Senior Policy Principal - Gubernatorial Engagement

Position Description

For this new position, United seeks a highly energetic, smart, and innovative Senior Principal with a background in issue advocacy and campaigns to join our policy team. As part of the state and regions team at United, the Senior Principal will help lead United’s education and engagement work with Democratic and Republican candidates running for Governor in 2025 and 2026 races across the country.

The Senior Principal will work with United state policy team members, United member companies and external partners to help educate gubernatorial candidates on how to accelerate adoption and build out of clean energy technologies and projects, finance energy infrastructure, and elevate clean, customer-centric cost-effective solutions to meet growing demand for energy.  

The ideal candidate has exceptional project management, relationship building and stakeholder engagement skills. Candidates should also possess an interest in—and working knowledge of—energy policy issues and related political dynamics. The ideal candidate is entrepreneurial, eager to build, proactive, comfortable with ambiguity, and flexible. 

Responsibilities 

• Serve as program manager for United’s gubernatorial education work across the country 

• Work in partnership with United’s state teams to craft messaging and policy collateral, host decisionmaker roundtables, conduct targeted messaging and educational campaigns and execute on key tactics including, but not limited to, public opinion polling and analysis

• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including gubernatorial candidates and their staff, member companies, and other external partners 

• Build, organize and manage program management tools and systems  

• Prepare reports and updates on campaign progress, outcomes, and key metrics for internal and external stakeholders 

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

• 7-10 years of professional experience, including experience in political engagement, campaigns, and advocacy

• Experience in the advanced energy industry or clean energy advocacy community is a plus  

• Demonstrated success managing complex programs with multiple workstreams and participants

• Ability to quickly learn and navigate technical subject matter

• Sharp political instincts and experience communicating policy priorities to bipartisan audiences

• Independent self-starter with an entrepreneurial spirit; candidates must be very comfortable working with colleagues in a remote environment, creating new projects, building their own calendar, and delivering on high expectations

• Strong interpersonal skills required; candidates must be able to successfully develop and maintain productive relationships with key stakeholders

• Superb written and verbal communications skills, including public speaking.  A candidate must be able to independently draft clear, comprehensive, and persuasive written documents appropriate for intended audiences

• Intellectual curiosity, inquisitive nature, and excellent listening and problem-solving skills

• Entrepreneurial sensibility, comfortable with high levels of ambiguity and fluidity  

• Willingness to travel as needed (up to 20%)

Physical Requirements

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

The employee is regularly required to use hands and talk or hear. The employee is required to sit for long periods of time; reach with hands and arms; may need to balance, stoop, kneel or crouch, walk up and down stairs.

Job type: Full-time; Termed end of December 2026

Location: REMOTE; residence in the U.S. required 

Salary: starting at $90,000 

Start Date: July/August

Advanced Energy United Perks include: 

• Remote work and flexible schedule  

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families   

• Medical premiums covered for employees at 100%  

• Flexible spending plans for health care and dependent care   

• Profit sharing opportunities and annual merit-based compensation increases  

• $50/month personal wellness reimbursement  

• $50/month phone stipend 

• Up to $200 reimbursement for home office set-up 

• Accrued Paid Time Off, 11 federal holidays, and an annual end-of-year closure  

• Parental Leave  

• Professional development reimbursement  

• 401(k) plan (with matching incentives)  

• WMATA Transit Smart Benefits (DC, MD, VA employees)  

Advanced Energy United is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, sex, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances. If reasonable accommodations are needed to participate in the job application, interview process, and/ or to perform essential job functions please contact the Talent Acquisition team at careers@advancedenergyunited.org. We are committed to the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice across our organization (“DEIJ”). We also incorporate these values into our mission of making the energy we use secure, clean, and affordable. We know that varied perspectives and a commitment to social justice are needed to succeed in making the United States an advanced energy economy. We commit to building and supporting an inclusive workforce that represents different cultures, backgrounds, and viewpoints.