Lead Specialist, Government Relations

Pearson • United States,

2d • $50,000 - $140,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Pearson is seeking a Lead Specialist, Government Relations to support and advance state-level government relations, public affairs and policy engagement activities across a defined portfolio of U.S. states. This is an excellent opportunity for someone with experience in government relations, public affairs, advocacy, policy, education, workforce development or legislative affairs who enjoys working at the intersection of policy, politics and business strategy. You'll help Pearson build relationships with policymakers, monitor legislative and regulatory activity, develop policy materials and support advocacy initiatives that influence the future of education, workforce development and assessment programmes across the United States. Working closely with Government Relations leadership, internal business stakeholders and external partners, you'll help ensure Pearson remains informed, engaged and well positioned as policy landscapes continue to evolve.

Requirements

• Experience in Government Relations, Public Affairs, Policy, Advocacy, Legislative Affairs or related fields.
• Good understanding of state legislative, regulatory and public policy processes.
• Strong research, analytical and policy-monitoring skills.
• Excellent writing, editing and communication capabilities.
• Ability to translate complex policy developments into clear business implications.
• Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
• Experience balancing multiple priorities and delivering high-quality work in fast-paced environments.
• Highly organised with exceptional attention to detail.

Nice To Haves

• Experience within Education, Workforce Development, Assessment or Public Sector environments.
• Experience supporting state-level government relations programmes.
• Experience working with policymakers, government agencies, associations or coalitions.
• Exposure to public policy issues affecting education, workforce development, assessment or credentialing.
• Experience managing relationships with external consultants or lobbying firms.

Responsibilities

• Support government relations strategy and execution across an assigned portfolio of U.S. states.
• Help coordinate advocacy initiatives, stakeholder outreach and engagement activities.
• Support implementation of state-level engagement plans and government relations priorities.
• Monitor emerging political, legislative and regulatory developments and elevate key risks and opportunities.
• Prepare briefing materials and recommendations for Government Relations leadership.
• Support the Senior Lead, U.S. Government Relations in providing advocacy support to Pearson's Assessments & Qualifications business.
• Track legislation, regulations and education policy developments affecting Pearson's business and customers.
• Analyse policy developments and communicate business impacts to internal stakeholders.
• Maintain legislative trackers, policy monitoring tools and reporting processes.
• Prepare concise policy summaries, issue briefs and executive-level updates.
• Research emerging policy trends and identify potential strategic implications.
• Support engagement with policymakers, state education agencies, legislative staff, trade associations and coalition partners.
• Coordinate meetings, briefings, outreach efforts and follow-up activities.
• Help communicate Pearson's policy positions and priorities to external stakeholders.
• Represent Pearson in meetings, working groups, policy discussions and industry forums where appropriate.
• Partner with Product, Legal, Compliance, Communications, Sales and business teams to ensure policy activity aligns with organisational priorities.
• Gather input from internal subject matter experts to support policy positions and advocacy materials.
• Coordinate activity with external consultants, advisors and lobbying partners.
• Support development of aligned policy messaging and stakeholder communications.
• Maintain organised policy trackers, engagement records and reporting tools.
• Create and improve templates, workflows and internal documentation.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives that increase team efficiency and visibility.
• Ensure policy materials and communications are accurate, timely and aligned with Pearson objectives.

Benefits

• Annual incentive program
• Information on benefits offered is here https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https://pearsonbenefitsus.com/&data=04|01|[email protected]|2c256513c79f4679be7c08d9e7287ebb|8cc434d797d047d3b5c514fe0e33e34b|0|0|637794983376381246|Unknown|TWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0=|3000&sdata=t1YQPUL7BgoclUd7yE2i86QAirLf4z3z8OEWgr42q7c=&reserved=0

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed