Local Government Leadership Fellow (Remote)
How You’ll Make An Impact
As a Local Government Leadership Fellow, you’ll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact by helping advance the goals of USGBC’s U.S. Market Transformation and Development team. In this role, you’ll take ownership of market transformation activities tied to our Local Government Leadership Program, which supports cities, towns, and counties across the United States that are committed to measuring and managing their jurisdiction’s sustainability performance and advancing green building and climate action. For the 2026-27 program year, the Fellow will support a new cohort of local governments that are committed to certifying in the LEED for Cities rating system, coordinating meetings, delivering training, and building out peer-to-peer exchange opportunities. The Fellow will also support virtual LEED for Cities accelerators aimed at connecting with new leaders in local governments around the country.
You’ll report to the VP, State and Local Government, U.S. MTD and be part of a collaborative team environment where your contributions will help shape impactful outcomes. You’ll work closely with teams like Client Solutions and Advocacy and may regularly partner with members of the Product team to share insights from working one on one with local governments engaged in LEED for Cities certification.
Key Responsibilities
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Salary
Final compensation and benefits will be confirmed at the time of offer and may vary based on factors such as internal equity, relevant experience, qualifications, and employment status. Please note that salary negotiations will not extend beyond the top of the internal salary range.
Note: This position if grant-funded for a one year term that includes our benefit package.
Benefits
We offer you:
Location: This position is remote in the United States.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM
Travel %: There is no travel required for this position.
EEO STATEMENT
The U.S. Green Building Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
About Us
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a mission-driven nonprofit dedicated to accelerating and scaling the transformation of the built environment. Through LEED—the world’s most widely used green building rating system— and initiatives likes Greenbuild, the Center for Green Schools and advocacy, USGBC empowers professionals to drive market transformation that advances human and environmental health, climate resilience, and equity.
Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) is the world’s leading sustainability and health certification and credentialing body, independently recognizing excellence in performance. GBCI administers project certifications and professional credentials and certificates including LEED , EDGE , PEER , PERFORM , SITES , TRUE Zero Waste , and IREE.
We are proud to be globally recognized for our leadership in green building, environmental performance, and sustainable development.
Our Global Impact
About
At USGBC and GBCI, you’ll work alongside passionate, mission-aligned professionals who care deeply about people, the planet, and progress. We offer:
Working together, each of us advances our mission by respecting all voices, trusting and supporting one another, excelling through collaboration and accountability, and continuously improving ourselves and our organization.
As a Local Government Leadership Fellow, you’ll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact by helping advance the goals of USGBC’s U.S. Market Transformation and Development team. In this role, you’ll take ownership of market transformation activities tied to our Local Government Leadership Program, which supports cities, towns, and counties across the United States that are committed to measuring and managing their jurisdiction’s sustainability performance and advancing green building and climate action. For the 2026-27 program year, the Fellow will support a new cohort of local governments that are committed to certifying in the LEED for Cities rating system, coordinating meetings, delivering training, and building out peer-to-peer exchange opportunities. The Fellow will also support virtual LEED for Cities accelerators aimed at connecting with new leaders in local governments around the country.
