Communications Principal - Central

About Advanced Energy United
Advanced Energy United educates, engages, and advocates for policies that allow our member companies to compete to repower our economy with 100% clean energy. We work with decision makers at every level of government as well as regulators of energy markets to achieve this goal. The businesses we represent are lowering consumer costs, creating thousands of new jobs every year, and providing the full range of clean, efficient, and reliable energy and transportation solutions. The U.S. market for advanced energy products and services reached nearly $375 billion in 2022. Together, we are united in our mission to accelerate the transition to 100% clean energy in the United States.
If you’re an entrepreneurial, innovative, analytical and thoughtful person looking to make an impact in the clean energy space, United might be the perfect place for you to share your talents. Team members at United are given the trust and responsibility to make big things happen, and myriad opportunities to learn new skills, explore new issue areas, and work with a broad cross section of the clean energy community. Being a team member at United also means working with a talented and diverse group of people, some who bring decades of experience spanning advocacy, philanthropy, clean tech, government and more—and our collaborative approach means we get to learn from each other, expert and novice, every day. And while our organization is fully remote, we are proud of the people-focused culture we have built and the connectedness of our team.  
We work on serious issues, take our mission seriously, but never take ourselves too seriously.

Position Description

Advanced Energy United seeks an energetic Communications Principal, who is passionate about helping the country transition to 100% clean energy, to manage its communications activities for states in the Central U.S. Under the supervision of the Director of Strategic Communications, the Communications Principal will be responsible for media relations in Central states – specifically Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Texas – and will be expected to work closely with Advanced Energy United’s policy team to develop and execute communications strategies in support of Advanced Energy United’s policy and campaign work advocating for the transition to 100% clean energy and electrified transportation. Our companies bring a unique pro-business voice to clean energy discussions, and this position would help ensure that voice is represented and amplified in media discussions. The Communications Principal will elevate the organization’s expert voices in the media and is not expected to act as an organization spokesperson. The Communications Principal will also support Advanced Energy United’s communications, content creation, and social media activities for the entire organization in partnership with other members of the Communications staff.

Responsibilities 

• Work with Advanced Energy United staff to translate what are often complex energy policy and regulatory developments into compelling stories and messages that can help motivate key opinion leaders to act. 
• Secure media coverage for Advanced Energy United advocacy campaign efforts, focused on states in the Central U.S.
• Lead development of communications strategies to support the organization’s advocacy campaigns focused on states in the Central U.S
• Manage press relations with news outlets and reporters.
• Pitch reporters by phone and email, draft press statements and releases for media, arrange media interviews for policy team members, write and place op-eds, develop talking points with policy staff. 
• Seek out thought leadership opportunities for the organization’s policy and operations staff, such as speaking engagements. 
• Support the organization’s content creation output, including but not limited to writing and editing blog posts, drafting and publishing content for social media platforms, editing fact sheets, assisting with additional website content upkeep.
• Maintain and develop working relationships with coalition partners and businesses on communications activities.

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to secure earned media coverage; established contacts and relationships with reporters in the Central U.S. is preferred.
• Minimum four years related professional communications experience; Bachelor’s degree with relevant education experience, such as Communications or Journalism, is preferred.
• Exceptional writing and organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Demonstrate