Chief Program Officer, National Caucus of Environmental Legislators

National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (NCEL)

Chief Program Officer

Compensation range: $120,000 - $140,000

Location: Fully Remote

ABOUT NCEL

The National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (NCEL) is the premier organization for environmental state legislators. NCEL coordinates a nonpartisan network of over 1,300 legislators to protect, conserve, and improve the natural and human environment. By joining NCEL, you will play a crucial role in fostering a robust bench of environmental champions across the states.

NCEL began in 1996 with a small, bipartisan group of state legislators from across the country concerned about growing efforts that threatened environmental protection. These lawmakers coordinated to push back against anti-environmental efforts and collectively enacted many of the most notable state environmental policies of the 21st century. More than 25 years later, NCEL has grown into a broad bipartisan network of state lawmakers from across the country working together to create a clean and healthy environment for all. NCEL continues to be by and for state legislators and works with lawmakers in all 50 states.

NCEL believes that the key to advancing sound state policy is well-informed legislatures with strong champions who can advocate on behalf of the environment, coordinate strategies, and collaborate with their peers across the country on shared learning and action. State legislators often lack legislative staff and researchers, which leaves them under-resourced in the fight against anti-environmental groups. NCEL bridges this gap by hosting events, connecting lawmakers with colleagues and experts working on similar issues, and maintaining a library of online resources curated specifically for busy legislators. Please visit ncelenviro.org to learn more about NCEL’s impact and leadership.

NCEL currently operates with an annual budget of $3.4 million and a staff of 17.

ABOUT THE CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER POSITION

NCEL seeks a seasoned leader to oversee the organization’s programmatic initiatives, ensuring their success and alignment with organizational goals in a newly created position that supports an integrated approach to strategy-setting across the organization’s program and policy priorities. Reporting to the CEO, the Chief Program Officer (CPO) will guide the development, execution, and evaluation of programs to amplify NCEL’s mission and impact.

As a key member of the four-person executive team, the CPO will contribute significantly to organizational strategy and impact in collaboration with the program team and other organizational leaders. The CPO will lead and directly manage a dedicated team of four program managers, providing oversight for NCEL’s program areas: Climate and Energy, Conservation, Environmental Health, and Oceans. They will also provide mentorship and coaching for all program staff, upholding a culture of collaboration, high impact, and transparency across the team.

The ideal candidate brings a passion for NCEL’s mission, a breadth of diverse organizational and lived experience, a proven track record of leading high-impact programmatic strategies in support of an organization’s mission, and an ability to effectively leverage the collaborative engagement of diverse internal and external stakeholders. They will be a collaborative leader, strategic thinker, and dedicated advocate for environmental progress. They will be skilled in operationalizing environmental justice principles into policy solutions and promoting a culture of equity in organizational and management practices. The strongest candidates will bring a track record of cultivating a culture of mutual trust and shared leadership, empowering their team with autonomy while actively relying on their expertise. They foster transparency, inspire accountability at all levels, and will have a demonstrated record of aligning teams around a collective vision of impact.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The essential functions of the Chief Program Officer include, but are not limited to, the following:

Program Strategy and Leadership

• Develop and oversee a comprehensive programmatic strategy that aligns with NCEL’s mission and long-term vision and integrates environmental justice in all program areas.
• Lead the design, implementation, and evaluation of NCEL’s four core programs, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and strategic priorities.
• Monitor and analyze program impact, identifying opportunities for growth, innovation, and greater influence.
• Serve as a thought leader and content expert on environmental policy, keeping the team informed about trends, challenges, and opportunities.

Team Management and Development

• Provide visionary leadership and mentorship to a team of four Program Managers and a larger team of 13, empowering them to achieve programmatic goals and prioritizing their professional growth and development.
• Facilitate effective communication and information sharing within the program team and across the organization.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, learning, and innovation within the team.
• Ensure programs operate cohesively and are integrated across departments for maximum impact.
• Establish and communicate clear performance metrics and conduct regular evaluations to support team growth, individual advancement, and program success.

