Description
About ClearPath, Inc
ClearPath is a conservative clean energy advocacy organization. ClearPath’s mission is to accelerate American innovation to reduce global energy emissions. To advance that mission, we develop cutting-edge policy solutions on clean energy, advanced agriculture, and industrial innovation. An entrepreneurial, strategic nonprofit, ClearPath (501(c)(3)) collaborates with public and private sector stakeholders on innovations in nuclear energy, geothermal, hydropower, natural gas, energy storage, critical minerals, carbon capture, heavy industry and agriculture to enable private-sector deployment of critical technologies. Started in 2014 by entrepreneur Jay Faison, ClearPath engages in the direct education of policymakers within the Congress, the White House, Executive Agencies with energy and environmental jurisdiction, and regulators.
ClearPath team members believe in small government, free markets, and American entrepreneurship. Those principles form the basis for how the team analyzes proposed clean energy and climate policy.
ClearPath Values:
- Teamwork: We empower each other to accomplish our shared mission.
- Purpose: We believe the principles of limited government, free markets, and fiscal responsibility are essential to achieving our mission.
- Ownership: We empower teammates to visibly own and achieve goals.
- Adaptability: We are open to new, complex ideas and test our assumptions to lead change and advance our mission.
- Curiosity: We have a proactive desire to learn, grow, and improve ourselves, our ideas, and our mission in a thoughtful and focused way.
- Credibility: We agree that being trustworthy and believable is everything for building and maintaining influence.
Job Summary
The Program Manager for Environmental Regulatory Policy will join ClearPath’s policy team, providing legislative and regulatory expertise across all policy portfolios. This role focuses on understanding how environmental laws and regulations affect energy and agricultural policy and the ability to innovate fast, build infrastructure, and sell more globally.
A core part of this work sits at the intersection of environmental regulatory policy and federal permitting, with an emphasis on how laws such as NEPA, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act are implemented and could be improved to promote clean energy, advanced agriculture, and industrial innovation. The Program Manager will analyze legislation, rulemakings, litigation, and agency guidance to assess regulatory risk, inform ClearPath’s positions, and develop durable policy solutions.
This position is inherently cross-cutting and supports work across technology, infrastructure, and regulatory portfolios. The ideal candidate brings a strong legal background and experience working with environmental or energy regulatory frameworks at the project or agency level.
This position reports to ClearPath’s Managing Director – Clean Power, Natural Resources, and Research.
Job Description
Research & Analysis:
- Support the Policy Team by providing legal and regulatory analysis across ClearPath’s policy portfolios;
- Interpret federal environmental and administrative laws, regulations, guidance, and court decisions to assess implications for our technologies;
- Draft clear, timely analyses of regulatory developments, rulemakings, litigation trends, and agency actions;
- Produce concise written products explaining how laws such as NEPA, CAA, CWA, and ESA are applied in practice, including environmental review, consultation, and permitting processes;
- Track Environmental Impact Statements, permitting actions, and interagency coordination issues affecting energy and infrastructure development;
- Support rapid-response analysis when questions arise on Capitol Hill related to environmental or permitting policy; and
- Contribute to the development of educational materials that translate complex regulatory concepts for policymakers and stakeholders.
Strategic Thinking & Execution:
- Independently execute against existing organizational strategy while helping identify cross-cutting regulatory issues that affect multiple policy portfolios;
- Apply legal judgment and regulatory insight to identify opportunities to reduce uncertainty, delay, and duplicative review within existing statutory frameworks;
- Collaborate closely with ClearPath’s Government Relations team to inform advocacy strategies with accurate, grounded regulatory analysis;
- Demonstrate strong critical thinking skills and the ability to synthesize legal, technical, and policy considerations;
- Build and engage networks of legal, regulatory, and technical experts across government, industry, and civil society; and
- Mentor and manage Policy Advisors, Fellows, and Interns supporting projects within the environmental regulatory and permitting portfolio.
Communications, Relationship Building & Influencing:
- Communicate complex legal and regulatory concepts clearly and persuasively to technical and non-technical audiences;
- Contribute to thought leadership that reflects a strong command of environmental and administrative law as applied to clean firm power;
- Represent ClearPath externally with credibility in conversations involving regulators, legal practitioners, and policy stakeholders;
- Cultivate relationships with federal agencies and external partners involved in environmental review, permitting, and regulatory implementation; and
- Support rapid-response engagement with policymakers and staff when environmental or regulatory questions arise.
Capabilities
- Deliberative Decision Making – Gather, consider, and evaluate all relevant information to make logical conclusions before being moved to action. Able to put aside personal biases and take an objective approach to making decisions based on data or other pertinent facts.
- Analytical Thinking – Have the capability and the inclination to identify and synthesize information from diverse sources by looking for patterns in data, making connections between seemingly unrelated events, and understanding how different parts of a system are interdependent.
- Learning Agility – Able to discern patterns in data, recognize relationships between concepts, and rapidly apply learning from one context to solve analogous problems in different contexts.
- Scientific Acumen – Consistently and appropriately implement best practices in scientific inquiry and empirical reasoning to identify trends in data.
- Information Seeking – Have an underlying curiosity and desire to know more about things, people, or issues. They go beyond routine questions and dig for exact information to resolve discrepancies.
- Quality Focus – Are able to manage the efficiency, accuracy, completeness, and integrity of the work that they produce.
- Time Management – Able to manage multiple responsibilities by being organized and keeping on top of important time-sensitive tasks.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in law, public policy, environmental studies, energy policy, or a related field; equivalent professional experience considered
- 5–8 years of experience in environmental, energy, or administrative law; regulatory compliance; permitting; or related policy or legal roles
- Demonstrated experience interpreting and applying federal environmental and regulatory frameworks, including laws such as NEPA, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act
- Familiarity with federal agencies and regulatory processes affecting clean firm power and infrastructure development
- Strong analytical and written communication skills, with the ability to translate complex legal and regulatory concepts for diverse audiences
- Comfort working in a fast-paced policy environment and ability to quickly learn new systems and subject matter
- A professional and personal commitment to ClearPath’s mission and values
Preferred Qualifications
- Juris Doctor (JD) or advanced degree in a related field
- Prior experience working within or closely with federal agencies, congressional committees, or regulatory bodies on environmental or permitting issues
- Experience engaging with congressional stakeholders on environmental, energy, or permitting-related matters
- Background in clean energy, infrastructure, or natural resources regulation, particularly as it relates to clean firm power development
Compensation + Benefits
- Competitive salary commensurate with experience
- Annual bonus, historically awarded
- Paid professional development opportunities
- Comprehensive health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance
- Retirement Benefit offering an employer matching contribution of employee contributions $1 for $1 on the first 5% of pay contributed
- No set vacation policy - take what you need whenever workflow allows
- Fully stocked office kitchen in a newly renovated building on Capitol Hill
At ClearPath, we value a diverse and inclusive workforce. We believe our team is the key to making an impact and fulfilling our mission. ClearPath is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
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