Policy Manager – Clean Energy

The Center for Rural Affairs is seeking a full-time Policy Manager – Clean Energy

Based in the eastern Nebraska, western Iowa, or southeast South Dakota region, the Policy Manager will lead the Center’s clean energy policy efforts, including engaging on policy efforts at the local, state, and federal level and serving as a team leader for energy policy staff based in a 4-state region.

The ideal candidate will be passionate about clean energy, networking, advocacy, and the legislative process. They will serve as team lead for a Policy portfolio and assist the Program Director in guiding the program’s direction. This position is responsible for achieving policy objectives, overseeing and directing others, and prioritizing tasks.

Who We Are

The Center for Rural Affairs is a dynamic, energetic non-profit organization working to build a better rural future for all. We’ve done this work for 50 years and we do it from rural places with a flexible work environment. Our work creates opportunities for beginning farmers, new business owners, and first-time advocates. The Center’s work is rooted in principles of diversity and inclusion. We believe that a diversity of people and ideas strengthens our work, our workplace, and our communities. We celebrate this diversity and we are committed to advancing practices that create an equitable and inclusive workplace. We take equal opportunity seriously and we encourage applicants to see if our Mission and Values match yours! Additional information can be found at www.cfra.org.

What You’ll Do

The Policy Manager reports to the Policy Director, directs team members around a body of work, and has the following responsibilities:

• You will manage policy strategy, grants, and staff.
• You will lead and assist with the Policy team’s efforts, including developing and managing project plans, prioritizing tasks, directing and delegating to others, and adjusting strategy when needed.
• You will assist the Policy Director with directing and supervising a team of full-time staff who lead and/or conduct project activities.
• You will provide independent direction, feedback, and recognition to direct reports through weekly 1-on-1s and quarterly conversations.
• You will assist with interviewing, onboarding, training, and managing policy staff members, leading those efforts when they are focused on the clean energy portfolio.
• You will assist in program strategy development and supervise fellow staff in the execution of strategy, leading those efforts when they are focused on the portfolio you manage.
• You will conduct research to inform policy work and contribute to the development of media and reports.
• You will oversee media communications for the clean energy portfolio, in coordination with Communications staff.
• You will seek out and identify grant opportunities and foster strong funder relationships.
• You will draft, edit, and submit grant proposals and reports.
• You will develop, draft, and manage work plans and budgets as well as execute strategy to carry out grant deliverables, delegating tasks to other staff as appropriate.
• You will manage staff who are doing the work to execute deliverables for grants in your assigned portfolio.
• You will build and maintain relationships with external constituencies, including coalition and grant partners.

Who You Are & Keys to Success (the must-haves)

To be successful in this job, you will excel in five areas:

• Relationship building: You know how to talk with people to learn what needs they have through conversation and inquiry. People trust you because you’re efficient with their time and have their best interests in mind. You’re able to build networks, as well as alliances, and find points of collaboration even when there are competing interests on your time. You develop and maintain strong, collaborative working relationships with a diverse group of stakeholders and can bring in allies and partners from marginalized communities, such as people of color, people with disabilities, low-income families, and immigrants.
• Drive to achieve results: You know how to work to your strengths to achieve your own ambitious goals, and you anticipate hurdles as merely a momentary inconvenience. You possess a competitive drive and are creative when connecting with constituents and decision makers. You set a high bar and meet it because you think three (or 30) steps ahead to come up with pragmatic, yet innovative, solutions. You have an affinity for the details.
• Inclusive leadership and management: You approach leadership in your work with a mindset of “power with” rather than “power over” and regularly include others with lived experience in decision-making.
• Setting and managing priorities: You have experience managing multiple projects and keeping tasks from slipping through the cracks. You use resources wisely and can provide clear direction to staff, partners, consultants, and volunteers to leverage time and talent for impact. You understand the importance of effective delegation and empower others by assigning responsibilities that align with their strengths to maximize efficiency and results.
• Commitment to equity and social justice: You recognize the role of race, income, age, immigration status, and other identities in addressing barriers. You recognize how your own identities show up in the work, and welcome, reflect on, and act on feedback with an eye toward continuous learning about difference to overcome barriers. You recognize that investment in communities, people, and entrepreneurship are pathways to better outcomes. You’re a leader (or willing to become a leader) in incorporating the Center’s Core Values effectively into internal processes, external programming and communications, and work relationships, as well as identifying opportunities to build capacity in centering equity into your work.

Experience with research, writing, project management, and supervision is essential.

If You Were Here Right Now, You Would Be:

• Supervising to build strong collaborative teams and create feelings of belonging and high morale.
• Planning to align and prioritize work to meet commitments and organizational goals.
• Leading efforts to build formal and informal networks inside and outside the organization.
• Creating competitive and out-of-the-box strategies that show clear connections between vision and action.
• Maneuvering through the organizational maze of complex processes and people-related organizational dynamics to communicate effectively and get things done.
• Securing and deploying resources effectively and efficiently as you manage projects.
• Taking on new opportunities, projects, and tough challenges with a sense of high energy and enthusiasm.

What Else You Should Know

This is a full-time exempt position. This position will require occasional travel to meet with community partners and individuals and include both overnight and out-of-state travel on occasion.

Compensation and Benefits

This position has a salary range of $59,000 – $72,000 with top-notch benefits that have a cash value of $10,000 to $29,500, depending on family status and tenure with the Center. Benefits include a 97% employer-paid family health insurance that includes a contribution to a Health Savings Account, retirement options, a fantastic Employee Assistance Program, 12 paid holidays plus paid time off between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day, Friday Summer Hours, and vacation and sick pay.

The Center for Rural Affairs is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in E-Verify, is committed to the full inclusion of all individuals, and takes steps to ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations.

How to Apply

If you would like to work for an organization that has a national reputation as one of the top organizations in the country working to make rural communities more vibrant, apply by sending your resume, cover letter, and three professional references by clicking here. In the cover letter, please include how your personal and/or professional experiences have positioned you for success in this role and any Equity-related work, skills, or expertise you want us to know about. Let us know how you heard about this position and why you want to work for the Center.