Government Relations Director
National Legal Aid & Defender Association · Madison, WI · 1 mo ago
OTHR$91k/yrFull-time
We need to produce HTML fragment with sections: headings for sections like About the role, Responsibilities, Requirements, Qualifications, Skills, Benefits, Pay, Schedule. Only include sections if posting has real specific content. Need to extract content: The posting includes Position Description, Summary, Key Responsibilities (which includes sub-sections: State Funding and Government Relations Lead, Congressional Relations and Federal Funding Education, Legislative and Public Policy Engagement, Legislative and Lobbying Compliance). Also includes details about organization, mission, location, full-time, FLSA-exempt, expected in-person at least four days per week, etc. No explicit Pay, Benefits, Schedule details besides schedule expectation (in-person at least four days). That could be considered Schedule? It says schedule expectation: work in person at least four days during each five-day workweek. That's schedule info. Benefits not mentioned. Pay not mentioned. So we can include Schedule section with that detail. Also maybe include About the role (summary). Responsibilities (key responsibilities). Requirements/Qualifications? Not explicit qualifications listed besides experience: "experienced government-relations professional". Could infer but not explicit. Better not to invent. So we may not include Requirements/Qualifications/Skills unless explicit. The posting does not list specific qualifications like degree, years. So we skip those sections.
We need to preserve all substantive information, not invent. So include About the role (summary paragraph). Responsibilities: we can list bullet points for each key responsibility area. Could break into subheadings? But only allowed headings are those specific; we can't add custom headings like "State Funding and Government Relations Lead". We could keep responsibilities as a
for sections like About the role, Responsibilities, Requirements, Qualifications, Skills, Benefits, Pay, Schedule. Only include sections if posting has real specific content. Need to extract content: The posting includes Position Description, Summary, Key Responsibilities (which includes sub-sections: State Funding and Government Relations Lead, Congressional Relations and Federal Funding Education, Legislative and Public Policy Engagement, Legislative and Lobbying Compliance). Also includes details about organization, mission, location, full-time, FLSA-exempt, expected in-person at least four days per week, etc. No explicit Pay, Benefits, Schedule details besides schedule expectation (in-person at least four days). That could be considered Schedule? It says schedule expectation: work in person at least four days during each five-day workweek. That's schedule info. Benefits not mentioned. Pay not mentioned. So we can include Schedule section with that detail. Also maybe include About the role (summary). Responsibilities (key responsibilities). Requirements/Qualifications? Not explicit qualifications listed besides experience: "experienced government-relations professional". Could infer but not explicit. Better not to invent. So we may not include Requirements/Qualifications/Skills unless explicit. The posting does not list specific qualifications like degree, years. So we skip those sections.
We need to preserve all substantive information, not invent. So include About the role (summary paragraph). Responsibilities: we can list bullet points for each key responsibility area. Could break into subheadings? But only allowed headings are those specific; we can't add custom headings like "State Funding and Government Relations Lead". We could keep responsibilities as a - with detailed paragraphs inside each li. That's okay.
We also need to include info about location, full-time, FLSA-exempt, in-person expectation. That could go under About the role or maybe a separate section like "Details". But only allowed headings are the list; we could put that info in About the role paragraph.
We must not include boilerplate like EEO, application instructions, etc. The posting includes "INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL POSTING Government Relations Director Madison, Wisconsin September 15, 2026 Open until filled but with a minimum of 14 days posting." That's metadata; we can fold into short
or drop. Probably include a short p with location and date.
We must not repeat job title as heading. So no
for the title.
We must output only HTML fragment.
Thus structure:
Location: Madison, Wisconsin. Posted September 15, 2026. Open until filled with a minimum 14‑day posting period.
About the role
... summary paragraph ...
Responsibilities
- State Funding and Government Relations Lead: ... (the detailed bullet)
- Congressional Relations and Federal Funding Education: ...
- Legislative and Public Policy Engagement: ...
- Legislative and Lobbying Compliance: ...
Schedule
This is a full‑time, FLSA‑exempt position based in Madison. The Director is expected to work in person at least four days during each five‑day workweek, including substantial time at the State Capitol, legislative and government offices, the Madison office, and other job‑related meetings and events.
