Aspen Institute: Senior Program Associate, Ocean & Climate

ABOUT US 

Aspen Institute 

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Since its founding in 1949, the Institute has been driving change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most critical challenges facing communities in the United States and around the world. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Institute has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, and an international network of partners. 

Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion 

To achieve our mission of a more free, just, and equitable society, we commit to working proactively to advance the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion across our myriad endeavors such as the recruitment, compensation, training, and advancement of staff. The best people-serving institutions make this commitment, and we seek to be a leader in the ways that we do so and learn from others. Visit our website to learn more about our commitment and recent actions taken toward building and nurturing a diverse and inclusive environment. 

Energy & Environment Program

The Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Program (EEP) explores significant challenges with diverse thinkers and doers to make a more prosperous, equitable, and sustainable society for all. We address critical energy, environmental, and climate change issues through non-partisan, non-ideological convening, with the specific intent of bringing together diverse stakeholders to improve the process and progress of policy-level dialogue. This enables EEP to sit at a critical intersection in the conversation and bring together diverse groups of expert stakeholders. In addition to energy and environmental policy, which the program has been addressing for several decades, EEP actively and purposefully engages in climate change policy – mitigating the effects of climate change, adapting to the inevitable impacts of climate change, and the international cooperation needed to achieve these goals.

ABOUT THIS ROLE  

The Sr. Program Associate is a key member of the Energy and Environment Program team working across projects in the Ocean & Climate team portfolio. Reporting to the Sr. Program Manager for Ocean & Climate, the Program Associate will provide cross-cutting support for the Ocean & Climate team, focused on successfully organizing, communicating, and executing events and the team’s external engagements overall. The Sr. Program Associate will collaborate closely with the leadership of the Ocean & Climate team and EEP on a variety of projects, including supporting project management activities, planning of events, communicating and conducting outreach, and identifying, developing, and maintaining relationships with external partners to help advance the Ocean & Climate team’s initiatives. 

All EEP team members contribute to the program’s DEI&B journey, including working with the leadership team to build a culture of inclusion and belonging with the team, focusing on diversity and inclusion efforts throughout EEP’s work, and continuing to contribute to projects that move the environmental movement toward better DEI&B outcomes.

This position reports directly to the Sr Program Manager. The salary range is $74,700 - $95,500 per year based on experience. This position is located at the Aspen Institute’s Washington, D.C. office and is expected to work from the office at least 40% of the time. This role is a 2-year limited-term position with a potential for extension based on available funding and management. 

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Project Management

• Assisting with managing and tracking communications with current and prospective partners;
• As needed, coordinate engagement with communications and events contractors (e.g., website developer, graphic designer, etc); and
• Supporting efforts to elevate maritime decarbonization issues in other spheres, including through collaboration with other partners.

Event Planning  

• Support development of slide decks, talking points, runs of show, annotated agendas, and other preparatory materials for hosted and invited speaking engagements;   
• Identify, negotiate, and secure sites, meeting space, meals, lodging, participant travel, ground transportation, and/or AV requirements for convenings;? 
• Schedule and facilitate coordination calls and other preparatory activities in advance of speaking engagements, panels, webinars, and other events; 
• Support identification of panelists and speakers for EEP-convened events;  
• Develop and maintain a central system for tracking accomplishments and lessons learned from events and speaking engagements attended; 
• Lead process for vetting speaking invitations, follow up with event organizers, and making recommendations to the team about appropriate and productive venues for participation;  
• Provide on-site logistical support for senior staff when necessary; and 
• Support and eventually lead team planning, preparation, and logistical coordination for major international events (e.g., UNFCCC COP and other similar high-level events). 

Relationship Management and Communication

•  Track and maintain external contact lists for major announcements and other public communications; 
• Represent EEP and Ocean & Climate team in meetings, calls, correspondence, and other forms of communications;
• Draft and edit website content, press releases, blog posts, op-eds, fact sheets, and other materials related to Ocean & Climate initiatives; 
• As needed, develop other communications materials for Ocean & Climate activities.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO THRIVE

• Bachelor’s degree and 3-5 years of experience in climate change, environmental policy, corporate climate communications, external affairs, or related field;
• Experience in event management desirable;
• Excellent organizational, time, communication, and project management skills with attention to detail; 
• Ability and desire to rapidly learn a wide variety of new subject matter; 
• Ability to distill complex information and communicate effectively and succinctly through written and verbal means, including experience with professional writing; 
• Ability to manage time effectively, work autonomously and with a small team;
• Strong customer service orientation – a “Yes, and” attitude;
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite;
• Willingness and ability to travel, as much as 10-30% of the time during certain times of the year.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

The Aspen Institute offers a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, and prescription benefits, retirement benefits, and paid leave. 

The Aspen Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all District and federal laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or protected veteran or disabled status and will not be discriminated against. 

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation regarding the accessibility of our website, a modification or adjustment of the job application or interview process due to a disability, contact HRSupport@aspeninstitute.org or call (202) 736-5800.