Application Guide
How to Apply for Senior Manager, Texas Clean Affordable Power
at Environmental Defense Fund
🏢 About Environmental Defense Fund
Environmental Defense Fund is a leading global environmental organization that combines science, law, and advocacy to solve the climate crisis. What sets EDF apart is its market-based approach and collaborative partnerships with businesses, policymakers, and communities to drive systemic change. Working here means contributing to high-impact, pragmatic solutions that deliver real environmental results.
About This Role
This role is central to shaping Texas's clean energy future by leading regulatory advocacy before ERCOT and the PUCT. You will develop and advance policies on grid modernization, distributed energy resources, and electrification to ensure affordable, reliable, and clean power for all Texans. The impact is significant: your work will directly influence the energy transition in one of the largest and fastest-growing electricity markets in the U.S.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve reviewing ERCOT market notices and preparing comments on a proposed rule change, then meeting with coalition partners to align on advocacy strategy. You might also draft a white paper on load flexibility, followed by a conference call with PUCT staff to discuss grid planning issues. The role blends analysis, writing, and relationship-building to advance clean energy policy in real time.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Environmental Defense Fund Is Looking For
- A seasoned energy policy professional with at least 8 years of experience, including 4+ years directly practicing before ERCOT and/or the PUCT, with a deep understanding of Texas electricity market rules and procedures.
- An expert in key Texas energy issues such as load growth from data centers, grid planning for renewables, energy storage, and demand-side management, with the ability to translate technical concepts into actionable policy.
- A strategic thinker and collaborative leader who can build coalitions with diverse stakeholders—utilities, regulators, consumer advocates, and clean energy developers—to advance EDF's advocacy goals.
- An excellent communicator who can produce clear, persuasive written materials (comments, white papers) and present complex ideas effectively in public hearings and meetings.
📝 Tips for Applying to Environmental Defense Fund
Tailor your resume to highlight specific ERCOT and PUCT dockets or proceedings you've led or contributed to, with measurable outcomes (e.g., rule changes, market design improvements).
In your cover letter, explicitly connect your experience to EDF's mission and its Texas clean energy goals, referencing recent ERCOT or PUCT initiatives (e.g., the Texas Energy Fund, distributed generation interconnection rules).
Demonstrate thought leadership by including links to published work, such as policy briefs, comments filed, or presentations on Texas electricity issues.
Use the application to show your understanding of EDF's collaborative approach—mention experience working with diverse coalitions or across sectors to achieve policy wins.
Prepare a concise summary of a complex Texas energy issue (e.g., load growth from data centers and its impact on grid reliability) to showcase your expertise in a cover letter or interview.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Highlight your direct ERCOT/PUCT experience, including specific proceedings and outcomes that advanced clean energy or grid reliability.', "Emphasize alignment with EDF's mission and your passion for equitable, affordable clean energy solutions in Texas.", 'Showcase your ability to synthesize technical and policy issues and communicate them to diverse audiences.', 'Demonstrate your collaborative approach and experience building consensus among stakeholders with competing interests.']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Review EDF's recent comments and testimony in ERCOT and PUCT proceedings, available on their website or the Texas SOAH docket system.
- → Study EDF's Texas Clean Energy Strategy and its partnerships with groups like the Texas Solar Energy Society and Advanced Power Alliance.
- → Familiarize yourself with current Texas energy debates: the Texas Energy Fund, SB 2626 (grid reliability), and ERCOT's 2025 planning studies.
- → Read EDF's blog posts and press releases on Texas energy to understand their messaging and priorities.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Avoid focusing solely on federal energy policy or non-Texas experience; this role demands deep Texas-specific regulatory knowledge.
- Do not submit a generic cover letter that fails to mention ERCOT, PUCT, or specific Texas energy issues.
- Avoid proposing solutions that ignore political or economic realities in Texas (e.g., advocating for carbon pricing without acknowledging state-level opposition).
📅 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 Environmental Defense Fund!