The Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) is the voice of the nation’s largest publicly owned drinking water systems on federal water policy issues. AMWA thrives in creating a community of water sector leaders to advance policies to protect public health and economic viability via safe, affordable, and sustainable drinking water.
AMWA is seeking a Manager of Sustainability and Resilience Policy responsible for advancing the interests of AMWA members through the development and promotion of effective policies related to utility resilience, cybersecurity, environmental justice, source water protection and other assigned issues. Through regular engagement with AMWA’s working groups on Sustainability, Security, and Environmental Justice, the manager will develop comments, letters, and other advocacy materials reflecting AMWA’s position on issues within the portfolio. The manager will spend roughly 20% of their time managing AMWA’s contract with the Water Utility Climate Alliance (WUCA), an Alliance of the twelve of the nation’s largest water utilities committed to advancing climate adaptation in the water sector. The manager will also serve as the association’s staff liaison to the Water Sector Coordinating Council (WSCC), which provides collective policy recommendations on matters of critical infrastructure security and resilience. This person works under the direction of the Chief Policy Officer and is a member of AMWA’s Policy Team that works to support and execute AMWA’s strategic goals.
Experience level and other factors will determine the final salary level, in the starting range of $85,000-$95,000. The person in this position will have work-related travel a few times per year.
Essential Job Responsibilities:
Public Policy
- Develop positions and comments on regulatory and legislative proposals relevant to the position’s portfolio.
- Monitor the Federal Register, the trade press, and federal agency websites for postings relevant to the portfolio from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of the Interior, and other federal agencies as appropriate.
- Represent AMWA on sector working groups and initiatives related to the position’s portfolio.
- Analyze federal regulatory information, proposed federal regulations and legislation, and other policy documents to determine potential impacts on the membership.
- Identify federal advocacy opportunities and collaborate in building strategic advocacy campaigns.
- Maintain awareness of major developments and issues concerning utility resilience, cybersecurity, water resource management, environmental justice, and related topics; keep members of the Policy Team and other staff up to date on major developments and initiatives.
- Develop and maintain relationships with key agency staff.
Federal Relations
- Represent AMWA at relevant events held by federal agencies.
- Serve as a primary AMWA contact to federal officials on regulatory topics within the manager’s portfolio.
- Actively communicate AMWA priorities and initiatives to federal officials and other stakeholder representatives.
- Serve as AMWA’s staff liaison to the Water Sector Coordinating Council, including attending periodic meetings and calls and developing AMWA policy views with the input of AMWA’s two member representatives to the council.
Strategy Development and Project Management
- Develop strategies and priorities on sector-relevant research and education development.
- Participate in and identify opportunities to develop sector-relevant educational and management tools.
- Facilitate information sharing and networking on portfolio topics through the AMWA Sustainability Working Group, AMWA Security Working Group, AMWA Environmental Justice Working Group, Water Utility Climate Alliance, the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center (WaterISAC), and other opportunities.
Communication
- Draft comments, responses, and other outreach to federal agencies and other relevant organizations.
- Drafts articles on topics and regulations relating to utility sustainability, resilience, cybersecurity, environmental justice, and related topics for regular AMWA publications.
- Explore and facilitate opportunities for knowledge sharing and collaboration between WUCA and WaterISAC.
Water Utility Climate Alliance (WUCA) Project Management
- With support from AMWA staff, serve as the project manager for AMWA’s contract with WUCA. As the administrative services consultant for WUCA, AMWA oversees event management, contract administration, and strategic services for the alliance.
- Support WUCA leadership in creating, delivering, and tracking the progress of an annual work plan and budget.
- Manage regular monthly WUCA staff meetings, annual in-person staff meetings, and annual in-person business meeting.
- Support facilitation of WUCA business meetings, staff meetings, network events, and other events as necessary.
- Develop various WUCA communications, including newsletters, press releases, social media, and internal staff memos.
- Collaboratively establish key partnerships with federal, academic, sector and other non-governmental water organizations.
- Advocate on key climate science needs in partnership with WUCA staff by writing and submitting joint organizational comment letters and memos.
- Support budget and grant management by tracking related grant contracts and deliverables.
- Manage related expenses in line with approved budgets and expense tracking procedures.
Other Organizational Responsibilities
- Participate in developing portfolio goals, objectives, and systems.
- Participate in administrative staff meetings, organization-wide meetings, Policy Team meetings, training programs, and attends other meetings and seminars as designated in professional development plans and organizational needs.
- Assist in development of annual reports, plans, Board updates, and other organizational communications in relation to established goals.
- Participate in the production of AMWA’s two annual conferences – the spring Water Policy Conference in Washington, D.C., and the fall Executive Management Conference, hosted in other cities.
- Miscellaneous duties as assigned.
Competencies
- Creativity
- Generates new ideas, supports change, provides innovative solutions, solves problems creatively.
- Communication
- Understand and communicate effectively with others using a variety of contexts and formats, which include writing, speaking, reading, listening and interpersonal skills.
- Fostering Teamwork
- As a team member, the ability and desire to work cooperatively with others on a team; as a team leader, the ability to demonstrate interest, skill, and success in getting groups to learn to work together.
- Flexibility
- Openness to different and new ways of doing things; willingness to modify one’s preferred way of doing things.
Education:
- Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a related field, including coursework or experience including but not limited to environmental science, water resources, cybersecurity, resilience, public policy, or sustainability.
- Advanced degree in a related field preferred.
Experience:
- Minimum of 3-5 years of relevant professional experience or graduate work involving environmental policy analysis, environmental or utility management, security, or related work.
- Experience in or with the water utility sector, urban planning, infrastructure, or security a plus.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Strong project management skills.
- Excellent policy research and analysis skills.
- Excellent writing skills.
- Strong public speaking, presentation, and facilitation skills.
- Ability to quickly learn new issues and track and manage simultaneous initiatives and projects.
- Demonstrated ability to be flexible and dedicated to the organization’s mission and needs.
- Demonstrated ability to implement critical, independent, and creative thinking and strategy.
- Demonstrated ability to self-start with strong organizational skills
- Ability to establish and maintain professional and effective working relationships with association leadership and colleagues, federal agency staff, utility managers and staff, and others.
- Proficiency in Google and Microsoft Office Suite and communications tools.
Full position description will be provided upon request.
All AMWA staff are required to work in the D.C. office at least 2 days per week.
To apply:
If this position sounds like a great fit for you and you’re excited to make an immediate impact at AMWA, please send a resume and cover letter to jobopening@amwa.net and reference Manager of Sustainability and Resilience Policy in the subject line.
AMWA is a 501(c)(6) organization. AMWA offers employees a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision insurance. AMWA also offers health and dependent care flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) plan, paid time off and other benefits. Salary will be commensurate with skills and experience. AMWA is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
