Senior Source Water Policy Manager

Position Summary

The Alliance for the Great Lakes’ Senior Source Water Policy Manager is the Alliance’s go-to expert on sustainable water use and a key member of the Water Resources team.

The Senior Source Water Policy Manager works on critical unmet water quantity challenges in the Great Lakes region. They develop research questions and methods, plan and conduct research to identify causes, impacts, and solutions, develop policy analyses, and publicly educate and communicate findings to stakeholders in support of advocacy efforts under the Water Resources Program of the Alliance’s strategy. The Manager works collaboratively with partners across the Basin to achieve the Alliance’s water quantity goals. They serve as a key liaison to researchers, project partners, and stakeholders across the Alliance’s focus states. The Manager maintains a working knowledge of Great Lakes source water programs and policies as they affect the Great Lakes and uses that knowledge to recommend new opportunities within the Alliance’s programs, with a particular emphasis on supporting underserved and disadvantaged communities. They ensure timely and high-quality execution of relevant Alliance strategic plan deliverables, and partner with a variety of other staff members to support internal work planning, external communications, grant proposals, and reports.

A typical week may include the following: 

• Monday: Researching a policy issue for a major report in collaboration with the Water Resources team.
• Tuesday: Working with government affairs and communications teams to prepare a blog post.
• Wednesday: Preparing slides for a conference presentation.
• Thursday: Conducting media interviews and continuing work on research.
• Friday: Leading a convening of partners to provide updates on policy issues and technical assistance.

Responsibilities

Research, Planning & Policy

• In coordination with the Director of Water Resources, leads specific projects to advance source water protection research, policy, and advocacy efforts across the Great Lakes Basin. Tracks relevant legislation and administrative programs, scientific developments, model policies, and best practices. Identifies emerging issues and programmatic reform opportunities to protect water quantity in the Great Lakes Basin with particular emphasis in priority states.
• Works in collaboration with the Director of Water Resources, and the Directors of Federal and State & Regional Government Affairs to conduct and publish research and analysis to support development of policy, governance, and funding mechanisms to further sustainable and responsible water use across the Great Lakes region.
• In coordination with the Government Affairs team and the Director of Water Resources, provides education to state administrations, lawmakers, and regulatory agencies.
• Identifies trends in mission areas, creates fundable concepts, and leverages work and ideas for increased organizational impact related to sustainable water use and management.
• Collaborates with other Alliance staff to explore the intersections of source water protection with surface and groundwater quality, water infrastructure, and other related issues.

Outreach

• Builds issue-focused networks of key stakeholders and partners.
• Creates, leads, facilitates, and/or participates in convening spaces for sharing ideas with interested parties and coalitions at various geographic and government levels.
• In coordination with the Local Partnerships team and the Water Infrastructure team, provides training and technical assistance, at times serving as a convenor and facilitator, to build knowledge and power with underserved and disadvantaged communities.
• Is a leadership voice for the Alliance and for the Great Lakes across the region.
• Creates and conducts external outreach opportunities to educate and present research findings, including public speaking at conferences, webinars, and events.
• Serves as an Alliance liaison to the broader environmental community on source water issues by identifying advocacy and partnership opportunities.
• Works with the Communications team to determine and take advantage of opportunities to communicate to the media and Alliance supporters about the Alliance’s work in the Great Lakes Basin.

Administrative

• Assists in the development of short- and long-term work plans.
• Creates opportunities to add strategic capacity to Alliance work through affiliate programs, fellowships, and staff recruitment, when possible.  
• Assists with tracking progress toward grant deliverables and spending on grant budgets.
• Contributes content to grant proposals and reports.

Work Relationships 

Reports to the Director of Water Resources. Works closely with Senior Agriculture Policy Manager and Water Quality Analyst. As needed, coordinates with the Alliance’s Research Fellow and Science Council to develop sustainable water management research questions, advance research efforts, and translate findings for less technical audiences. Collaborates regularly with other program, fundraising, and communications staff. 

