Permitting Policy Director

Permitting Policy Director, Permit Power. Fully remote within the United States. Salary range: $135,000-160,000 per year. Full-time, exempt. Permit Power is an energy affordability non-profit on a mission to make it cheap and easy for American families to power their lives by cutting the red tape that makes home solar and batteries so expensive. Permit Power is a small but ambitious team that advances common-sense policy fixes in states around the country to modernize processes like permitting and utility interconnection to allow tens of millions more American families to produce their own affordable electricity. The Permitting Policy Director co-leads Permit Power's policy development to simplify and streamline permitting, inspection, HOAs, building codes, and product standards to dramatically lower the cost and accelerate the adoption of residential rooftop solar, plug-in solar, and home batteries. In partnership with Permit Power's advocacy staff, the Director serves as a core part of the team to drive legislative change, lead and participate in coalition efforts, and be an internal expert and external thought leader on permit streamlining. A significant portion of the work will likely focus on policies derived from the values of property rights, small government, and consumer choice in conservative and purple states. The specific policies and states will be divided with Permit Power's current Permitting Policy Director based on existing expertise, geography, and other factors. The Director reports to the Chief of Policy. Responsibilities: develop Permit Power's permitting policy agenda, formulating and executing a comprehensive policy plan to simplify and streamline permitting and inspection processes for home solar and batteries, with a focus on states with the largest home solar and battery potential, as well as simplifying and streamlining building codes and product safety standards for home solar products such as plug-in solar; oversee the bill-to-law cycle, conducting preliminary research for, drafting, and vetting permitting bill language, producing advocacy materials such as talking points, fact sheets, graphics, and reports, and, in coordination with Permit Power's advocacy team and outside lobbyists, lobbying legislators, their staff, and executive branch officials, and negotiating with opposition; build and drive coalitions, developing and managing relationships with partners such as home builders, the solar industry, think tanks, and others to broaden support for a permitting reform agenda; serve as the subject matter expert, acting as the organization's authority on permitting rules, regulations, and cutting-edge policies like third party permitting and inspection, HOA overreach, and simplified building codes and product standards; evaluate compliance and implementation, investigating whether jurisdictions are following the bills passed, whether installers are actively taking advantage of them, and why, and analyzing where implementation is hitting friction points; and manage external research and consultants, scoping external policy research and identifying, onboarding, and directing consultants. What Permit Power is looking for: 7+ years of experience in policy development, legislative advocacy, and/or regulatory affairs related to solar, construction, permitting, or government efficiency; a track record of successfully developing and executing policy agendas that lead to tangible outcomes, particularly within the state legislative arenas; sufficient technical expertise with relevant engineering concepts (e.g., electrical, structural, and/or fire safety) to shape the approach to permitting and inspection policies, building codes, and product safety standards; experience testifying before, interfacing with, and developing materials for policymakers; demonstrated ability to build coalitions and partner with stakeholders to achieve policy goals; ability to translate complex technical and engineering concepts into clear, accessible language and materials for policymakers, advocates, and the public; and relationships with energy policy organizations, the building industry, technical consultants, research firms, and think tanks. Occasional travel for team meetings and periodic partner meetings, hearings, and conferences several times a year. Benefits: Permit Power offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, dental insurance, vision care, pre-tax commuter benefits, FSA, and a 401k with 5% contribution matching (limits apply), plus 6 months of paid maternity or paternity leave to bond with a newborn or adopted child within the first year of birth or adoption. Permit Power is a fully remote team open to candidates anywhere in the U.S.