Senior Manager, State Government Affairs

Responsibilities

• Manage government affairs activities for an assigned group of states in alignment with broader state and federal advocacy strategies
• Serve as a state lobbyist in priority states, including drafting and negotiating bill language, supporting sponsor engagement, delivering or coordinating testimony, and assisting with committee and floor strategy
• Develop and maintain bipartisan relationships with state legislators, executive branch staff, and committee members; support engagement plans and relationship‑tracking efforts
• Act as a policy subject‑matter resource in one or more KHC‑relevant areas; assist in preparing position statements, regulatory comments, briefing materials, and executive talking points
• Represent KHC in state rule making processes and select external stakeholder or industry forums
• Participate in building and maintaining coalitions with other companies, trade associations, chambers of commerce, and aligned organizations to advance shared policy goals
• Monitor state legislative, regulatory, and ballot activity; summarize developments and provide timely updates with recommended next steps
• Support the management of outside consultants and contract lobbyists, including coordination of work plans, budgets, and compliance requirements
• Partner cross‑functionally with Legal, Regulatory, R&D, Supply Chain, ESG, Commercial, HR, and Communications teams to support issue management and state‑level response efforts

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Strong understanding of state legislative and regulatory processes, including lobbying and ethics compliance
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate policy developments into business‑relevant insights
• Solid project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities and work streams
• Sound judgment, high integrity, and discretion when handling confidential or sensitive matters
• Willingness to travel as needed
• 6–8 years of experience in state government, public policy, or state lobbying
• Demonstrated experience supporting or executing legislative or regulatory strategies, including drafting materials and engaging policymakers
• Exposure to at least one or two policy areas relevant to KHC (e.g., food policy, packaging, agriculture, environmental policy, tax, workforce/labor)
• Experience working with external consultants or coalition partners preferred
• Familiarity with state policy organizations such as NCSL, CSG, or NGA is a plus