Senior Policy Advocate and Connecticut Program Director

Acadia Center is hiring a Senior Policy Advocate and Connecticut Program Director to lead energy and climate policy initiatives in Connecticut. Responsibilities include advocating for reforms, engaging stakeholders, drafting materials, and coalition building. Candidates should have a strong interest in sustainable energy and at least five years of relevant experience. The position requires Connecticut residency and involves collaboration with diverse groups, focusing on clean energy and climate solutions.
Acadia Center seeks a Senior Policy Advocate and Connecticut Program Director to lead energy and climate policy efforts in Connecticut. Responsibilities include advocating for policy reforms, engaging with stakeholders, drafting materials, and building coalitions. Candidates should have a strong interest in sustainable energy and climate issues, with at least five years of relevant experience preferred. The position requires Connecticut residency and involves collaboration with diverse groups.
Position

Acadia Center is seeking an experienced policy advocate to coordinate and lead the organization’s work in Connecticut. This role will have a lead role advocating for Acadia Center regional and state priorities to promote and implement energy and climate policy advances. These areas focus on clean energy, utility and power grid policy reforms, energy efficiency, and other climate change solutions. Forums include legislative, regulatory, and agency proceedings. The position requires working with partner organizations and building coalitions; drafting public facing position and educational materials; media relations; and strategic program planning and coordination with Acadia Center teams. The position is based in Connecticut.

The successful candidate will have a demonstrated interest in energy, climate, consumer, and equity issues and be familiar with energy and climate policy. A commitment to energy justice and ways that Acadia Center recommendations address consumer, public health, and economic benefits is important. A comfort level with incorporating data analysis is central to our theory of change. Candidates should be excited about working with diverse constituencies to advance policy goals in legislative, regulatory, and advisory settings and assert the organization’s goals professionally and competently. Acadia Center strives to maintain a professional, collegial, supportive work environment. Five years of relevant experience in sustainable energy, regulatory, environmental, or climate issues, is preferred. A J.D. or advanced degree is preferred, but other relevant experience will be equally considered.

Key Responsibilities
• Advance Acadia Center’s regional and state energy and climate policy reforms in Connecticut.
• Engage in legislative, government agency, community, public engagement, and outreach forums.
• Prepare policy and educational materials.
• Draft legislative and regulatory filings.
• Establish strong media relationships.
• Enhance engagement with community, housing, justice, consumer, and business voices.
• Represent Acadia Center on appointed boards and committees.
• Provide content and coordination with communications and development staff.
• Participate and inform strategic discussions on regional and state priorities.

Requirements
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present information concisely and effectively to critical decision-makers and the public
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated capacity to build effective alliances to advance shared goals
• Commitment and enthusiasm for sustainable energy, climate, and energy justice progress
• Ability to organize and prioritize multiple projects and seek direction when needed
• 5 years of relevant work experience
• J.D. or Master’s degree preferred, but relevant experience will be equally considered
• Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and Prezi familiarity helpful

Benefits

The salary band for the Senior Policy Advocate and State Program Manager is $84,800 - $106,000 annually. This is a full-time, exempt, salaried position, though requests for flexible schedules will be considered. Acadia Center currently has a remote work policy that may be subject to revision. This position requires Connecticut residency with access to state forums. Some travel to regional forums and internal meetings is expected. Acadia Center offers competitive compensation aligned with peer nonprofit organizations, with salary based on experience and skill level. Compensation is based on factors such as education, work experience, field knowledge, and skill set. For exempt salaried employees, benefits include healthcare, dental, retirement, disability, and PTO.