Jobs

Senior Director, Government Relations

Senior Director, Government Relations

Government Relations

Government Relations (GR) seeks to advance Pew’s nonpartisan policy and research goals at all levels of government, in the United States and internationally.  We focus on sharing the organization’s data-driven policy recommendations and research, shaping pragmatic strategies to achieve program objectives, and building relationships with key government officials to forge compromise and consensus on issues that make a difference to the public.

Position Overview

The Senior Director, Government Relations is responsible for managing a team of professionals who help design and execute strategies to advance the goals of various advocacy and research projects in Pew’s broad-based Government Performance portfolio. Current Pew Government Performance initiatives include health, broadband access, affordable housing, retirement savings, student loans, state and federal fiscal management, and public safety and justice. Pew’s Government Performance-focused research addresses complex problems at the federal, state, and local levels of the U.S. government as well as the interplay that can occur between jurisdictions.

The Senior Director will coordinate closely with colleagues in the Government Performance Portfolio to provide policy recommendations, research, and educational material to policymakers at the state and federal level. Working with teams across Pew, including in Communications and Legal Affairs, the Senior Director will help achieve important public policy goals to improve economic advancement, health outcomes, and civic infrastructure as well as provide states with targeted research on budget management, corrections policy, public pensions and other issues.

This position reports to the Senior Vice President, Government Relations, is based in Pew’s Washington, DC office, and will participate in Pew’s core in-office days on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with the flexibility to work from home the remainder of each week. Candidates must be presently legally authorized to work in the country for which they are seeking employment without the need of visa sponsorship.

Responsibilities

• With Pew’s policy experts and other Pew colleagues, develop a strong identity for Pew initiatives with key players in the U.S. Congress and federal executive branch. Work to raise the profile, credibility, and influence of Pew and its initiatives among these constituencies.
• Develop, in collaboration with portfolio leadership, the outreach and engagement team, and project directors, strategies for federal legislative advocacy in support of specified policy goals of Government Performance teams. Manage and coordinate Pew’s federal legislative advocacy across a wide variety of policy projects.
• Work with portfolio leadership to prioritize federal advocacy objectives across Government Performance and the rest of the institution.
• Assist with outreach to state policymakers, both directly and through organizations such as the National Governors’ Association and the National Conference of State Legislatures.
• Work with Government Performance colleagues to develop and implement effective outreach strategies designed to bring project policy goals to the attention of elected and appointed federal policymakers, including direct contact, conferences, electronic communications, and other activities.
• Develop and manage national coalitions and partnerships in support of the Government Performance portfolio’s policy goals, including working with project teams to promote each project’s goals and identifying partners who can play a critical role in advancing the goals of the initiative.
• Develop and maintain key relationships with congressional offices and serve as a liaison for federal and congressional staff as well as state advocacy leaders on federal policies.
• Serve as a connector between Government Performance teams and the GR department, helping drive the use of GR’s “e-Advocacy” tools in support of project goals, providing informed direction on lobbying compliance, liaising directly with GR’s compliance team, ensuring that federal advocacy efforts are coordinated with other Pew projects, and contributing to planning advocacy efforts across the organization.
• Manage contracts with government relations vendors—drafting deliverables and the scope of work for vendors, working with Pew’s contracts and procurement to finalize agreements, and actively managing and overseeing the workplan to ensure deliverables are met.
• Supervise government relations staff in collaboration with managers of individual projects, including mentoring, professional development of staff, and performance evaluations.
• Manage system for tracking institutional lobbying within Government Performance in close collaboration with the legal department and GR’s compliance team.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required.
• Generally, 15 years of professional experience in government relations, government service, federal and state campaigns, and/or social policy advocacy, demonstrating a high level of understanding of state and federal policy development; state-level experience is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated management experience, with a successful record of coaching and motivating teams to succeed.
• Experience working with a variety of public and private-sector officials across the political spectrum, and a strong network of contacts with government officials, including members of Congress and their staff as well as state policymakers. An ability to leverage relationships to influence positive outcomes.
• Excellent political skills and judgment as well as demonstrated leadership and management ability, and strong and diplomatic interpersonal skills. Able to develop and manage productive relationships with a range of diverse interests. Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team, foster consensus, and collaborate with national partners.
• Strategic thinker.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking and experience interacting with the media.
• Prior to commencing employment with Pew, candidates for this position who were registered to lobby in any jurisdiction must certify termination of previous registration(s) and provide copies of termination notices with said jurisdiction(s) to Pew.

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.

Learn more here

Job posted: 2023-09-15