Application Guide
How to Apply for Associate Director of Government Affairs
at Western Resource Advocates
🏢 About Western Resource Advocates
Western Resource Advocates (WRA) is a dynamic nonprofit that combines evidence-based policy with on-the-ground advocacy to protect the West's environment and communities from climate change. What sets WRA apart is its holistic approach across three program areas—clean energy, public lands, and water—and its commitment to building diverse coalitions to drive lasting change. Working here means joining a passionate team that values collaboration, data-driven strategy, and real-world impact.
About This Role
As Associate Director of Government Affairs, you will lead the design and execution of advocacy campaigns that shape climate and conservation policies across multiple Western states. This role is pivotal in translating policy goals into legislative wins, managing a team of government affairs staff, and building strategic relationships with decision-makers and coalitions. Your work will directly influence the transition to clean energy, protection of public lands, and sustainable water management in the region.
💡 A Day in the Life
Your day might start with a team check-in to review progress on active campaigns, followed by a call with a coalition partner in Arizona to align on a messaging strategy. Midday, you could analyze data from a recent legislative session to adjust your approach for an upcoming bill hearing, then spend the afternoon supervising a staff member's work on a public lands advocacy initiative. The day may end with a strategic planning meeting with the policy team to prioritize next quarter's goals.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Western Resource Advocates Is Looking For
- A seasoned government affairs professional with at least eight years of experience, including five years leading advocacy campaigns and two years supervising staff, ideally in a nonprofit or mission-driven organization.
- Deep expertise in Western state politics and policymaking, particularly on climate, energy, public lands, or water issues, with a strong network of relationships across the region.
- A strategic thinker who can translate complex policy ideas into actionable campaign plans, set measurable goals, and use data to evaluate and refine advocacy efforts.
- An excellent communicator and coalition-builder who can manage contract lobbyists, coordinate with communications teams, and inspire a team to achieve ambitious goals.
📝 Tips for Applying to Western Resource Advocates
Tailor your resume to highlight campaign leadership: for each role, describe the specific advocacy campaign you led, the metrics you used to measure success (e.g., votes, bills passed, coalition size), and the outcome.
In your cover letter, name a specific Western state policy win you contributed to and explain how your experience aligns with WRA's three program areas (clean energy, public lands, water).
Demonstrate your knowledge of WRA's recent campaigns: mention one of their current initiatives (e.g., Colorado's clean energy goals, Utah's public lands protection) and propose a strategic approach.
Showcase your supervisory experience by providing examples of how you developed staff, managed up, and fostered a collaborative team culture.
Prepare a one-page 'campaign memo' as a supplementary document outlining how you would approach a key priority for WRA, including stakeholder mapping, timeline, and metrics.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Your proven ability to design and execute advocacy campaigns that achieve measurable policy wins, with specific examples from your experience.', 'Your deep understanding of Western state politics and your existing relationships with decision-makers, coalitions, or lobbying firms in the region.', 'Your leadership style and experience managing a team, including how you have mentored staff and coordinated cross-functionally with policy and communications teams.', "Your passion for WRA's mission and your alignment with their evidence-based, collaborative approach to advocacy."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Review WRA's current legislative priorities and recent policy victories in states like Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico.
- → Read WRA's latest impact report and blog posts to understand their messaging, coalition partners, and key metrics of success.
- → Familiarize yourself with the political landscape in the Western states where WRA works, including key committee chairs, governor priorities, and recent legislation on climate and conservation.
- → Explore WRA's organizational structure and meet key players on the policy and communications teams to understand how government affairs integrates with other departments.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Don't submit a generic cover letter that doesn't reference WRA's specific program areas or recent campaigns. This signals a lack of genuine interest.
- Avoid focusing only on federal policy experience. WRA's work is state-level, so emphasize your state legislative and regulatory advocacy experience.
- Don't underestimate the importance of coalition management. Failing to provide concrete examples of building and maintaining diverse coalitions will weaken your application.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to Western Resource Advocates!