Water Program and Policy Director

The Hoosier Environmental Council (HEC) seeks a Water Program and Policy Director who is deeply passionate about environmental protection and committed to collaborative, creative problem-solving. This role focuses on building and strengthening coalitions among community leaders, faith organizations, elected officials, and other stakeholders to advance shared water policy goals. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker who can effectively prioritize efforts and resources to maximize impact, and a strong communicator who can translate complex scientific and policy issues into clear, compelling messages. Experience with water issues in the Midwestern United States is highly valued, as is a background in environmental science, engineering, hydrology, geology, or public policy. Essential Duties and

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Monitor for, analyze, track, and provide testimony on water-related legislation introduced in the Indiana General Assembly as a member of HEC’s Legislative Team.
Develop and implement policy and programs to advance environmentally sound state water protection both during and between legislative sessions, including:
Developing partnerships and working with and leading coalitions and representing HEC on water related task forces and groups;
Working with elected officials;
Drafting and promoting favorable policies, and o Providing educational resources and opportunities in partnership with HEC’s Communications, Outreach and Marketing Team and with partner organizations.
Monitor state agencies for water-related rulemaking or policy changes, particularly the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and advocate for favorable policies.
Provide technical assistance to organizations and citizens around Indiana with local water-related challenges.
Attend appropriate professional conferences, such as the Indiana Water Summit and Indiana Water Resources Association conference, to stay up to date on state water issues, network, and to speak or represent HEC as an exhibitor, when possible.
Seek funding and assist with writing grants to support HEC’s water program in partnership with HEC’s Development Team.
Write reports for the grants which support HEC’s water program.
Advocate for low-impact development and green infrastructure as means of protecting water resources.
Provide staff support and oversight for members of the HEC water team.

Preferred Qualifications

Team management and supervisory experience.
Five or more years of experience working on water policy, water resource management, water quality protection, or within the water regulatory environment, and/or professional experience planning, developing, or implementing water-related programs or projects.
Curiosity and a strong desire to learn about water systems, watershed dynamics, new water technologies, water treatment methods, and emerging best practices in water protection and management.
A thorough understanding of surface water and groundwater systems, including: watershed scale planning, stormwater management, wetlands, and aquatic ecosystems.
An understanding of state and federal water laws and regulations, including the Clean Water Act, water quality standards, permitting processes, and the roles of agencies such as IDEM and IDNR.
Familiarity with water infrastructure, including stormwater systems, drinking water and wastewater systems, green infrastructure, and low-impact development practices.
An understanding of the economic considerations of water management, including funding mechanisms, cost–benefit analysis of water protection strategies, and the financial impacts of water infrastructure investments.
Ability to work with and understand a broad range of stakeholder concerns and interests— including community members, local governments, utilities, farmers, developers, and advocacy organizations—as they relate to advancing HEC’s water policy and protection goals.
Ability and desire to work collaboratively with HEC team members while also being self-directed and effective in an independent work environment.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate technical and scientific water information into clear, compelling, and accessible messages for diverse audiences.
Fluency with Microsoft Excel and Word, and the ability to learn and adapt to new software tools and data systems as needed.

Salary range is $75,000-$85,000 depending on experience and comes with health, vision, and dental insurance, retirement and generous PTO benefits.

Tagged as: Law/Policy