We should not include Benefits or Pay sections.
Check that we preserved all substantive info: summary, mission statement, organization description, core values? The mission statement and core values are substantive; we could include them in About the role or maybe a separate section but we don't have a heading for Mission. Could incorporate into About the role paragraph.
We need to ensure we didn't miss any key responsibilities details: The bullet points under Key Responsibilities are quite long; we need to include them fully. We'll embed them inside li.
We must not include duplicated lines. Ensure we don't repeat.
Let's craft the About the role paragraph: combine summary and organization description.
Summary: "Legal Action of Wisconsin is seeking an experienced government-relations professional to build stronger, sustained relationships between Legal Action and Wisconsin policymakers—and to help secure something Wisconsin civil legal aid urgently needs: meaningful state investment in our work. This is a highly relational position. Success will not come from appearing at the Capitol only when the biennial budget is moving or when a particular bill affects our clients. The Government Relations Director must become a trusted and familiar presence in Wisconsin’s policymaking community: someone legislators, staff, executive-branch officials, and other government leaders know, see regularly, and understand as a reliable source of information about civil legal aid, the people we serve, and the effect that state policy has on their constituents. A central responsibility of this position is to develop and carry out a year-round strategy to secure and sustain state funding for Legal Action and civil legal aid. That means building relationships well before a funding request is made; maintaining them between legislative sessions and budget cycles; regularly helping policymakers understand the value Legal Action brings to their districts and constituents; arranging and participating in off-cycle and in-district meetings; and creating opportunities for policymakers to see our work and its impact firsthand. The Director also works with members of Legal Action’s Leadership Team to develop and maintain relationships with Wisconsin’s members of Congress and their staffs. Legal Action receives significant federal funding, and we believe it is important for our Congressional delegation to understand how we use and steward those public dollars, the services those resources make possible, and the impact of our work on their constituents. Legal Action does not lobby Congress, but we regularly educate members of Congress and their staffs about our work, our clients, and our responsible stewardship of federal funds. Legal Action operates under significant restrictions on lobbying and legislative advocacy. Except for advocacy that Legal Action may lawfully undertake regarding state funding, our ability to engage policymakers about proposed changes in substantive law or regulation is limited. In many circumstances, we may provide information about the potential effects of a proposed change only in response to a request from a policymaker, and we may not ask a policymaker to make that request. That makes relationships especially important. The Director must build the credibility, visibility, and connections that cause policymakers to turn naturally to Legal Action when they need reliable information about how a proposal may affect low-income Wisconsinites and the civil legal-aid system. The Director also has firmwide responsibility and authority for compliance with the restrictions that govern Legal Action’s legislative, lobbying, rulemaking, Congressional education, and related government-relations activities. The Director provides guidance to employees, but the role is not merely advisory: when the Director reasonably believes that a proposed or ongoing activity is impermissible or creates a significant compliance risk, the Director has authority to direct the employee to stop, refrain from, or modify the activity. The Government Relations Director is part of Legal Action’s External Relations Department and is supervised by the Chief External Relations Officer. The Department also includes an Annual Fund Manager, Grants Manager, Major Gifts staff member, and Social Media Specialist. Legal Action’s Volunteer Engagement Director works closely with the External Relations Department. Together, the team builds understanding of and support for Legal Action among policymakers, donors, volunteers, community partners, and the public. This is a full-time, FLSA-exempt position based in Madison. Because relationship-building and visibility are fundamental responsibilities of the position, this is not primarily a remote government-relations role. The Director is expected to work in person at least four days during each five-day workweek, including substantial time at the State Capitol, legislative and government offices, Legal Action’s Madison office, and other government, community, and job-related meetings and events."
Then organization description: "Legal Action is a large, vibrant nonprofit law firm that provides free civil legal aid to low-income people throughout Wisconsin and to Wisconsin’s 11 federally recognized Native American tribes. We operate seven offices in Green Bay, La Crosse, Madison, Milwaukee, Oshkosh, Racine, and Wausau and provide services through both regional offices and statewide projects. Our attorneys and advocates help people address legal problems involving housing, public benefits, barriers to employment, consumer law, family law, and other issues that directly affect economic security and stability. In addition to representing individual clients, Legal Action engages in impact litigation, systemic advocacy, outreach, education, and other strategies designed to address barriers to justice. MISSION STATEMENT Deliver exceptional civil legal services and structural change advocacy, free of cost, to those most in need. Our core values (equity, advocacy, client-centered, integrity and community) guide our work and actions."
