Lead Govt Affairs Specialist – 90393789

Your success is a train ride away!

As we move America’s workforce toward the future, Amtrak connects businesses and communities across the country. We employ more than 20,000 diverse, energetic professionals in a variety of career fields throughout the United States. The safety of our passengers, our employees, the public and our operating environment is our priority, and the success of our railroad is due to our employees.

Are you ready to join our team?

Our values of ‘Do the Right Thing, Excel Together and Put Customers First’ are at the heart of what matters most to us, and our Core Capabilities, ‘Building Trust, Accountability, Effective Communication, Customer Focus, and Proactive Safety & Security’ are what every employee needs to know and do to be most impactful at Amtrak. By living the Amtrak values, focusing on our capabilities, and actively embracing and fostering diverse ideas, backgrounds, and perspectives, together we will honor our past and make Amtrak a company of the future.

Summary of Duties

The Lead Government Affairs Specialist is responsible for supporting, managing, and improving strategic partnerships with the U.S. House, including with the chamber’s leadership, committees of jurisdiction, and personal offices, as part of the company’s overall legislative strategy to educate and inform Congress on issues that impact Amtrak and intercity passenger rail and to advance the company’s annual and long-range legislative and business priorities.

Essential Functions

• General Engagement and Education: Support the Director of Government Affairs for the House (“the Director”) by preparing for, participating in, and leading 101s, meetings and briefings, phone calls, site visits, and other interactions with Congress to educate and inform the legislative branch on Amtrak and passenger rail issues. Monitor bills considered by Congress and monitor hearings, markups, caucus meetings and floor action, and report those actions in a timely manner to the Director, the Government Affairs team, and Amtrak leadership, as appropriate.
• Congressional Correspondence: Manage congressional correspondence and information requests, including tracking incoming mail, researching answers to the queries, and working with internal subject matter experts to compile responses, identifying delays in Amtrak departmental review, and drafting official responses on behalf of the Government Affairs Department or Amtrak leadership.
• Legislative Analysis and Outreach: Provide research and analysis on rail-related legislation in the House, working with internal and external stakeholders to help advise on the impacts of these laws and proposals. Support, and on occasion lead, legislative outreach efforts with committee and personal staff on authorization and appropriations related legislation. Draft bill and report language, create policy papers and one-pagers, and provide technical assistance to key staff. In coordination with the Director, brief Amtrak leadership on key legislative updates.
• Congressional Hearings: Lead preparation and organization of background materials for congressional hearings where Amtrak representatives or Amtrak Board nominees testify. Draft internal memoranda, draft talking points and one-pagers for committee use, and track committee votes to ensure the company is aware of and prepared for congressional action on issues of importance to the company.
• Support Rail Improvements and Expansion: Plan events, site visits, briefings, trips and tours for congressional staff and members to expand their knowledge of Amtrak. Work with Capital Delivery and others on efforts to support major infrastructure projects on the NEC, and work with Network Development and others to help advance various corridor development opportunities.
• Process Improvement and Other Tasks: Assist the department with identifying efficiencies and improving processes, leading special projects, and leading/supporting other tasks as assigned by the Director and the Vice President in support of the Government Affairs’ mission and annual goals.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in political science, public policy, communications, business, or a related field is required. An equivalent combination of training, education, and relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Minimum 6 years of relevant experience required.
• Willingness to travel (as much as 25%).
• Willingness to attend events, including during evenings and weekends, on occasion.
• Superior oral and written communication skills, the highest integrity, and an ability to succeed under intense time pressures.
• Motivated and able to work independently with limited supervision.
• Able to handle multiple tasks at one time and adapt easily to an exceptionally fast-paced working environment.
• Demonstrated experience with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.

Preferred Qualifications

• A strong understanding of Amtrak history and railroad issues; transportation issues, in general; and a general understanding of national politics and public policy.
• A strong understanding of U.S. House of Representatives’ procedures and policies, both formal and informal.
• Existing, credible relationships with U.S. House staff.
• Experience working on the staff of a Member of Congress.
• A passion for improving transportation and mobility in America, and in particular, an interest in the future of intercity passenger rail.

Work Environment

Physical Demands:

• Constantly or frequently uses a computer keyboard, monitor, and mouse to perform a variety of tasks.
• Constantly or frequently sits, stands, or walks; may lift, carry, push, or pull objects of various weights; may reach, kneel, crouch, bend, or twist in order to perform administrative tasks (e.g., filing, retrieving materials from desks and bookcases, moving around an office setting).

Mental Demands:

• Constantly communicates, comprehends, and responds to verbal statements and instructions both orally and in writing.
• Frequently acquires new knowledge, skills, and tasks, both complex and simple, in order to maintain effectiveness in position.
• Frequently resolves problems with conflicting priorities in cognitively demanding situations.

Working Conditions:

• Frequently works long hours and is required to be on-call and available on an emergency basis.
• Constantly works in a fast-paced, time sensitive environment with changing priorities.
• Frequently works in crisis situations requiring fast, long-reaching decisions based on incomplete information/data.
• Occasionally travels throughout and outside the region as required (e.g., via airplane, train, automobile).

Communications and Interpersonal Skills

Must have excellent oral and written communication skills.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary/hourly range is $94,300–$122,256. Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, certifications, internal equity, etc. Depending on an employee’s assigned worksite or location, Amtrak may consider a geo-pay differential to be applied to the employee’s base salary. Amtrak may offer additional incentive and pay programs to recognize and reward our employees, including a short-term incentive bonus based upon factors such as individual and company performance that is commensurate with the level of the position and/or long-term incentive plan compensation.

In addition to your salary, Amtrak offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, dental, and vision plans; health savings accounts; wellness programs; flexible spending accounts; 401K retirement plan with employer match; life insurance; short and long-term disability insurance; paid time off; back-up care; adoption assistance; surrogacy assistance; reimbursement of education expenses; Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility; Railroad Retirement sickness and retirement benefits; and rail pass privileges. Learn more about our benefits offerings here.

Additional Information

Requisition ID: 164544
Posting Location(s): District of Columbia; Maryland; Virginia
Work Arrangement: 06-Onsite. Click here for more information about work arrangements at Amtrak.
Relocation Offered: No
Travel Requirements: Up to 25%

Our Culture

You power our progress through your performance.

We want your work at Amtrak to be more than a job. We want your career at Amtrak to be a fulfilling experience where you find challenging work, rewarding opportunities, respect among colleagues, and attractive compensation. Amtrak maintains a culture that values high performance and recognizes individual employee contributions.

Important Notices

Amtrak is committed to a safe workplace free of drugs and alcohol. All Amtrak positions require a pre-employment background check that includes prior employment verification, a criminal history check, and a pre-employment drug screen.

Candidates who test positive for marijuana will be disqualified, regardless of any state or local law. Amtrak’s drug testing program is administered in accordance with DOT regulations.

In accordance with 49 CFR § 40.25, Amtrak is required to obtain prior drug and alcohol testing records for applicants intending to perform safety-sensitive duties. If an applicant refuses to provide written consent, they will not be permitted to perform those functions.

In accordance with 6 U.S.C. § 1143, Amtrak is required to screen applicants for permanent or interim disqualifying criminal offenses.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Amtrak is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race/color (including traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hairstyles like braids, locks, and twists), religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions), national origin/ethnicity, disability, veteran status, marital status, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, citizenship or any other personal characteristics protected by law.

Learn more here