Senior Manager, Power Sector Transition

This is a hybrid position which requires 8 days per month in the office. You will be based in our office in Washington, DC. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position. To be eligible for this position in US, you must be a resident of DC, Maryland or Virginia at the start of employment

About the Program:

The WRI Polsky Center for the Global Energy Transition has ambition to accelerate the energy transition by driving innovation, spurring economic growth, and making sustainable energy reliable, accessible, and inclusive for all. Its approach focuses on pragmatic strategies that turn bold ideas into real-world results by addressing policy, economic, and technical barriers across diverse contexts.

WRI helps speed the transition to a clean and inclusive energy future through objective and well-supported thought leadership and uplifting stakeholders interested in the same. To decarbonize the power, industry and transportation sectors, WRI's Polsky Energy Center engages with policymakers, regulators, utilities, large energy buyers, and key stakeholders at the local, state and federal levels. WRI undertakes research to support action on topics related to overcoming barriers to clean energy development, including cost-effective grid expansion, evolving power markets to enable the clean energy transition, leveraging demand-side flexibility, and scaling new technology adoption to accelerate progress towards 100% clean energy.

WRI's work on the power sector has included engagement with state and local stakeholders to advance solutions to enable deployment of clean energy and facilitate grid decarbonization. WRI has also worked with large energy buyers to identify how they can advance grid and market solutions to meet their clean energy goals. WRI's work in the power sector also includes research examining siting practices, benefits to communities, and exploring whether there are win-win solutions to engagement and provision of benefits to enable more rapid deployment of needed infrastructure.

Job Highlight:

The Senior Manager, Power Sector Transition will play a leading role in advancing WRI's US Energy work to enable power sector decarbonization in the face of rapidly rising electricity demand. As a senior expert, you will take a leading role in developing and conducting important analyses and managing WRI's growing body of strategic research on meeting rising electricity demand affordably while achieving grid decarbonization. The role will lead and oversee analytical products and will work to inform key decision-makers, including federal, state, and local actors, to encourage the adoption of needed reforms and solutions.

You will report to the Director of US Energy and manage a portfolio of projects designed to achieve electricity affordability and decarbonization and advance clean firm power solutions, such as next generation geothermal power, working with key experts across the team leading related work. You will collaborate with colleagues from WRI Global and other WRI country offices on joint reports and other related efforts.

You will help conduct analysis to identify solutions for enabling clean, affordable and resilient power sources to meet rapidly growing loads. This can include overseeing power sector modeling or economic analysis by external consultants for WRI reports and assessments. It can also include assessments of effective utility regulation, utility tariffs, state policies or other approaches to meeting loads affordably and reliably while advancing decarbonization of the power sector. It may also include advancing state policy or reforms needed for next generation geothermal or other clean firm power resources. You will advance needed reforms by developing analysis and thought leadership products as well as providing technical assistance and support for states and local governments, policymakers, and other entities to enable a clean energy transition. You will help us form additional partnerships, engage with utilities, regulators, and market operators, and align our work with other NGOs and actors.

You will write issue briefs, contribute to blogs and WRI knowledge products, author external articles, and engage with states and local agencies, large energy users, policymakers, utilities, and other stakeholders to address barriers. You will also help support local governments coalitions or collaborations to advance policy, utility planning, and market reforms.

Working with the team, you will help fundraise for new projects and ensure high quality delivery of products for current projects. In a management role, you will also support the growth of junior research staff.

Working closely with management on strategy and project development, you will be in a position to evolve this portfolio of work over time, as new opportunities arise. You will also leverage partnerships and expertise across WRI's programs, centers, and international offices, while cultivating partnerships with community organizations, external experts, and government officials.

Candidates should be innovative and entrepreneurial thinkers with an ability to identify and pursue new opportunities. You should also be able to effectively communicate insights from technical research to non-technical audiences both verbally and in writing.

What you will do

Program Management and Strategy (35%)

• Develop strategies for advancing solutions to expand and decarbonize the power sector to enable an affordable, reliable and clean energy future

• Manage projects to enable groups of stakeholders to accelerate clean firm power and solutions to enable an affordable and clean power sector transition

• Engage WRI research staff to ensure that shared insights are incorporated into ongoing workstreams to maximize alignment

• Supervise the work of junior researchers and interns

• Coordinate across WRI programs and issue areas to leverage institutional expertise and build internal support for the team's work

• Oversee project teams to ensure delivery of high-quality work products in a timely manner

Stakeholder Engagement (35%)

• Lead stakeholder convenings and events to identify preferred processes and pathways to removing deployment barriers

• Represent WRI in forums, and convene WRI dialogues where appropriate

• Build partnerships and engage with key stakeholders and partners to align work and collaborate on efforts as need to drive collective impact

• Speak at public events and with the media

Research and Analysis (30%)

• Develop educational and thought leadership resources to advance solutions that facilitate affordable and clean solutions to meeting electricity needs

• Develop high-quality, high-impact reports, issue briefs, case studies, and blogs

• Help incorporate insights into WRI's broader portfolio of work on the power sector by participating in internal and external peer review processes for publications and papers

• Leverage insights from ongoing engagement to build and execute a high-impact strategy for WRI, including identifying opportunities for collaboration with NGOs and stakeholders to address affordability and load growth challenges that can impact decarbonization

What you will need

• You have a completed degree in the field. Additional experience can be considered in lieu of a degree

• Minimum of 8 years of relevant professional work experience

• Experience with and understanding of power sector regulation and policy, utility planning and power markets

• Candidate must be self-motivated and entrepreneurial thinker with an ability to identify new opportunities while juggling multiple priorities and work under tight deadlines

• Project management experience

• Strong research, writing and oral presentation skills are essential

• Experience engaging and educating stakeholders, such as states, utilities, and power market operators is preferred

• Position will require some domestic travel

• US work authorization is required for this position

Potential Salary: US salary range is between$116,000 and 139,000. Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

How to Apply:Please submit a resume, cover letter, and a writing sample that is entirely your own effort by December 23, 2025 .We may close for applications sooner if we receive a high volume of qualified applications.

We are unable to consider your application without a cover letter in addition to your resume.

You must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered.