Policy Manager Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

Overview

PowerLines is a national nonprofit organization that aims to modernize the utility regulatory system for American energy consumers to lower utility bills and grow the economy. It focuses on state public utilities commissions (PUCs), which play a critical role in determining how much people pay for utility bills, how utilities invest in different types of energy, and where new energy projects are built. These 200 commissioners oversee more than $200 billion in utility spending each year and have significant influence over the future of our energy system.

Rising utility bills are quickly becoming a national economic and political issue. In 2025, utilities requested a record-setting $31 billion in rate increases, double the previous record, while 80 million Americans are struggling to pay their utility bills. Meanwhile, the U.S. grid is experiencing the fastest rise in electricity demand in decades with the growth of AI data centers and manufacturing. Utility bills have become a defining national economic and political issue with a growing bipartisan set of policymakers voicing concern over these issues and conveying a desire to advance policy solutions to respond to these issues.

Recognized on the 2025 "TIME100 Next" list, PowerLines is rapidly becoming a go-to source and leader in informing the national discussion of this issue and has already shaped the conversation in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Politico, Bloomberg, CBS News, NPR, Marketplace, Financial Times, TIME, Vox, The Daily Mail, and MIT Technology Review. PowerLines is quickly establishing credibility as a nonpartisan expert on utility regulatory and energy affordability issues while reaching a bipartisan set of policymakers, including initial partnerships with the National Governors Association, National Conference of State Legislatures, and Western Governors Association.

PowerLines is in a period of significant organizational growth and seeks a full-time Manager of Federal Policy to strategically engage and educate policymakers at the federal level and to advance national policy impact. The majority of the role will focus on federal policy opportunities and federal policymakers, primarily on Capitol Hill and before federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and engagement with national advocacy groups. The ideal candidate is a mid-career professional who has expertise on utility regulatory issues, experience building relationships with federal policymakers, and interest in working on bipartisan initiatives and coalitions. Previous experience working on energy policy and utility regulation issues is highly valued, including work before or on behalf of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

PowerLines is a rapidly growing, early-stage startup nonprofit organization. This role will be expected to expand PowerLines' base of partnerships at the federal level, manage diverse coalitions, tackle complex problems, and translate strategy and ideas into execution. The Manager of Federal Policy will be able to build on an existing platform to interface with a variety of public sector stakeholders, have a front row seat in settings with the potential to shape the energy landscape, and tackle an important national problem at a critical time.

PowerLines is headquartered in Washington, DC. The Manager of Federal Policy must be based in Washington, DC. Initially, the Manager of Federal Policy will work closely with and report directly to the Founder and Executive Director as the Policy team continues to grow.

Key Responsibilities

• Policymaker Engagement 
• Lead development and execution of PowerLines' federal policymaker engagement and education strategy
• Build relationships with federal policymakers, including Congressional offices and federal agencies such as DOE and FERC
• Conduct briefings and workshops for federal policymakers, including translation of complex and technical topics into accessible formats for a wide range of policymaker audiences
• Attend national policymaker convenings and manage PowerLines' engagement with partners
• Develop an external engagement strategy relevant to federal policymakers, including internal calendar with key dates and timelines, conferences, media engagement and speaking opportunities, and strategic events and convenings
• Coordinate with PowerLines' Communications team on communications and storytelling opportunities at the federal level
• Policy Research and Analysis
• Track federal policy and regulatory developments, including in Congress and at federal agencies including the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
• Develop policy tools and resources including federal policy solutions aimed at federal policymaker audiences
• Develop and disseminate summary briefs of key federal policy developments to partners
• Oversee and conduct policy research and analysis with a focus on utility bill data trends, federal policy developments, and other utility regulation issues
• Develop quick-turnaround memos for internal and external stakeholder audiences
• Identify policy successes (e.g., legislative wins, executive orders, etc.) and maintain a catalogue of case studies that can be referenced and used to update PowerLines' materials for elected officials
• Lead drafting of materials relevant for partner engagement in federal policymaking efforts, such as letters of support, testimony, briefing memos, training presentations, and talking points
• Coalition Building 
• Build partnerships with a politically diverse set of partners, including NGOs, advocacy groups, and think tanks, ensuring coalitions and partnerships reflect PowerLines' commitment to engaging with a bipartisan set of stakeholders
• Support PowerLines' existing partnerships and identify growth opportunities to expand coordination with additional partners
• Identify experts and partners to serve as spokespeople for federal engagement opportunities
• Conduct power mapping and landscape analysis of key federal policymaker environments as needed
• Engage with coalitions in a variety of external engagement opportunities including events
• Representing PowerLines at conferences, convenings, and potential speaker engagements as needed

Requirements

Role Requirements

The ideal candidate will be a mid-career professional who has expertise on utility regulation issues and has experience building relationships with federal policymakers and working on bipartisan initiatives. The ideal candidate will be strong in both high-level strategy and fine-grained execution, bring a high degree of emotional intelligence to complex settings, and have the ability to manage multiple high-impact workstreams in a high-velocity startup environment. 

Preferred Qualifications

• 5-10 years of experience in federal policy, utility regulation, consumer advocacy, government affairs, or a related field, with a preference for experience in Congressional, federal agency (particularly DOE or FERC), NGO, advocacy, think tank, government, and/or startup settings
• Deep expertise in energy policy and utility regulation is valued and/or an ability to learn complex, technical utility regulation topics quickly
• Experience building relationships with policymakers, particularly with bipartisan coalitions and federal policymakers
• An ability to build relationships with a politically diverse set of stakeholders, and ideally a proven ability to build bipartisan relationships
• A "get stuff done" and "whatever it takes" mentality to deliver success and execute strategy, including an ability to quickly turnaround written materials for internal and external audiences
• Strong project management skills, including an ability to track progress of complex workstreams
• Strong research and analytical capabilities, particularly around policy and regulatory issues
• An ability to translate complex utility regulation topics into accessible formats for a broader audience
• Strong emotional intelligence skills, including savviness in navigating complex settings with a diverse set of stakeholders
• Strategic thinking and creative problem solving skills, including an ability to think big-picture and translate ideas into strategy
• Capacity to thrive in an early-stage, fast-paced, dynamic, and uncertain startup environment, including an ability to identify priorities, function independently, and operate with tight timelines
• A passion for advancing PowerLines' mission of modernizing the utility regulatory system to lower utility bills and grow the economy through a consumer-centered lens

Compensation and Benefits

• The expected salary range for this role is $100,000-$150,000. Compensation may be based on skills, qualifications, experience, location, and other factors. 
• The benefits package includes unlimited PTO, paid holidays, health insurance, a 401k employer match, sick leave, and health and wellness benefits.

How To Apply

• Please include your CV/resume and a letter that addresses the question of why you are interested in the Manager of Federal Policy role at PowerLines. All materials submitted will be carefully read and considered.
• Priority consideration will be given to applications received by April 30, 2026, but applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.