Council, Constituent, and Intergovernmental Relations Manager

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In Salem, the Council, Constituent, and Intergovernmental Relations Manager plays a pivotal role in fostering effective communication and collaboration among the City Council, constituents, Salem’s legislative delegation, and various City departments. This position is responsible for managing support for City Council and constituent communications, coordination of the City’s legislative priorities with a team of subject matter experts and overseeing federal and state lobbyist contracts.

This role also writes state capital requests and facilitate meetings with legislative delegations. Success in this role requires a high level of organization, attention to detail, professional communications skills, and a strong understanding of the legislative processes to ensure that the City’s interests are effectively represented.

The City Manager’s Office values employees and their professional development. The department offers opportunities to attend conferences, as well as support for ongoing education and certifications.

The Council, Constituent, and Intergovernmental Relations Manager will serve as a key liaison between City Council, internal departments, and external partners by managing Council inquiries and ensuring accurate, consistent communication. You will develop and coordinate agendas for the City Council’s Legislative Committee, facilitate policy-focused discussions, and support the City’s advocacy efforts. Working closely with subject matter experts across departments such as the Fire Department, Climate Action, Housing, Economic Development, Police Department, and Legal, you will gather input to draft, vet, and deliver legislative testimony aligned with City priorities.

In this role, you will act as the City’s legislative liaison, collaborating with intergovernmental relations staff, lobbyists, and state representatives, organizing meetings with legislative delegations, and communicating the City’s positions clearly. You will also provide high-level support for council and constituent management, including preparing council members for meetings, responding to inquiries, and ensuring smooth pre-council communications.

• Serve as the primary liaison for Council inquiries, managing the council inquiry process to ensure consistent and accurate information dissemination to all council members and constituents.
• Develop and manage City Council Legislative Committee agendas, facilitating conversations that highlight key issues and guide policy statements for the City’s advocacy.
• Coordinate with subject matter experts (SMEs) across various fields, including Fire, Climate Action, Housing, Economic Development, Human Resources, Wastewater, Police Department, and Legal, to gather valuable input for legislative testimony and advocacy efforts.
• Write and vet testimony on behalf of the City, ensuring alignment with the City’s goals.
• Act as the legislative liaison, engaging with intergovernmental relations (IGR) and collaborating with external partners, including lobbyists and state representatives.
• Organize and lead meetings with legislative delegations, ensuring that the City’s priorities are effectively communicated and represented.
• Provide high-level support for constituent and council management, addressing the volume and complexity of inquiries with professionalism and efficiency.
• Facilitate pre-council meeting communications to prepare council members for meetings and discussion topics, and to provide response to Council questions.

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your family.
• Paid vacation and sick time in accordance with City policies.
• Competitive pay.
• Employer-paid PERS contribution of 6%.
• Opportunity for voluntary pre-tax contributions to a 457b account.
• Health care and dependent care flexible spending accounts.
• Voluntary long-term care.
• Employee wellness program.
• Employee assistance program.
• Employee health clinic.
• Position schedule is Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Our team follows a hybrid work structure where employees can…