The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) seeks a full-time Decarbonization Advocacy Coordinator to help develop, grow, and maintain our clean energy efforts across the Southeast region. 

About SACE

The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) is a regional, not-for-profit environmental advocacy organization that promotes responsible and equitable energy choices to ensure clean, safe, and healthy communities throughout the Southeast. As a leading voice for energy policy in our region, SACE is focused on transforming the way we produce and consume energy in the Southeast. 

Job Description

This position will focus efforts on achieving a clean electricity system with the goals of preventing the construction of unnecessary and risky fossil gas infrastructure and promoting the speedy retirement of coal power plants so that our power grid can transition to cleaner energy. 

The job will entail working with SACE’s grassroots members and utility staff and decision makers in multiple Southeast states to make the case against risky fossil fuel power resources and in support of clean energy alternatives. The work will have a particular focus on rural electric cooperatives and public power companies. Working with SACE’s membership in these utility service areas will involve lots of one-on-one relationship building with individual members to grow and develop members’ understanding of clean energy opportunities and abilities to effectively advocate for clean energy policy. This position will serve as a liaison between SACE and utility staff members, with a necessity to balance cooperation and confrontation based on utilities’ positioning on risky fossil resources and clean energy. 

Responsibilities of the Decarbonization Advocacy Coordinator will include:

• 1-on-1 relationship building with SACE supporters: consistent one-on-one phone calls and meetings with SACE supporters in key utility service areas to get to know them and their priorities and learn about the best ways we can include them in our work and support them in work they are already doing, plus regular follow up meetings to keep members engaged (up to several hours per day of one-on-one phone calls and meetings).
• New member recruitment: bring new people into SACE’s network of supporters of climate action through phone calls/virtual meetings, online and in-person activities.
• Working with staff and decision makers of public power utilities and rural electric cooperatives: cultivation of relationships with key utility staff members to facilitate dialogue about the risks of fossil fuel power and benefits of clean energy alternatives.
• Coalition building: Identify opportunities to collaborate with other advocacy groups, coalitions, and like-minded organizations to amplify our impact and achieve common goals.
• Cultivating volunteer engagement in activities such as petitions, social media advocacy, participating in public comment periods, contacting elected officials, attending events, and voting.
• Leadership development: Identify and work with volunteers to help them grow into leaders who mobilize their networks and communities for climate action and civic engagement opportunities and build volunteer-led teams.
• Training volunteers: as volunteers take more responsibility for organizing advocacy, you will need to provide support and training to develop the skills of your emerging leaders, such as helping develop their ability to speak publicly and advocate, including through written public comments, testimony at public meetings, and earned media and press events, as well as hosting their own events.
• Organizing advocacy and civic engagement actions: organizing regular visits with key decision-makers, letter writing events, attendance at public meetings, voter registration, and other advocacy actions.
• Developing educational materials: working closely with the SACE Advocacy Team to develop materials to support your organizing work, like house party guides, trainings on recruitment, informational presentations, flyers, etc.
• Serving as SACE spokesperson: representing SACE at events, in coordination with partner organizations, and in local media.
• Reporting: regular reporting on activity to help inform SACE’s strategy and guide our work.
• Regular learning / teaching to strengthen advocacy work: we expect regular reflection and debriefs to explore what worked well and what didn’t so we can replicate best practices and make changes where necessary to become more effective.

This is a full-time position based in the southeast United States, preferably in Tennessee or Georgia. This position will focus regionally across Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, with a particular emphasis on Tennessee and Georgia. Work will generally be done remotely, but some limited travel should be expected, particularly in Tennessee and Georgia.

The Decarbonization Advocacy Coordinator”. will work under the supervision of and with the help of SACE’s Climate Advocacy Director.

CHARACTERISTICS FOR SUCCESS

• Solutions-focused and adaptable: When faced with challenges, the team member works to find potential solutions and how to adapt.
• Collaborative and independent: The team member takes initiative, operates well independently, and as part of a team.
• Goal oriented: The team member operates with both long- and short-term goals in mind and is motivated to help meet them.
• Committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion: Our constituency is politically, racially, generationally, and economically diverse. The team member is committed to advancing diversity, and racial and social equity and inclusion through their work with SACE.
•  Credible: The team member is committed to accuracy and relationship follow-through.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in community organizing, campaigns, volunteer recruitment, or strong evidence of the ability to develop talent and leadership in other people.
• Comfortable working virtually.
• Comfortable making lots of phone calls and having conversations with people you don’t know.
• Enjoy getting to know new people!
• Ability to work quickly under pressure and juggle several projects at one time.
• Demonstrated ability to learn quickly.
• Commitment to advancing clean energy policy and civic engagement.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience with EveryAction and/or VAN or similar CRM like Action Network, Mobilize, Nation Builder, etc. is preferred but not required.
• Familiarity with energy policy is preferred but not required.

Diversity

The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy recognizes that its continued success requires a staff of hardworking, intelligent people from diverse backgrounds. SACE is an equal opportunity employer and considers candidates for employment without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, religion, age, gender, disability, veteran, marital status, or sexual orientation. We encourage applications from women and persons of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. 

How to Apply

Interested candidates should email a resume and cover letter describing your qualifications to [email protected] with the subject line “Decarbonization Advocacy Coordinator”. References will be required of candidates during the interview process, and a background check may be performed. Due to the high volume of inquiries we receive, we are unable to personally respond to all applicants. Please be assured that every application is reviewed and considered by our HR Director as well as a senior member of our staff.

SACE offers a full benefits package including flexible time off, health insurance, 401k matching, paid vacation, paid sick leave, parental leave, sabbatical and generous holiday time off. Additionally, SACE will provide support for training to deepen skillset when appropriate.