Senior Government Affairs Manager

Senior Government Affairs Manager

The Senior Government Affairs Manager will be responsible for leading Western Resource Advocates and WRA Action Fund's legislative, regulatory, and administrative advocacy efforts in the relevant state. This position will involve working closely with WRA's program and communications staff to advance innovative legislative and administrative policy solutions critical to addressing the state's most pressing climate change challenges. The position will focus on advancing climate and conservation policies across WRA's three program areas.

The ideal candidate for this role is a highly motivated strategic thinker who possesses sound judgment, strong decision-making skills, and political acumen. This position may include supervision of others on the Government Affairs team.

WRA fights climate change and its impacts to sustain the environment, economy, and people of the West. Our team of policy experts, scientists, economists, and attorneys has a 30-year history of working where decisions are made, sweating the details, creating evidence-based solutions, and holding decision makers accountable. This on the ground work with policymakers and other advocates advances clean energy, protects air, land, water, and wildlife—and sustains the lives and livelihoods of the West.

The position can work remotely from the Carson City-Reno or Las Vegas metropolitan areas, be based in WRA's Reno office, or a hybrid remote and in-office setting.

• Lead WRA's government affairs work in the state and work collaboratively with program and communications staff to develop and implement public policy advocacy efforts with legislative and administrative decision makers in Nevada.
• Lead in prioritizing and planning activities and campaigns to advance policies in multiple decision-making forums including, but not limited to the State Legislature, regulatory decision-making bodies, etc.
• Partner with WRA program leaders and other WRA staff and contract lobbyists to develop legislative and other decision-maker targets to inform advocacy campaign planning.
• Partner with WRA team members, consultants, and partners to develop plans that advance WRA's objectives.
• Coordinate with WRA's policy and marketing and communications staff to craft communications strategies and messaging that accurately and persuasively convey WRA's advocacy positions to stakeholders and decision makers.
• Serve as WRA's senior liaison with elected leaders and other decision-makers in the state.
• Identify and manage effective coalitions of diverse partners in the region to advance WRA's priorities
• In coordination with program staff, read and analyze the potential impact of proposed legislation and administrative policies with little guidance or direction.
• Identify, recruit, and organize a diverse group of opinion leaders in the state to engage with decision makers in support of WRA's policies and positions
• Manages and oversees contract lobbyist and other consultants retained by Government Affairs department.
• Effectively communicate complex policy concepts to a diverse set of audiences.
• Monitor and track relevant state and local policies, rules, and regulations.
• Frequent travel to state capital during legislative session.

• Supervise interns, fellows, and other government affairs staff members.
• Assist with hiring and training of interns, fellows, and other government affairs staff.
• Provides constructive feedback and timely performance evaluations for direct reports.

Any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience, that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of this position, will be considered. For example, the requisite experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities would include:

• At least seven years of experience in a government affairs capacity for an elected official, government agency, private entity and/or nonprofit advocacy organization is required.
• A minimum of four years of proven experience leading, developing and executing strategic government affairs, external affairs, communications, and/or advocacy…