Summary

• $85,000 - $90,000 pro rata p.a. plus super depending on skills and experience
• 0.8 - 1.0 FTE
• Work from home with a highly engaged remote-working team
• Can be located anywhere on the east coast of Australia
• One-year contract with intention for renewal subject to funding
• Shape a new policy role working on influencing frameworks to ensure renewable energy delivers lasting benefits, shaped by and for the regions.

About Us

RE-Alliance (REA) is an independent not-for-profit working to deliver a renewable energy transformation in Australia filled with sustainable, long-term benefits for regional communities.

We do this by listening to the needs and concerns of local communities hosting renewable energy infrastructure, facilitating collaboration across the industry to achieve social good and advocating for improved regional outcomes at a policy level.

We place regional development at the centre of the renewable energy shift. Solar, wind, transmission, and storage projects can contribute to regional prosperity and give regional Australian families certainty that there will be jobs and opportunities in their communities for decades to come.

For the renewable energy industry, we are experts on how to build trust with rural and regional Australia and make a meaningful difference. To Governments, we are advocates for policy settings that leverage the energy transformation to become a vehicle for regional renewal across Australia.

We have a growing team of staff, spread out across Australia, dedicated to a just and timely energy transition to achieve significant emissions reduction this decade.

The Role

The Policy Officer role is newly created to be part of a dynamic and collaborative team leading policy work across all east-coast states and at the national level. This work includes stakeholder engagement targeting practice and policy change through alliance-building, collaborations and research to inform and underpin engagement activities. Within the organisation, the team also supports knowledge transfer and fact-checking for other teams and individuals in community organising, media and comms, and the National Director.

The team’s ultimate goal is to identify and promote policy and practice to ensure the transition to renewable energy delivers lasting, tangible benefits for regional communities.

The Policy Officer will support the team in working with a range of industry and civil society stakeholders, key regional leaders and governments playing an active role in the energy transition. The key focus areas may include renewable energy development practice, policy and planning, transmission, distribution, environment and nature, community and regional benefit sharing and First Nations engagement and justice.

The Policy Officer will have research skills, ability to clearly articulate the needs and aspirations of regional communities, ability to collaborate within REA and with third parties to develop, promote and share research to influence decision-makers, particularly in Government and industry.

The Policy Officer will report to the Policy & Industry Engagement Director and work closely with them to manage workloads and reporting, engage in team development and projects to advance the goals of REA.

The Policy Officer will have access to transport to attend meetings and events as appropriate to the role. A valid driver licence and access to a car is desirable but not essential. Some overnight and interstate travel will occur on occasion. Reimbursement for reasonable expenses will be provided, subject to approval.

Key Responsibilities

Policy Research:

• Research and development of draft REA policy responses in relation to key renewable energy policy consultations across priority policy areas in at least one state.
• Developing insights from community voices, industry innovators, government best practice and REA's practice to inform policy positions and policy responses.
• Working with the REA community engagement team to draw out key local insights and intel regarding on-the-ground challenges to inform policy responses and engagement.
• Keeping up to date with key issues and opportunities, undertaking research and analysis and engaging in regular dialogue with civil society, environment and industry organisations.
• Maintaining watching briefs on key policy areas.

Coordination and Management of Policy Activities:

• Proactively manage a policy engagement and impact tracker including flagging new policy consultations and inquiries, identifying key priorities, recording activities and evaluating our influence.
• Working with the Policy & Industry Engagement Director, develop and prepare correspondence and policy responses to relevant government and industry reviews.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Supporting the Policy & Industry Engagement Director to proactively engage governments to advocate for policy settings that will result in better local community outcomes from the shift to renewables.
• Supporting and contributing to key environment and civil society forums on renewable energy policy and frameworks to deliver better outcomes for communities and the environment.

Communications and Advocacy:

• Contribute to the development of REA research papers and policy positions to influence and impact government, industry and the wider ally movement.
• Provide insights and support on policy communications, media opportunities and content development.

Team:

• Supporting the success of REA through positive and flexible contributions to the organisation.

About You

Attributes:

• Highly professional, demonstrating ethical work standards and a high level of integrity.
• A clear and open communicator who works to facilitate trust with the team, partners, key stakeholders and allies.
• Resilient and resourceful in identifying solutions to complex issues and seeks timely, appropriate direction.
• Effective and able to deliver as part of a remote team, requiring self-management to prioritise tasks, operate autonomously and contribute as part of the team.
• Flexible and adaptable to transition between tasks and projects and able to move with change.
• Committed to ethical practice and inclusivity in decision-making and principles of social justice and equitable access.
• Willing and able to work collaboratively in a small, interdependent team.

Capabilities:

• Broad knowledge of the renewable energy and/or transmission industries in Australia.
• Experience in government, industry or regulatory issues management for community energy, large scale renewable energy or other infrastructure.
• Demonstrated knowledge of how expert analysis informs best practice infrastructure development.
• Ability to explain technical and policy issues in plain language.
• Demonstrated ability to listen effectively, engage key stakeholders, and build shared views on ideas that generate buy-in and ownership.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to establish and build networks with key NGO, government and industry representatives.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural awareness or ability to complete training and take action to build cultural awareness and capabilities.
• Experience in project management and familiarity with Slack, Canva, Google and MS office applications to support day to day work and impact tracking.

Key Selection Criteria

Essential:

• At least 3 years professional experience in a policy related role within a local, state or federal government organisation, an NGO/NFP organisation or in industry.
• Demonstrated ability to research and understand policy and technical information and summarise it into accessible information.
• Demonstrated ability to self-manage working remotely, autonomously and as part of a team, adapt to challenges and manage sensitive data and issues.
• Passion for Australia’s renewable energy future including improving the fabric of regional communities and delivering justice for First Nations people.
• Access to transport and ability to travel within the state and interstate, as required.

Desirable:

• Awareness of the renewable energy sector challenges, opportunities and key issues.
• Knowledge of Australia’s energy market, renewable energy project development environment and relevant international and national policy commitments.
• Tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline (eg. political science, community development, law, environment, economic, engineering, journalism or communications).
• Experience in working collaboratively with external parties to progress key initiatives.
• Understanding of the issues, needs and opportunities for rural and regional Australia, and/or lives in a regional or rural area.
• Experience in project management.
• Familiarity with Slack, Monday.com, Google suite (Gmail, Google Docs/Sheets/Slides) and MS Office suite (Teams, Word, Excel, Powerpoint).

If you’d like to discuss the role, please contact our Policy & Industry Engagement Director, Bridget Ryan, via [email protected],
using the subject line: Policy Officer - Flexible Location / East Coast enquiry via EthicalJobs.

A position description is attached.