Director of Government Relations (Onsite)

About the role

The University of California, Merced is seeking a Director of Government Relations to serve as the lead strategist and coordinator for UC Merced's government relations, public policy, and advocacy activities.

Responsibilities

• Develops and implements comprehensive government relations and advocacy strategies to advance institutional priorities.
• Builds, maintains, and strengthens relationships with federal, state, and local elected officials and their staff, governmental agencies, community partners, higher education associations, stakeholder organizations, and other internal and external constituencies.
• Serves as a trusted advisor to campus leadership on public policy matters, monitoring legislative and regulatory developments, analyzing their potential impact on the university, and developing and implementing strategies to advance institutional interests and mitigate risk.
• Collaborates with campus leadership, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and external partners to build awareness of legislative and public policy issues.
• Develops and coordinates engagement opportunities for campus leaders, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community stakeholders to support advocacy efforts and strengthen relationships with policymakers and key influencers.
• Serves as a key liaison between UC Merced, the UC Office of the President, Federal Government Relations, and State Government Relations offices, elected officials and staff, governmental agencies, and community partners, ensuring alignment of advocacy efforts and promoting a consistent, strategic voice on issues of importance to the university.
• Serves as a representative of the university in meetings, coalitions, community forums, and public events to advance UC Merced's visibility, reputation, and influence.
• Serves as a key liaison between UC Merced, the UC Office of the President, Federal Government Relations, and State Government Relations offices, elected officials and staff, governmental agencies, and community partners, ensuring alignment of advocacy efforts and promoting a consistent, strategic voice on issues of importance to the university.
• Serves as a representative of the university in meetings, coalitions, community forums, and public events to advance UC Merced's visibility, reputation, and influence.
• Serves as a key liaison between UC Merced, the UC Office of the President, Federal Government Relations, and State Government Relations offices, elected officials and staff, governmental agencies, and community partners, ensuring alignment of advocacy efforts and promoting a consistent, strategic voice on issues of importance to the university.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited university in a related field.
• Five years of directly related, progressively responsible experience in a government relations job function, or a combination of education, training, and experience.

Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of the campus, its vision, mission, goals, objectives, achievements, issues of concern and infrastructure.
• Advanced knowledge of assigned area of responsibility, for example, the campus and / or medical center scientific community.
• Advanced knowledge of issues of concern in higher education.
• Advanced knowledge of practices and procedures associated with building and maintaining effective working relationships with all levels of internal and external constituencies.
• Advanced written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including skill to produce information that is appropriately presented and effectively received by target constituencies.
• Active listening skills, including advanced critical thinking and analytical skills.
• Skill to recognize potential areas of constituency concern and address, resolve and / or mitigate problems or issues.
• Advanced project management skills, including skills to plan and implement successful events.
• Advanced knowledge of the legislative process, including organization procedures and the budget and appropriations processes.
• Advanced skills to read, interpret, understand and respond to pending and proposed legislation, including skills necessary to draft legislation.
• Advanced skills to read, interpret, understand and respond to pending and proposed legislation, including skills to write effective position statements and draft proposed legislation.

Pay

The salary or hourly range the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $140,000- $160,000.

Schedule

This position is fully onsite.