Director of Permitting Reform

Overview

Breakthrough is seeking a Director of Permitting Reform to lead our environmental regulatory reform efforts at the federal level; build a cross-partisan, multi-stakeholder coalition in support of reform; and leverage federal policy to drive siting and permitting at the state level. This role will be based in our Washington, DC office.

About Breakthrough

The Breakthrough Institute is a global research center that identifies and promotes technological solutions to environmental and human development challenges. Since our founding, we have argued that the problems posed by climate change will be most readily addressed by making low-carbon technologies more affordable and scalable rather than by making dirty energy more expensive. For us, this has always entailed focusing less on explicit climate policies—emissions targets, timetables, regulation, and pricing—and more on the types of policies that have driven decarbonization historically: research and development programs, incentives for early-stage deployment of nascent technologies, and infrastructure policy. 

Breakthrough is based in Berkeley, California, and Washington, DC. We have four research and advocacy programs: Climate and Energy, Nuclear Innovation, Food and Agriculture, and Energy for Development. Our Climate and Energy Program conducts cutting-edge research on climate impacts and promotes policies to improve societal resilience to climate change and accelerate low-carbon innovation. Our Nuclear Innovation Program is focused heavily on regulatory reform at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in order to speed the commercialization of advanced nuclear reactors. Our Food & Agriculture Program works to demonstrate the environmental benefits of intensive, large-scale, and technological agriculture and biotechnology and advocates for a significant expansion of US federal agricultural R&D investments. Our Energy for Development Program advocates for an “all of the above” energy development agenda for low- and middle-income nations to accelerate global economic development and improve resilience to climate change.

Position Background

With the increasing affordability of low-carbon technologies and the recent passage of major federal spending on clean energy infrastructure, the obstacles to decarbonization today come less from the absence of federal subsidies than from the presence of constraints posed by federal regulations. Deploying the nation’s energy infrastructure at the pace policymakers have set for themselves, and building a future of abundance, will require injecting more rationality into an environmental regulatory regime that has outlived the 20th-century context in which it was constructed.

Over the next several decades, our efforts to support the deployment of low-carbon technologies and infrastructure will require a range of federal deregulatory actions, including reforms to the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Atomic Energy Act, the Clean Water Act, and beyond.

By cultivating a wide network of allies and staff relationships on the Hill, and by crafting a pragmatic and abundance-oriented energy and climate agenda, Breakthrough staff are well-prepared to play a key role in working with both parties on permitting legislation and policy implementation in the coming years.

Responsibilities

Breakthrough’s Director of Permitting Reform will guide Breakthrough’s permitting reform and US infrastructure strategy and lead a sophisticated government affairs operation to execute that strategy. Activities include:

• Supporting efforts to develop and pass ambitious and efficacious federal legislation that demonstrably speeds and improves the regulatory process for siting, permitting, and developing low-carbon infrastructure in the United States
• Building a cross-partisan, multi-stakeholder pro-reform coalition by partnering with other NGOs as well as establishing relationships with key legislative and agency offices 
• Conducting permitting reform research
• Attending external meetings as Breakthrough’s expert, speaking on panels, and giving interviews on subject knowledge
• Working with senior management to strategize opportunities to expand the program and secure funding for expansion
• Assessing and reporting on the program’s impact across key metrics

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in related fields such as land use planning, environmental planning, political science, energy systems, climate science, earth science, environmental science/engineering, public policy, or other related fields. Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum 7-10 years' experience engaging with federal or state policymakers about legislation and policy priorities
• Experience working in or engaging Congress and federal agencies
• Deep and nuanced understanding of federal infrastructure regulation, policy, and politics
• Demonstrated experience researching and critically evaluating information, and compiling it into reports with recommendations for action
• Exceptional writing skills; able to produce clear, sharply-written memos and reports for a variety of audiences
• Effective verbal communication and interpersonal skills
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team. Experience effectively managing a team is preferred.

Salary:

• Commensurate with qualifications and experience.  
• Excellent health insurance, dental, vision, paid leave, retirement plan, life insurance, disability insurance, professional development support, cell phone reimbursement, and commuter benefits.

Application Instructions:

• We will interview and hire on a near-term rolling basis.
• Please submit a cover letter, resume, and writing sample to jobs[at]thebreakthrough.org. 
• Please do not submit your application through alternate job sites such as LinkedIn.
• Applications that are incomplete or that are not sent directly to  jobs[at]thebreakthrough.org will not be considered.
• Your email subject should say: <> : Director of Permitting Reform
• Your email should state how you heard about this position
• Your cover letter should reflect on Breakthrough’s work and how you could contribute