About Breakthrough Energy 

Established in 2015 by Bill Gates and a coalition of private investors concerned about the impacts of accelerating climate change, Breakthrough Energy supports the innovations that will lead the world to net-zero emissions. We are building on the proven model of public-private partnerships that Gates has already used to transform health, education, and public welfare around the world. Breakthrough Energy is a network of entities and initiatives, including investment funds, nonprofit and philanthropic programs, and policy efforts linked by a common commitment to scale the technologies we need to achieve a path to net zero emissions by 2050. We are encouraging the development of new net-zero energy technologies, championing policies that speed innovation from lab to market, and bringing together governments, research institutions, private companies, and investors to expand and enhance clean-energy investment.  

Overview 

Breakthrough Energy has an important portfolio of work in developing policy and advocacy strategies to advance industrial and building sector decarbonization and carbon management at the federal, state, and local levels. This involves implementation of recent legislation and new policy development, including policies supporting technology investment, creating market demand, aligning climate and trade, enhancing data and modeling capabilities, and supporting enabling infrastructure. In addition to the industrial and building sector and carbon management portfolios, Breakthrough Energy also has established work areas on power sector decarbonization, clean hydrogen, transportation and clean fuels, agriculture, and clean energy innovation. 

You will serve on the U.S. Policy and Advocacy team in supporting the organization’s strategy for advancing our priority initiatives in industrial decarbonization, embodied carbon, and carbon management through the end of 2024. Primary responsibilities of this role include maintaining strategies for engagement and impact, managing grantmaking and grantee relationships, researching potential new areas of work, and collaborating with other Breakthrough Energy programs. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record working to advance climate and clean energy legislative and administrative actions (with a preference for federal policy experience); technical expertise in decarbonization pathways and relevant technologies; strong relationships with NGOs and companies in these spaces; and excellent interpersonal and communication skills. In addition to being the primary support role for Breakthrough Energy’s industrial decarbonization and carbon management policy strategy, the Contractor will also take on a secondary role in supporting other BE policy priorities for decarbonization, including international policy, clean commodity demand/offtake, advanced manufacturing, and others, as needed. The Contractor will work closely with the Senior Manager of Policy and Advocacy. 

Core Responsibilities 

• Support Breakthrough Energy’s policy strategies in industrial decarbonization, embodied carbon, carbon management, and other needs that arise — including researching policy proposals and analyzing key legislative and administrative opportunities. 
• Manage a substantial portfolio of grants and contracts with partners, which includes working with partners to develop proposals, coordinating across the organization to secure approvals and execute new agreements, and managing ongoing work to ensure timely and effective delivery of grant/contract objectives. 
• Collaborate across the U.S. Policy and Advocacy team to ensure alignment of advocacy efforts to advance key legislative and administrative priorities. Engage with the broader Breakthrough Energy network to inform policy advocacy and increase awareness of, and access to, relevant federal incentives and opportunities. 
• Foster and manage relationships with think tanks/NGOs, businesses, trade associations, universities, and other stakeholders who are aligned with our interests in industrial decarbonization, embodied carbon, and carbon management.  

• Master’s or doctoral degree in science, engineering, or public policy preferred, undergraduate degree required 
• Expertise in climate/energy policy and emerging energy technologies, with substantive professional experience in industrial decarbonization, climate-aligned trade, embodied carbon, and/or carbon management preferred. 
• Knowledge of federal politics, legislative strategy/process, and administrative actions on climate and energy. Ability to understand viable legislative or administrative pathways for policy priorities and support effective strategies to utilize those paths. 
• Exceptional ability to develop and maintain relationships with a broad variety of stakeholders, and bring together multiple perspectives into a cohesive effort. 
• Strong writing, critical thinking, and analytic ability. Ability to produce excellent written communications for internal and external audiences. 
• Attention to detail and excellent organizational and project management skills, with a track record of executing projects on time and with minimal supervision. 
• Ability to work in a collaborative, inclusive workplace with matrix management.  
• Comfort with being flexible as the organization progresses, individual roles shift, and decision processes evolve. Able to adjust and adapt to a fast-moving and changing environment.