Climate and Clean Energy Policy Lead

About Us

Front and Centered imagines a future full of possibilities, and one that is rooted in the rise of frontline communities for climate justice. Born nine years ago as a collective of visionary Black Brown Indigenous and People of Color community leaders, we have emerged as the leading statewide coalition advancing the solutions to climate change and environmental injustice by advancing our vision for a Just Transition. The essence and the ideas which seeded the bold vision as a people-powered, values-based climate and environmental justice movement in Washington early on, remain embedded in our community leadership which guides our Front and Centered team of experts into the future.

Black, Brown, and Indigenous leaders are organizing in rural towns and rising in urban neighborhoods across the state. The coalition envisions “a future where our communities and the earth are healed and thriving, our people have dignified work and the building blocks of opportunity and prosperity, and our government values, respects, and represents us.” They shine a light on the environmental injustices endured. They survive and thrive against all odds, as they share their wisdom, insight, and solutions to climate change and environmental racism. Across the state, coalition members bear witness to oppression and come together to lift what is possible.

With community voices guiding the vision and strategies of Front and Centered, our staff team serves as a backbone for the coalition, a statewide center for coordinating and developing policy analysis, advocacy strategy, research and development, leadership support, capacity building, and diversified funding and other resources to sustain and grow the movement. This unique integration from community-driven expertise and resources is what Front and Centered powerfully brings together -- the people, policy, and practice of strategic impact. Our body of work is broad and deep, from the groundbreaking Environmental Health Disparities Map, the 100% Clean Energy Transformation Act, the Healthy Environment for All Act, to the methodologies and reports generated as a result of our community data-driven listening sessions. The coalition will continue to build and bring all tools to bear – from law and policy changes to innovations which are evidence-based and inspired by frontline community stories, to public education.

Join us as we develop our next actions to show how frontline communities are leading the transition away from anextraction-based economy toward a regenerative future!

About The Position

The Climate and Clean Energy Policy Lead will drive our advocacy efforts to transition to a just and equitable energy future. This individual will lead the organization's work in advocating for policies, initiatives, and strategies that support a clean energy transition, focusing on utility advocacy, renewable energy adoption, energy affordability, and enhancing energy access and resilience. They will collaborate with partners, stakeholders, and communities to ensure that the transition to renewable energy prioritizes frontline communities most impacted by environmental injustice. The Climate and Clean Energy Lead will help shape a sustainable energy landscape that promotes equity and inclusion for all by addressing these critical focus areas.

This position will report to the Climate Justice Program Manager.

Front and Centered agenda includes our vision for:

• Equitable Co-Governance - The communities most impacted by the extractive economy are at the center of government decision-making on the transition to a just and equitable environment. Including, implementation of the Health Environment for All Act (HEAL) and Just Futures that strengthens community self-determination and state accountability.
• Healthy and Resilient Communities & Livelihoods - Every community has a clean environment and we prevent and address pollution, not just as a single source, but for its cumulative effects on overburdened neighborhoods and climate impacts and communities are more prepared to meet their own needs and less dependent on extractive industries.
• Energy Justice - Everyone has appropriate, affordable access to, and control over renewable energy that powers their homes and communities and eliminates excessive use of energy and toxic energy systems. Including equitable implementation and expansion of the Clean Energy Transition Act.
• Transportation Justice - Every community has reliable, accessible, affordable transit and infrastructure to safely roll, walk, and wheel that is free from toxic air, risk of injury and highways expansions contributing to climate change and displacement. Including implementation of statewide accessible frequent transit standards and divestment of highway investments toward equitable mobility.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

Energy Policy Leadership & Strategy Development

• Lead the development and execution of strategies that advance the just transition to renewable energy, ensuring that policies reflect the needs of frontline communities represented in the coalition.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align energy justice objectives with organizational goals and broader environmental and climate justice movements.

Policy Development & Advocacy

• Develop and advocate for policy recommendations that support a fair and equitable transition to renewable energy at the state level and provide environmental, economic, and social benefits to vulnerable and overburdened communities, focusing on low-income communities and communities of color.
• Develop the Front and Centered research and advocacy agenda for Washington State’s greenhouse gas reduction policies.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments in energy policy, offering timely recommendations for promoting energy equity and a just transition.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including government agencies, private sector partners, environmental organizations, and grassroots groups, to strengthen the movement for a just transition.
• Coordinate with Front and Centered policy teams to lend professional skills and subject matter expertise to multiple issue areas in the climate and environmental justice policy portfolio.

Community Engagement & Empowerment

• Work directly with Front and Center coalition members and communities impacted by energy injustice to ensure their needs and voices are included in policy development.
• Lead and facilitate community forums, workshops, and listening sessions to engage stakeholders in the clean energy transition and policy development.
• Develop and analyze policy concepts from grassroots input, literature, outreach, and collaboration with partners, applying Front and Centered policy frameworks.
• Coordinate policy development and research projects with community stakeholders, government, and partner organizations.

Other Functions and Responsibilities

• Participate and attend various meetings, including but not limited to Front and Centered coordination team meetings and coalition meetings representing Front and Centered.
• Other tasks as identified to ensure Front and Centered meets its obligations and objectives
• Provide clear, transparent communication that builds trust and accountability toward the interests of Front and Centered and coalition communities via the authorship of reports, blogs, and public comments.
• Produce and conduct presentations about Front & Centered at different external stakeholder meetings and events.
• Create and manage data and assessment methods to evaluate progress and outcomes, share them with members and funders, and inform and shape future efforts.

NOTE: This job description includes but is not limited to the job duties, responsibilities, qualifications, or requirements contained herein. Additional duties, responsibilities, qualifications or requirements may be required at the direction of the Executive Director or the Policy Team Managers.