affairs priorities by bringing forward insight, aligning stakeholders, and supporting execution across initiatives.
• Participate in ACP conferences, events, and external engagements that support relationship building and advocacy efforts.

Education, Experience & Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in political science, environmental science, energy, or a related field required.
• 10 or more years of relevant experience, including experience on Capitol Hill and demonstrated knowledge of the federal legislative process.
• Established relationships with Members of Congress and staff, with strong familiarity with offices central to current legislative priorities and the ability to leverage those relationships to support effective engagement.
• Strong understanding of legislative strategy, with the ability to apply that understanding to inform engagement, assess evolving dynamics, and contribute to shaping advocacy approaches.
• Experience working with coalitions or stakeholder groups, with the ability to bring together varied perspectives, navigate competing priorities, and advance aligned outcomes.
• Ability to communicate complex policy issues clearly and effectively, both in writing and verbally, tailoring approach to different audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, follow through on work, and adapt to changing needs in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong judgment and the ability to assess situations, weigh competing considerations, and determine appropriate paths forward.
• Ability to build effective working relationships across teams and with external stakeholders, contributing to alignment and forward progress on shared priorities.
• Experience engaging with senior stakeholders and representing an organization externally with professionalism, credibility, and discretion.
• Familiarity with renewable energy or related policy areas is helpful but not required.
• Willingness to attend early morning and evening events as needed.
• Willingness to travel up to 25%.

Job Conditions

We are a fast-paced, high-energy organization with a very ambitious agenda and a staff that is highly motivated. This position may experience high-level work demands and independent decision-making under tight timelines. Occasional travel outside of the Washington, DC area for meetings or events may be required. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. ACP will not sponsor applicants for work visas.

We reasonably believe that the base salary range for this position is $175,000 – $225,000. At ACP, a wide range of factors are considered when making compensation decisions including and not limited to skill set, experience, training, education, knowledge, and other business and organizational needs. ACP offers 401k, PTO and sick leave, commuter benefits, wellness reimbursement, and professional development/tuition reimbursements for eligible employees.

This privacy notice applies to the processing of personal information that ACP collects about candidates for employment. Throughout the application process, ACP may collect some or all of the following categories of personal information: name and address; email address; age or date of birth; race or other demographic information; occupation and employment history; phone number; education; and/or social security number or other identification data.

ACP provides this information to third-party service providers to store and process this data on our behalf, for background checks, and for regulatory compliance. ACP does not sell any applicant personal information.

Learn more here