Head of Policy

Overview

PowerLines is a national nonprofit organization that aims to modernize the utility regulatory system for American energy consumers to lower utility bills and grow the economy. It focuses on state public utilities commissions (PUCs), which play a critical role in determining how much people pay for utility bills, how utilities invest in different types of energy, and where new energy projects are built. These 200 commissioners oversee more than $200 billion in utility spending each year and have significant influence over the future of our energy system.

Utility affordability is quickly becoming one of the most pressing economic challenges facing American consumers. In 2025, utilities requested a record-setting $31 billion in rate increases, double the previous record, while 80 million Americans are struggling to pay their utility bills. Meanwhile, the U.S. grid is experiencing the fastest rise in electricity demand in decades with the growth of AI data centers and manufacturing, and utilities plan to spend $1.4 trillion by 2030. Policymakers across the political spectrum are increasingly focused on how regulatory systems can respond to these pressures while protecting consumers and supporting economic growth.

Recognized on the 2025 “TIME100 Next” list, PowerLines is rapidly becoming a go-to source and leader in informing the national discussion of this issue and has already shaped the conversation in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Politico, Bloomberg, CBS News, NPR, Marketplace, Financial Times, TIME, Vox, The Daily Mail, and MIT Technology Review. PowerLines is quickly establishing credibility as a nonpartisan expert on utility regulatory and energy affordability issues while reaching a bipartisan set of policymakers, including initial partnerships with the National Governors Association, Western Governors Association, and National Conference of State Legislatures.

PowerLines is in a period of significant organizational growth and seeks a full-time Head of Policy to build and lead the organization’s Policy Team. This is a senior, hands-on role, and having strong leadership skills is a must. The Head of Policy will lead development and execution of PowerLines’ policy strategy, including engagement with policymakers, particularly at the state level such as governors, state legislators, and state energy offices, and on policy opportunities more broadly. (Note: The Policy Team engages at both the state and federal policy levels, but focuses on state-level policymaking engagement.) The Head of Policy will wear many different hats, from leading a growing team of policy experts while building partnerships and coalitions to advising stakeholders on policy strategy issues and serving as an external spokesperson for PowerLines. This is a rare opportunity for an experienced leader to shape how the utility regulatory system responds to rising utility bills and surging electricity demand, at an organization with the visibility and relationships to influence outcomes nationally.

The Head of Policy will be one of PowerLines’ senior programmatic leaders and serve on the PowerLines executive leadership team. The Head of Policy works alongside the Regulatory Team and Communications Team to drive impact in policymaking venues.

PowerLines is headquartered in Washington, DC. The Head of Policy is a remote position, with travel of approximately 10 to 20 percent expected. The Head of Policy will report directly to the Founder and Executive Director.

(Note: PowerLines is currently also recruiting for a Head of Regulatory role. The Head of Regulatory role is intended to be more technical on utility regulatory issues, whereas the Head of Policy role is intended to be more policy generalist in nature.)

