Director of Agricultural Policy

About Spark
Spark is a science-driven, philanthropically funded non-profit that accelerates progress on unsolved climate challenges. Our goal is to enable a safer climate by filling targeted gaps in current climate actions. We look around the corner at the key blind spots that pose big climate risks or offer big climate opportunities, like major sources of unabated emissions. Then we work to speed up the development of the fields needed to address those challenges. 
We are a team of scientists, policy experts, innovators, and systems thinkers working to build today’s foundations for the comprehensive climate solutions we will need tomorrow. Rather than betting on individual pathways or innovations, we work to grow a field as a whole so that the most effective science and solutions can be surfaced and scaled. We use a large suite of field-building tools to support new research, markets, policies, and talent development, through both in-house initiatives and building broader coalitions. We are currently focused on super pollutants from agriculture (specifically methane and nitrous oxide), warming-induced greenhouse gas emissions, and methane removal. 
Spark’s impact is made possible by a community of generous and pioneering individuals, foundations, and organizations that share our vision for a safer climate future. 
 
Position Summary
Spark Climate Solutions seeks an experienced agricultural policy leader to drive U.S. policy strategy and execution for two of Spark's program areas: Livestock Enteric Methane Mitigation and Agricultural Nitrogen Transformation. This role combines original policy development (drafting proposals, legislative language, and analytical memos) with active coalition and stakeholder engagement across federal agencies, Congress, trade associations, and producer groups. This role reports to Spark's Executive Director and works in close partnership with the Enteric and Nitrogen Program Directors and with Spark's Senior Manager of Policy, who leads policy work across Spark's other two programs, Warming-Induced Emissions and Methane Removal.
Specifically, this role will focus on:
Translation of the programs’ science and field needs into a policy strategy that's actionable in current and future Congresses.
U.S. federal policy development for enteric methane mitigation and agricultural nitrogen transformation, including research, development, demonstration, deployment, and de-risking proposals.
Coalition and stakeholder engagement with trade associations, producer groups, federal agencies, and Congressional offices.
Who We’re Looking For
A seasoned agricultural policy professional with deep federal experience, who knows how the farm bill, appropriations cycles, and USDA conservation programs (EQIP, CSP, RCPP) work and has experience influencing them.
Someone with strong existing relationships in agricultural policy circles: Hill staff, USDA, EPA, trade associations, producer groups, and ag policy NGOs.
A capable writer who can move fluidly between technical policy memos, legislative language, congressional briefings, and short stakeholder-facing materials.
A strategic thinker who can work backward from a multi-year program goal and design the policy pathway, including which proposals to develop, when, and with whom.
Someone with the judgment to know when Spark should lead, when it should support a coalition, and when it should sit out.
Someone comfortable working across two program areas with overlapping but distinct stakeholder ecosystems and political dynamics.
Someone who can balance the creativity and practicality needed to break through otherwise intractable policy challenges. 
A collaborative operator who can take loose direction from Program Directors and a peer policy lead and turn it into a coherent work plan.
Someone who cares about climate change, is energized by the specific problem of agricultural super pollutants, and is prepared to lead on both incremental proposals and broader visions that would help the U.S. best leverage policy to tackle the two largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture. 
Key Responsibilities
Lead the U.S. federal policy strategy for the Enteric and Nitrogen programs, in support of the Enteric and Nitrogen Program strategies. 
Develop multi-year policy plans that support each program's strategy, accounting for the U.S. agricultural policy opportunity landscape and refreshing it as the political environment evolves.
Draft policy proposals, legislative language, and supporting analytical memos for federal RD&D and deployment policy, including marker legislation (e.g., CATTLE Act for enteric) and proposals targeting USDA conservation, risk management, and clean fuels programs (EQIP, CSP, RCPP, 45Z, SAFs) for nitrogen.
Engage directly with Congressional offices, USDA, EPA, and other federal agencies on annual appropriations authorizing legislation, and rulemaking. 
Lead trade-association alignment work for the Nitrogen program and support coalition engagement for the Enteric program, including establishing partnerships with new members.
Advise on state-level engagement where high-leverage.
Advise on international policy engagement opportunities as relevant.
Partner with Spark's Senior Policy Manager on cross-program priorities such as SLCP framing and support for broader policy frameworks.
Represent Spark in policy convenings, congressional briefings, and partner forums.
Qualifications
Bachelor's degree with 10+ years of professional experience in agricultural policy, federal government, or related fields; or Master's degree (e.g., MPP, MPA, JD) with 8+ years of experience. 
Demonstrated track record developing and advancing federal agricultural policy, with examples of policy proposals, legislation, or rulemaking you helped shape.
Strong existing network in agricultural policy: Hill, USDA/EPA, trade associations, producer groups, or ag policy NGOs.
Excellent writing skills, including the ability to draft legislative language, technical policy memos, and stakeholder-facing materials with limited revision.
Ability to translate scientific and technical content (methane mitigation, nitrogen management) into policy proposals that are credible to both technical and political audiences.
Sound strategic judgment about when, where, and how to engage; comfortable making and defending recommendations.
Collaborative working style; able to operate across program teams with different priorities, voices, and stakeholder bases.
Nice to have:
Direct experience with one or both: livestock methane policy, nitrogen/nutrient management policy.
Experience working at the intersection of agriculture and climate.
Familiarity with EU and other international ag/climate policy regimes.
Prior experience in a small, fast-moving non-profit or startup environment.
Why Join Us
Spark Climate Solutions is a nimble, impact-focused nonprofit driving urgent progress on underinvested climate solutions. You’ll join a team of scientists, strategists, and systems thinkers working to pull forward the timeline for high-impact climate solutions. This role offers the chance to make a material difference on some of the world’s toughest climate challenges.
Eligibility
Open to candidates authorized to work in the United States.
Location
As with all positions at Spark Climate Solutions, this will be 100% remote. For this position, the employee must be located in the Washington DC area or within a reasonable distance to allow for frequent in-person travel to DC.
Compensation
140k-165k/year
Competitive benefits package including 90% health coverage and 75% coverage for dependents, 401k matching, generous PTO, sick time, and an end-of-year closure, parental leave, annual national park pass, and more.
6-Month Goals
Build a working U.S. agricultural policy opportunity landscape covering both enteric methane and agricultural nitrogen, in coordination with the respective program leads.
Establish active relationships with priority Congressional offices, USDA conservation and clean fuels programs, and key trade associations across both program areas.
Drive forward at least one priority federal policy proposal per program.
Contribute to FY28 appropriations strategy.
Develop and align the multi-year policy roadmaps for both programs and integrate them into Spark's broader policy function plan.
Represent Spark in external policy convenings or briefings.