Director of State Government Affairs
Location: DC Metro Area
Type: Full-Time
Industry: Non-Profit
Job Summary
PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE LOBBYING AT THE STATE GOVERNMENT LEVEL
Our DC-based client is a dynamic and growing organization who is actively looking for an Director of State Government Affairs to join its team. The Director of State Government Affairs pursues the advancement of organization membership’s policy objectives in the state legislative and regulatory arenas through advocacy, identification of and engagement on legislative and regulatory threats and opportunities, strategic leadership, utilization of expertise to inform the coordination of political engagement advocacy efforts and forging of relationships with decision makers and other external stakeholders to advance advocacy agenda.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
State Government Relations and Political Affairs
- Advocate for organization positions before state policymakers.
- Strategizes to increase organization and its membership’s positions as thought leaders with policymakers governors, think tanks, and regulatory organizations.
- Effectively communicates policies, positions, and engagement in state legislative and regulatory activity. Authors articles, testimony, materials, and online content; engages in internal and external presentations and speaking engagements, provides testimony, provides information and analysis, proactively and upon request, to leadership, staff, and other stakeholders.
- Develops, maintains, and expands strong, trusted working relationships and contacts with state policymakers, staff, and other external stakeholders. Leads or joins coalitions and collaborates with representatives to strengthen the voice of members and their interests/positions.
- Performs reconnaissance to understand the positions of members; tracks, analyzes, and advises of relevant legislative and regulatory actions and activity of interest to membership in all 50 states.
- Effective management of consultants.
- Ability to build coalitions and develop strategic alliances
- Develop and implement grassroots strategies (e.g. fly-ins, educational days, etc).
- Develops plans to respond to regulatory activities, including working with key business colleagues to develop internal and/or external comment letters, coordinating with other interested stakeholders, and contributing to the development and execution of advocacy plans.
- Works with organization’s communications team to ensure consistency in messaging across all work.
- Identifies needs for events, plans, and identifies speakers, content, and hosts (virtually and in-person). Provides legislative and regulatory updates and acts a legislative expert for questions.
- Other duties that align with the mission and vision of the company
Role Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in political science, public administration, social science, or other related field.
- 5-6 years’ relevant experience in state government relations with a trade association, or a private company in its Government Affairs department.
- Experience lobbying at the state level.
- Demonstrated ability to analyze, understand, and explain complex policy issues.
- In-depth understanding of the legislative process, state government operations, and the political process.
- Proven ability to develop and implement comprehensive legislative and regulatory advocacy strategy.
- Exceptional, demonstrated, written and oral communication skills including public speaking and the preparation of issue summaries, regulatory comments, testimony, and other written reports of a technical and complex nature. Maintain sensitive information with diplomacy and tact.
- Strong existing network of contacts at state agencies and with relevant stakeholder groups strongly preferred.
- Knowledge of payments and financial services a plus.
- Ability to prioritize, manage and complete multiple, complex projects.
- Ability to display patience in ambiguous situations; creative and flexible in willingness to customize and adapt to quickly changing situations or advocacy positions.
- Analytical and forward thinker, results oriented, self-organized and self-starter.
- Role may help supervise Government Relations Specialist or intern in accordance with the organization’s policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include planning, assigning, and directing work and appraising performance.
Additional Requirements:
- Availability & willingness to travel up to 60% of the time and may be via air, car or rail.
Our client offers a full and robust benefits and salary package. Please respond for immediate consideration.
Interested candidates must submit a cover letter and a writing sample that reflects your work (even in initial draft form).