Program Director

Role Description

The ideal candidate brings campaigning prowess with a wealth of experience and expertise pertaining to California’s climate policies and climate campaigning more generally. Familiarity with clean energy and climate policy and politics are a must with solid political acumen and strong, established relationships in the field.

Importantly, we’re looking for a self-starter and highly-strategic thinker who knows what it takes to win climate campaigns in California. Drawing from their experience, the ideal candidate is a do-er with exceptional judgement, able to make quick decisions and necessary pivots in real-time, and can successfully lead and collaborate with internal and external partners executing on tactics.

Reporting to Sunstone Strategies senior leadership, this position is responsible for managing teams and successful campaign outcomes on behalf of diverse coalitions and stakeholders to advance climate policy in California. Under limited supervision and with periodic guidance, this position operates with a moderate degree of independence, judgment, and strategic influence.

Duties, Functions, and Responsibilities

• Lead or co-lead issue area and moderately complex campaigns and maintain accountability to contract deliverables and budgets.
• Advise on, develop, and execute communications plans, strategies, and tactics for campaigns in partnership with coalition partners.
• Lead coalition communications.
• Manage campaign teams, assign work, and ensure contract deliverables are met.
• Draft and edit reports and collateral content, including press releases, media advisories, talking points, op-eds, Letters to the Editor (LTEs), fact sheets, websites, social messaging, etc.
• Partner with our digital and design team to produce shareable content (short- and long-form videos, animations, other shareable online assets) and execute online communications campaigns.
• Build relationships and credibility with media partners and reporters.
• Successfully pitch stories and place op-eds in alignment with campaign strategies.
• Participate in funding discussions and in developing scope for key programs.
• Represent clients, partners, and Sunstone Strategies, as needed.

Supervisory and Leadership

• This position has direct supervisory responsibilities, overseeing campaign teams.
• Full range of supervisory responsibilities include hiring, training, evaluation, coaching, and recommendation for dismissal.

Knowledge and Skills Required

• Deep understanding of federal and state climate policy, including key players in the California climate/political community.
• Strong understanding of the media landscape.
• Ability to train and lead others with empathy and clarity.
• Ability to lead authentically and with diplomacy while elevating views of diverse communities and working across lines of race, class, gender, and geography.
• Skilled in analyzing complex policy issues and communicating them in a compelling, digestible manner for diverse audiences to encourage and drive coalition support.
• Ability to build relationships and work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to manage multiple, changing, and competing priorities and operate effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent writing skills and strong attention to detail.
• Strong communication skills and skilled in navigating difficult conversations.

Minimum Qualifications

• More than 8 years of experience focused in communications, public affairs, and electoral campaigning with increasing responsibility in a role related to climate change, including:
• Experience and expertise in policies related to the climate and energy sectors.
• Experience building strong partner and media relationships and working in political landscapes related to climate change.
• Experience leading communications for climate coalitions.
• At least 5 years of experience successfully managing and leading diverse teams including internal and external staff and consultants.

Preferred Qualifications

• Remote position with preferred location in California.
• At least 5 years of direct experience working in climate change or energy policy campaigning, with a focus on California for at least a portion of that time.

Salary and Benefits

• The salary range for this position is $119,544 to $140,464.
• This is a full-time salaried remote position with a comprehensive compensation and benefits package, which includes:
• Employer-sponsored health, vision, and dental coverage for employees.
• Employer-sponsored life and AD&D insurance coverage.
• 4 weeks of vacation leave.
• 10 days of sick/personal time.
• 13 paid holidays, including a personal holiday for your birthday.
• Automatic 5% 401k employer contribution after 3 months of continual employment that is 100% vested.
• Home office stipend to be used only within first three months of employment.
• Monthly phone and internet reimbursement.
• Annual professional development stipend.
• Quarterly health and wellness stipend.
• Year-end discretionary bonus.

How To Apply

Please submit a resume and cover letter as a single file at sunstonestrategies.com/careers .

Applicants who do not include a cover letter will not be considered.

Due to the anticipated volume of applications, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

If you need reasonable accommodation in order to complete the application, interview, or some other portion of the selection process, please contact us at View email address on remotive.com .