Manager, Governmental Affairs

Southern Company•Naperville, IL

5h•Hybrid

About The Position

Reporting to the Director of Government Affairs, the Manager of Government Affairs partners with the Director of Government Affairs to design and operationalize the department’s strategic planning, operating model, and cross-functional execution, while supporting stakeholder relationships and business needs. Furthermore, this role involves shaping departmental objectives into actionable strategies; spearheading and calibrating initiatives led by the department and in collaboration with other business units; and engaging and influencing key stakeholders to support business priorities and initiatives. This role is accountable for establishing structured planning, performance visibility, and governance frameworks to ensure disciplined execution and measurable outcomes across Government Affairs.

Requirements

B.S./B.A. degree in business, public affairs, communications or related studies
5+ years of management in external affairs, corporate and/or customer program implementation, utility operations, or equivalent experience and/or training
Experience with legislative and/or administrative process
Experience as a registered lobbyist, grassroots campaigns, or equivalent experience and/or training
Demonstrated community/civic engagement
Excellent written, verbal and effective communication skills
Demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective interpersonal relationships
Marketing, communications, influencing, and/or negotiation skills
Sound Judgment and decision making
High ethical competence and personal character strengths
Strong commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
Proficiency at MS Word, SharePoint, MS Excel and PowerPoint.

Nice To Haves

Experience in Illinois state or municipal affairs
Master of Business Administration degree and/or Project Management Certifications

Responsibilities

Develop and execute government affairs comprehensive roadmap involving high-level project management performance, including: Establishing and facilitating a consistent planning and coordination cadence, Define escalation paths and decision thresholds, Maintaining clarity on roles, ownership, and boundaries across the department
Analyze legislative, regulatory, and political developments to assess business impacts and recommend proactive strategies
Identify emerging risks and opportunities, ensuring departmental objectives and that overall company goals are positioned for long-term success
Ensure priorities, capacity, and extremal commitments are balanced holistically
Prepare concise executive-level briefings on priorities, risks, and upcoming activity
Design and implement the Government Affairs operating model, including planning cadence, governance structure, and performance tracking frameworks
Establish and maintain KPI dashboards and reporting to provide visibility into legislative activity, stakeholder engagement, and enterprise risk
Synchronize and collaborate across business units to establish synergies and alignment among legislative, regulatory, and company operational priorities
Lead the development and execution of integrated project plans, governance structures, and enterprise alignment mechanisms to ensure successful delivery of cross-functional initiatives
Ensure outreach, messaging, and engagement occur only when readiness thresholds are met as established by the department lead and originated plans
Create department presentations, talking points, reports, and any other needed materials or resource/references for internal and external use
Support internal and external stakeholder needs through structured communication, reporting, and coordination
Attend internal and external meetings and forums assigned and as proxy to Director of Government Affairs
Develop and maintain a centralized legislative and stakeholder tracking system (CRM or equivalent)
Create executive dashboards and reporting frameworks to track priorities, risks, and outcomes
Establish regular governance cadence (weekly, monthly, quarterly) to drive accountability and alignment
Ensure clear ownership, decision-making frameworks, and escalation paths across initiatives
Drive continuous improvement in how Government Affairs plans, executes, and measures impact across the enterprise
Contribute in developing and delivering clear, persuasive messaging to advance company positions
Build and maintain strong relationships with policymakers, regulators, industry associations, and community stakeholders, and collaborate with respective parties on projects and initiatives
Represent the company in external meetings, hearings, coalitions, and industry association
Influence policy outcomes through coordinated advocacy, trusted relationships, and department tools and resources