Senior Communications Associate, Policy & Analysis

~ Collaborative Labeling and Appliance Standards Program's (CLASP) mission is to improve the energy and environmental performance of the appliances and equipment we use every day, accelerating our transition to a more sustainable world. ~

We serve as the leading international voice and resource for appliance energy efficiency policies and market acceleration initiatives worldwide. From advancing the off-grid solar technologies that bring power to energy-impoverished people, to cutting the catastrophic climate impacts of air conditioning, CLASP programs increase uptake of affordable, low-impact, high-quality appliances. Learn more about our programs.

We’re mission-driven, impacts-focused, and committed to a culture of diversity, transparency, and collaboration. See our Culture & Team Pages to learn more about our organization. 

The Position

Senior Communications Associate, Policy & Analysis:

CLASP is seeking a smart, creative, mature, and systematic professional to lead the communications efforts of our Policy & Analysis team, reporting to the Chief of Communications, and collaborating across an international team.

One of CLASP’s primary mandates is to minimize the contribution of appliances, lighting, and equipment to catastrophic climate change through energy efficiency. The successful candidate will know that smart, robust analysis is an essential component of those efforts, but that delivering information persuasively, to the right people at the right time, is just as important. In particular, our team needs someone who is:

• A big picture thinker, who can bump up out of the details and identify and elevate the most relevant and/or interesting parts of an analysis or story;
• A connector, who can see how disparate information, activities, and initiatives relate to each other and draw out those connections for others;
• A fearless and excellent writer who can simplify complicated content without it losing its potency; who can cut out what’s not relevant and bolster the rest;
• A systematic thinker, who can help us plan to communicate as we go to be more effective and have more influence, rather than at the end or as an after-thought.

The successful candidate will know how to turn complex ideas into impactful and concise narratives and have the skills to convey information across a variety of mediums and formats. Also crucial to success is a proven ability to engage with scientific, technical, or policy information, and to effectively communicate that information across a variety of stakeholders, e.g. members of governments, the private sector, international bodies like the World Bank or UN agencies, consumer interest groups, consortiums of policymakers, philanthropic donors, etc.

CLASP’s Policy & Analysis program has grown over the past two years.

As of December 2018, the program was working across 60 countries, with support from a diverse group of donors. We are supporting ambitious policies and partnerships to promote energy-efficient lighting, sustainable space cooling technologies, and have helped develop some of the world’s first policies for cleaner cookstoves, among other efforts.

CLASP is a fast-paced, international, and highly-collegial work environment. The successful candidate is reliable, can adapt to evolving priorities, and will bring well-honed listening and interpersonal skills.

