Job & Business Opportunities

Job Summary

The Governmental Affairs Manager, working in close coordination with the Executive Office, initiates, responds to, and coordinates routine contact between the District and government officials. The incumbent is responsible for the recommendation and development of policies involving legislative and administrative issues related to transit, and provides timely assessment of federal, state, and local programs/initiatives that have District impact. The Governmental Affairs Manager works with District staff, federal and state lobbyists, and key agencies, and ensures that accurate, timely, and appropriate responses are provided in order to create sound public policies and an understanding of these policies in the communities served by the District.

This classification is primarily responsible for performing tasks in the following areas: Supervisory/Administrative, Government Affairs, and Internal/External Coordination. Work mainly involves problem solving and mediating highly conflicting, unexpected, and unusual problems involving multiple groups.

Supervision

Supervision Received
This class works under administrative direction, which includes broad management responsibility for a large program or set of related functions. Work is usually received in terms of goals; review is received in terms of results.

Supervision Exercised
This class provides direct and/or indirect supervision to lower level personnel.

Distinguishing Characteristics

N/A

Essential Functions

This class performs the following functions:
Supervisory/Administrative
Duties may include:
Plan, schedule, delegate, and oversee employee work assignments. Authorize, coordinate, and schedule work with vendors and consultants. Coach and counsel employees. Conduct personnel actions, including testing, hiring, and interviewing. Plan changes to administrative functions and organization of the District. Oversee the hiring, training, work assignments, performance evaluations, and discipline of staff assigned to the department. Prepare and monitors the budget of the Governmental Affairs Department. Contribute to the strategic and operational planning of the organization; assist in problems solving, and meeting overall organizational goals. Other duties as assigned.

Government Affairs
Duties may include:
Conduct detailed research on transit industry data and provide statistical analyses. Identify issues which may impact the District, including existing and proposed federal, state, and local legislation and assist senior management in providing appropriate responses. Analyze and evaluate complex policy issues and make recommendations on actions to be taken. Prepare complex reports, documents, and correspondence. Represent the District at meetings with the Board of Directors, legislative staff, public and private sector organizations, and other external groups. Participate in internal and external committees and meetings. Write issue papers and official correspondence. Write proposals and technical specifications. Formulate/recommend strategy to guide the District’s state and federal legislative/regulatory initiatives; communicate the District’s needs/programs to legislators. Establish strategy and directs the analysis of public policy issues for internal decision. Direct the District in the development of public policies; the production of reports including position papers and briefing documents on key policy issues. Initiate and maintain ongoing communication with legislators and regulators to advocate the District’s policies and to secure funding. Prepare and present the District’s testimony before both local and national governmental bodies. Oversee development; monitor the authorization and appropriations of relevant District-related legislation at the federal and state levels to ensure adequate support for transit-related programs. Other duties as assigned.

Internal & External Coordination
Duties may include:
Coordinate District’s response to major events or changing policy. Monitor and research items as directed by General Manager; prepare reports of findings and recommendations. Prepare and monitor budget, including processing check requests, monitoring balances, planning annual budget, and managing unexpected variables. Attend outside meetings during both workday and evenings in the community, including Neighborhood Services Area meetings, neighborhood association meetings, and special meetings on urgent issues in the community. Develop and direct the execution of District-wide community and legislative outreach strategy. Direct the execution of strategy to identify and analyze community needs, concerns and perceptions early on in the formulation and advancement of the District’s capital projects. Direct the office to ensure maximum integration and leveraging of legislative and community relations functions. Provide the General Manager/Chief Executive Officer and EMT with timely information on emerging issues in the policy arena so that the District can take appropriate action. Other duties as assigned.

Job Demands

Physical and Mental Requirements:
(1) Mobility: frequent use of keyboard; frequent sitting for long periods of time; occasional bending or squatting. (2) Lifting: frequently up to 10 pounds; occasionally up to 25 pounds. (3) Vision: constant use of overall vision; frequent reading and close-up work; occasional color and depth vision. (4) Dexterity: frequent repetitive motion; frequent writing; frequent grasping, holding, and reaching. (5) Hearing/Talking: frequent hearing and talking, in person and on the phone. (6) Emotional/Psychological: frequent decision-making and concentration; frequent public and/or coworker contact; occasional working alone. (7) Environmental: frequent exposure to noise.

Knowledge and Abilities

Required Knowledge of:
Working with elected officials and media organizations.
Transit challenges and an understanding of various issues relating to transit.
Methods and techniques of preparing complex analysis reports and correspondence.
Contract language and laws.
Budget planning, management, and administration methods.
Interpersonal and group dynamics.
Electronic document filing, storage, and retrieval.
Specialized applications and project management methods.
Principles and practices of public relations.
Federal, state, and local transportation laws, policies, funding, and legislative processes.
Principles, practices, and trends of public and business administration. Governmental function, organization, and relationships.
Analytical methods and techniques used for staff and budgetary analysis, statistics, and policy analysis.
Principles of budget preparation and control.
Program analysis and cost and benefit analysis.
Principles of supervision and motivation.

Required Ability to:
Work independently and with great initiative.
Work comfortably with people of varying socioeconomic backgrounds.
Interpret, synthesize, and implement decisions.
Write complex technical specifications and contract scopes of work. Enforce District policies, programs, and practices with employees, outside vendors, and the public.
Represent the District interests with outside agencies and community groups.
Coordinate activities with internal and external groups.
Elicit cooperation and compliance from internal and external groups.
Respond to requests for complex information in a timely manner.
Stay current with all applicable laws and regulations.
Interact successfully with members of the public.
Balance multiple priorities.
Read, understand, and interpret complex legal documents, regional transportation policies, and comprehensive transit related materials. Prepare and maintain a variety of comprehensive reports and documents. Research, analyze, evaluate, and present a variety of policy issues and management analysis data.
Recommend and implement solutions to complex policy and administrative problems.
Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships.
Communicate effectively, in oral or written form.

Required Computer Skills with:
Common word processing software.
Common spreadsheet software.
Common database applications.
Accounting or operations software functionality.
Email, contact management, and scheduling software.
Project management software.
Presentation software.

Minimum Qualifications — Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Required Prior Experience
Five years of broad and extensive experience in government affairs and/or community relations in a liaison-type position with governmental and civic constituencies and the general public, preferably within the transit industry. At least two years of supervisory experience is required.

Required Education
A Bachelor's degree in Business, Political Science, Public Policy Communication, Public Relations, or closely related field. A Master’s degree or Law degree is preferred. Six years of additional qualifying experience may substitute for the required education.