Director of Government Affairs

WHO WE ARE

Our global climate goals can only be met by rapidly reducing emissions and removing the carbon that already exists in our atmosphere.

The Carbon Removal Alliance works to build a gigaton-scale carbon removal industry that is categorically good for the climate, economy, and people. Our members — innovative companies, buyers, and experts — represent billions of dollars of investment in climate technologies and virtually all of the permanent carbon removal deployed globally to date. We work to advance science-driven U.S. federal policy that supports carbon removal technologies that can bring carbon removal to gigaton scale. 

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Director of Government Affairs will shape how Washington understands carbon removal. They will lead strategy and day-to-day operations of our advocacy work. The organization has set out to pass pro-deployment, market-making policies that help bring carbon removal projects online all over the country. We are bipartisan, pragmatic, and outcomes-oriented. We are looking for a candidate who believes in carbon removal technologies and can introduce a new class of lawmakers to the jobs and economic benefits of this sector.  

This role will spend significant time on Capitol Hill and among the energy/climate ecosystem in D.C to champion the work of Alliance members. They will translate technical information, policy ideas, and our member footprint into compelling advocacy while building durable and authentic relationships with congressional and agency staff. 

The Director of Government Affairs joins a deeply committed team – including staff, board, and consultants – with a track record of success in carbon removal and policy. This candidate should be entrepreneurial and excited about leading a small and nimble startup nonprofit. They have experience in setting a vision, establishing, and scaling successful programs with creativity, humility, and an expectation of continual learning.

This role reports to the Executive Director. This role will anchor the organization’s presence in Washington, D.C, working closely with our lobbying firm. Other CRA team members are based in NYC, Denver, and Boston and we gather in-person at least quarterly.

Major Roles + Responsibilities

• Develop the organization’s government affairs strategy, including: 
• Plans to educate congressional staffers on carbon removal, with a focus on Republican offices 
• Plans to build relationships and influence in D.C.
• Plans for administrative advocacy
• Lead advocacy campaigns around key policy issues including appropriations, critical minerals, federal procurement, carbon border adjustments, tax, and more
• Build relationships with Congress, the administration, and relevant stakeholders (eg. ENGOs, labor unions, industry, conservative groups) 
• Review the design of new and novel carbon removal policies for Congress and the administration with an eye towards political salience and feasibility
• Be an external spokesperson for the organization at key events in D.C. and within partner coalitions
• Collaborate with CRA member companies, educating them on the federal policy process and advising on their own advocacy
• Inform our public affairs strategy, ensuring that local support can be translated to federal momentum
• Support the planning and execution of site visits with lawmakers at carbon removal projects across the country
• Manage external consultants to support the government affairs program including our lobbying firm 

*Note: This role is not required to be registered as a lobbyist. 

Compensation & Benefits

• The salary range for this position is $175,000 - $210,000
• Carbon Removal Alliance benefits include:
• Flexible work culture
• Four weeks of PTO, two weeks of sick leave, three floating holidays/personal days, and organization-wide closures for one week during August and one week at the end of the year
• Full coverage of best-in-class medical, vision, and dental insurance premiums for you and your spouse, partial coverage of premiums for children
• Employer contributions to 401K employee retirement plans, up to 6%
• Childcare and pet-sitting support during work travel
• A quarterly health and wellness stipend

WHO YOU ARE

This role requires:

• Proven track record (10+ years) working in government affairs in an advocacy role or on Capitol Hill in energy, climate, agriculture, or science
• Demonstrated success in advancing bipartisan policy 
• Strong network of policy allies you can rely on, including congressional staff and agency staff
• Excellent relationship-building skills with a track record of building trust, managing stakeholders, and nurturing lasting relationships
• Demonstrated ability to drive outcomes by setting strategy, closely managing priorities, and tracking timelines in an organized and systematic fashion 

It’s a bonus if you have:

• Direct experience working on Capitol Hill and/or in the Administration
• Strong relationships with Republican lawmakers, public officials, and staff 
• Prior start-up experience as an early team member in a growing organization
• Experience managing and working in a membership-based context (e.g. trade association, network or alliance)
• Familiarity with the annual appropriations process
• Comfort in working across digital platforms for remote team collaboration such as Google Docs, Miro, and Slack