Government Affairs Manager

Houston Food Bank•Houston, TX

5h•Hybrid

About The Position

This position requires occasional evening and weekend work. The Government Affairs Manager is responsible for strategically identifying and building critical relationships with state government officials and guiding staff interactions with county and city government officials. This role proactively develops collaborative relationships with organizations working on factors that drive food insecurity to further Houston Food Bank’s vision of “a world that doesn’t need food banks.” This position researches and analyzes policies, communicates this information to internal and external stakeholders, and assists staff in creating opportunities to enhance the community’s advocacy skills so they can provide input to policymakers. This role is also responsible for preparing issue briefs, testimony, talking points, presentations, and other appropriate communiques to inform the community and elected officials. The Government Affairs Manager assists during times of disaster as a liaison between government entities and HFB departments and will be periodically called upon to share talking points with media. Adhere to PACT values. (Purpose: Using our strengths passionately to contribute to our mission. Accountability: Choosing to rise above one’s circumstances and demonstrating ownership to achieve results. See It. Own It. Solve It. Do It. Courage: Standing up for what’s right and acting. Transparency: Doing things openly and honestly).

Requirements

Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university in Political Science, Public Affairs, or a closely related field
3-5 years of related experience in strategic interaction with elected officials
3-5 years in public policy or related work
2-3 years of management experience with direct reports
Experience giving presentations and preparing memos, reports, and essays using proper punctuation, spelling, and grammar
Bilingual: speak and write in Spanish, Mandarin/Chinese, Vietnamese, or other language preferred
Must have reliable transportation, a valid driver’s license, and insurance.
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including but not limited to Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook
Ability to work with a diverse population, including the public
A passion for equity and ending poverty
Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively interact and communicate with all levels within the company in English
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, attention to detail
Ability to work effectively with situations that require tact and diplomacy
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with direct report(s), co-workers, and staff of other departments
Strong customer service skills and willingness to assist others, with the ability to communicate complex information clearly
Ability to prioritize tasks and delegate them when appropriate
Demonstrated ability to work independently to complete projects and effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams and senior-level leadership
Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously on a variable schedule based on project demand
Fluency in government policy and funding process, particularly at the state and local levels of government.
Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to effectively work and communicate with a diverse array of stakeholders
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced work environment
Ability to think strategically
Exceptional organizational and logistical skills
Excellent analytical skills (quantitative and qualitative)
Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and to work as part of a team
Carries out responsibilities in accordance with HFB policies.
Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions.
Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.
Is legally able to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual: speak and write in Spanish, Mandarin/Chinese, Vietnamese, or other language preferred

Responsibilities

Builds Relationships with State Government Officials.
Serves as a liaison to state government officials and their staff for areas served directly by HFB and through its partner organizations.
Assists in connecting state government officials with HFB or community stakeholders/resources that can meet the needs of their constituents.
Works with elected offices to arrange tours of HFB and HFB partner organizations.
Maintains a database of government officials and their staff and inputs significant touchpoints to track metrics.
Provides state government officials with information pertinent to their constituents, including data on food insecurity, HFB partners in their district/precinct, pounds of food distributed, etc.
Researches and analyzes policies that impact Houston Food Bank Affiliates, HFB partner organizations, and their clients, and communicates this information to internal and external stakeholders.
Researches and tracks information from various sources and stakeholders that could impact HFB’s operations or its client populations and reports this information to government officials.
Identifies opportunities for local government funding that would support HFB’s work and clients.
Tracks and reports on state election cycles.
Works with HFB Marketing and Communications Department and other Houston Food Bank staff to maintain and update content for the Action Center and advocacy webpage, including updated data on hunger and poverty, calls to action, and advocacy alerts on pertinent policy and legislation.
Works collaboratively with other HFB departments to understand the experience of HFB operations and programs and translates policy and government insights for HFB leadership.
Works with key stakeholders to elicit input on systems change and creates opportunities to enhance their advocacy skills and provide input to policymakers.
Collaborates with HFB staff who interact with community members to identify and train client advocates and creates opportunities for community dialogue about hunger and poverty-related challenges and potential systemic solutions.
Provides advocacy training for partner organizations.
Maintains consistent communication with HFB partner organizations to identify policy solutions that further HFB’s vision of “a world that doesn’t need food banks.”
Provides leadership for local government and community relations initiatives, overseeing engagement with local government officials, community organizations, and key stakeholders to advance organizational priorities, expand funding opportunities, influence public policy, and strengthen community partnerships that support the organization's mission
Collaborates with Houston Food Bank’s state association, Feeding Texas, and other food banks across the state in advancing the organization’s state legislative agenda.
Works with Houston Food Bank staff and other organizations to create our legislative agenda and successfully drive it through the state legislative process.
Regularly participates in statewide coalition meetings to stay aware of policy recommendations and changes.
Develops advocacy campaigns to support the advancement of HFB’s legislative agenda.
Assists the Government Relations senior leadership in serving as a disaster liaison to government entities.
Maintains up-to-date knowledge of resources and needs of internal and external stakeholders through consistent communication with state elected officials and other stakeholders as identified by the Government Relations senior leadership.
Ensures factors necessary for successful implementation of Government Relations Department COOP are in place and can be executed during times of disaster.
Manage one (1) or more direct reports by providing guidance and/or oversight to employees and/or contractors.
Develops and maintains roles, responsibilities, and expectations.
Practices performance management in support of employee development and performs administrative duties associated with being a people manager.
Responsibilities include interviewing, planning, assigning, directing work, and resolving problems.
Responsibilities also include sponsoring and participating in and/or supporting project teams sponsored by other management team members.