State Initiatives Director

About the American Flood Coalition

The American Flood Coalition (AFC) is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to advancing transformative solutions for rising seas, stronger storms, and more frequent flooding. With a network of over 500 elected officials, local leaders, military groups, and businesses, AFC collaborates across local, state, and federal levels to promote flood resilience and equity, uniquely addressing flood challenges across all government layers to protect communities.

Position Overview

We are seeking a seasoned project and people manager to lead our expanding team of regional state government relations directors. The State Initiatives Director will assist the State Government Relations Director with key strategic initiatives and act as the operational backbone of AFC’s state government relations efforts. This involves developing systems to enhance accountability and team coordination, facilitating scalable flood adaptation policy implementation across states.

This senior role is new and reports directly to the State Government Relations Director. It is based in Washington, DC headquarters, mostly internal-facing, with an estimated travel requirement of 10%. The ideal candidate thrives on building structure, coaching high-performing teams, and empowering passionate advocates.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of around four independent regional government relations directors, focused on building relationships with state officials and promoting flood adaptation policy adoption.
• Provide regular coaching, performance evaluations, and professional growth opportunities to ensure team success and foster sharing of insights and best practices.
• Participate actively in strategic planning, including AFC’s semi-annual organizational strategy development and oversee hiring and onboarding of regional staff.
• Design and supervise internal project management frameworks, coordination workflows, and reporting to align regional activities with goals and keep leadership informed.
• Act as the principal liaison connecting regional directors with headquarters teams, translating field insights into actionable guidance and ensuring resource access.
• Offer ongoing project management support to regional directors to overcome challenges and connect them to necessary internal resources.

Qualifications

• Proven success in leading and developing strong teams with a people-centered management style focused on staff development.
• At least 10 years of experience in strategy-driven roles within mission-oriented organizations or companies, including a minimum of 5 years managing teams.
• Advanced project management capabilities demonstrated through managing complex, multi-faceted programs across distributed teams.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in state government relations, association management, lobbying, or senior legislative staff roles to effectively guide regional staff through diverse political contexts.
• Excellent communication skills, capable of distilling complex topics clearly for a range of internal audiences.
• Bachelor’s degree required.

Location

This role is based in Washington, D.C.

Compensation and Benefits

• Salary range: $130,000 to $160,000 annually.
• Generous and flexible paid time off policies.
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, including a $0 monthly premium health plan option.
• 401(k) plan with a 4% employer match.
• Employer-paid short and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance, and options for additional voluntary benefits.
• Up to $4,000 relocation assistance for new hires moving to the D.C. metropolitan area.

Additional Perks

• Hybrid work schedule with mandatory in-office presence on Tuesdays and Thursdays and options to work remotely on other weekdays.
• Company-sponsored social events like happy hours, holiday parties, and annual retreats.
• Office closure between Christmas and New Year's Day.
• Modern office amenities including gym access, snacks, drinks, smart casual dress code, and a collaborative workspace designed for diverse workstyles.

Diversity and Inclusion

The American Flood Coalition values diversity and inclusion, actively seeking to build a staff with varied backgrounds and providing an equitable, welcoming work environment for all employees.