We can include that after summary.
Now responsibilities: we need to include the four sections.
Let's extract each:
State Funding and Government Relations Lead:
- Lead Legal Action’s strategy to secure, maintain, and expand state investment in civil legal aid, with particular responsibility for building support for funding Legal Action’s work.
- Develop and implement a government-relations strategy that operates year-round, not only during the biennial state budget process or legislative sessions.
- Build and maintain meaningful relationships with legislators from both parties, legislative staff, executive-branch officials, agency personnel, and other policymakers whose work affects Legal Action, our clients, or civil legal aid.
- Maintain a regular and visible presence at the State Capitol and within Wisconsin’s Madison-based government-relations and policymaking community.
- Ensure that policymakers understand what Legal Action does, whom we serve, the problems our clients face, and how Legal Action’s work benefits residents of their districts and communities.
- Develop opportunities for legislators and other policymakers to learn about Legal Action’s work through meetings, office visits, community events, briefings, and other appropriate engagement.
- Develop and maintain relationships outside the Capitol and outside the legislative session, including arranging and participating in in-district meetings and other off-cycle engagement with policymakers.
- Work with Legal Action leadership, program staff, and the External Relations Department to identify compelling data, client experiences, program results, and other information that demonstrates the impact and value of civil legal aid.
- Monitor developments affecting potential state funding and identify opportunities, risks, decision-makers, and strategies early enough for Legal Action to respond effectively.
Congressional Relations and Federal Funding Education:
- Work with members of Legal Action’s Leadership Team to develop and maintain productive relationships with Wisconsin’s members of Congress and their staffs.
- Help members of Congress and Congressional staff understand Legal Action’s work, the communities and constituents we serve, and the importance of federal resources to the delivery of civil legal aid in Wisconsin.
- Communicate clearly and credibly about how Legal Action responsibly stewards federal funds and the services, outcomes, and community impact those resources make possible.
- Help develop and coordinate meetings, briefings, office visits, community visits, and other appropriate opportunities for members of Congress and their staffs to learn about Legal Action’s work.
- Work with Legal Action leadership, Finance, program staff, and other employees to ensure that information provided to Congressional offices about federal funding, program performance, services, and outcomes is accurate and useful.
- Conduct Congressional education and relationship-building in compliance with the restrictions applicable to Legal Action’s federal funding.
- Legal Action does not lobby Congress.
Legislative and Public Policy Engagement:
- Monitor proposed legislation, administrative rules, budget provisions, and other governmental developments that may significantly affect Legal Action’s clients, services, funding, or ability to provide legal assistance.
- Develop sufficient knowledge of Legal Action’s major areas of practice to recognize when proposed legislative or administrative changes may have significant consequences for our clients or our work.
- Work closely with Legal Action attorneys and other subject-matter experts to understand and accurately explain the practical effects of proposed laws, regulations, and public policies on the people we serve.
- When legally permissible and appropriately requested by a policymaker, coordinate Legal Action’s response and provide clear, accurate, useful information about how proposed changes may affect low-income Wisconsinites, Legal Action’s clients, or the delivery of civil legal aid.
- Connect policymakers with the appropriate Legal Action attorneys, advocates, leaders, data, or other resources when specialized substantive expertise is needed.
- Keep Legal Action leadership and appropriate employees informed of significant legislative, regulatory, budget, and policy developments.
- Participate in statewide access-to-justice, legal-aid, and other coalitions and partnerships when doing so advances Legal
or drop. Probably include a short p with location and date. We must not repeat job title as heading. So no
for the title. We must output only HTML fragment. Thus structure:
Location: Madison, Wisconsin. Posted September 15, 2026. Open until filled with a minimum 14‑day posting period.
About the role
... summary paragraph ...
