Government Relations Representative – 230321

### Description

#### Job Summary
The overall purpose of this position is to work in collaboration with IEEE-USA government relations volunteers and staff to aggressively advance the organization’s relations objectives and public policy priorities (including the passage of legislation or adoption of regulations on matters of interest) in the subject matter areas of aerospace, energy, innovation and competitiveness, R&D, and transportation. The incumbent in this position is primarily responsible for providing public decision-makers with timely and accurate technical information to increase their understanding and help inform sound policy-making. The incumbent is also to help educate IEEE members on public policy issues and processes (including IEEE-USA government relations programs and services).
The role typically reports to the Director of Government Relations and manages 0 direct reports. The role is expected to work with multiple parties and set and manage work priorities. This position is authorized to spend /approve expenditures of up to $15,000 and signs volunteer expense reimbursements/contracts. The incumbent works independently and is responsible for final decisions on day-to-day management of advocacy activities and products.

#### Key Responsibilities
– Interacting as an IEEE-USA legislative representative with Members of Congress, their staff, Executive Branch officials, state legislators, state and local officials and other public officials as needed in support of IEEE-USA’s government relations priorities.
– Monitoring, interpreting and predicting legislative and regulatory activity, analyzing policy issues, working with technical subject matter experts to develop appropriate public policy recommendations, drafting position statements, contributing to drafting of action alerts and media releases, developing and implementing advocacy strategies, and engaging in effective advocacy activities.
– Providing technical information to policy-makers as requested and arranging for qualified IEEE members to participate in advisory roles to policy and regulatory bodies.
– Guiding and administering the operations of the following IEEE-USA government relations committees: Energy Policy Committee; Research & Development Policy Committee, and others as assigned.
– Serving as IEEE-USA’s representative to, and coordinating our participation in policy and legislative coalitions (e.g., National Coalition for Science Funding, the Coalition for National Security Research, the R&D Tax Credit Coalition, the AAAS R&D Budget Policy Project, etc.)
– Representing IEEE-USA on multi-society advisory committees supporting Congressional Caucuses in assigned areas of subject matter responsibility (e.g. Congressional Research Caucus), including organizing briefings, identifying speakers, and interacting with Members of Congress and their staff in support of IEEE-USA’s legislative agenda.
– Organizing regular public policy symposia, workshops, briefings and related events on strategically selected topics.
– Supporting grassroots effects to help educate and involve members in public policy initiatives, including support for volunteer congressional visits days, Capitol Hill fly-ins, training sessions and preparation of grassroots action alerts and educational materials.
To perform these position specific functions, incumbent must also be able to effectively perform the following general functions:
– Researching, conceptualizing and developing appropriate strategies and the organizing the internal resources necessary to fulfill the government relations objectives set forth by the IEEE-USA Board of Directors, and assuring that the appropriate volunteer leaders, staff coordinators, and IEEE-USA members are kept informed of developments in their respective areas of responsibility or interest.
– Evaluating, interpreting and disseminating information to IEEE U.S. members regarding the activities of Congress and governmental agencies on matters affecting the professional interests of IEEE U.S. members, and soliciting their input for appropriate communications to the government.
– Maintaining regular contacts with Congressional staff, and Executive Branch Officials, consultants and representatives of other organizations.
– Interacting with national, state and local media, in coordination with the public relations staff, as an IEEE-USA spokesperson and information resource in support of IEEE-USA’s government relations priorities.
– Developing and managing program budgets and developing plans, goals and success metrics for the program in collaboration with volunteer leaders.
– Serving as a non-voting member of the IEEE-USA Government Relations Council.
– Working as a leader and/or member of staff advocacy teams created by the Director of Government Relations to plan and execute advocacy campaigns in support of specific IEEE-USA public policy priority issues.
– Supervising the supporting efforts of IEEE-USA administrative staff on a project-by-project, or committee-by-committee basis.
– Incumbent must follow-up on contacts with policy-makers to convey requests for information/assistance or intelligence about the policy-makers position to the appropriate IEEE-USA government relations staffers and volunteers, and to assure that the appropriate volunteer leaders, staff coordinators, and IEEE organizational units are kept informed of developments in their respective areas of programmatic interest.

#### Qualifications

##### Education
– Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience political science, government, public administration or other relevant discipline Req
– Master’s or other advanced degree MBA, JD or Ph.D. in equivalent fields and/or engineering/technical training Pref

##### Work Experience
– 4-7 years relevant government relations experience in positions of substantial responsibility Req
– Knowledge/experience related to energy, R&D, and/or innovation-related policy Pref
– Experience as a senior congressional/executive branch staffer Pref

##### Skills and Requirements
– Must be able to travel locally.
– Mastery of the bodies of knowledge required to earn one or more professional credentials (e.g. Certified Association Executive) would be beneficial in this position.
– Technologically savvy knowledge worker who seeks out technology solutions to job-related challenges. Specific technology knowledge and experience needed to produce the desired outcomes include the following: Microsoft Office Suite products.
– Strong written and oral communication skills and must be fluent in business English.
– Presentation skills must be polished. He/she will present information to small and large audiences, including volunteers, government (federal, state and local) officials and employees, media representatives, vendors and fellow staff.
– Must be adept at explaining technical information to non-technical people and complicated political information to non-political people verbally and in writing.
– External contacts include regular interaction with Members of Congress, their staff, Executive Branch officials, state and local officials, other public officials and media contacts in support of IEEE-USA’s government relations priorities.
– Internal contacts include frequent interaction with the IEEE-USA President, the Vice President, Government Relations, and Board members, committee chairs and other IEEE volunteers (including grassroots advocates).
– Teamwork is essential, and incumbent will be required to work closely with other IEEE-USA’s government relations staffers, volunteers, and non-IEEE partners.
– Must know how best to research, conceptualize, strategize and mobilize available resources to develop IEEE-USA positions on key policy issues and to implement those policy recommendations in law and regulation through effective advocacy and public information campaigns involving direct communications, grassroots and the media in order to fulfill the government relations objectives set forth by IEEE-USA.
– Must have/willing to gain broad understanding of the IEEE organization, the expertise of our members, and IEEE-USA’s agenda of priority issues.

Other Requirements
– As defined in IEEE Policies, individuals currently serving on an IEEE board or committee are not eligible to apply.
– This position is not budgeted for employer-sponsored immigration support, this includes all persons in F (both CPT and OPT), J, H, L, or O status.

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