Policy Advisor, Buildings, US Climate Alliance

Position Overview The U.S. Climate Alliance is a bipartisan coalition of governors securing America’s net-zero future by advancing state-led, high-impact climate action. The Alliance Secretariat helps its members accelerate climate action by providing a broad range of technical, analytical, policy, and capacity assistance and resources. The coalition has also built strong relationships with the federal administration to help create and implement an ambitious, durable national climate framework. For more information on the Alliance, please visit www.usclimatealliance.org. 

The U.S. Climate Alliance seeks a Policy Advisor to develop and implement policy solutions to decarbonize the buildings sector in Alliance states and territories, working closely with senior staff of the Alliance Secretariat. Last year, this coalition of governors announced a series of new commitments to eliminate emissions from buildings, including collectively quadrupling heat pump installations across the Alliance by the end of the decade.

The Policy Advisor will be charged with helping turn these commitments into action as the Alliance deepens its focus in this priority area. They will also advise on additional sectors as appropriate. This role will report to the Policy Director and be expected to work as part of a broader team that includes Alliance states, consultants, and external partners. The position is part of the Energy and Climate team at the United Nations Foundation, which houses the U.S. Climate Alliance Secretariat.  

This position is based in Washington, DC (Hybrid schedule) with consideration for remote work within the contiguous United States.

Essential Functions

• Advise states and track member policy development

• Support states in developing and implementing policies and programs, identify opportunities to increase ambition where possible, and equip states to access federal and private resources to accelerate building decarbonization.
• Provide Alliance states with expert guidance, tools, and resources to act on emerging policies and demonstrate political and sectoral leadership.
• Contribute to the Alliance’s policy tracking efforts by conducting research and actively tracking the development of state and federal buildings policies and programs and associated budgets.

Coordinate state working group(s) and convenings

• Lead the development and execution of state working groups and initiatives and consult with states on areas of focus, agenda development, and identification of action items and key barriers.
• Track and follow up on action items.
• Engage stakeholders and key partners to scope and implement projects.

Generate policy option papers, roadmaps, resource guides, and other major Alliance deliverables

• At the request of Alliance states and the Secretariat, draft briefing papers and guides for states that analyze policy options for decarbonizing buildings, and make recommendations that are ambitious, politically feasible, and technologically possible.
• Conduct policy research, analyze key sector trends, and draft chapters of the Alliance’s annual report that outline progress towards our climate goals.
• Contribute to products that help Alliance states improve quantification of opportunities, measure progress towards policy goals, and quantify the co-benefits of action.
• Conduct research and analysis and draft material for Alliance products across other sectors as needed.

Shape content and strategy for Alliance-wide meetings, workshops, and other high-impact events

• Work with the Secretariat, Alliance states, and outside experts to prepare meeting content and materials.
• Advise on remarks, talking points, and other relevant communication materials.
• Contribute to invitation lists and key partner outreach.

Fundraising

• Identify funding needs to execute on the Alliance’s building decarbonization strategies and work with the Development team to develop relationships with current and potential funders to support this work.
• In partnership with the Development and Leadership teams, write and submit grant applications for additional sources of funding.

Grant management

• Provide oversight and technical expertise for Alliance philanthropic grants that support building decarbonization activities. With the Operations team, manage spending against relevant budgets for these grants.
• With the Operations and UNF contracts team, review new contracts and grant agreements to advance building decarbonization.
• Evaluate and contribute to funding decisions for state technical assistance projects. Provide expertise, oversight, and support for buildings-focused technical assistance projects that are funded by the Alliance.

Other duties as assigned

Selection Criteria

• Bachelor’s degree with substantial work experience in building decarbonization policy. Master’s degree preferred.
• 4-7 years of experience in related policy areas, with experience working with governments desired. Experience working in, with, or around state-level government preferred.
• Demonstrated strong research, analytical, writing, presentation, and briefing skills.
• Critical thinker that can generate products tailored to different audiences without requiring frequent direction.
• Substantial demonstrated expertise in developing, promoting, and implementing U.S. building decarbonization strategies, with deep knowledge of the state policy landscape across this sector.
• A commitment to advance policy solutions to eliminate emissions from buildings.
• Experience coordinating multi-stakeholder processes, and engagement in state, national or international climate coalitions.
• Demonstrated ability to use and display complex datasets in Microsoft Excel and/or other tools.
• Familiarity with relevant U.S. and other climate-related datasets and tools.
• Ability to work as part of a small team balancing multiple competing priorities.
• Self-motivated with strong ability to find solutions in the face of challenges.
• Maximum flexibility in accepting and professionally executing a range of tasks.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize multiple, competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to diplomatically engage diverse counterparts and use personal discretion in working with sensitive information.

• Ability to work under pressure and handle stress.

Our Values

The Secretariat’s core values represent our team’s highest priorities and driving forces. These values are the heart of how we go about doing our work in support of each other and our member governors and states, serving as cultural cornerstones and exemplified by all members of our team.

• Purpose: We are aligned by a common purpose to confront the climate crisis and its impacts through the power of state government. We connect our daily work to the Alliance’s mission and, in pursuit of our shared goals, always act in the best interest of our governors and states.
• Excellence: We have high standards in the work we do to support Alliance governors and states. We are focused, data-driven, and attentive to the smallest of details while never losing sight of the big picture.
• Empathy: We value kindness and treat others with dignity and respect, recognizing that our actions affect one another and all those with whom we interact. We consider growth, learning, and development to be priorities.
• Inclusion: We actively work to increase diversity, advance equity, and cultivate a welcoming work environment where everyone feels valued. We are collaborators and prioritize teamwork — knowing that it will take our broader community all working together to ultimately solve the climate crisis.
• Balance: We value a positive work environment and, even in the hectic day-to-day, we make the time to build relationships, celebrate successes, and laugh. We know that balancing home and work lives is essential and encourage each other to put the health and well-being of ourselves and our loved ones first.

Benefits & Compensation

For full-time, benefit eligible employees, UNF offers an excellent range of benefits, including:

• a choice between two health plans through UnitedHealthcare (PPO or HDHP with HSA)
• dental insurance
• vision insurance
• flexible spending accounts
• 403b retirement savings plan with a generous matching contribution
• group term and supplemental life insurance
• short-term disability
• long-term disability
• health club discounts
• commuter subsidy
• back-up care
• employee assistance program

Additionally, all benefit eligible employees have 12 paid holidays, 20 vacation days, 10 sick days, 3 personal days, and 8 weeks of family leave care.

LI-#Hybrid

LI-#Remote