Head of Public Affairs and Industry Outreach, SVP

Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco•San Francisco, CA

About The Position

Purpose: Responsible for working with the CEO, the Leadership Team, and the Board of Directors, on developing, managing, and executing public affairs strategies that achieve business, operating, regulatory, and community goals. Lead engagement with government relations staff, including outside consultants, across all levels of government, civic, trade and industry associations, as well as with civic leaders, other Federal Home Loan Banks and the Council of Federal Home Loan Banks. Success will result in effective advocacy and implementation and execution of priorities that support, promote and protect the Bank and the FHLBank System’s mission and business. These efforts are intended to broaden and strengthen support for the Bank and the FHLBank System and build goodwill. Reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer. Major Accountabilities: Strategy: Principally responsible for the development and execution of strategies to inform and influence public policy at the federal, state, and local levels on issues and in areas of interest to the Bank, including legislative and regulatory matters. Engagement: Serve as primary liaison with federal, state, and local policymakers in the legislative and administrative branches. Establish relationships with key federal, state, and local officials and business and housing leaders whose policies and recommendations may relate to or impact the Bank, or who can assist in promoting regulation and legislation in support of the Bank’s mission and business. Proactively conduct outreach to these policymakers to educate them about the Bank and seek support of Bank’s policy priorities and positions. Focus on the states in the Bank’s district of California, Nevada, and Arizona, and transparently engage with the other Federal Home Loan Banks and the Council of Federal Home Loan Banks regarding national strategies. Policy Positions: Develop recommendations for the Bank’s positions on legislative, regulatory, and policy issues affecting the Bank and its business lines, and provide critical insights as to likelihood and possible timing of enactment. Identify state, local, and trade association issues relevant to the Bank’s mission and business, and develop proposed positions. System Partnership: Prioritize work with the Council and its engagement with FHLBank System’s Government Relations teams to further the objectives of the Council and support the FHLBank System. Budget and staff management: Manage the internal staff and external consultants, and prepare and manage the budget for the public affairs team, in full compliance with the Bank’s administrative requirements and with the highly ethical standards expected of a regulated financial institution with an important public mission. Manage budget for outside lobbyists in support of the Bank’s public policy agenda. Relationships: Proven ability to build highly trusting, collaborative and transparent relationships with key stakeholders across legislative ecosystem, FHLB System peers and Council of Federal Home Loan Banks, as well as internally at the Bank. Understand criticality of operating as part of a broad team, and the value of leveraging trusted partnerships based upon transparency to advance the agenda of the system with key legislative partners. Communications: In partnership with the head of Marketing and External Communications, develop communication plans that provide relevant Bank policy positions to various external stakeholder groups, including think tanks, government policymakers, policy opinion leaders, trade media, and others. Directly or through engagement with internal communications and business leads and external consultants, develop written materials, including one-pagers, opinion pieces, and articles, on current issues to use in educating and informing relevant stakeholders, including regulators and legislators. Board: Manage the preparation of materials relating to legislative or public affairs for the Board of Directors and Committees of the Board, and engage with the Board as directed. Spokesperson: Serve as spokesperson at Congressional, state, and local events and with community groups and trade associations on legislation, public policy, and regulatory proposals and other highly sensitive matters. Convene policymakers, Bank members, and housing and community stakeholders to participate in Congressional and policy roundtables, and moderate and facilitate convened roundtables. Associations: Identify and participate in relevant industry associations, events and task forces and proactively build relationships and engage leadership of national, state, and local public policy organizations. Monitor and Evaluate: Continuously monitor, analyze, and evaluate legislative and regulatory proposals and state and local policies, regulations or legislation that could impact the Bank, its operations, and services to its members; determine needs for action and develop strategies and recommend action to be taken.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience is required.
Working knowledge of state and federal lobbying laws and regulations.
Seven or more years in government relations on behalf of a government agency, corporation, or trade association or as a legislative staff member in a district office.
Strong existing relationships with local, state, and federal business, housing, community, and government leaders in the Bank’s Arizona, California, and Nevada district.
Three years of management and budget experience, including ability to motivate, lead, set objectives, and manage performance of a small high-performing team.
Strong strategy and planning skills; an ability to think forward and plan over a 1–3-year time span.
Ability to thrive in a demanding, highly regulated environment; flexible; able to work autonomously as well as take direction as needed.
Demonstrated ability to build and lead coalitions in support of shared objectives.
Exceptional written and oral communication skills and experience.

Nice To Haves

An M.B.A., J.D., or Masters in Public Policy is a plus.
Experience lobbying in financial services, banking, or capital markets, and working with senior staff and Boards of Directors is valued.
Direct experience in banking, financial services, and housing or housing finance policy and demonstration of related technical expertise is preferred.
Additional years of government relations experience in senior roles may be substituted for management experience.
Budget and management experience for team of outside consultants retained at federal, state, and/or local level.
Expert knowledge of current and evolving political, legislative, and regulatory trends that could impact the Bank, its members, and the Federal Home Loan Bank System on a federal or state level.

Responsibilities

Developing and executing strategies to inform and influence public policy at the federal, state, and local levels
Serving as primary liaison with federal, state, and local policymakers
Establishing relationships with key federal, state, and local officials and business and housing leaders
Conducting outreach to policymakers to educate them about the Bank and seek support of Bank’s policy priorities and positions
Developing recommendations for the Bank’s positions on legislative, regulatory, and policy issues
Identifying state, local, and trade association issues relevant to the Bank’s mission and business, and develop proposed positions
Prioritizing work with the Council and its engagement with FHLBank System’s Government Relations teams
Managing the internal staff and external consultants, and prepare and manage the budget for the public affairs team
Managing budget for outside lobbyists in support of the Bank’s public policy agenda
Building highly trusting, collaborative and transparent relationships with key stakeholders
Developing communication plans that provide relevant Bank policy positions to various external stakeholder groups
Developing written materials, including one-pagers, opinion pieces, and articles, on current issues
Managing the preparation of materials relating to legislative or public affairs for the Board of Directors
Serving as spokesperson at Congressional, state, and local events and with community groups and trade associations
Convening policymakers, Bank members, and housing and community stakeholders to participate in Congressional and policy roundtables
Identifying and participating in relevant industry associations, events and task forces
Monitoring, analyzing, and evaluating legislative and regulatory proposals and state and local policies, regulations or legislation