Illinois State Lead

Climate Cabinet is hiring an Illinois State Lead to enhance climate outcomes through lobbying and coalition work with Illinois legislators. The role requires experience in Illinois politics and a commitment to environmental justice. This leadership position involves collaboration with national teams and emphasizes a mission-driven, fully remote work environment. The candidate will focus on building relationships with lawmakers and advancing climate policy in Illinois.
Climate Cabinet is seeking an Illinois State Lead to build climate outcomes with legislators in Illinois. The role involves lobbying, coalition work, and establishing Climate Cabinet's legislative presence. Candidates should have experience in Illinois politics and a commitment to environmental justice. This leadership position requires collaboration with national teams and emphasizes a mission-driven, fully remote work environment.
Climate Cabinet is Moneyball for Climate. We identify under-the-radar “Moneyball” elected positions that have an outsized climate impact. Then, we help candidates for these positions run, win, and legislate. We win climate majorities and deliver bold, equitable climate solutions in key state and local governments.

State and local policymakers are key to tackling climate change. They are responsible for achieving 75% of our Paris climate goals – and ensuring Biden’s climate investments are implemented in communities across America. Our opposition has known for decades that no amount of federal work can negate the key role of coordinated state-level political and legislative infrastructure for winning their priorities. And unfortunately, we’re outgunned.

When we win elections and help climate champions in office pass bold policy, we get big things done. We need more climate allies in seats of power. That’s why Climate Cabinet exists.

We’re hiring an Illinois State Lead who is a lobbyist and strategist to build powerful climate outcomes with legislators and coalition partners in Illinois. This person will establish Climate Cabinet’s presence in the legislature, and scale up our policy and political work in Illinois. This will include a heavy emphasis on coalition work, legislator relationship development, and collaboration with Climate Cabinet’s national policy and political teams.

This is a leadership position that will report to the Senior Policy Director and work in close coordination with our national legislative and political teams to ensure cross-state sharing, and alignment with both state and national goals.

The ideal candidate will bring…
• Experience in Illinois lobbying, coalition spaces, and Illinois politics.
• An obsession with state-led climate and energy policy and politics. Expertise in at least one policy area relating to climate, energy, transportation, land use, environmental justice, agriculture, or resilience.
• A commitment to environmental justice and rapid, equitable decarbonization that makes life better for Illinoisans. An orientation towards political power-building for the climate movement.
• A startup mindset driven by mission: Our team culture is driven by curiosity and impact. A great fit for our team will be excited to ask questions, take initiative, and continuously iterate. The ideal candidate will be a great team player, and be excited about working in a mission-driven, fully remote work environment, and building up our presence in Illinois.

Key Responsibilities
• With the support and direction of Climate Cabinet’s Senior Policy Director and our team, you will:
• Establish Climate Cabinet’s presence in the Illinois legislature by building strong lawmaker relationships, especially with climate champions, and through consistent lobbying, policy education, and coalition work.
• Drive Climate Cabinet’s Illinois legislative and help shape our political agenda in collaboration with our Senior Policy and Political Directors and the national team.
• Bring robust, specific policy/legislative expertise that will help you pass and defend key climate policies.
• Be a spokesperson for Climate Cabinet in Illinois media and to funders.
• To achieve these goals, you will be Climate Cabinet’s primary in-state representative. You will:
• Work in coalition with state-based activists, organizations, and funders to advance shared priorities.
• Drive our state-level legislative, political, and media strategies.
• Track, evaluate, and communicate the impact of Climate Cabinet’s engagement in Illinois to national and state-based audiences.
• Remain in constant communication and collaboration with our national team, track bills, facilitate cross-state sharing, and develop storytelling approaches to help your efforts build power for climate in Illinois and nationwide.

Location: In Illinois with frequent travel to Springfield. This role will require some out of state travel.

Compensation
• Salary: $85,000-$105,000 commensurate with experience.
• Medical, dental and vision insurance; premiums fully covered.

You should apply! We encourage applications from people of color, members of the LGBTQ community, women, first-gen and low-income people, and members of marginalized communities. Furthermore, if you don’t meet the exact job qualifications listed but feel called to the work — please apply. There are many ways to have developed the expertise necessary to excel in this position.

Who we are: We are a dynamic, passionate startup team of experienced climate activists, organizers, campaigners, utility researchers, software engineers, policy experts, and lobbyists. Our Moneyball approach speaks for itself. For example: In 2022, Climate Cabinet’s hard-side electoral program helped climate champions win majorities in Michigan and Minnesota - unlocking bold climate leadership across the Midwest. In 2024, we’ve analyzed almost 10,000 elections – narrowing it down to the 150 with the highest impacts – and delivering critical campaign resources to help climate candidates win.

Want to learn more? Check out our recent interview on Volts and climatecabinet.org.

Job posting details for Illinois State Lead at Climate Cabinet in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Compensation / salary range: $85,000-$105,000 commensurate with experience. ClimateTechList gathers 31,000+ job openings from over 1,504 climate tech companies and updates them daily.