Communications Partnerships & Policy Manager

State of South Carolina•Lexington County, SC

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority (SC Housing) helps families across the state by creating safe, decent and affordable housing opportunities. Cultivating partnership with a broad range of public and private partners, including legislative and governmental officials, helps us form vital connections to support affordable housing initiatives across the state. We are looking to fill a critical position as Communications Partnerships and Policy Manager in order to support our external relations and affordable housing policy work.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Communications, Marketing, Journalism, Public Administration, Public Relations, or a related field of study.
At least 5 years of professional experience in housing policy, economic development or a related field.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, to include public speaking.
Ability to exercise diplomacy and discretion when working with key stakeholders, including the general public, in order to build support for agency programs and initiatives.
Ability to analyze complex program requirements and summarize those issues for broad audiences.
Excellent time management and project management skills.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with time constraints.
Ability to identify and leverage opportunities to promote community engagement.
Must have discretion, judgment and the ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive materials.
Must demonstrate integrity, honesty, trustworthiness and appropriate ethical behavior.
Proficiency with MS Office Suite.
Must have a valid SC driver's license.
Candidates must specifically meet the Agency Minimum Requirements or an equivalent combination of education and experience to be considered for this position.
An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted to meet the agency minimum requirements. (i.e. 1 year of education = 1 year of related experience)
Must be able to lift and carry files, books and reports weighing up to 20lbs.
Must be able to perform these tasks with or without reasonable accommodations.

Nice To Haves

Experience working and communicating with the legislative bodies, governmental officials and/or housing industry groups is strongly preferred.
Masters degree in Business Administration, Communications, Marketing, Journalism, Public Administration, Public Relations, Social Work or other advanced degree preferred.

Responsibilities

Support the agency’s communication with Federal and State lawmakers, interest groups, advocates, media outlets and constituents.
Work closely with the Strategic Communications Director and agency leadership to communicate program policy proposals and initiatives to legislative and governmental audiences.
Engage in on-the-spot interviews with media agents about the agency’s involvement in legislative proceedings and activities, as necessary.
Participate in meetings, forums, policy roundtables, panels and other outreach events to share information about agency programs, services and perspective on housing issues.
Gather information about varying housing needs in the state and the potential impact of proposals through outreach events.
Explore cross-sector partnership opportunities and facilitate discussions with the appropriate program areas.
Identify appropriate internal stakeholders or subject matter experts (SMEs) to lead discussions on technical policy planning aspects.
Ensure timely information sharing and follow-up on external opportunities with all involved parties.
Seek guidance and direction on key decision points from the Strategic Communications Director.
Ensure that commitments made on behalf of the agency are appropriately vetted with department and agency leadership.
Proactively engage discussions with a broad range of housing partners and stakeholders, advocates, public officials, and the community at large about housing needs, programs and opportunities.
Use multiple communication channels and tools to support discussions.
Collaborate with Communications team members to ensure content is written in plain language, and that the delivery of this information is easy to find, easy to access and easy to understand by the public.
Give interviews on social media platforms and podcasts.
Organize and manage the agency’s Annual Affordable Housing Summit.
Perform filing, desk work and operate general office equipment.
Sit or stand for prolonged or intermittent periods of time while sharing, gathering or presenting information to other staff members or external parties.

Benefits

Telecommuting options
Accrued Paid Time Off (15 days annual/vacation leave per year and 15 days sick leave per year)
13 paid holidays
PEBA Health, dental, vision, long term disability, and life insurance for employees, spouses, and children
PEBA Perks
Free Telehealth Visits for State Health Plan members
Free Health Coaching for State Health Plan members
State Retirement Plan
Deferred Compensation Programs
401k and 457 plans
MoneyPlus (tax-favored accounts program)
Employee Assistance Program
Employee Discount Programs (PerksCard, TicketsatWork, and WeSave)
Casual Fridays
Tuition Reimbursement Program (after 6 months of employment)
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Eligible Employer