State Government Affairs Director
Location: Sacramento or Oakland, CA
Full time, permanent, starting as soon as possible (exempt)
Functional area: Regulation / Risk Management
The State Government Affairs Director is responsible for RWE Americas’ state government affairs portfolio in the West region (California, Intermountain West States). The role builds and maintains relationships with state legislatures and administrations, and develops and executes strategies—commonly in partnership with outside consulting firms and trade associations—to drive positive legislative and regulatory outcomes for the company.
Responsibilities
- Represent and advocate for RWE and its policy priorities with state legislatures and administrations through regular meetings, communications, and external consultants.
- Develop and execute advocacy strategies in state legislatures and administrations in coordination with VP, State Government Affairs & Stakeholder Engagement; the broader Corporate Affairs team; other internal teams; and outside consultants.
- Build, maintain, and deepen strategic relationships with state policymakers in core markets.
- Engage with industry trade associations and ensure RWE’s policy and advocacy preferences are represented in their industry-wide advocacy work.
- Build, maintain, and deepen relationships with industry trade associations and Government Affairs counterparts at competitor companies.
- Track, monitor, and engage on relevant legislation.
- Help develop and execute political fundraising strategy in coordination with outside consultants.
- Attend and potentially testify/present at industry association, legislative, and administrative meetings, briefings, and conferences, as required.
- Work across internal teams to rapidly coordinate internal policy positions in response to legislative and regulatory proposals, and engage in legislative negotiations to represent RWE’s positions.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor’s Degree in political science, government, or a related field (required).
- Master’s Degree preferred.
- Minimum 7 years working in state government, Congress, the Executive Branch, or industry advocacy.
- Intimate knowledge of legislative processes and strong political acumen (required).
- Energy and/or tax‑related policy experience preferred.
- Strong interpersonal skills with ability to manage external stakeholder relationships.
- Proven ability to build and maintain political networks in multiple jurisdictions.
- Excellent proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) and Teams.
- Strong leadership and communication skills, both written and verbal, and ability to meet deadlines.
- Strong organization skills and ability to coordinate multiple tasks and deliverables.
- Ability to prioritize competing work and drive to completion.
- Demonstrated experience working well under pressure, especially in legislative settings.
- Ability to multi‑task, while working independently and as part of a team.
- Motivated self‑starter, goal‑oriented, and strong problem‑solving abilities.
- Proven ability to build relationships and effectively communicate with people from a diverse set of backgrounds.
- Responds well to direction, is easy to challenge and develop, and is coachable.
- Is detail‑oriented, has strong business acumen, and a sound understanding of business concepts.
- This position is located in either Sacramento or Oakland, CA with travel to state capitals in the region and visits to other RWE office and field locations.
- Must be able to sit, walk, or stand for long durations of time.
Pay range: The annual base salary range for this position in California is $200,000 – $230,000. The listed salary range is a general guideline; RWE considers a variety of factors—including scope, responsibilities, education, experience, training, certifications, key skills, market, and business considerations—when determining the offer.
Benefits offered: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Short‑Term Disability, Long‑Term Disability, 401(k) match, Flexible Spending Accounts, EAP, Education Assistance, Parental Leave, Paid time off, and Holidays. Eligible employees also participate in short‑term incentives in addition to salary.
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. RWE Americas is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment visas at this time.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status.
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