College Director of Legislative Affairs

Suffolk County Community College is the largest community college in the State University of New York (SUNY) system, enrolling more than 26,000 students at its three campuses in Selden, Brentwood, and Riverhead, as well as its Culinary Arts Center in Riverhead. Established in 1959, the college offers a wide array of transfer-oriented associate degrees in the liberal arts and sciences; business;

communications and the arts; computing and cybersecurity; health sciences; and many other areas. Career-facing degrees and certificates are offered in allied health professions, automotive technology, culinary and baking, manufacturing, and many other areas. The college provides high school concurrent enrollment opportunities to thousands of students each year through Suffolk’s Beacon program and on-campus early college classes. Designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic Serving Institution, Suffolk enrolls thousands of students in English Language Learning courses, and also serves more veterans and military-connected students than any other college in the SUNY system.

Reporting into the Office of Legal Affairs led by the College’s General Counsel, the Director of Legislative Affairs is responsible for monitoring, developing, and advancing the College’s priorities and profile on a local, state, and federal government relations and legislative level. The Director will also serve as a forward-facing liaison externally with government and elected officials, including the Suffolk County Legislature, the County Executive’s office, relevant offices within the County, the State Legislature, relevant offices within the New York State Executive branch, and other key government entities, elected officials, stakeholders and advocacy groups.

The Director supports the College President and senior leadership on government relations strategy and public policy matters. The Director will coordinate with the President’s Office and Office of Institutional Advancement on other College-based initiatives and projects, and with the Vice President for Student Affairs to support student-facing government relations programming and opportunities.

The successful candidate should be comfortable and effective at interacting and communicating with senior leadership within the College and externally and must exercise excellent judgment and professionalism.

• Serve as the primary staff liaison to the Board of Trustees Advocacy Committee, providing administrative, strategic, and operational support in the development, implementation, coordination, and evaluation of the Committee’s legislative, governmental relations, and public policy priorities. Coordinate meetings, prepare materials and reports, monitor action items, and facilitate attendant communication amongst Trustees, College leadership, students, and external stakeholders.
• Help identify and develop the College’s county, state, and federal government relations agendas and priorities, and formulate and implement strategies that create opportunities for the College to advance these priorities.
• Represent the College’s interests and positions to relevant government and elected officials, including but not limited to across Long Island and in Albany.
• Cultivate, maintain, and manage effective relationships with relevant local, state, and federal government and elected officials, industry and trade associations, and other external stakeholders and advocacy groups.
• Monitor and track education-related and other relevant legislation and budget initiatives that impact the College; keep appropriate internal stakeholders apprised of any related bill activity, movement or amendments.
• Conduct research, analysis, and make recommendations to the College President, General Counsel, Board of Trustees, and other senior leadership on legislative, government relations, and public policy issues; consult and work with the College President, General Counsel, Board of Trustees, and appropriate College offices as necessary to make recommendations and assist in formulating or communicating institutional positions or needs.
• Consult with relevant local, state, and federal…