Requirements

Key Responsibilities

• Team Leadership
• Oversee Policy Team currently consisting of a full-time State Policy Lead, part-time Policy Advisors, and part-time Senior Advisors
• Lead Policy Team meetings on a weekly basis and set team priorities, manage workflow and workstreams across team, and ensure quality control on all policy products
• Serve on PowerLines’ executive leadership team and provide counsel on policy issues, opportunities, developments, and strategy
• Own day-to-day policy and team management decisions, and bring decisions on programmatic strategy, flagship products, highest-stakes external relationships, budget, senior hiring, and final personnel actions to the leadership team
• Provide mentorship to junior team members on programmatic and organizational issues
• Lead hiring for the Policy Team as it grows, in partnership with the Chief of Staff, who owns the recruitment and hiring process, with the Executive Director making final decisions on senior hires 
• Define scopes for and direct the work of Senior Advisors and policy consultants
• Policy Campaign Strategy and Execution
• Develop PowerLines’ annual policy strategy to be updated on a regular basis, including identification of team goals, OKRs, and internal calendar with key dates and timelines, with the Executive Director
• Develop campaign strategy for 2027 policy campaigns across states, including recommending priority states and engagement strategy in each state
• Execute policy engagement strategy with policymakers, particularly at the state level including governors, state legislators, and state energy offices, including partnership and coalition building, policymaker education, and technical assistance
• Vet and recommend consultants and lobbyists as needed, with final engagement and budget decisions made by the Executive Director
• Oversee regular tracking and reporting of PowerLines' policy impact to iteratively inform strategy development and execution
• Oversee compliance with lobbying registration and filing requirements
• Policy Product Development, Research, and Analysis
• Oversee development and distribution of key PowerLines policy products, including policy playbooks, dashboards, and issue briefs, with Executive Director sign-off on flagship products
• Oversee the tracking and monitoring of key utility regulatory policy developments and legislation happening across the country
• Lead drafting and preparation of written communications, testimony, and thought leadership as needed
• Policymaker Education and Engagement
• Serve as a key ambassador of PowerLines with policymakers including governors, state legislators, and state energy offices, coordinating with the Executive Director on the highest-stakes relationships
• Lead relationship building with key policymaker network partners, including National Governors Association, Western Governors Association, Midwestern Governors Association, National Conference of State Legislatures, National Association of State Energy Officials, and other policymaker networks
• Oversee provision of research and technical assistance to support policymakers
• Oversee development and execution of “utility regulation 101” briefings for policymakers and partners less familiar with utility regulatory issues
• Coalition Building and Stakeholder Engagement
• Conduct landscape assessment of current and target coalition partners to engage on utility regulatory issues
• Build partnerships with coalition partners reflecting PowerLines’ commitment to bipartisan, multi-sectoral, and cross-customer class engagement
• Lead relationship building with key coalition partners, including managing existing coalitions and partners and building new ones
• Coordinate with the Executive Director on engagement with senior policymakers and key partners
• External Representation and Fundraising
• Represent PowerLines on external engagement and speaking opportunities, including media inquiries, event speaking opportunities, reporter and podcast interviews, committee hearings, workshops, and roundtables, in coordination with the Executive Director and Communications Team 
• Support Strategy & Operations Team in developing donor communications, grant, and other fundraising materials
• Regularly update and maintain an internal tracker of major policy accomplishments and successes to inform PowerLines’ policy impact
• Attend relevant events and conferences (e.g., NGA, NCSL)
• Cross-Team Coordination
• Coordinate with Regulatory Team and Communications Team on issues and workstreams impacting multiple teams
• Coordinate with Communications Team to equip reporters and other media partners with key 101-level materials relevant to policy work
• Coordinate with Communications Team on policy content in communications products
• Partner with the Chief of Staff, who owns cross-team prioritization and capacity allocation, to plan Regulatory and Communications Team support for policy priorities

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience in state or federal policy, legislative affairs, or advocacy
• Experience managing, mentoring, and developing staff, including strong leadership skills and emotional intelligence
• Proven record of developing and executing multi-state legislative or policy campaigns that delivered results
• Strong relationships with governors’ offices, state legislators, and policymaker networks such as NGA and NCSL
• Experience working across the political spectrum and keeping positions nonpartisan in a politically sensitive issue area
• Experience building and managing coalitions with diverse partners
• Comfort building systems and processes in a startup environment
• Excellent writer and communicator who can turn complex policy into clear products for policymakers and represent an organization in a diverse range of settings
• Comfort operating as both a senior strategic leader and a hands-on individual contributor on a small team in a rapidly growing organization

Preferred Qualifications:

• Deep knowledge of energy, utility, or consumer protection policy, including how legislation interacts with utility regulation
• Established relationships with consumer advocates, public utilities commissions, and regulatory networks
• Experience working in or with state government, such as governor’s office, state legislator’s office, or other similar venues is a plus

• Experience supporting grant proposals and funder reporting
• Experience scoping and managing consultants, lobbyists, and budgets

Benefits

Compensation and Benefits

• The expected salary range for this role is $175,000-$225,000. Compensation may be based on skills, qualifications, experience, location, and other factors. 
• The benefits package includes unlimited PTO, paid holidays, health insurance, a 401k employer match, sick leave, and health and wellness benefits.