Join our Healthy Rivers Team as a Water Policy Fellow!
POSITION SUMMARY
Western Resource Advocates (WRA) is seeking an enthusiastic and analytical individual to join our Healthy Rivers Team. The Water Policy Fellow will support a variety of research priorities for WRA’s Healthy Rivers Team. These include, but are not limited to, researching state‐level water policies and programming and working with communities in Colorado and Utah to design and implement local integrated water and land use planning policies. The Fellowship lasts for the term of one year and is an excellent opportunity to learn and grow while working with other water policy and conservation professionals.
ABOUT WESTERN RESOURCE ADVOCATES
WRA fights climate change and its impacts to sustain the environment, economy, and people of the West. We respect the different needs of diverse people and partner with them to develop a shared vision for progress—one that advances communities while protecting biodiversity.
Our team of policy experts, scientists, economists, and attorneys has a 30-year history of working where decisions are made, sweating the details, creating evidence-based solutions, and holding decisionmakers accountable. This on the ground work with policymakers and other advocates advances clean energy, protects air, land, water, and wildlife—and sustains the lives and livelihoods of the West.
LOCATION
This position may work remotely from the Denver/Boulder metropolitan area or the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, in person at our Denver, Boulder, or Salt Lake City office, or a hybrid of the two. On the days when working from a WRA office the fellow will follow that office’s guidelines for reserving a desk at which to work.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACTIVITIES
- Provide support for all tasks involved in implementing Growing Water Smart in Utah including participating in all team meetings, conducting outreach to potentially interested parties, drafting and reviewing curriculum, organizing the GWS workshop in June 2023, and providing technical assistance to communities (if needed).
- Support Healthy Rivers Program (HRP) staff with any 2023 legislative efforts in Colorado or Utah including conducting research, outreach to stakeholders, drafting legislative language, and organizing meetings.
- Provide direct technical assistance to communities in Colorado and Utah, as needed, including background research, writing summary memos, conducting interviews, and facilitating meetings.
- Support HRP staff in facilitating the landscape professional certification stakeholder coalition, including conducting research, writing summary memos, producing educational materials (e.g., white paper), and facilitating/note taking of stakeholder meetings.
- Conduct policy research and write memos or reports on varied subjects associated with WRA’s water and land use policy work in Colorado and Utah.
- Expand WRA’s State Water Policy & Program Database highlighting notable and exemplary state water policies from around the country.
- Review, research, and update the case studies in WRA’s 2018 Conservation‐Oriented Tap Fee Guide, including holding informational interviews with featured case study communities. Help plan and executive tap fee workshops to help train communities on best practices.
- Support HRP staff on other projects and tasks as the need arises and in coordination with supervisor.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Excellent communicator, written and verbal.
- Strong research and analytic skills.
- Motivated to take ownership of projects and demonstrate follow‐through to complete tasks.
- Experience facilitating stakeholder coalitions.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality.
- Knowledge or experience in state legislative processes.
- Interest in exploring conservation and/or policy work.
- Experience organizing and facilitating educational/training workshops.
- Knowledge or experience in Western water policy, science or management, or other closely related conservation area.
- Commitment to WRA’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Principles.
- Ability to travel.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Some small amount of travel may be required within WRA seven-state region to attend retreats and other events.
SALARY AND BENEFITS
The salary for this position is $54,000 annually. WRA’s excellent benefits package includes a 401(k)-retirement plan with up to 5% matching and health, dental, vision, and life & disability insurance with 100% of premiums for employee coverage paid by WRA. Annually, staff receive three weeks paid vacation leave to start, twelve paid sick days, one paid volunteer day, one paid birthday off, 12 paid holidays, and WRA is closed for Winter Break between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day for additional paid time off. After one-year employees are eligible for up to twelve weeks of parental leave with the first six weeks paid, and after five years, staff are eligible for up to twelve weeks of paid sabbatical leave. Position is full-time non-exempt.
TIMELINE
This is a one-year fellowship. While the specific dates of the fellowship are flexible, the start date will be around February, 2023 and last for one year.
DEADLINE TO APPLY: MONDAY, JANUARY 16, 2023
Diversity and inclusion are a critical component of our business strategy, mission and vision. We welcome candidates from an array of backgrounds and experiences to join our team. Learn more about our commitment here: https://westernresourceadvocates.org/#commitment-to-diversity.
Western Resource Advocates is an equal opportunity employer (EOE) and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, marital status, amnesty, or veteran status.
APPLY TO BE WRA’S WATER POLICY FELLOW!
Thank you for your interest in the Water Policy Fellowship with Western Resource Advocates. Complete the two forms below to apply for the position. You will need to upload the following in PDF format:
- Cover letter describing your relevant qualifications and the reason for your interest in WRA and this position;
- Resume; and
- Writing sample (no more than 5 pages).
