Policy and Operations Associate

Policy and Operations Associate
Join ASDWA and help shape national drinking water policy!

The Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA) is a member-driven national association representing state drinking water programs, and we work every day at the intersection of public health, policy, and member service. If you’re passionate about turning complex regulations into real-world outcomes, collaborating with state leaders and federal partners, and influencing national policy development, we want to hear from you.

As a Policy and Operations Associate on the ASDWA Team, you will get the chance to kick-start your policy career by making a national impact in support of our members' collective mission of providing safe and accessible drinking water for all. You’ll be part of a small, high-impact Team at ASDWA where your work is visible and your contributions matter.

Summary:

The ideal Policy and Operations Associate has a strong curiosity, cooperative spirit, and a desire to secure public health through safe drinking water for all. The Policy and Operations Associate is a vital member of our team. This person will report to the Executive Director and collaborate with other key staff.

Generally, the Policy and Operations Associate will have the following responsibilities:

Programmatic/Policy Responsibilities:

• Aggregate information from members and partners to develop and inform policies and positions on legislative and regulatory issues impacting state agencies and water systems.
• Act as the liaison between the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) drinking water program and ASDWA’s members and their staff.
• Facilitate, attend, and report highlights from meetings with Federal agencies, association and partner organizations, and ASDWA’s members.
• Collaborate with ASDWA’s partners on issues of common concern.
• Other projects/duties as assigned.

Operations Responsibilities:

• Create and track invoices and travel expenses.
• Financial: code credit card transactions, plan and track meeting budgets, file reimbursements.
• Event planning: coordinate hotel bookings, registration, communications, and advertising of ASDWA’s large-scale meetings.
• Member Services: manage digital content and membership platforms and respond to member needs.
• Communications: support the development of outreach materials, including the Annual Report, announcements to membership, and promoting ASDWA’s work.
• Other projects/duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited school.
• 0 - 4 years’ experience in either environmental policy/public policy/science/engineering/political science/public administration and/or office operational tasks and responsibilities.
• Flexibility to execute work in an independent and team environment.
• Management of multiple deadline requirements, workflow volume changes, and membership requests/inquiries.
• Professional communication and interaction with all Team members internally and with external members and stakeholders.
• Strong research and analytical skills, including the ability to collect, analyze and use data to inform conclusions about policy and program effectiveness, synthesize complex issues into clear and concise language and develop key policy considerations and recommendations.
• Ability to synthesize and prioritize the competing interests of ASDWA’s varied membership.
• Excellent writing, verbal communication, and presentation skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 tools and the ability to effectively engage in a remote/hybrid work environment.
• Support of the Association’s core values of ethics and professionalism.

Salary and Benefits:

• Salary commensurate with experience – targeted salary range of $55,000 – $75,000.
• Comprehensive benefits for full time employees include 11 paid holidays and 12 paid sick days per year, 10 days of vacation per year (increases to 15 days after 2 years of service), full medical, dental and vision benefits as well as life insurance, flexible spending (pre-tax) benefits, and 8% contribution to retirement.
• Hybrid work environment: 3 days a week in the office, 2 days a week remote (currently Mon and Fri, remote).

Travel:

Some travel is required to meet with stakeholders and for various association and partner meetings, approximately 15%.

Benefits Snapshot:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Family leave
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Paid sick time
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Travel reimbursement
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

*** INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLYING ***

Send resume, cover letter, and a writing sample, ideally on policy analysis (2-page maximum) to policyandoperationsassociate@asdwa.org by Midnight, EDT, Friday, January 30, 2026.
 

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The Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA) is the professional Association serving state drinking water programs. Formed in 1984 to address a growing need for state drinking water program administrators to have national representation, ASDWA has become a respected voice with Congress, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and other professional organizations. ASDWA’s members are the drinking water program administrators in the 50 states, the five territories, the Navajo Nation, and the District of Columbia. ASDWA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Please view our website to learn more about ASDWA: www.asdwa.org

ASDWA is an equal employment opportunity organization. No person shall be discriminated against in recruitment or employment because of age, color, race, national origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, or other characteristic protected by law. ASDWA is firmly committed to complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). ASDWA will make reasonable accommodations for otherwise qualified persons with known disabilities unless to do so would result in undue hardship to the Association or other employees.