Government Affairs Manager

Position Summary: 

The Government Affairs Manager position leads the NC Sustainable Energy Association Leadership Fund’s (NCSEA LF) policy advocacy related endeavors including direct legislator engagement, oversight of NCSEA LF’s Political Action Committee, and is lead on organizing fundraisers/events. This role will translate high-level policy goals into comprehensive and actionable advocacy campaigns designed to expand clean energy access in the state and will lead staff and contractors in the execution of these campaigns. In order to execute these campaigns effectively, this role will also collaborate with partner organizations to advance state level policy goals and organize political fundraising events to support political candidates with aligned interests. This role will work directly with the Executive Director and other NCSEA staff to translate NCSEA LF’s mission into action and continue to grow the organization. 

***This position is remote, but requires residence in the  

Raleigh Metro or NC Triangle areas.*** 

Responsibilities: 

Government Affairs  

• Direct all government affairs activities carried out by NCSEA LF’s team, including lobbyists and other contractors. 
• Contribute to policy agenda to provide clear direction for team and external stakeholders. 
• Develop comprehensive 501(c)(4) campaign plans to coordinate internal and external capacity and resources in pursuit of NCSEA LF’s policy goals.  
• Provide routine updates to members and partners of the NC Sustainable Energy Association regarding the current legislative landscape in North Carolina. 
• Directly engage with state elected officials, candidates, policymakers, and partner organizations to effectively articulate NCSEA LF’s policy priorities. 
• Monitor developments in public policy and identify opportunities to elevate NCSEA LF’s thought leadership in public forums. 
• Incorporate best practices into all policy efforts, and anticipate/address changes in the political, electoral, and public policy environment. 
• Ensure compliance with laws and guidelines established by federal, state, and local legislative bodies, regulatory agencies, and courts including lobbyist registration and reporting. 
• Participate in other activities as assigned by the Executive Director. 

Fundraising  

• Play a leading fundraising role for NCSEA LF’s Political Action Committee.  
• Work with NCSEA LF team to build and maintain relationships, partnerships, and alliances with industry and community members, in order to successfully fundraise for both NCSEA LF and the affiliated Political Action Committee. 
• Organize routine fundraising events for candidates aligned with NCSEA LF’s policy goals and objectives. 
• Provide strategic guidance on Political Action Committee contributions to ensure alignment with organizational mission. 
• Work with the PAC's advisory committee to organize regular meetings, including development of the agenda and all related materials. 
• Coordinate with external contractors to ensure timely filing of state required documentation to maintain compliance with all state, federal, and local election laws. 
• Prepare and maintain the PAC budget and develop PAC reports for internal and external use. 
• Coordinate directly with the Executive Director to identify and recruit new funding opportunities designed to further grow the NC Sustainable Energy Association Leadership Fund. 
• Assist with the drafting of grant proposals, grant reporting, and other fundraising activities, as requested. 
• Provide input into and maintain a Government Affairs specific budget. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• A successful individual in this role brings thorough political experience, with a deep understanding of campaign fundraising, and thrives in a fast-paced, startup environment. 
• Ability to interact effectively with elected officials, government agencies, business leaders, academics, non-governmental organizations and stakeholder groups. 
• Demonstrated work experience with elected officials, political parties, companies, consultancies, trade associations, governmental agencies, or equivalent organizations. 
• Demonstrated policy research, analysis, and development skills. 
• Excellent communication, organizational, networking, and public speaking skills; demonstrated ability to clearly and succinctly communicate complex policy and technical information to lay audiences. 
• Proven ability to handle confidential information with discretion, be adaptable to various scenarios and handle sensitive issues with grace.  
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) 
• Proven success in developing and implementing communication strategies that build and maintain organizational reputation within public policy or advocacy spaces.  
• Strong team player with a customer service approach and is solution oriented 
• Attention to detail and the ability to work individually, within a multi-disciplinary team, as well as with external partners and vendors 
• Exceptional written and interpersonal communication skills. 

Qualifications 

• Bachelor's Degree Public Relations, Communications, Political Science, Business Administration or related field; Master’s Degree preferred.   
• 5 years of experience in political campaigns, corporate public affairs, government relations, or strategic political communications. 
• Familiarity with energy policy, particularly state and federal utility regulation and distributed energy generation and energy efficiency programs and technologies preferred. 
• Demonstrated ability to produce robust policy advocacy campaigns preferred. 
• This position is remote but requires residence in the Raleigh Metro or NC Triangle areas. 

How to Apply: 

Send your resume and a letter of interest to: 

melissawilbur@energyncleadership.org 

NCSEA LF is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (Including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.  NCSEA believes that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical to our success, and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. 

The NC Sustainable Energy Association Leadership Fund (NCSEA LF) is a non-partisan, non-profit organization (501(c)(4)) created to drive forward policy solutions that place consumers at the center of North Carolina’s energy future. We aim to advance practical energy solutions that strengthen North Carolina’s economy, protect consumers, and promote energy independence. This is done by building an understanding amongst state decision-makers that forward-thinking energy policies can create jobs, lower costs, and make our communities more resilient.