Washington State Government Relations Director
Quick answer
The Nature Conservancy is hiring a hybrid Washington State Government Relations Director based in the Puget Sound region paying $97,000–$124,000 to lead the organization's state legislative and environmental policy strategies.
- Role
- Washington State Government Relations Director
- Organization
- The Nature Conservancy
- Location
- Puget Sound region, Washington (Olympia, Tacoma, Seattle preferred)
- Work setup
- Hybrid
- Level
- Senior
- Compensation
- $97,000 – $124,000
- Category
- Policy & Advocacy
The role
The Washington State Government Relations Director leads The Nature Conservancy’s legislative and policy strategies to advance environmental goals across Washington State. This role involves lobbying elected officials, managing state government relationships, and building effective coalitions to address critical issues like climate change and wildfire resilience. The position oversees policy development, legislative campaigns, and staff coordination within a matrixed, cross-functional organizational structure.
What you'll do
- Develop and implement legislative agendas and policy strategies for state-level conservation goals.
- Lobby state government officials, including legislators, agency staff, and Tribal leaders.
- Manage contract lobbyists and supervise professional or administrative staff.
- Build and maintain bipartisan coalitions among diverse stakeholder groups.
- Ensure compliance with all state and federal lobbying laws and reporting requirements.
What it takes
- Bachelor’s degree and 5 years of experience in government relations, policy, or advocacy.
- Proven experience developing and managing complex, multi-faceted projects.
- Demonstrated negotiation skills and experience working in an unstructured environment.
- Strong communication skills, including experience with public testimony and presentations.
- Ability to work effectively across diverse cultural and identity-based groups.
What you'll bring
How we treat you
Competitive comprehensive benefits package including health care, flexible spending accounts, 8% 401(k) employer match, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance, disability coverage, and an employee assistance program.
Frequently asked questions
Where is this job located and what is the work schedule?
The position is based in the Puget Sound region, with flexibility between Olympia, Tacoma, and Seattle. It follows a hybrid schedule, requiring full-time onsite presence in Olympia during the legislative session and occasional in-person meetings in Seattle.
What is the compensation for this role?
The starting salary range for this position is $97,000 to $124,000, depending on the candidate's specific skills, experience, and location.
What are the key qualifications required?
Candidates must have at least a bachelor’s degree and five years of relevant experience in lobbying, advocacy, or policy. Key requirements include project management skills, experience in coalition building, and the ability to navigate complex political environments.
How do I apply for this position?
The Nature Conservancy uses a rolling interview process for this role, meaning they review applications as they are received. You are encouraged to apply as soon as possible via their careers portal, as the position will be unposted once a strong candidate pool is identified.
How to apply
Apply directly on The Nature Conservancy's site. We link straight through — no resume parsing, no profile to fill out.
This listing is aggregated from a third-party source and its summary may be auto-generated, so details can be inaccurate or out of date. ForGood is not the employer and is not liable for the content — please verify everything on The Nature Conservancy's official posting before applying.