Public affairs associate

Job summary

The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii is seeking a public affairs associate to help advance its mission to promote the principles of individual liberty, economic freedom and limited, accountable government in Hawaii. A Grassroot Institute lobbyist will represent the organization before lawmakers at the state and county levels, testify on priority legislation before committees, councils and commissions and help mobilize public support for policy reform.

This position reports to the director of strategic campaigns.

• Track and analyze state and county legislation relevant to Grassroot’s core priorities, which include housing reform, tax policy, government spending and lifting regulatory burdens that drive up the state’s cost of living and hinder economic opportunities.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with legislators, legislative staff and government officials.
• Prepare and deliver written and oral testimony before legislative committees, county councils and various commissions or other government bodies.
• Support the director of strategic campaigns in developing and executing legislative strategy.

• Assist with mobilizing Grassroot supporters to engage lawmakers on key issues.
• Foster partnerships with stakeholder groups to advance mutual policy goals.
• Represent Grassroot at community events and coalition meetings.

• Work with Grassroot’s policy team to translate research into model bills, talking points, fact sheets and testimony.
• Track and report on legislative developments for internal planning and external communications.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen Grassroot’s influence in policy making.

• Comply with all lobbyist registration and reporting requirements of the Hawaii State Ethics Commission and county ethics agencies, as applicable.
• Represent Grassroot at state and national conferences when opportunities arise.
• Participate in staff calls and leadership team meetings.
• Perform other duties as needed to fulfill the mission of the organization.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Minimum two years of experience in government affairs, public policy, legislative work, political campaigns or a related field.
• Knowledge of the Hawaii legislative process, or the ability to learn it quickly.
• Strong writing and public speaking skills, including the ability to deliver clear, persuasive testimony.
• Ability to understand and explain complex policy issues to lawmakers and the general public.
• Comfort with building relationships across the political spectrum.
• Commitment to Grassroot’s mission of advancing individual liberty, economic freedom and limited, accountable government.
• Willingness to register as a lobbyist and work extended hours during the legislative session, as needed.
• Experience with AI systems or innovative technologies.

This is a full-time position.

Full-time employment includes:

• An annual salary of $70,000 to $120,000, reflective of experience.
• A comprehensive employee benefits program, including full medical, dental and vision coverage.
• A retirement plan with a 3% employer match, available after two years of consecutive employment and subject to the plan’s terms and provisions.
• Thirteen working days of paid time off per year. PTO is not available and does not accrue during the first six consecutive months of employment and cannot be carried into following years.
• Paid federal and select state holidays including Christmas and the day after Thanksgiving.

The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational institute devoted to advancing human flourishing through individual liberty, economic freedom and limited, accountable government.

This job description is not intended to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may be changed or assigned at any time without notice.