Officer, Government Relations (Partnerships, Outreach Strategy, and Coordination)

Department Overview
The government relations (GR) team serves to support Pew’s government performance and environmental portfolio and help teams present Pew as a trusted, valued resources to policymakers, organizations representing state and local lawmakers and stakeholders at the federal, state, and local levels. GR partnerships works with Pew policy-focused projects to develop engagement strategies, support project development, promote collaboration across Pew, and work across government bodies more cost-effectively and with greater impact.

Position Overview

The officer, partnerships, outreach strategy, and coordination, provides high-level programmatic services for Pew’s government policy-focused portfolios and helps to link the portfolio’s diverse bodies of work together to leverage Pew’s expertise and resources to create synergies where possible.

The position, based in Pew’s Washington, D.C., office, reports to the senior director, strategy and operations, and will participate in Pew’s in-office “core days” on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the senior director, strategy and operations, the officer will:

• Lead efforts across Pew’s government relations policy-focused portfolios to develop and maintain partnerships with external partners, ranging from leading national organizations to influential state entities. In addition to working closely with Pew’s programmatic teams, this includes coordinating with Pew’s other external affairs units.
• In partnership with the senior director and other GR partnership team members, develop a broad-based strategic plan as to who, why, and when Pew seeks partnerships with external stakeholders.
• In collaboration with other external affairs colleagues, develop and implement a stakeholder/power mapping assessment process to address Pew’s relationship-building needs across the organization.
• Work in a cross-cutting fashion across Pew to support the development and oversight of partnerships with national organizations to help ensure that these relationships remain effective and serve programmatic needs.
• Advise and guide Pew teams on scoping potential partners, understanding how such relationships can benefit their work, and evaluating partners for specific project needs.
• Oversee the development of internal capacity to help projects identify, evaluate, and implement strategic partnership engagements and relationship-building efforts, including, designing tailored outreach plans to help advance projects’ policy goals and objectives.
• Develop and implement approaches for projects to foster and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, policymakers, staff, and other officials. Create strategies for leveraging these relationships to advance Pew’s policy-focused, relationship-building, and brand-development goals.
• Collaborate with Pew’s programmatic teams, communications, legal affairs, and operations to manage Pew’s presence in particular jurisdictions, including, but not limited to, assisting with lobbying and ethics compliance, developing strategic partnerships, and coordinating activities between projects across Pew.
• Oversee assigned project’s in-state presence by coordinating efforts across the program portfolio.
• Supervise the coordination of project activities and with external partners, including national and state-based stakeholder organizations to support state reform efforts.
• Ensure all partnership components are well-coordinated and strategically focused.
• Facilitate cross-project communication on policy development and advocacy strategies with project staff and partners on performance initiatives and, where appropriate, with other Pew initiatives.
• Contribute to and participate in tasks on broader Pew projects and activities, as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience is required, and experience in public policy, policy-focused communications, or external affairs.
• Generally, eight years’ experience in or around the public policy arena, particularly working in policy development, strategic communications, or coalition building.
• Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team, foster consensus, and collaborate with diverse partners to advance pragmatic solutions.
• The ability to “connect the dots” across various policy, political, and interpersonal issues to understand the interplay and determine the relative political power of various government officials, organizations, and individuals.
• The ability and interest to represent Pew and develop relationships with government officials, influence organizations, and other key stakeholders.
• Acute political awareness and judgment and a nonpartisan perspective and approach.
• Experience convening groups of policy makers, practitioners, stakeholders, researchers, and other constituencies. Demonstrated ability to build relationships and support efforts to develop consensus and move toward a desired outcome.
• Ability to think strategically and creatively, adjust to changing circumstances, remain attentive to details and exercise sound judgment in problem-solving. Ability to develop and move complex projects forward with a high degree of independence.
• Demonstrated research and analytical skills applied to public policy issues, including an ability to synthesize and summarize large amounts of information and to focus quickly on the essence of an issue.
• Demonstrated time- and project-management skills, including an ability to meet multiple deadlines by maintaining a high level of organization. Ability to establish a systematic course of action to ensure project completion.
• A clear, effective writing and presentation style.

Salary Range

$111,100 USD – $124,100 USD

The salary range represents a reasonable estimate of the annual salary based on Pew’s commitment to provide equitable and market-competitive pay. The actual salary offered will take into consideration many factors including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills and experience, internal pay equity, and business need.

Total Rewards

We offer a competitive salary and benefit program, including: comprehensive, affordable health care through medical, dental, and vision coverage; financial security with life and disability insurance; opportunities to save using health savings and flexible spending accounts; retirement benefits to help prepare for the future; and work/life benefits to maintain a good balance.

The Pew Charitable Trusts is an equal opportunity employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. Pew considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to age, sex, ethnicity, religion, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity, military/veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

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