About our organization
Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES) is a non-profit organization founded in 2013 to engage Republican policymakers and the public about responsible, conservative solutions to address our nation’s energy, economic, and environmental security while increasing America’s competitive edge. This work includes building out robust political and advocacy operations to support Republican clean energy champions in the U.S. House and Senate. In addition to working with Members of Congress and legislative staffs to discuss policy ideas, the CRES team members also collaborate with industry representatives and subject matter experts in their mission to bring Americans together to solve our most pressing issues. CRES policy goals include:
• Reducing global emissions and growing the U.S. economy.
• Enacting policy that builds off historically successful approaches to affordable clean energy.
• Affordably reducing domestic emissions in a manner that can be leveraged globally.
To further its mission, although our staff are employees of CRES, CRES established CRES Forum in 2017 to educate the public and influence the national conversation around clean energy solutions that are actionable, market-friendly and responsible. CRES Forum provides expert information to key decision makers, so they are empowered to act in addition to support annual forums and events, such as National Clean Energy Week, to demonstrate how clean energy policies strengthen the economy, enhance America’s vital national security interests, and help to preserve our environment for future generations.
Scope of Work:
The Vice President of Policy & Research (“VPPR”) is a senior member of the CRES team, leading the organization’s work in developing and managing a policy agenda that advances responsible energy solutions. Under the direction of the Senior Vice President of Government and Public Affairs (“SVP”), the VPPR identifies and analyzes policy options to advance the CRES mission and develops CRES’ short-and-long-term policy solutions and supporting analysis for advancing the CRES mission of climate issues and policy progress, e.g., permitting reform, critical minerals and supply chain, industrial emissions, carbon accounting, and agriculture innovation. The VPPR represents CRES’s impactful role in policy – fulfilling a need to create policy recommendations for various federal and state legislatures. In collaboration with CRES’ senior management team, the VPPR helps the organization prevent backsliding in public positioning regarding climate and clean energy and identifies visible supports of climate-adjacent policy.
The VPPR demonstrates rock-solid personal integrity and leadership by directing, developing, and motivating their two direct reports: the Director of Climate Policy (“DCP”) and the Policy Manager (“PM”).
Responsibilities:
• Serve as a partner in shaping and executing CRES’ Public Affairs and Advocacy Campaigns, including messaging and collateral development (e.g., blogs, op-eds, research analysis, etc.), and provide rapid response support.
• Direct the policy department’s efforts to educate MOCs and staff by developing CRES Forum policy content and programming (e.g., white papers, issue briefs, policy evaluation, CRES academy, among others).
• Conceptualize, write, and manage the production of policy content white papers and analyses.
• Develop analytical support for policy positions, including conducting in-house modeling and analysis, and design and manage analysis projects conducted by 3rd parties.
• Help develop policy-related proposals for inclusion in grant applications, aligned with the organization’s strategic business plan.
• Serve as an external-facing policy subject-matter expert to enhance CRES’ events and engagements, including NCEW, CRES Academy, and CRES Forum policy events and convenings.
• Maintain a network of external research and policy professionals and as needed, supporting corporate partners and the Hill engagements.
• Serve as the lead researcher and writer for policy documents, including developing high-quality research briefs, reports, and technical assistance briefs aligned with CRES’ mission and strategic priorities.
• Assess federal policy and legislation for consistency with CRES’ positions and responses, mainly through a lens of communications and government relations.
• Speak on the record to media/ journalists persuasively and articulately about CRES’s policy agenda and how it fits into a broader energy and environmental discourse.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
Skills and Qualifications:
• A keen understanding of politics and policy involved in right-of-center energy and environmental advocacy.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; persuasive strategic communication skills and ability to effectively build consensus among internal and external stakeholders. Experience in modeling and scoping analytical research.
• Ability to effectively lead convenings and meetings, deliver presentations, give speeches, and represent CRES to external audiences.
• A willingness to travel moderately.
• Self-directed with excellent project management skills.
• Managing large, long-term, complex projects.
Education and Experience:
• An advanced degree in policy, economics, or related fields of study.
• Extensive experience in writing for public consumption, including the Hill, corporate partners, policymakers, and the like.
• 10+ years of experience in Washington-based policy work with well-built connections with key decision-makers, including both federal policymakers and conservative policy influencers.
• Management experience preferred.
Personal/ Professional Attributes:
• Has excellent writing skills.
• Is organized, diligent, and responsible.
• Can work in a self-directed manner but collaboratively.
• Fearlessly asks questions to understand assignments better.
• Can manage competing priorities and consistently meet deadlines.
Competitive Benefits:
• Excellent health, vision, dental, and prescription drug insurance.
• Short-and-long-term insurance.
• Flexible Spending Account.
• Paid Time Off (PTO).
• Retirement plan match.
• Transportation benefit.
• Cell phone reimbursement.
Equal Opportunity Employer Statement:
CRES is an Equal Opportunity Employer. CRES’ policy applies to all terms, conditions, and privileges of employment and provides equal employment opportunity regardless of race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, or military status, and any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
How to Apply:
Please include “VP of Policy & Research” in your subject line and send your CV and cover letter to: [email protected]
