Climate Cabinet Action · 6 hours ago
Deputy Policy Director
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Full-time
Hybrid
Director/Executive
$130K/yr - $151K/yrClimate Cabinet is focused on empowering state and local leaders to tackle climate issues. The Deputy Policy Director will support the Policy & Legislative team by building systems and structures that enable effective climate policy work across states, ensuring clarity and coordination among team members.
Civic & Social Organization
Responsibilities
Serve as a key advisor and support resource for staff, working in close partnership with the Senior Policy Director
Maintain a big-picture view of team priorities, legislative timelines, and capacity to support effective planning and execution
Design and coordinate shared planning processes that help staff understand priorities, timelines, and how their work fits into broader efforts
Travel regularly to support staff through in-person meetings, relationship-building, and surge support during critical moments
Directly manage several policy staff members, with a focus on coaching, growth, and clarity, including:
Reviewing and approving workplans
Conducting regular check-ins and quarterly reviews
Coaching staff on performance, growth, and expanded responsibility
Making personnel recommendations to the Senior Policy Director
Bring issue-area expertise to support policy design, strategic advising, and organizational thought leadership
Represent Climate Cabinet publicly and with funders as a subject-matter expert when appropriate
Engage in limited direct lobbying or oversee contract lobbyists in states without a dedicated State Lead
Approve—and at times author—programmatic materials such as whitepapers, one-pagers, memos, presentations, event materials, blogs, and briefs
Propose and implement workflow and process improvements that strengthen team effectiveness and clarity
Surface ideas and feedback from staff to inform department‑level decision‑making and prioritization
Build work‑tracking and planning systems that surface progress, risks, and decision points
Support clear decision-making and coordination for cross-functional projects, using established frameworks and processes
Help staff understand how their work fits into the broader legislative and policy landscape and how cross‑functional collaboration can increase impact
Advise State Leads and Policy Leads on strategy, workplans, and execution
Approve programmatic products within delegated authority or concepts approved by the Senior Policy Director
Recommend personnel decisions for directly managed staff
Approve certain budget expenditures for managed staff within defined limits
Qualification
Required
Designs workflows, planning processes, and team rhythms that create clarity and reduce friction
Translates strategy into usable guidance, guardrails, and decision-making frameworks that enable others to act independently
Anticipates where complexity, risk, or overload may emerge and addresses it upstream through better systems
Coaches and supports state and policy leads to grow their judgment, confidence, and scope of responsibility
Delegates decision rights — not just tasks — with clear parameters that balance autonomy and accountability
Builds psychological safety and trust, creating space for learning, experimentation, and honest feedback
Navigates performance challenges and conflict with clarity, care, and fairness
Brings deep knowledge of climate solutions, especially in electricity policy, and state-level policy levers
Has experience operating in or alongside state legislatures, advocacy campaigns, or lobbying environments
Tracks shifts in policy, politics, and the broader climate movement, integrating power analysis into decision-making
Synthesizes political and policy landscape changes to focus effort where it matters most
Helps teams prioritize effectively amid competing demands and limited resources
Knows when to step in, when to align others, and when to step back
Communicates complex policy, organizational, and strategic information clearly and accessibly
Adapts messaging for different audiences, from policy experts to cross-functional partners
Uses communication to build shared understanding, alignment, and momentum
Approaches work with curiosity, humility, and a learning-in-progress mindset
Seeks feedback and reflection to improve systems, leadership approach, and team effectiveness
Encourages continuous improvement through iteration, peer learning, and thoughtful debriefs
Benefits
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, with the organization covering 99% of employee premiums and 50% of dependent medical premiums
Unlimited PTO
Basic life insurance and long-term disability
Health FSA and Dependent Care FSA
401(k) employer contribution
Paid parental leave
Computer reimbursement stipend
Company
Climate Cabinet Action
Helping local candidates run, win, and legislate on the climate crisis.
11-50 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageCompany data provided by crunchbase