Snr Manager Government & Public Affairs

Sasol•Houston, TX

About The Position

The purpose of the Senior Manager, Government & Public Affairs is to develop and implement a global external stakeholder relations program that aligns advocacy strategies with company objectives. This role involves leading a team of global government and public affairs practitioners and lobbyists to deliver in-country government, industry, and fenceline community stakeholder engagement, issues management, and corporate social investment strategy. The position requires identifying, tracking, and managing external stakeholders and issues with measurable objectives and results-based action plans. It also involves building and managing relationships with key external stakeholders, including government officials, policymakers, fenceline community stakeholders, industry associations, advocacy groups, and media contacts. The role requires tracking relevant issues, legislation, regulations, and political developments, analyzing their potential impact on the organization, and providing timely updates, analysis, and counsel to internal stakeholders. Additionally, it involves identifying and participating in coalition-building efforts and strategic partnerships to amplify advocacy efforts and achieve policy objectives. Collaboration with Corporate Communications is essential to ensure consistent messaging. The Senior Manager will represent Sasol at industry and government meetings, prepare executive leadership for interactions with government officials, and serve as the lead company representative with key national and international trade associations, business councils, and coalitions. Building Global GAPA organizational capability, counseling executive leadership and other stakeholders on government affairs, managing lobbyists, and ensuring compliance with advocacy laws are also key responsibilities. The role supports Corporate Comms with media relations, develops crisis communication responses, and establishes global policies and protocols for government relations. This position serves on the Global IC Corporate Affairs leadership team.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, communications, public relations, public policy, government or related field
15+ years of proven leadership experience working with or in government, government and public affairs agencies or oil/gas/petrochemical corporate affairs, public interest groups or corporate public policy organizations.
Strategic policy analysis and development: Ability to understand and interpret legislative and regulatory environments, anticipate policy changes, and develop strategies that align with organizational objectives.
Legislative and regulatory knowledge: Deep understanding of legislative and regulatory processes, including knowledge of how laws are made, familiarity with key regulatory bodies, and an understanding of the implications of legislative changes on the organization.
Business acumen: Possess a deep understanding of Sasol’s global chemicals business, technologies, products, customers, product life cycles, sustainability, and growth strategies as well as the political and policy landscape in key operating regions to anticipate and forecast reputation risks and opportunities, policy accelerators and impediments.
Stakeholder engagement and relationship building: Ability to understand the interests and motivations of various stakeholders, including policymakers, interest groups and community leaders. Ability to foster trust, advocate professionally and effectively and ensure the organization’s voice is heard in the policy-making process.
Data analysis and policy impact assessment: Must be adept at analyzing data to assess the impact of policies and regulations. This includes ability to interpret legislative data, economic indicators, and performance metrics to understand trends, measure policy impact, and identify opportunities for advocacy.
Communication : Ability to craft clear and persuasive messages, manage media relations and communicate complex policy issues to diverse audiences. It also includes public speaking, writing policy briefs and engaging in public forums enabling the company’s positions to resonate with both policymakers and the public.
Leadership and team collaboration: Ability to inspire, guide and motivate cross-functional teams toward common advocacy goals. Must have excellent communication and conflict resolution skills and an ability to foster a collaborative work environment.

Responsibilities

Lead a team of global government and public affairs practitioners and lobbyists to deliver in-country government, industry and fenceline community stakeholder engagement, issues management and corporate social investment strategy.
Identify, track, and manage external stakeholders and issues, with measurable objectives and results-based action plans.
Build and manage relationships with key external stakeholders, including government officials, policymakers, fenceline community stakeholders, industry associations and advocacy groups as well as local and regional media contacts.
Track relevant issues, legislation, regulations, and political developments, analyze their potential impact on the organization and provide timely updates, analysis, and counsel to internal stakeholders.
Identify and participate in coalition-building efforts and engage in strategic partnerships to amplify our advocacy efforts and achieve policy objectives.
Work closely with Corporate Communications to ensure consistent messaging to all stakeholders internally and externally.
Represent Sasol at industry and government meetings and functions and/or prepare the executive leadership team members for interactions with government officials, foreign ministers and officials to deliver key messages around Sasol International Chemicals’ business and policy objectives.
Serve as the lead company representative with key national and international trade associations, business councils and coalitions across the designated regions.
Identify opportunities to leverage these groups to advance advocacy and reputational objectives.
Build GAPA organizational capability globally.
Counsel and develop government affairs capability/policy acumen for executive leadership and stakeholder relationship owners, managers and spokespersons, as well as commercial teams and Corporate Affairs colleagues.
Manage lobbyist registration and performance of contract lobbyists and consultants.
Ensure compliance with relevant government advocacy laws and regulations.
Work with Corporate Affairs colleagues to create and maintain messaging for International Chemicals major issues and initiatives, ensuring compliance with disclosure requirements and alignment with Sasol Group Investor Relations and Communications.
Support Corporate Comms colleagues with local/regional/issue-specific media relations.
Work with Corporate Affairs colleagues to develop, test and – as necessary – execute a comprehensive crisis communications response for both operational and non-operational crises.
Develop consistent, global policies and protocols for government relations, coalition-building, public policy, leg/reg analysis, advocacy, and lobbying for the company.
Serve on the Global IC Corporate Affairs leadership team.