Public Affairs & Strategic Partnerships Specialist

Public Affairs & Strategic Partnerships Specialist

About TESO Group
Founded in 2017 in New York, TESO Group is an Asian-inspired lifestyle retail company bringing premium Asian products and culture to the U.S. market. With brands including TESO LIFE, TESO X, and TESO Mini, we offer a curated mix of beauty, snacks, home goods, and trendy collectibles- delivering quality, value, and a unique shopping experience.

Position Overview

Based on the Company’s annual expansion plan and strategic priorities, this position is responsible for researching, planning, and executing external affairs and strategic partnership initiatives, supporting the Company in establishing and maintaining relationships with government agencies, economic development organizations, chambers of commerce, business associations, community organizations, schools, corporations, and other key partners.

This position focuses on researching the external environment and stakeholders in target markets. Based on the Company’s market-entry and store-opening plans, the role identifies cities and regions where priority relationships should be established, recommends relationship priorities, key organizations, communication objectives, and annual action plans, and, following CSO approval, coordinates execution and ongoing relationship maintenance.

This position is also responsible for external-relations support for new markets, routine communications with government agencies and chambers of commerce, coordination of external meetings and events, identification of strategic partnership opportunities and pipeline tracking, and continuous documentation and review of external contacts, action items, and relationship progress. For major government relationships, company-level strategic relationships, and major external partnerships, the CSO or another Company-designated leader serves as the Relationship Owner;

this position is responsible for research, preparation, coordination, routine maintenance, and follow-up actions.

This position does not replace Expansion, Construction, Marketing, the CAO, CFO, or other professional functions in assuming responsibility for site selection, permits, licenses, legal matters, finance, brand communications, or business operations. Without authorization, this position may not make investment, contractual, payment, policy, or other formal commitments on behalf of the Company.

Job Responsibilities

• External Affairs Strategy & Stakeholder Management
• Analyze external-relations needs based on the Company’s annual expansion and strategic priorities, and develop annual and quarterly external affairs and strategic partnership plans for CSO approval.
• Build a stakeholder map covering government agencies, economic development organizations, chambers of commerce, business associations, communities, schools, companies, and key partners.
• Classify external organizations based on strategic importance, partnership value, influence, and current relationship status, and recommend priority relationships and resource allocation.
• Define the Company owner, contact point, communication objectives, action plan, and next follow-up date for each priority relationship.
• Continuously update contacts, meetings, commitments, opportunities, risks, and partnership outcomes so external relationships do not rely solely on individual memory.
• Government & Economic Development Relations
• In accordance with the approved external affairs plan, establish and maintain routine contacts with government agencies, economic development organizations, and investment-promotion organizations in priority states, cities, and regions. The CSO or a Company-designated leader serves as Relationship Owner for major government and senior-level relationships.
• Research…