Deputy Director Incentive Policy Trucks

Summary

Join CALSTART as their mission-driven Deputy Director, leading the design, development, and implementation of clean transportation programs. Reporting to the Senior Director, you will play a critical leadership role in ensuring CALSTART’s incentive-based efforts are effective, equitable, and aligned with state and federal clean air and climate goals. Oversee a portfolio of incentive programs and policy initiatives, lead cross-functional teams, and serve as a primary liaison with public agencies and private stakeholders. This role demands strategic thinking, team leadership, and policy expertise to guarantee high-impact program execution and long-term success. You will shape and advance incentive policy to accelerate clean transportation adoption, directly influencing major public programs and regulatory initiatives. The position requires strong policy development expertise, exceptional leadership skills, and outstanding communication abilities.

Requirements

• At least 8 years of relevant experience in public policy, environmental programs, government affairs, or incentive-based program design—ideally within the clean transportation, energy, or climate sectors
• Strong policy development expertise, with a demonstrated ability to translate regulatory guidance and stakeholder input into effective program frameworks
• Bachelor’s degree required in Public Policy, Environmental Science, Urban Planning, Political Science, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred
• Exceptional leadership and team management skills, with experience supervising and mentoring staff in a collaborative, mission-driven environment
• Outstanding communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to lead presentations, write clear policy documents, and engage diverse audiences
• Analytical and strategic mindset, with the ability to assess program performance, recommend improvements, and support data-informed decision-making
• Familiarity with regulatory and legislative processes at the state or federal level, and experience working with public agencies or non-governmental organizations
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Salesforce, and project tracking tools such as Monday.com or Jira

Responsibilities

• Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of clean transportation incentive policies, ensuring alignment with regulatory goals, equity priorities, and market readiness
• Supervise and mentor a team of policy analysts, project managers, and stakeholder engagement staff, fostering growth, accountability, and collaboration
• Serve as the primary policy liaison to government agencies and regulatory partners, including CARB, EPA, and other state/federal agencies, ensuring timely coordination and feedback loops
• Oversee the drafting of guidance documents, eligibility criteria, and technical requirements in collaboration with legal, technical, and operations teams
• Shape and respond to legislation, board resolutions, and regulatory directives by drafting policy recommendations and providing strategic input
• Support cross-departmental alignment by working closely with incentive operations, outreach, communications, and legal teams to ensure policy is clearly translated into program implementation
• Drive strategic initiatives and special projects that advance CALSTART’s clean transportation goals, including equity frameworks, market transformation strategies, and incentive innovation
• Represent CALSTART in external workgroups, policy forums, and public engagements, serving as a subject matter expert and thought leader in incentive policy design

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Public Policy, Environmental Management, Law, Business Administration, or a related discipline
• Experience working with or for state or federal agencies, particularly in a regulatory, policy advisory, or incentive program capacity
• Familiarity with environmental justice and equity-centered policy frameworks, and experience applying these in program design
• Technical knowledge of zero-emission technologies, fleet operations, or transportation infrastructure
• Experience with data analytics tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) or program evaluation frameworks to support policy refinement
• Public speaking or media engagement experience, especially in industry forums or regulatory workgroups
• Working knowledge of Salesforce or other CRM systems as applied to program administration or stakeholder tracking
• Bilingual or multilingual abilities are a plus, especially Spanish, to support broader stakeholder outreach
• Ability to travel occasionally for stakeholder meetings, events, or public forums (10-15% anticipated)

Benefits

• 100% company paid comprehensive health benefits for Medical, Dental, Vision, Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability and Life Insurance
• Retirement plan with generous company contributions
• FSA for Health and Dependent Care
• 3 weeks of vacation time in the first year of employment
• 11 paid company holidays
• Paid sick time
• Paid family leave