Director, State and Local Engagement

About UndauntedK12

UndauntedK12 is a national nonprofit working to support America's K-12 public schools to make an equitable transition to zero carbon emissions while preparing our youth to build a sustainable future in a rapidly changing climate. We are united by a desire to activate the potential of America’s K-12 public school sector to respond to the challenge of climate change and are undaunted by the scale of the challenge. We believe the current moment offers opportunities to address long standing inequities, stimulate the economy, enhance critical public infrastructure, and position America to lead the world in the transition to clean energy-driven commerce and community. We envision a day when every dollar spent on K-12 infrastructure is aligned with building an equitable, zero-carbon future; when every education leader recognizes that rapidly changing climate threatens their core mission; and when every student is prepared to build a sustainable future.

Role Overview

UndauntedK12 seeks a Director, State and Local Engagement who will lead and support the organization’s efforts to shape and influence state and local policy and implementation to advance our mission. The Director will collaborate with Undaunted teammates and allies to develop and implement policies, actions, and programs that support climate action in schools across the country, support the cultivation of partner relationships in priority states, and contribute to organizational growth. 

As part of a growing start-up organization, a successful candidate will be entrepreneurial in spirit; collaborative and successful at building relationships with individuals at all levels of organizations, both within and external to Undaunted; and capable of advancing multiple projects at once. Our ideal candidates will have in-depth experience working on policy initiatives and have experience in public policy development and implementation in one or more of the following: climate, environmental justice, labor, public financing or health advocacy. They will have shown an ability to work with diverse networks to realize change in the world. 

Responsibilities

Influence policy and programs to advance K-12 climate action ~30%

• Support state efforts to organize resources and programs to advance cost-saving clean energy technologies to advance equitable, healthy, and resilient school facilities.
• Collaborate with key partners to promote state action to drive funding toward schools to support health, decarbonization, and resilience and to ensure equitable uptake of funding.
• Advance legislative proposals and regulatory policies that support healthy, resilient, zero-carbon schools and address the needs of schools and communities that are disproportionately vulnerable to the impacts of extreme weather.
• Develop and execute campaign plans and movement building initiatives in collaboration with Undaunted team and partners.
• Represent UndauntedK12 within technical workgroups, commissions, and coalitions.

Relationship building and partnership development ~20%

• Cultivate relationships with key stakeholders at the local, state, regional and national level, including workforce coalitions, climate organizations, community-based organizations, environmental justice organizations, utilities, manufacturers, education, youth, and others.
• Build partnerships and coalitions with public and private sector partners, advancing UndauntedK12’s policy goals and ensuring school decarbonization and resilience at scale.  
• Build relationships with key media outlets and journalists and serve as a public spokesperson for the organization as needed.
• Develop relationships with state legislators, executive branch officials, federal agency leaders, and other state and local policymakers to help shape and support statewide school campus decarbonization and resilience.

Build local capacity to drive K-12 climate action ~20%

• Support Undaunted’s efforts to organize and mobilize local education leaders to weigh in on state and federal policy and coordinate spaces for learning and community around leading climate action in schools.
• Work with Undaunted team and partners to develop tools, resources, and campaigns to support local efforts to decarbonize K-12 school systems including communications, grassroots organizing, and political strategy.
• Lead the planning and delivery of consistently best-in-class, expertise-filled, and action-oriented virtual and in-person convenings to advance Undaunted’s objectives.

Policy development, research, and analysis ~10%

• Develop and update landscape assessments for priority states and identify high-leverage policy solutions that align with Undaunted’s mission and priorities.
• Manage and conduct research to stay apprised of emerging policies, technologies, and programs in priority states.
• Develop new policy proposals that advance Undaunted’s mission for consideration by elected officials, agency leaders, and allied organizations.

Contribute to shaping a healthy, thriving Undaunted ~10%

• Prepare and contribute to updates, communications, and materials (including content for emails, social media, and our websites) for UndauntedK12’s supporters and networks.
• Provide ongoing subject-matter expertise, strategic direction, and thought leadership to support the execution of Undaunted initiatives and campaigns.
• Lead, manage, and contribute to organization-wide strategic projects and initiatives as needed.
• Manage staff and/or contracted partners, as applicable.

Skills and Mindsets

• Effective strategist. Able to stay focused on the larger vision and goal – but can ruthlessly prioritize against competing work streams and needs in order to execute effectively, especially when navigating ambiguity. 
• Influencer. Can use a combination of active listening and questioning to engage others in the decision-making process. Seeks to deeply understand and respond to people’s motivations and barriers in order to maximize their potential for impact in this work, and is able to adapt to different motivations and drivers to build a diverse network of champions. 
• Effective communicator. Can motivate others to take action through written and verbal communication to build support for UndauntedK12’s work. Can put pen to paper to generate content that informs and motivates a variety of audiences.
• Problem solver. Brings a solution-orientation to consistently make excellent decisions through a combination of data analysis, judgment and experience – including the ability to anticipate future consequences and trends and incorporate them into the organizational plans.
• Data savvy. Skilled at analyzing data sets, drawing out conclusions on trends, and communicating those trends to broader audiences to drive decision making.
• Learning orientation. Self-reflective leader who seeks to understand previous approaches and evolves in response to changing dynamics. Brings a mindset of humility and inclusion.
• Organized project leader. Strong project management skills and a demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities to success in a rapidly changing environment.
• Team builder. Has an exceptional capacity for managing and leading people across multiple functions and the ability to connect, on both an individual level and in large groups, with people from a wide range of backgrounds. Treats teammates and others with care and respect.
• Entrepreneurial. Thrives in environments where there is not an established path. Is not deterred by ambiguity, takes smart risks, and remains motivated and adaptable when responding to evolving circumstances.
• Aligned to the cause. Passion for UndauntedK12’s mission, issues, and values. 

Education and Experience

• College degree or comparable experience.
• Minimum 5 years relevant experience, including direct policy and engagement leadership in state regulatory and legislative venues.
• Deep subject-matter expertise in a relevant topic such as climate change, decarbonization, building electrification, environmental justice and/or public health.

Location, Benefits, and Salary

• Salary and Benefits: Competitive nonprofit salary between $100,000 - $140,000.  Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental & vision coverage for employee, employer-paid life insurance, short-term/long-term disability, and 401(k) retirement savings plan with company contribution. Paid time off including federal  holidays and a winter holiday break. 
• Location and Travel: UndauntedK12 is a national organization with team members in California, New York, and Massachusetts. Our operations are fully remote and this team member can be successful anywhere within United States time zones. Travel expected approximately 1-2 times per month. 
• Organizational Relationship: Reports to the organization’s co-founder.
• Physical Demands: Requires sitting, talking and listening for up to 8 hours per day. 

Diversity Statement

We believe that having staff with diverse personal and professional backgrounds and lived experiences makes our work stronger as we seek to engage all those who can contribute to this effort. We encourage candidates who bring diverse perspectives, identities, professional and lived experiences to apply. UndauntedK12 seeks individuals of all backgrounds without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, age, pregnancy, disability, marital status, genetics, or any other factor that the law protects from employment discrimination to apply for this position. 

Application Guidance

We are moving to quickly fill this position with priority given to applications received by March 14, 2025. Candidate review and interviews begin immediately and will be conducted throughout the search process. Given limited capacity, we may not be able to respond to all applicants. We appreciate your interest in UndauntedK12.