Operational Oversight

• Oversee the planning and execution of state visits, legislative meetings, and events across multiple programs, ensuring they align with organizational priorities and maximize impact.
• Develop, implement, and maintain comprehensive program plans that integrate timelines, budgets, resource allocation, and risk management strategies to achieve programmatic objectives.
• Foster collaboration, streamline processes and maintain clear lines of communication across the team to ensure seamless coordination and maximize knowledge sharing across programs.
• Proactively identify and address operational challenges, applying strategic problem-solving to maintain program momentum and efficiency.

Grant and Resource Management

• Collaborate with the partnerships team to cultivate and secure funding for programmatic initiatives aligned with NCEL’s strategic priorities.
• Collaborate with the program team to leverage expertise in stewarding funder relationships.
• Work closely with the program team to develop and implement work plans.
• Ensure programs meet all grant deliverables, timelines, and reporting requirements and develop metrics demonstrating programmatic impact.
• Develop and manage program budgets in collaboration with the operations team, ensuring effective resource allocation.

Stakeholder Engagement and Representation

• Work with the program team to cultivate and strengthen relationships with legislators, partners, funders, and other key organizational stakeholders.
• Represent NCEL at national and regional conferences, legislative meetings, and public events, positioning the organization as a leader in environmental policy and amplifying NCEL’s impact.
• Lead collaborative initiatives that promote shared learning and action among legislators across states.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

NCEL recognizes that not every candidate will bring every element of the knowledge, skills, and experience listed below and encourages candidates with diverse lived and professional experiences to apply.

• NCEL recognizes that not every candidate will bring every element of the knowledge, skills, and experience listed below and encourages candidates with diverse lived and professional experiences to apply.
• A minimum of 7 years of relevant experience with increasing levels of organizational responsibility in overseeing organizational functions and programmatic decision-making in a related field.
• Demonstrated success in developing and executing strategic plans and developing and evaluating programs.
• Strong commitment and demonstrated record of employing an environmental justice and equity lens.
• Familiarity with policy development and engaging lawmakers at the state, federal, or local level in nonprofit or public sector leadership roles is preferred.
• Proven experience leading and developing a collaborative and diverse team of experts; strong interpersonal, problem-solving, and mentoring skills with a demonstrated ability to apply equity-centered leadership and management principles.
• Record of open and inclusive leadership and management with a geographically dispersed, talented, and multidisciplinary staff.
• Experience supporting and facilitating a strong team ethos of collaboration, respect, and trust, with an ability to problem solve and work across differences.
• Experience authentically and meaningfully engaging and centering historically marginalized and underrepresented communities.
• Proven relationship-building skills, with an ability to work effectively alongside diverse audiences and stakeholders.
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to articulate and inspire a clear vision both internally and externally.
• Problem-solving abilities with timely decision-making skills.
• A system and process orientation.
• Strong financial management skills, including budget development and management experience.
• Ability to travel as required by the role and up to 30% of the time. Employees must live within a reasonable commuting distance of an airport (typically one hour or less).

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY AND REASONABLE ACCOMODATIONS

NCEL is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable state or local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on NCEL. If you need assistance completing this application or to otherwise participate in the application process, please email steyssier@leaderfit.org. Please describe what adjustments you are requesting, and please do not share any medical information in your request.

NCEL also offers a generous leave and comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees, including:

• 401(k) retirement plan with a 5% employer contribution regardless of personal contribution
• 100% employer-paid health insurance; dental, and vision insurance also offered
• Generous paid time off, including 15 vacation days in the first year of employment, 12 sick days per year, 5 personal days per year, and 13 holidays per year.
• Additional office closures to promote staff rest and well-being, including every fourth Friday, Summer Fridays, the week between Christmas and New Year’s, and the week after NCEL’s National Forum.
• Eight weeks of paid parental leave (full-time employees qualify after three months of employment).
• Annual professional development stipend (currently at $500 per year).
• A 4-week paid sabbatical after every 5 years of employment for full-time employees.

This information is intended to comply with all applicable pay transparency law requirements. The benefits that NCEL offers to its employees may, of course, change at NCEL’s discretion.