You’ll report to the VP, State and Local Government, U.S. MTD and be part of a collaborative team environment where your contributions will help shape impactful outcomes. You’ll work closely with teams like Client Solutions and Advocacy and may regularly partner with members of the Product team to share insights from working one on one with local governments engaged in LEED for Cities certification.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and manage cohort and accelerator rosters, collect and organize images, and update each jurisdiction’s project directory profile;
- Organize cohort and accelerator calls; work with the team to set agendas, invite speakers, develop slides, and ensure meetings are calendared;
- Stay up to date on the activities and milestones of each local government engaged in the program;
- Collate best practices, policies, plans, solutions, and other announcements and develop a consistent way of sharing highlights across the cohort community (e.g. email briefs, articles, etc.);
- Survey participants, formally and informally, to gauge their interest in other USGBC products and services, then share these ideas with program staff and recommend a plan of action;
- Identify the needs of participants to ensure success; as needed work collaboratively to build out project management tools like instructions, how-to guides and/or on-demand education;
- Support the development of content for presentations and other activities; participate in and present to groups of cities, towns and counties via cohort orientation, trainings, networking, and coaching calls;
- Coordinate with Client Solutions and Technical Customer Service on routine technical issues coming in from cohort members or accelerator participants; and
- Collaborate on the creation of an end of year report describing the impact of the program to external audiences, to be published on USGBC’s website.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Internship, volunteer experience or work history that indicates independent work and writing experience
- Experience working on or advocating for climate action, environmental justice, community resilience, or sustainability initiatives
- Experience with the Public Sector is preferred but not required
- Pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in sustainability, environmental policy, climate change leadership, public administration, urban planning, geography, sociology, public policy, law, history, communication, or related fields
- An undergraduate or graduate degree is preferred but not required
- Proficient in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
- Ability to set up and host meetings via Zoom or Microsoft Teams
- Strong public speaking and writing skills
- Ability to represent USGBC professionally in public settings and to identify and contact by email, phone, and video call relevant individuals such as city officials, ally organizations, and others
- Willingness to learn and continually develop working knowledge of USGBC portfolio of tools and platforms
- Positive team attitude and proactive teamwork
- The Fellow will be provided the opportunity to study for the LEED GA exam as part of this one-year fellow position.
- English
Salary
Final compensation and benefits will be confirmed at the time of offer and may vary based on factors such as internal equity, relevant experience, qualifications, and employment status. Please note that salary negotiations will not extend beyond the top of the internal salary range.
Note: This position if grant-funded for a one year term that includes our benefit package.
Benefits
We offer you:
- Competitive compensation
- 401(k) with employer matching
- Professional development reimbursement
- We offer a healthcare plan through Cigna that includes medical, dental, vision, and prescription drugs. USGBC covers 100% of the premiums and an HRA that will assist you and your dependents in reaching the in-network medical deductible. You will only be responsible for the $300 individual / $600 family up front deductible for medical services before the employer funded HRA will process payments for your in-network claims
- Generous paid time off (12 paid holidays, 9 paid personal sick days and based on career level either 2 to 3 weeks PTO), including operations closed for a full week between Christmas and New Year’s
- 6 weeks paid renewal leave after 7 years of continuous service
Location: This position is remote in the United States.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM
Travel %: There is no travel required for this position.
EEO STATEMENT
The U.S. Green Building Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
About Us
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a mission-driven nonprofit dedicated to accelerating and scaling the transformation of the built environment. Through LEED—the world’s most widely used green building rating system— and initiatives likes Greenbuild, the Center for Green Schools and advocacy, USGBC empowers professionals to drive market transformation that advances human and environmental health, climate resilience, and equity.
Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) is the world’s leading sustainability and health certification and credentialing body, independently recognizing excellence in performance. GBCI administers project certifications and professional credentials and certificates including LEED , EDGE , PEER , PERFORM , SITES , TRUE Zero Waste , and IREE.
We are proud to be globally recognized for our leadership in green building, environmental performance, and sustainable development.
Our Global Impact
- Over 120,000 LEED-certified commercial projects worldwide
- Millions of square feet of certified healthy, efficient, low-carbon space
- Recognition in 180+ countries for innovation in green building and business practices
About
At USGBC and GBCI, you’ll work alongside passionate, mission-aligned professionals who care deeply about people, the planet, and progress. We offer:
- A purpose-driven, inclusive culture
- Opportunities to grow your career and take ownership of meaningful work
- A chance to make a measurable impact on global sustainability efforts
- We’re seeking team members who thrive in collaborative environments, are committed to excellence, and want to build lasting partnerships that drive change in the built environment.
- U.S. Green Building Council Leaders
- Green Business Certification Inc Leaders
Working together, each of us advances our mission by respecting all voices, trusting and supporting one another, excelling through collaboration and accountability, and continuously improving ourselves and our organization.