Associate Director of Federal Relations (Location: Washington, D.C.)

Required Qualifications

• Master's preferred in Public Policy or related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Professional experience 3-5 years working with the federal government and/or legislative activities in a federal agency or Congress.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and possess highly developed organizational skills.
• Extensive proficiency in the following competencies:
  • Communications: Knowledge of oral and written communications issues and ability to express oneself and communicate with others verbally and appropriately, and produce a variety of business documents that demonstrate command of language, clarity of thought, and orderliness of presentation.
  • Planning (Tactical/Strategic): Ability to contribute to operational (short term), tactical (1-2 years) and strategic (3-5 years) planning in support of the overall advocacy and government relations strategy.
  • Public Relations: Knowledge of organizational practices and considerations for communicating in the public arena, from the University community to members of Congress, congressional staff, and federal agencies.
  • Legislative Analysis: Knowledge of analysis and application of legislation as it applies to higher education and the University of Iowa.
  • Relationship Management: Ability to establish and build healthy working relationships and partnerships with colleagues within and external to the University, the public, regulatory/governmental agencies, etc., all of whom may be seen as "customers" or receivers of services provided by the University.

Desirable Qualifications

• Five years or more of progressively responsible experience within a federal agency, Congress, or relevant entity; particularly in federal research policy and/or advocacy.
• Experience with research agency programs and mechanisms (e.g. National Science Foundation, NASA, Department of Energy), including federal policies and compliance, research agency structures, and priority establishment mechanisms.
• Experience and demonstrated success working with faculty and academic environments.
• Knowledge and thorough understanding of the structure and operations of major research universities, especially in relation to federal agencies and Congress.
• Ability to effectively comprehend university priorities in order to develop effective advocacy strategies, and to successfully represent the university’s broad federal interests to Congress and within the broader higher education community.

Application and Position Details

• In order to be considered for an interview, applicants must upload the following documents and mark them as a “Relevant File” to the submission:
  • Resume
  • Cover Letter
• Job openings are posted for a minimum of 14 calendar days. This job may be removed from posting and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended. Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check and credential/education verification. 5 professional references will be requested at a later step in the recruitment process. For additional questions, please contact Libby Kleppe at libby-kleppe@uiowa.edu.

Benefits Highlights

• Regular salaried position. Located in Washington, D.C.
• Fringe benefit package including paid vacation; sick leave; health, dental, life and disability insurance options; and generous employer contributions into retirement plans.
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