Senior Manager - State Government Relations and Public Affairs
$80,337–$80,337 year
RemoteUnited States or Remote, Oregon, United States
Job Summary
Monitor legislative sessions and regulatory proceedings across Western and Midwestern states, ensuring no significant developments reach leadership as a surprise. Develop proactive relationships with state legislators, governors' offices, and agencies to build political goodwill before it is needed, while translating policy developments into clear intelligence for institutional leaders. Manage contract lobbyists by setting clear direction, tracking activity against priorities, and conducting regular performance assessments to ensure they drive the agenda. Serve as the regional GR partner for campus leaders, advising on clinical placement access, financial aid eligibility, and state authorization frameworks to support campus expansion and new market entry. Act as an early warning system for policy issues and opportunities, coordinating with Legal on compliance matters and managing state political contributions and lobbying registrations. Work in partnership with the broader public affairs function to integrate advocacy with earned media and community positioning.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's Degree public policy, law, or related field
- Master's Degree public policy, law, or related field
- 7+ years state government relations, public affairs, legislative affairs, or a closely related field
- Demonstrated experience working in or closely with state legislative or executive branch environments
- Track record of managing external consultants or lobbyists with clear direction and measurable accountability
- Familiarity with state political contribution processes, lobbying disclosure requirements, and campaign finance compliance
- Experience serving as a trusted advisor to institutional or business leaders on government affairs matters
- Deep working knowledge of state legislative processes, with the ability to track and synthesize activity across multiple states and sessions simultaneously
- Builds and maintains relationships with state officials and legislative staff
- Strong political instincts: knows when to engage directly, when to work through coalition, and when to hold
- Translates complex policy developments into clear, actionable guidance for non-GR audiences including campus presidents and segment executives
- Manages external lobbyists with clear direction and accountability — sets the agenda rather than inheriting theirs
- Strong written communicator: policy memos, legislative briefs, stakeholder correspondence, and briefings for senior leadership
- Highly adaptable; brings a sense of urgency to emerging issues while maintaining accuracy and strategic focus in a fast-moving environment
- Comfortable operating in an integrated GR/PA function where advocacy and narrative are treated as complementary, not separate
- Familiarity with legislative intelligence platforms (Quorum or similar) and a data-informed approach to tracking and reporting outcomes
- Bachelor's Degree public policy, law, or related field required
- Master's Degree public policy, law, or related field preferred
Desired Qualifications
- Background in healthcare, higher education, or another regulated industry
- Familiarity with state financial aid frameworks, clinical education policy, or state authorization of distance education
- Demonstrated experience working in or closely with state legislative or executive branch environments, ideally within your region
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