Universal Competencies

Mission Alignment & Values

​​Ensures team deliverables align with mission. Makes decisions that reflect Alliance values, even when difficult. Translates mission into actionable team priorities. ​

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Justice (DEIJ)

​​Considers equity implications in decisions. Creates inclusive team environments. Identifies access barriers in projects/processes. Embeds equity principles into team practices. ​

Communication & Feedback

​​Communicates within teams proactively. Delivers constructive feedback with care. When challenges arise, communicates early with proposed solutions. ​

Collaboration & Influence

​​Influences peers and partners through expertise and relationship-building. Navigates competing priorities diplomatically. Drives alignment with teams. Represents Alliance in external coalitions or working groups. ​

Adaptability & Learning

​​Navigates ambiguity and shifting priorities effectively. Supports team through change. Identifies own development needs and seeks resources. Creates learning culture within team. ​

Emotional Intelligence

​​Manages own emotions effectively in challenging situations. Supports team cohesion. Models emotional regulation and empathy. Addresses interpersonal challenges with care. ​

Judgement & Decision Making

​​Exercises sound judgment in complex, nuanced situations. Weighs risks and tradeoffs carefully. Trusted to make independent decisions. Anticipates consequences of decisions within teams. ​

Leadership Competencies

Project Management & Accountability

​​Drives progress across full projects. Keeps others aligned across dependencies. Anticipates delays and risks before they arise and adjusts plans. Accurately estimates and plans work for team. ​

Planning & Strategy Execution

​​Translates strategic priorities into clear, actionable team goals. Leads development of workplans aligned with strategic priorities and grant deliverables. Monitors progress and adapts plans as needed. ​

Team Leadership & Development

​​Directly supervises 1-2 staff or manages projects with team accountability. Conducts performance reviews. Supports professional development. Recruits and onboards new team members. Leads high-functioning project teams. ​

Reliability & Follow-Through

​​Provides accurate timelines with contingency plans. Consistently delivers quality work. Anticipates and mitigates major risks across initiatives. Ensures team maintains high standards of follow-through. ​

Knowledge & Skills

• Bachelor’s degree, graduate degree, or JD preferred, with at least seven years of increasing professional experience in water policy research and analysis, natural resources management, government affairs, or similar field.
• Exceptional research and analytical skills, with the ability to independently track policy and regulatory developments across multiple jurisdictions and quickly identify critical legislative and regulatory provisions.
• Ability to convert technical analysis into effective communication materials—such as policy briefs, talking points, blog posts, fact sheets, and graphics—to support advocacy, media engagement, and public education.
• Specific knowledge of state and federal quantity policies and programs.
• Working knowledge of sustainable water use issues and the Great Lakes Compact.
• Familiarity with the process of policy development and decision maker education as well as addressing the barriers and opportunities for policy implementation to be successful.
• Established networks and relationships around the Great Lakes region with stakeholders, experts, influencers, and decision makers. 
• Effective convenor and facilitator with the ability to deliver training and technical assistance on Great Lakes issues to diverse audiences, including environmental groups and organizations representing underserved and disadvantaged communities.
• Excellent diplomacy skills – the ability to read and respond productively to the needs of different stakeholders.
• Excellent listening, writing, and speaking skills. Must be able to speak publicly in a clear, compelling, and engaging manner.
• Able to identify and engage target constituencies that are most likely to have an affinity for the Great Lakes and motivate them to act on that affinity.
• Desire and ability to both lead and work as part of a team located in different offices with varying types of expertise and priorities.
• Ability to pivot strategies and tactics to an ever-changing policy landscape.
• Unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. Adhere to and exemplify these principles in addition to our values of community, relationships, courage, integrity, and optimism in everyday practice.

Working Environment / Physical Requirements

Remote work from home with occasional travel.

Excellent benefits, including medical, dental, short- and long-term disability, life insurance, FSA, 11 paid holidays plus the business days between 12/26 and 12/30 (staff who must work on any paid holidays may take those holidays at another time subject to the employee handbook), 3 weeks' annual vacation to start + PTO, and Fidelity 401(k) with employer match of up to 6% of salary, eligible after 30 days.