Responsibilities
- State Funding and Government Relations Lead: ... (the detailed bullet)
- Congressional Relations and Federal Funding Education: ...
- Legislative and Public Policy Engagement: ...
- Legislative and Lobbying Compliance: ...
Schedule
This is a full‑time, FLSA‑exempt position based in Madison. The Director is expected to work in person at least four days during each five‑day workweek, including substantial time at the State Capitol, legislative and government offices, the Madison office, and other job‑related meetings and events.
We should not include Benefits or Pay sections. Check that we preserved all substantive info: summary, mission statement, organization description, core values? The mission statement and core values are substantive; we could include them in About the role or maybe a separate section but we don't have a heading for Mission. Could incorporate into About the role paragraph. We need to ensure we didn't miss any key responsibilities details: The bullet points under Key Responsibilities are quite long; we need to include them fully. We'll embed them inside li. We must not include duplicated lines. Ensure we don't repeat. Let's craft the About the role paragraph: combine summary and organization description. Summary: "Legal Action of Wisconsin is seeking an experienced government-relations professional to build stronger, sustained relationships between Legal Action and Wisconsin policymakers—and to help secure something Wisconsin civil legal aid urgently needs: meaningful state investment in our work. This is a highly relational position. Success will not come from appearing at the Capitol only when the biennial budget is moving or when a particular bill affects our clients. The Government Relations Director must become a trusted and familiar presence in Wisconsin’s policymaking community: someone legislators, staff, executive-branch officials, and other government leaders know, see regularly, and understand as a reliable source of information about civil legal aid, the people we serve, and the effect that state policy has on their constituents. A central responsibility of this position is to develop and carry out a year-round strategy to secure and sustain state funding for Legal Action and civil legal aid. That means building relationships well before a funding request is made; maintaining them between legislative sessions and budget cycles; regularly helping policymakers understand the value Legal Action brings to their districts and constituents; arranging and participating in off-cycle and in-district meetings; and creating opportunities for policymakers to see our work and its impact firsthand. The Director also works with members of Legal Action’s Leadership Team to develop and maintain relationships with Wisconsin’s members of Congress and their staffs. Legal Action receives significant federal funding, and we believe it is important for our Congressional delegation to understand how we use and steward those public dollars, the services those resources make possible, and the impact of our work on their constituents. Legal Action does not lobby Congress, but we regularly educate members of Congress and their staffs about our work, our clients, and our responsible stewardship of federal funds. Legal Action operates under significant restrictions on lobbying and legislative advocacy. Except for advocacy that Legal Action may lawfully undertake regarding state funding, our ability to engage policymakers about proposed changes in substantive law or regulation is limited. In many circumstances, we may provide information about the potential effects of a proposed change only in response to a request from a policymaker, and we may not ask a policymaker to make that request. That makes relationships especially important. The Director must build the credibility, visibility, and connections that cause policymakers to turn naturally to Legal Action when they need reliable information about how a proposal may affect low-income Wisconsinites and the civil legal-aid system. The Director also has firmwide responsibility and authority for compliance with the restrictions that govern Legal Action’s legislative, lobbying, rulemaking, Congressional education, and related government-relations activities. The Director provides guidance to employees, but the role is not merely advisory: when the Director reasonably believes that a proposed or ongoing activity is impermissible or creates a significant compliance risk, the Director has authority to direct the employee to stop, refrain from, or modify the activity. The Government Relations Director is part of Legal Action’s External Relations Department and is supervised by the Chief External Relations Officer. The Department also includes an Annual Fund Manager, Grants Manager, Major Gifts staff member, and Social Media Specialist. Legal Action’s Volunteer Engagement Director works closely with the External Relations Department. Together, the team builds understanding of and support for Legal Action among policymakers, donors, volunteers, community partners, and the public. This is a full-time, FLSA-exempt position based in Madison. Because relationship-building and visibility are fundamental responsibilities of the position, this is not primarily a remote government-relations role. The Director is expected to work in person at least four days during each five-day workweek, including substantial time at the State Capitol, legislative and government offices, Legal Action’s Madison office, and other