Washington State Director

Location: Seattle, WA (hybrid)

Reporting To: Director of Policy and Strategy

Compensation: $120,000-$135,000, plus benefits 

Start Date: May 2025

Application Deadline: Friday, March 14

About Climate Solutions:  

Climate Solutions is a Northwest-based nonprofit driving clean energy solutions to address the climate crisis. Our mission is clear: accelerating clean energy solutions to the climate crisis. We focus on championing transformational policies, catalyzing powerful partnerships, and communicating innovative strategies to meet the urgency of this moment with solutions grounded in climate science.

About the Opportunity: 

The Washington State Director will set the policy agenda and legislative priorities, build strategic partnerships, manage and lead a team of energy, maritime, transportation and building policy advocates in Washington, and work collaboratively with the senior leadership team to align to organizational mission, values, and goals.

KEY PRIORITIES DURING YOUR FIRST YEAR

What You’ll Achieve:

Policy Leadership & Strategy 

• Set Washington State’s short- and long-term climate policy agenda, legislative priorities, and campaign strategies, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and coordination of regional resources.
• Monitor and analyze state legislation, agency and utility processes, and political developments related to climate and environmental justice, while tracking federal and local policies to identify emerging trends and potential impacts.
• Play a leadership role in building and winning campaigns, interfacing and mobilizing with allies in the business, labor, communities of color, environmental, and other communities.

People Management & Leadership Development 

• Provide strategic direction, mentorship, and development of 4+ policy advocates specializing in energy, maritime, transportation, and buildings.
• Foster an inclusive, cross-functional, and collaborative team culture that centers racial equity and promotes professional development, community-building, and knowledge-sharing.
• Oversee and coordinate contracted communications, lobbyists, and advocacy consultants, ensuring their work aligns with policy objectives and campaign strategies.

Coalition-Building & Stakeholder Engagement  

• Build and nurture strategic partnerships with key stakeholders—including policymakers, government officials, organizations, coalitions, and tribal nations—to drive collaborative policy action and advocacy efforts.
• Represent Climate Solutions in coalition meetings, working groups, public forums, media engagements, and legislative sessions to advocate for policy priorities, mobilize support, and strengthen cross-sector collaboration.
• In coalition with environmental justice and community organizations, co-develop and implement campaign and organizing strategies that amplify the voices of communities most impacted by climate injustice–ensuring they shape narratives and policy solutions.

Organizational Strategy & Thought-Leadership 

• Represent the Washington policy team and integrate equity and inclusion values into internal policies, decision-making, and operational systems.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director, Development Team, and other colleagues to enhance Climate Solutions’ public profile, provide thought leadership, expand donor engagement, and build political support.

Who You Are:

• You believe in Climate Solutions’s Mission to accelerate clean energy solutions to the climate crisis and champion transformational policies and market-based innovations across Washington and Oregon.
• You marry policy with political practicality. With a deep understanding of governance, stakeholder interests, and institutional dynamics, you craft and implement policies that are both technically sound and politically feasible.
• You are a movement-builder. You develop and execute multi-faceted campaigns that integrate grassroots organizing, policy advocacy, communications, and coalition-building to achieve measurable outcomes.
  You have a keen ability to adapt and pivot in evolving environments. You adjust to shifting priorities, new challenges, and evolving environments with confidence and resilience.
• You empower people to be their authentic and best selves. You recognize and leverage each person’s
• You center inclusionary and equitable practices. You believe equity, diversity and inclusion happen deliberately and by design.
• You build trust-based relationships. You actively listen, communicate openly, and foster an environment of mutual respect and collaboration
• You have a well-developed self-management system. You are organized and embed tools and technology to manage and prioritize multiple moving pieces.

TRAVEL: This is a hybrid role based in Washington that requires significant in-state travel, including to the capitol, attending coalition and partnership meetings, and internal staff meetings. There is flexibility in how you structure your travel and days. 

BENEFITS: Climate Solutions provides 100% employee premiums for medical, dental, and vision, 6 weeks of PTO and 14 flexible holidays, and access to an Employment Assistance Program (EAP), health care flexible spending and dependent care spending accounts, and voluntary life insurance. In addition, Climate Solutions covers 100% of eligible employees’ short- and long term disabilities as well as life.  

Application: Please submit your resume, written response to one question, and a one-way video interview with four questions to respond to. You can access the one-way video interview questions (here) ahead of your interview. 

Nominate a leader: Submit a nomination and a recruiter will personally reach out to nominees. 

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and Black, indigenous, people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Uproot Talent, we are committed to partnering with organizations who are intentional about building diverse, inclusive and authentic workplaces – so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.