Director of Federal Government Relations

Position Summary:

Reporting to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Community & Government Relations, the Director of Federal Government Relations supports and engages in direct legislative and policy education and advocacy activities with members of the California congressional delegation, as well as other legislative and committee offices, and other federal departments, offices, and agencies.

Provides support and service to the UC Irvine campus, UCI Health, and to the University of California Office of the President. This position is a full-time, DC-based position with regular requisite travel to California.

Primary responsibilities of the Director of Federal Government Relations include:

• Support and provide recommendations to the Assistant Vice Chancellor and organizational executive leadership in the expansion and implementation of outreach/education and legislative advocacy programs.
• Directly engage California congressional and other legislative offices to advance UCI legislative and policy priorities.
• Build and maintain alliances with UCI stakeholders, partners, and other affiliate organizations.
• Develop and maintain trusting relationships with campus leaders, faculty, researchers and staff to identify areas of potential collaboration to support campus-wide research priorities.
• Monitors and tracks federal budgets, legislation, regulations, and/or proposed actions by federal government entities that can have an impact on the campus. Provides analysis and advises campus leadership and appropriate campus professional staff of potential solutions.
• Provide legislative analysis and policy briefing papers, backgrounders, and other communications on topics affecting UCI.
• Establish strong relationships with elected officials, leadership from key agencies, and their staff members.
• Maintain regular communications with staffers to provide updates on UCI accomplishments.
• Schedule briefings and meetings with elected officials for faculty and leadership visits, and support UCI leadership in visits as appropriate.
• Host elected officials on site at the main campus and its affiliated locations in California for tours and meetings with campus leadership, experts at UCI, and community stakeholders. Uses advanced concepts and campus and / or medical center objectives to resolve highly complex issues.
• Plans, develops and implements strategies for government outreach, to include specifically developing and advancing policy positions through liaisons with governmental staff. Assignments are typically complex or large and include controversial and / or politically sensitive issues or content. Works autonomously while also understanding who and when to involve others.

Department Website:

https://cgr.uci.edu/

Required:

• Professional experience (typically 5-10 years) working in federal government relations or with the federal government and/or legislative activities in a federal agency or Congress.
• Bachelor’s degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training.
• Advanced knowledge of the campus and health system, its vision, mission, goals, objectives, achievements, issues of concern and infrastructure.
• Advanced knowledge of assigned area of responsibility, for example, the campus and / or medical center scientific community.
• Advanced knowledge of issues of concern in higher education.
• Advanced knowledge of practices and procedures associated with building and maintaining effective working relationships with all levels of internal and external constituencies.
• Advanced written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including skill to produce information that is appropriately presented and effectively received by target constituencies.
• Active listening skills, including advanced critical thinking and analytical skills.
• Skill to recognize potential areas of constituency concern and address, resolve and / or mitigate problems or issues.
• Advanced project management skills, including skills to plan and implement successful events.
• Advanced knowledge of the legislative process, including organizational procedures and the budget and appropriations processes.
• Advanced skills to read, interpret, understand and respond to pending and proposed legislation, including skills to write effective position statements and draft proposed legislation.
• Leverage the use of virtual meeting technology to establish and engage faculty, researchers, and staff to build strong campus connections to support research priorities.

Preferred:

• Master’s degree.

Applicants interested in applying need to apply directly on our website through the link: https://careersucirvine.ttcportals.com/jobs/14063347-director-of-federal-government-relations