DOE Alumni Network Public Affairs Lead

Applications are due February 24th, with priority given to applications received by February 17th. 

Background

The U.S. Department of Energy Alumni Network seeks to foster a collaborative community that champions a transformational science and technology agenda for the United States by facilitating non-partisan policy engagement, preserving and sharing institutional knowledge, and supporting career development and networking opportunities for its members. The Network, which is housed within the Environmental Protection Network, seeks to:

• Foster an Alumni Community: Grow a strong and connected alumni community, foster career growth and professional development, and maximize the impact of the community.  
• Support DOE’s Mission Space:  Support priorities, programs, and people within the DOE mission space and provide guidance on DOE capabilities, rules, and processes to affiliated stakeholders.
• Envision the Future of DOE: Play a central role in the ideation and actualization of the modernization of the Department. 

Note- The DOE Alumni Network team will be administratively housed at the Environmental Protection Network (EPN). EPN will oversee both payroll and benefits administration for this role. 

About the Position

Reporting to the DOE Alumni Network Executive Director, Jocelyn Brown-Saracino, the Public Affairs Lead, will be responsible for leading both the communications and government affairs arms of the Network.  The Public Affairs Lead will work closely with the Executive Director, other senior staff, working group leads, the Advisory Board, the DOE Alumni Network’s Communications, Engagement, and Media Working Group, as well as the broader Network community, to ensure meaningful communication of the Network’s activities, to amplify DOE alumni voices, and to enable effective and timely technical assistance to Congress, state governments, and other decision makers.   

RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Lead both the Networks communications and government affairs activities
  • Develop, evolve, and execute the Network's Public Affairs strategy and programming.

• Lead Network Communication efforts
  • Develop and amplify communications content focused on the work of the Network
  • Engage with media in both proactive and responsive manners
  • Work to build the team of alumni engaged with media on areas of relevant expertise, including:
    • Developing a media engagement training program
    • Connecting alumni to relevant media opportunities 
  • Lead the management of the Network Substack, including managing a pipeline of content, its publication and amplification
  • Manage the development of the Network’s weekly newsletter 
  • Manage, grow, and evolve the Network’s digital presence including but not limited to: webpage and social media presence 
  • Help provide leadership and support to the Communications, Engagement, and Digital Media working group, in partnership with volunteer leads.
    • Work to ensure opportunities for meaningful engagement and influence on behalf of working group members   

• Lead the Network’s government affairs efforts
  • Develop engagement strategies with Congress, state governments, and other key stakeholders 
  • Establish communication pathways for Congressional technical assistance and build key relationships to help enable effective efforts in this area 
  • In partnership with Network leadership, including the Policy Lead, identify alumni with relevant expertise and interest in engagement; develop relevant training materials for provision of technical assistance; and connect alumni with relevant technical assistance requests  

•  Serve on DOE Alumni Network Leadership Team
  • Contribute to the formation, growth, and management of the Network
  • Engage in Network leadership activities, including engagement with Advisory Board
  • Develop, track and maintain data and metrics on the impacts of the program area.

●      Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience

• Must have worked at the Department of Energy (either as a fellow, contractor, or federal employee) for at least two years, with additional experience preferred
• Experience leading organization-wide communication efforts and teams 
• Experience working directly with Congress on matters related to topics relevant to the  Department of Energy  
• Preference for a candidate with 10 or more years of combined communications, government relations, and DOE employment experience
• The ideal candidate will have 5 or more years of experience leading teams
• Ideal candidate will already be engaged with the DOE Alumni Network, demonstrating commitment to its efforts and familiarity with its work

Skills

• Exceptional organizational and execution skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively
• Exceptional oral and written communication and interpersonal skills, capable of engaging diverse audiences
• Strategic thinking and the ability to articulate a clear vision
• Proven ability to build and motivate volunteer teams

Personal Attributes

• Demonstrated commitment to the DOE community, with a broad network of DOE connections
• Demonstrated relationship with key Congressional stakeholders   
• Demonstrated relationship with key members of the media  
• Candidate should be a leader and team player, capable of motivating others and working independently with minimal supervision  
• Self-motivated, proactive, and "go-getter" mentality.  Given the small nature of the organization, there will be little ability to delegate and a lot of chipping in to make things, little and big, happen.   

Other

• While the position is remote, preference for candidates living in the DMV region, to facilitate the hosting of in-person events

PAY: An annual salary of $158,616 in Washington, D.C. We will adjust the salary up or down based on the locality. 


BENEFITS:

The DOE Alumni Network team will be administratively housed at the Environmental Protection Network (EPN). EPN will oversee both payroll and benefits administration for this role. Please see the details on the benefits below. 

The  DOE Alumni Network is a fully remote virtual environment. We view our compensation as a total rewards package that starts with a competitive salary. 

Work-Life Balance:

• Employees are encouraged to balance a 40-hour work week with a flexible work schedule and core hours of 11 AM-4 PM ET. 
• 11 paid Federal Holidays and other paid days when the office is closed, including: 
  • The work day before or after July 4. 
  • The day before and after Thanksgiving. 
  • The week of December 25th and the week of Jan 1st (FY26-Dec 21st-Jan 1st, FY27-Dec 20th-Dec 31st).
• Organization-wide non-meeting days on all major holidays that fall outside of the federal calendar (our staff can submit these to our calendar based on religious or cultural holidays).
• 3 weeks (120 hours) of paid time off (inclusive of sick, personal days, and vacation).
• 5 days of annual disaster relief time off in the event of a natural disaster impacting you or your family (does not carry over or pay out upon exit).
• 5 days of annual bereavement (does not carry over or pay out upon exit)
• 3 annual “EPN” days to be used for any purpose across the year (does not carry over or pay out upon exit). 

Financial Security:

• Competitive market-based salary. 
• Annual tenure bonus (determined annually, where funds are available)
• Performance-based bonuses where applicable.
• 401K Retirement Plan, 4% company match. 

Wellness Benefits:

• 90% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance, 50% employer-paid family.

• 100% employer-paid life (50K), opportunity to purchase additional life coverage is available for employee and spouse. 
• 100% employer-paid short and long-term disability insurance. 
• Access to employee-paid FSA, HSA, and commuter benefits. 
• Up to 6 weeks of paid leave upon the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

Career Development:

• Up to $500/year for professional development-related expenses. 
• Ongoing access to internal professional development training. 

Additional Benefits:

• $150 monthly cell phone plan and home internet reimbursement. 
• Up to $2,000/year for the purchase of phones, computers, headsets, software, or other equipment used consistently to carry out staff responsibilities.
• Applicable travel expenses will be reimbursed, including travel time outside of your local area.

Environmental injustices disproportionately impact the most marginalized people in society, including people of color, people from working-class backgrounds, women, and LGBTQIA+ people. Because we believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities.