Political Affairs Director

Salary $162,000 - $180,000 annually

Overview

NRDC is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization. We use law, science, and the support of 3.1 million members and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. NRDC was founded in 1970 and our people helped write some of America's bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act and many of the implementing regulations. Today, our team of more than 700 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy advocates, communications experts, and others work across the United States and the globe from our offices in Beijing; Chicago; New Delhi; New York; San Francisco; Santa Monica; and Washington, D.C.

The NRDC Action Fund’s mission is to build political support in the United States for protecting the planet and its people. We mobilize influential constituencies, experts, community leaders, and others to directly advocate for clean air and water, public health, biodiversity, and a stable climate. We support candidates who stand up for environmental protection, and we expose those who side with polluters rather than the public good.

POSITION SUMMARY

NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council) combines the power of more than 3 million members and online activists with the expertise of some 700 scientists, lawyers, and other environmental specialists to confront the climate crisis, protect the planet’s wildlife and wild places, and to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. It is joined by the affiliated but separate 501(c)(4) organization, the NRDC Action Fund ( www.NRDCActionFund.org ), which engages in various advocacy and political activities for which NRDC, a 501(c)(3) organization, faces spending limits or legal restrictions. In addition, t he NRDC Action Votes ( www.NRDCActionVotes.org ), a n independent expenditure political committee affiliated with the NRDC Action Fund, works to educate and mobilize voters independent of candidates.

Under the overall leadership of the Managing Director of Political Affairs of the NRDC Action Fund, t he Political Affairs Di r e ctor of the NRDC Action Fund works to build the Action Fund’s political impact and influence in Washington and in key states. The Deputy Director do es this by developing and managing programs to endorse and support pro-environment candidates for federal and state elected offices. They will work with partner organizations and allied groups to support endorsed candidates with PAC financial and in-kind contributions, GiveGreen candidate fundraising, and legally permitted candidate coordinated campaign activities through the 501(c)(4) NRDC Action Fund or the independent expenditure PAC NRDC Action Votes. The Deputy Director will also support donor engagement and fundraising activities in coordination with Developmen t and may work closely with NRDC’s Center for Campaigns and Organizing team (CCO ) and others involved in designing and implementing non-electoral advocacy campaigns that include c4 funds. The Deputy Director will assist the Managing Director with the overall management and workflow of the Action Fund core team and serve as a partner in designing and implementing the Action Fund’s work plans. This role is responsible for develop ing and executing electoral program plans for the Action Fund. As a primary purpose c4, the majority of the Action Fund’s budget is spent on non-electoral issue advocacy and accountability campaigns.

The position you are applying for is part of the bargaining unit represented by The Washington Baltimore News Guild (WBNG / The Newsguild-CWA Local 32035 ).

Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable a ccommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the following essential functions:

Strategic Direction

• Work closely with the Managing Director and other key stakeholders to develop the Action Fund’s advocacy and political power building strategy and ensure that the Action Fund ’s tactics align with the strategy.
• As a member of the Action Fund’s senior team, play a leadership role in developing and implementing the Action Fund’s next 3-year plan .
• Collaborate with the Development Director on fundraising activities targeting both the Action Fund and its PAC.
• With the Managing Director, represent the NRDC Action Fund within the climate community’s c4 community and with other key political allies and partners.
• In partnership with the Managing Director, oversee the work of Action Fund core staff.

Electoral Strategy

• Formulate the Action Fund’s electoral strategies and plans and ensure their implementation.
• Oversee and execute coordinated electoral set of activities, e.g. endorsements, GOTV, member outreach and communications.
• Work to ensure alignment between the electoral plan and its endorsements with GiveGreen and the Action Fund’s PAC giving.
• Represent the Action Fund in the development and implementation of GiveGreen’s political strategy and plans, e.g. endorsement decisions, listing on GiveGreen, prioritization of races, etc.
• Work with the NRDC Action Votes Director to ensure that the independent expenditure strategy is aligned with the Action Fund’s overall political strategy.
• Work with Action Fund’s Communications Director to ensure the successful development and implementation of an electoral communications plan. This will also require close coordination with NRDC’s Media and Digital, Advocacy and Fundraising (DAF) teams to ensure they have the appropriate/necessary messaging and targeting information.
• Work with the Managing Director and Development Director to fundraise the electoral plan.
• Present the electoral strategy and plan and regular updates to key stakeholders, including the Action Fund Board of Directors, donors, NRDC and Action Fund staff leadership, and others as appropriate. This will entail developing the presentations as well as the strategies and plans.
• Represent the Action Fund in coalition and partner meetings.
• Prepare and present a summary of the Action Fund’s electoral plan and accomplishments after the election.

Political Affairs

• Work with the Managing Director to design and implement off and on year political engagement plans that further strengthen the Action Fund’s relationships with key elected officials and build our reputation as a trusted partner to our allies.
• Directly plan and manage key off-hill political events

Advocacy

• Ensure that the Action Fund’s strategic goals are incorporated into the priority c3/c4 issue advocacy campaigns.
• Work closely with the Campaigns and Government Affairs teams in the design and implementation of the priority c3/c4 issue advocacy campaigns.

The above list of duties is not comprehensive but generally demonstrates the types of matters under this position’s responsibility. Other duties may be assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum Education and Experience:

• 1 0 or more years of relevant experience working on political campaigns with a preference for having some combination of experience working in both campaign and official side roles with elected officials.
• Campaign management and/or experience in a senior position in a frontline member office preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• And/or a combination of equivalent education and experience.

Skills, Abilitie s, Competencies, and Qualities:

Apply through the Natural Resources Defense Council careers site.

How to apply

https://careers-nrdc.icims.com/jobs/5990/job

Natural Resources Defense Council website

Posted 2026-11-06, open through 2026-12-06. Posted by the organization on ExecSearches.