government, community, and job-related meetings and events." Then organization description: "Legal Action is a large, vibrant nonprofit law firm that provides free civil legal aid to low-income people throughout Wisconsin and to Wisconsin’s 11 federally recognized Native American tribes. We operate seven offices in Green Bay, La Crosse, Madison, Milwaukee, Oshkosh, Racine, and Wausau and provide services through both regional offices and statewide projects. Our attorneys and advocates help people address legal problems involving housing, public benefits, barriers to employment, consumer law, family law, and other issues that directly affect economic security and stability. In addition to representing individual clients, Legal Action engages in impact litigation, systemic advocacy, outreach, education, and other strategies designed to address barriers to justice. MISSION STATEMENT Deliver exceptional civil legal services and structural change advocacy, free of cost, to those most in need. Our core values (equity, advocacy, client-centered, integrity and community) guide our work and actions." We can include that after summary. Now responsibilities: we need to include the four sections. Let's extract each: State Funding and Government Relations Lead: - Lead Legal Action’s strategy to secure, maintain, and expand state investment in civil legal aid, with particular responsibility for building support for funding Legal Action’s work. - Develop and implement a government-relations strategy that operates year-round, not only during the biennial state budget process or legislative sessions. - Build and maintain meaningful relationships with legislators from both parties, legislative staff, executive-branch officials, agency personnel, and other policymakers whose work affects Legal Action, our clients, or civil legal aid. - Maintain a regular and visible presence at the State Capitol and within Wisconsin’s Madison-based government-relations and policymaking community. - Ensure that policymakers understand what Legal Action does, whom we serve, the problems our clients face, and how Legal Action’s work benefits residents of their districts and communities. - Develop opportunities for legislators and other policymakers to learn about Legal Action’s work through meetings, office visits, community events, briefings, and other appropriate engagement. - Develop and maintain relationships outside the Capitol and outside the legislative session, including arranging and participating in in-district meetings and other off-cycle engagement with policymakers. - Work with Legal Action leadership, program staff, and the External Relations Department to identify compelling data, client experiences, program results, and other information that demonstrates the impact and value of civil legal aid. - Monitor developments affecting potential state funding and identify opportunities, risks, decision-makers, and strategies early enough for Legal Action to respond effectively. Congressional Relations and Federal Funding Education: - Work with members of Legal Action’s Leadership Team to develop and maintain productive relationships with Wisconsin’s members of Congress and their staffs. - Help members of Congress and Congressional staff understand Legal Action’s work, the communities and constituents we serve, and the importance of federal resources to the delivery of civil legal aid in Wisconsin. - Communicate clearly and credibly about how Legal Action responsibly stewards federal funds and the services, outcomes, and community impact those resources make possible. - Help develop and coordinate meetings, briefings, office visits, community visits, and other appropriate opportunities for members of Congress and their staffs to learn about Legal Action’s work. - Work with Legal Action leadership, Finance, program staff, and other employees to ensure that information provided to Congressional offices about federal funding, program performance, services, and outcomes is accurate and useful. - Conduct Congressional education and relationship-building in compliance with the restrictions applicable to Legal Action’s federal funding. - Legal Action does not lobby Congress. Legislative and Public Policy Engagement: - Monitor proposed legislation, administrative rules, budget provisions, and other governmental developments that may significantly affect Legal Action’s clients, services, funding, or ability to provide legal assistance. - Develop sufficient knowledge of Legal Action’s major areas of practice to recognize when proposed legislative or administrative changes may have significant consequences for our clients or our work. - Work closely with Legal Action attorneys and other subject-matter experts to understand and accurately explain the practical effects of proposed laws, regulations, and public policies on the people we serve. - When legally permissible and appropriately requested by a policymaker, coordinate Legal Action’s response and provide clear, accurate, useful information about how proposed changes may affect low-income Wisconsinites, Legal Action’s clients, or the delivery of civil legal aid. - Connect policymakers with the appropriate Legal Action attorneys, advocates, leaders, data, or other resources when specialized substantive expertise is needed. - Keep Legal Action leadership and appropriate employees informed of significant legislative, regulatory, budget, and policy developments. - Participate in statewide access-to-justice, legal-aid, and other coalitions and partnerships when doing so advances Legal