Back Manager, Electricity Markets

This is a hybrid position which requires 8 days/month in the office. You can be based in our office in Washington DC. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position. To be eligible for this position in US, you must be a resident of DC, Maryland or Virginia at the start of employment.

About the program:

The WRI Polsky Center for the Global Energy Transition has ambition to accelerate the energy transition by driving innovation, spurring economic growth, and making sustainable energy reliable, accessible, and inclusive for all. Its approach focuses on pragmatic strategies that turn bold ideas into real-world results by addressing policy, economic, and technical barriers across diverse contexts.

WRI helps speed the transition to a clean and inclusive energy future through objective and well-supported thought leadership and uplifting stakeholders interested in the same. To decarbonize the power, industry and transportation sectors, WRI’s Polsky Energy Center engages with policymakers, regulators, utilities, large energy buyers, and key stakeholders at the local, state and federal levels. WRI undertakes research to support action on topics related to overcoming barriers to clean energy development, including cost-effective grid expansion, evolving power markets to enable the clean energy transition, leveraging demand-side flexibility, and scaling new technology adoption to accelerate progress towards 100% clean energy.

WRI’s work on power markets includes engagement with state and local stakeholders to advance solutions to enabling market reforms to facilitate grid decarbonization. WRI works with large energy buyers to identify how they can advance grid and market solutions to meet their clean energy goals. WRI’s work on markets and grid includes work to create competitive, organized markets in the Southeast and West that achieve significant savings and encouraging solutions to enable customer choice and access to clean energy in vertically integrated markets. Our work also involves research examining sitting practices, benefits to communities, and exploring whether there are win-win solutions to engagement and provision of benefits to enable more rapid deployment of needed infrastructure.

Job highlight:

You will integrate equity into your work.

Reporting to the Clean Energy Supply Lead, you will write issue briefs, contribute to blogs and WRI knowledge products, author external articles, and engage with states and local agencies, large energy users, policymakers, utilities, and other stakeholders to address market issues and barriers. You will also help support engagement with policymakers, utilities, state and local governments and other key stakeholders to advance competitive purchasing mechanisms and market reforms.

You have an understanding of organized wholesale power markets and changes being implemented in the Western U.S. and/or in the Southeast. The position would involve staying abreast of changes in Western markets and engaging with stakeholders in the region to drive positive change. Candidates would also ideally be comfortable navigating regulatory dockets, conducting primary research, and writing for target audiences that include power sector experts and decision makers. Experience with state regulatory commissions and FERC, particularly the ability to compare across jurisdictions is beneficial. Experience in Western or Southeastern markets and RTO regions and ability to evaluate the effectiveness of various market mechanisms is also helpful.

WRI is seeking a manager-level professional with solid research skills and expertise in public utility regulation to develop knowledge products and thought leadership to inform decision-makers on electricity market reforms. This work will focus on organized markets and customer access to clean energy in the Southeastern and Western U.S. as well as advancing solutions to expand grid capacity to meet rising electricity demand. Research topics could include topics such as electricity market reforms, innovative customer choice and purchasing options in regulated markets, market governance best practices, and policies to encourage efficient market solutions to maintain energy affordability.

This position will focus on research, analysis and writing with some stakeholder engagement and outreach, and project management. The ability to build external networks, work across WRI teams, work with partners and consultants, and clearly communicate is also important.

What you will do:

Knowledge, Research and Analysis (50%): -

• Manage and conduct research and analysis in conjunction with other staff, partner organizations, and consultants
• Write objective reports, articles, op-eds, and blogs
• Coordinate and manage WRI and external peer review processes for publications you manage
• Manage process for disseminating research and identifying and placing articles in external outlets

  Project Management (30%): -

  • Develop work plans for research projects and dissemination of results in ways to drive impact
  • Manage projects to meet deliverables, complying with timelines and budgets
  • Supervise and guide the work of junior researchers and interns
  • Manage consultants and contractors and coordinate with partner organizations
  • Engage WRI staff and external networks to share insights and maximize alignment
  • Identify new research gaps and needs, define research questions to fill gaps and select appropriate research methods to collect and analyze data
  • Contribute to fundraising efforts

    Stakeholder Engagement, Outreach, and Partnerships (20%):-

    • Work with WRI and external colleagues to organize meetings, workshops, and other dissemination activities
    • Develop partnerships to advance our work and coordinate and align our work with key stakeholders
    • Present and engage at relevant functions and events to communicate findings and research
    • Familiarity with how to integrate research with engagement and communications activities to achieve project outcomes

      What you will need:

      • Education: You have a completed bachelor’s degree in economics, energy or a related field. Relevant work experience is accepted in lieu of a degree
      • Experience: You have 7+ years of work experience in research, with published content in relevant academic and industry outlets
      • Track record in ensuring high-quality publications
      • Experience working on public utility issues
      • Ability to connect with stakeholders with diverse perspectives on complex technical topics
      • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and work under tight deadlines
      • Excellent oral and written communication skills
      • Attention to detail, organization, proactiveness, good judgment
      • Desired Qualifications: Understanding of public utility rates, utility planning processes, utility incentives, utility business models, and regulatory oversight and planning processes
      • Experience engaging with regulators and energy offices and organizations such as FERC, DOE, NARUC, and NASEO
      • Familiarity and experience with clean energy procurement, whether through third-parties or utilities
      • Languages: Verbal and written proficiency in English required.
      • Requirements: Existing work authorization is required where this position is based. WRI is unable to authorize visa work authorization

        Potential Salary: US salary range is between 96,000 and 116,000 USD. Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

        How to Apply: Please submit a resume with a required cover letter by the date of June 6, 2025. We may close for applications sooner if we receive a high volume of qualified applications.