Organizational Summary: The Climate Leadership Council (the Council) is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to promote the most effective, fair, and politically viable climate solutions.
This is an exciting opportunity for an early-career communications professional eager to work at the intersection of policy, public affairs, and digital media. The Associate, Digital Communications & Public Affairs will support a fast-moving team on a broad range of communications and administrative functions—from managing the Council’s social media presence and website to supporting senior leadership and contributing to event planning and stakeholder engagement.
The Council offers:
- Flexible hybrid work environment
- Generous benefits package
- Free on-site fitness center
- Fantastic location, very close to Metro; on-site bike storage room
Position Overview: The Public Affairs Associate supports all aspects of the Council’s communications and public affairs work with a particular emphasis on digital channels, content creation, and administrative functions. They report to the Senior Director, Communications & Public Affairs and work closely with the Senior Associate and the broader leadership team. This role is ideal for an early-career communications professional who is digitally fluent, detail-oriented, and eager to learn and grow within a policy organization.
Responsibilities include:
Digital Channels and Content
- Draft, schedule, and post content across the Council’s social media platforms (currently LinkedIn and X) at the direction of the Senior Associate and Senior Director; monitor and promote engagement with stakeholders; flag notable activity.
- Maintain and update the Council’s websites using WordPress, including publishing new content, updating existing pages, and ensuring accuracy and consistency.
- Serve as a point of contact for the Council’s website vendor; keep staff informed if/when website issues arise and ensure swift resolution of problems.
- Distribute the Nexus newsletter, managing the distribution list and handling final formatting and deployment.
- Create graphics and multimedia assets for digital use—including social media, email, and web—using tools such as Canva or Adobe Creative Suite.
- Assist with drafting or proofreading other content as assigned, such as blogs or emails.
- Track and compile analytics for social media, website traffic, and email performance; produce regular reports for the Communications and Public Affairs team.
- Stay current on web search and AI optimization best practices, ensuring the Council’s digital properties are easily found by its stakeholder audiences.
Administrative and Organizational Support
- Manage calendars and scheduling for the CEO, EVP/COO, and other senior leadership as requested, including coordinating meetings with external stakeholders.
- Coordinate and book travel arrangements for leadership, including flights, accommodations, and itineraries.
- Draft and distribute agendas for organization-wide meetings, including those involving senior leadership.
- Conduct research as requested to support media relations, legislative and political activity, policy analysis, and stakeholder development.
- Perform special projects as requested by the Senior Director, EVP/COO, or CEO.
- Support the planning and execution of Council meetings and events at the direction of the Senior Director and Senior Associate: set up registration pages, send promotional emails, track and report on registration, and assist with on-site staffing and post-event follow up.
- Research external conferences, forums, and speaking opportunities relevant to the Council’s work and leadership; compile and track a running pipeline of opportunities for review by the Senior Director.
General Communications Support
- Maintain and update the Council’s email distribution lists; pull lists or contacts for senior staff as requested.
- Draft and distribute the organization’s daily internal news clips.
- Track media coverage, op-ed placements, and other communications metrics for grant reporting purposes.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree required.
- 0-2 years of experience in communications, public affairs, or a related field; experience with a trade association, think tank, advocacy organization, firm/agency, or on Capitol Hill is a plus. Strong candidates who are recent graduates will be considered.
- Demonstrated digital fluency, including proficiency with social media platforms and content scheduling tools, WordPress or similar, and email marketing platforms.
- The ability to produce clean, on-brand visuals is essential. Must have strong graphic design experience with Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or comparable tools. Additional experience with photography and/or video is a plus but not required.
- Strong writing, editing, and proofreading skills, with close attention to detail, clarity, and accuracy.
- Highly organized and able to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and requests simultaneously.
- Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative working style; comfortable supporting senior leaders while also taking initiative on independently owned tasks.
- Knowledge of climate or energy policy is a plus but not required.
- Above all, we are seeking someone who is ambitious, resourceful, eager to learn, and committed to doing excellent work in service of the organization’s mission.
Location: This position is based in DC in a traditional office setting, subject to the organization’s telework policy. Currently the organization is operating in a hybrid environment (3 days in office).
Compensation: Competitive salary range based on experience: $60,000-70,000; full benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 403(b), etc.