Director of State Government Relations

Description

Summary

Under the direct supervision of the Executive Vice President of Policy and Government Relations, the Director of State Government Relations is charged with advancing HACU’s legislative agenda on state government issues in midwestern states. Under the direction of the Executive Vice President of Policy and Government Relations, the incumbent will coordinate activities for legislative relations, including advocacy efforts with executive and legislative branches of the state governments, as well as collaboration with regional policy centers, Hispanic and other advocacy organizations, legislative affairs departments of member colleges/universities and systems in the region, and higher education associations. Track and analyze state policy and bills under development or introduced. The Director of Government Relations also supervises staff assigned to the Midwest Regional Office and communicates operational needs to corresponding HACU managers.

Benefits

• HACU offers a friendly work environment and a generous company-paid benefits plan. Compensation is commensurate with qualifications and experience.
• 15 company-paid holidays.
• Employer-paid Group-Term Life, AD&D, Long-Term and Short-Term Disability benefits.
• Generous employer-paid contributions toward healthcare plan expense.
• 403(b), employer contributions (no match required) starting at six months of service.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Optional dental, vision, legal, identity protection, accident, cancer, hospital indemnity, and dependent life insurance plans.

Salary Range: $110,000 – $140,000

Education and/or Experience

• Master’s degree in public policy, political science, law, public administration, or higher education or related field. A bachelor’s degree in any of those fields and five or more years of experience in a similar position is acceptable in lieu of a master’s degree.
• A minimum of four years of increasingly responsible experience in state government relations, policy analysis and advocacy, and a proven ability to advocate for legislative and policy change, preferably in higher education or education-related issues.
• A minimum of four years of experience and success in state lobbying work as a registered lobbyist; required.
• A minimum of four years of experience in a supervisory role.
• Candidate must demonstrate a breadth of diverse leadership capabilities and qualifications including the ability to collaborate with peers, coach and develop subordinates, and design work methods that encourage staff to work cooperatively to achieve meaningful outcomes and support HACU’s culture, mission, and values.
• Experience and/or training at the state level on issues impacting Hispanics in higher education.
• Proven experience in a non-profit organization or policy firm.
• Strong knowledge of higher education or education-related issues and policies, legislation, and regulatory frameworks.
• High level of discretion and ethical judgment in navigating political landscapes.
• Ability to analyze and respond to budgets, legislation, and regulations at the state level with a strong knowledge of the appropriations processes and procedures.
• Proficiency in using legislative tracking tools, databases, and research resources.
• Excellent research and policy analysis, development, and technical (legislative and regulatory) writing skills.
• Must be able to communicate complex policy issues clearly and effectively.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of strategic planning and budgeting.
• Effective oral and written communication skills and interpersonal skills necessary to interact with all levels of HACU staff, legislators and other elected/appointed officials, regulators, and other groups with diverse backgrounds.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and other virtual meeting tools is required (i.e., Zoom, document merges, databases, creation, data entry, maintenance, report generation).

Requirements

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Works collaboratively and strategically in a team environment with all levels of professional, technical, and administrative staff to ensure the fulfillment of HACU’s mission, goals, and objectives.
• Following the direction of the Executive Vice President of Policy and Government Relations, assists in the organization and coordination of HACU’s legislative strategies and activities with the midwest regional state governments and agencies.
• Supervise and mentor MRO government relations staff, including setting performance standards and goals, providing feedback, and facilitating professional development.
• Assist the EVP of Policy and Government Relations with regional activities in support of HACU’s state government advocacy activities, including contact with state elected officials and their local office staff for the midwest region states.
• Meet with legislators, legislative staff, state agency staff, lobbyists, members of advocacy groups, and the general public regarding legislative policy issues.
• Lead the preparation and submission of formal comments, testimony, and position papers on proposed state legislation and regulatory matters in the midwestern states region to the EVP of Policy and Government Relations.
• Prepare written statements and analyses of budget and policy documents and present analyses to the EVP of Policy and Government Relations.
• Monitor legislative proceedings in the midwestern states and provide reports of the proposed or passed legislation to EVP of State Policy and Government Relations.
• Work closely with the midwest regional state agencies in identifying resources for regional HSIs and for transmitting this information to HSIs in the appropriate manner and in a timely fashion.

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