The Aspen Institute

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Since its founding in 1949, the Institute has been driving change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most critical challenges facing communities in the United States and around the world. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Institute has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, and an international network of partners.

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Basic Function

The Program Associate is a key member of the Energy and Environment Program team working across projects in the Ocean & Climate team portfolio, specifically on the Cargo Owners for Zero Emission Vessels (coZEV) initiative, the Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA), and engagement in maritime and climate change policy discussions at the U.S. and international levels. Reporting to one of the Senior Program Managers for Ocean & Climate, the Program Associate will provide cross-cutting support for the Ocean & Climate team, acting as a utility player function across major areas of work. The Program Associate will collaborate closely with the Senior Program Managers and Senior Policy Manager on a variety of projects, including performing research and synthesizing results, summarizing and sharing meeting and convening outcomes, supporting project management activities, communicating and conducting outreach, and identifying, developing, and maintaining relationships with external partners including corporations, governmental representatives, subject matter experts, and nonprofit allies to help advance the Ocean & Climate team’s initiatives.

This position reports to the Senior Program Manager for Ocean & Climate. The salary range is $63,000 - $73,000 per year based on experience. This position is located at the Aspen Institute’s Washington, D.C. office and is expected to work from the office at least 40% of the time. This role has a guaranteed term length until December 2025 with the potential for an extension based on funding and management approval.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Project and Program Management

• Supporting day-to-day coordination across the coZEV and ZEMBA initiatives, including drafting internal and external meeting agendas, tracking commitments, actions, and follow-up items, and managing information flow across teammates.
• Assisting with managing communications with current and prospective partners, ZEMBA bidders, and other value chain representatives.
• In collaboration with technical knowledge partners, tracking and sharing information on carbon accounting and corporate sustainability reporting developments of relevance to ZEMBA member companies (i.e., Science Based Targets Initiative, Greenhouse Gas Protocol, SEC and EU regulations, etc.).
• Leading Aspen team engagement in maritime book and claim pilot projects, including coordinating input needed from technical partners and advisors.
• Supporting identification cross-cutting issues of relevance and coordinating input across workstreams, specifically drawing connections between the policy and ZEMBA teams.
• Supporting efforts to elevate maritime decarbonization issues in other spheres, including through collaboration with other Aspen Institute programs.
• Tracking team accomplishments, milestones, and performance targets.

Corporate Engagement and Relationship Management

• Supporting corporate engagement recruitment efforts, including conducting research on prospective member companies, tracking member company progress toward corporate goals, researching relevant trade associations and adjacent industry conferences, and developing and revising onboarding materials.
• Coordinating with broader Aspen Institute and Energy & Environment Program efforts to develop and implement a Customer Relationship Management platform.
• Representing EEP and Ocean & Climate team in meetings, calls, correspondence, and other forms of communications.

· Helping design, organize, and execute relevant educational opportunities for companies, other key stakeholders, and policymakers engaged in our Ocean & Climate initiatives.

· Supporting management of working relationships with thought partners and collaborators across coZEV and ZEMBA activities.

• Supporting materials development, speaker recruitment and preparation, and execution of Aspen-convened events.
• Identifying, preparing for, attending, and reporting out on events, convenings, and webinars relevant to the Ocean and Climate team’s work.

Knowledge, Education, and Experience:

A successful candidate will have:

• Bachelor’s degree and 1-3 years (Associate) of experience in climate change, environmental policy, or related field.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills;
• Ability and desire to rapidly learn a wide variety of new subject matter;
• Ability to distill complex information and communicate effectively and succinctly through written and verbal means;
• Ability to manage time effectively, work autonomously and with a small team;
• Strong customer service orientation – a “Yes, and” attitude;
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite;
• Willingness and ability to travel, as much as 10-30% of the time during certain times of the year.

The Aspen Institute offers a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, and prescription benefits, retirement benefits, and paid leave.

The Aspen Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all District and federal laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or protected veteran or disabled status and will not be discriminated against.

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