Legislative Assistant/Office Administrator

The Southern Environmental Law Center is hiring a Legislative Assistant and Office Administrator to join our Washington, DC. office. Reporting to SELC’s Regional Administrator, this individual will be the orchestrator of administrative functions for our dynamic D.C. office, primarily our Federal Affairs team. This is an excellent opportunity to join a highly successful, nationally recognized organization that is effectively addressing some of the most pressing and challenging environmental issues throughout the South and the nation.

This is a full-time, non-exempt position. SELC has a hybrid work model. This position has modified hybrid expectations to match the Federal Affairs workflow. When Congress is in session, this position is required to be in the office. When Congress is in recess, this position is required to work in the office on Mondays and one other day that week.

Primary Responsibilities:

The Legislative Assistant and Office Administrator will assume a diverse set of administrative duties and some legislative responsibilities, including:

Greet office visitors and answer phone calls.
Be the primary contact with landlord, maintenance staff, and business vendors.
Set and manage the office budget; process invoices and track expenses.
Coordinate the onboarding of new staff.
Schedule meetings and plan events.
Track regional news and events and provide daily news clips.
Coordinate and send weekly email blasts/touchpoints to Hill staff.
Synthesize Congressional hearings, briefings, and calls into concise memos.
Provide research and support for Federal Affairs team.

Required Qualifications:

0-2 years of work experience in an administrative or similar position.
A bachelor’s degree, or equivalent combination of education and experience. 
Adept communicator, both written and verbal, with proven collaboration abilities.
Strong organizational skills; ability to self-manage and maintain a sustainable task-oriented workflow.
Interest in and understanding of politics and the legislative process.
Willing to take initiative and seek opportunities to add value by taking on new projects, assisting staff, or prompting collaboration to solve a problem.
Adept at building relationships with leadership and peers.
Comfortable with modern workplace technology, including cloud-based tools like Microsoft 365, with the ability to learn new software platforms. 
A genuine interest in and commitment to helping SELC create and foster a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace. You engage in ongoing learning and are eager to contribute to our organizational efforts in this area.   
Interest in and understanding of environmental issues, climate change, and/or environmental justice issues facing the South.

Desired Qualifications:

Previous work experience with political campaigns, Capitol Hill, or the Executive branch.

About SELC:

The Southern Environmental Law Center is one of the nation’s most powerful defenders of the environment, rooted in the South. With a long track record, SELC takes on the toughest environmental challenges in court, in government, and in our communities to protect our region’s air, water, climate, wildlife, lands, and people. Nonprofit and nonpartisan, the organization has a staff of over 200, including more than 130 legal and policy experts, and is headquartered in Charlottesville, VA, with offices in Asheville, Atlanta, Birmingham, Chapel Hill, Charleston, Nashville, Richmond, and Washington, DC.

At our core, we are place-based, rooted in our region, and connected with the communities and clients we serve. We believe in an equitable and inclusive workplace that reflects the rich racial and cultural diversity of our region and allows diverse perspectives to come to the forefront. We approach our work with the highest level of integrity, holding ourselves to high standards with an emphasis on honesty, accountability, and thoughtfulness. We value collaboration and camaraderie, realizing we are strongest when we work together and knowing that everyone has a critical role to play. We strive for impact through a strategic, bold, pragmatic, and ambitious outlook that is dedicated to achieving powerful results. We believe in these values and in the power of SELC. We hope you consider joining us. Learn more at https://www.southernenvironment.org/.

Compensation & Benefits:

SELC offers salaries competitive with other leading environmental nonprofits nationally and provides an excellent benefits package. The starting salary range for this position is $52,000-$58,000 commensurate with experience and inclusive of a geographic premium for Washington, DC. For more details about our benefits package, please visit our Careers page.

SELC is a PSLF (Public Service Loan Forgiveness) eligible employer.  

SELC will also provide relocation reimbursement for those relocating for an SELC position, up to a specific dollar amount and contingent on the move being at least 50 miles from the current primary address.

To Apply:

We have closed this application as of January 10th, 2025. Please email [email protected] with any questions.

To apply, click on the ‘Apply Now’ button below to be directed to an online application where you may upload your application materials. Applicants must submit a cover letter and resume. The initial deadline for receipt of complete applications is Friday, January 10th, 2025. However, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

SELC is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering an inclusive workplace environment. We are eager to welcome new team members who share this commitment. We still have much progress to make, but our goal is to create and maintain a staff that, at every level, reflects the rich racial and cultural diversity of the communities where we work and the clients that we serve. Persons of all backgrounds—including people of color, women, people with disabilities, veterans, and LGBTQ candidates—are strongly encouraged to apply.