Key Responsibilities

• Communicating Research: CLASP produces a significant body of market, technical, and policy research. The successful candidate will support our research team in packaging and messaging their reports for specific audiences through the development of newsletters, website stories, blogs, slides and other types of presentations. Experience facilitating a complicated, matrixed editorial process a plus. The successful candidate will develop processes and/or systems so that the team knows when to communicate, and do so efficiently and effectively.
• Proposal Development & Donor Reporting: At CLASP, we are deeply committed to our work, so we fundraise a lot, and everyone is involved. This position will sit at the center of several fundraising, reporting, and donor management efforts, and will work through a combination of team members (from programmatic staff to the executive team), with consultants (e.g. graphic designers), and often across offices and field staff to draft and/or revise content. A high level of detail orientation, a command of process, and the ability to coordinate many stakeholders are required.
• Compelling & Impactful Stories: We know that one of the best and most cost-effective ways to save the world from catastrophic climate change is through energy efficiency and related policies for appliances, equipment, and lighting. We need others to know this, too. The candidate will turn technical information into compelling and impactful stories, that are just as factually sound as they are persuasive. Such stories may come in the form of articles, op-ed type pieces from the CLASP blog, case studies about effective policy measures, slides, etc, and for a variety of audiences, including the CLASP Board, donors, international agencies, philanthropy, members of industry, policymakers, and partner organizations.
• Strategy: Work with the P&A, communications, and senior leadership teams to develop a 2-3 year timeframe communications strategy to direct our efforts to the most relevant audiences, activities, key messages, and channels.
• Communication to Policymakers: CLASP’s P&A team supports policymakers all around the world to develop and implement appliance energy efficiency policies that are beneficial to consumers and businesses, and help avoid catastrophic climate change. The candidate will develop and/or contribute to all manner of communications to policymakers – memos, presentations, 2-pagers, short reports, etc – through writing, editing, graphic design (with and through consultants as needed), and other communications support.
• Sector Communications & Communications Campaigns: As the leading international voice and resource for appliance energy efficiency policy, CLASP wants to do a better job of sharing international policy and other developments to improve sector awareness. Additionally, we contribute to and will launch several regional or global communications campaigns in the coming years to improve issue awareness among decision makers. The candidate will lead this communications effort from the DC office and support those happening in other locations, in close coordination with others at CLASP.
• Aid Visual Communications & Multimedia: Work with the P&A and communications team, as well as our graphic design consultants, to improve, develop, and share the visual identity of the brand, e.g. through graphs, charts, icons, infographics, videos, and other types of visual information and multimedia.
• Communicating & Supporting Online Tools: CLASP owns and manages several online tools, such our Policy Database and Publication Library. The candidate will work across CLASP’s programs, communications, and operations teams to ensure the tools are up-to-date, well-supported by technology solutions, and that we are communicating about them as sector resources.
• Digital Media Coordination & Engagement: CLASP manages 5 unique web platforms and related social media accounts. The candidate will develop content, and help us stay organized and strategic across platforms, leveraging key content and messages and avoiding duplication.
• M&E: Develop the systems for and then periodically measure and evaluate CLASP’s communications activities.
• Vendor Coordination: The candidate will collaborate often with and sometimes manage contracts for graphic designers, video developers, copy editors, digital media and website managers, photo editors, and other consultants as needed.

The Ideal Candidate

• 3-5 years’ experience; previous communications and design experience and/or a relevant tertiary qualification
• Bachelor’s degree or higher
• Someone who is both analytical and creative
• Excellent written communications skills
• Experience working in communications in engineering, policy, the environment, international development, energy efficiency, renewable energy, energy management, sustainability, sustainable cities, or analogous sectors;
• Experience writing funding proposals and/or written reporting to donors ideal
• International experience preferred; ability to travel in both developed and developing countries required; bilingual or multilingual a plus.
• Strong work ethic, ability to take initiative, and attention to detail; a drive to learn and grow on the job
• Strong time management and organizational skills with ability to manage multiple tasks and projects at a time under deadline
• Confident and adaptable; ability to maintain composure, flexibility, and a sense of humor
• Experience interfacing with web developers, graphic designers, and other consultants
• Intellectual agility and a commitment to professional development
• Proficiency in website management software
• Familiarity with Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Word; experience with HTML and CSS, a plus

Compensation and Location

• Salary is commensurate with experience.
• In addition to salary, CLASP offers competitive benefits, including health insurance, unlimited leave, holidays, retirement plan, and a collegial office environment that supports wellness and flexible telecommuting options after a certain period of employment.
• These positions are full-time and based in the organization's Washington, D.C. office. Occasional travel (domestic and international), as well as evening or weekend hours, may be required.

To Apply

• CEA Recruiting is assisting CLASP in their recruitment efforts.
• To be considered for a position, interested candidates must click "Apply on Company Website" below to submit a resume, cover letter, writing sample, and salary requirements through CEA’s job portal.
• The writing sample should demonstrate how you can turn technical information into engaging copy and be no more than two pages.
• Please direct all applications and inquiries to CEA Recruiting.
• These positions will remain open until filled.

CLASP is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status.

CEA Recruiting works with leading environmental nonprofits, foundations, and businesses to recruit top talent and design effective organizational staffing strategies. For more information, visit our website.