Government Relations Advocate

Association of Washington Cities (AWC) is recruiting a full-time Government Relations Advocate to join our dynamic and fast-paced team. This position advances city government interests with state and local government elected and appointed officials, and influence the development of laws, policies, budgets, and regulations for state and local programs which affect cities, with a focus on public safety and criminal justice, open government, social and human services, and assorted government issues related to cities and towns.

AWC is a vibrant organization supported by 70 employees who are passionate about serving our members through advocacy, education, and services. We have a diverse staff with subject matter expertise in various areas.

What we offer:

• Salary range for this position is $103,847- $131,107 annually
• Exceptional benefits: medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Vacation and sick leave
• Paid holidays
• 401k with employer matching
• Sabbatical program
• Staff events
• Training and development opportunities
• A workplace where you know you are providing valuable services and making a difference

This position may telework 1 2 days a week depending on the needs of the team and AWC.

During the legislative session, this position works full-time in the AWC office in Olympia.

What you ll be doing

• Develop and/or advance state legislation that promotes or defends the organization s members interests; work to defeat or improve legislation that is detrimental to city government
• Advocacy work to advance or defeat/amend legislation includes testimony before state legislative committees and rulemaking bodies
• Work with city officials and various policy committees and others to craft the organizations and state policy objectives
• Communicate with elected and appointed city officials regarding state legislative and agency actions or rule making that affects them. Promote action by city officials as appropriate
• Serve as the city representative on various task forces and committees representing member cities
• Provide critical analysis of proposed policies that might affect cities, including tax and revenue proposals, and quickly communicate this information to legislative, agency staff and others

What you bring to the team

• Bachelor s degree in political science, public administration, finance or a related field required. Master s degree preferred
• 5 years experience as a municipal official, intergovernmental relations or lobbying experience, or as a staff member with a state legislature, or other legislative experience
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills and the ability to articulate complex information in a form which is comprehensible to a diverse audience
• Ability to establish and maintain excellent working relationships with legislators, legislative staff, executive branch agencies and numerous other stakeholders to advance the causes of cities
• Skilled at negotiating positions and strategizing on how to advance those positions
• Have superior understanding of cities and city operations/responsibilities
• In depth knowledge of the legislative process, including bill writing, budget writing, and legislative procedures

How to apply

Visit the AWC website to apply and view the job description. Only candidates who reflect the minimum qualifications listed in the job description will be considered.

All new AWC employees must demonstrate they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to employment, unless granted a reasonable accommodation due to disability or sincerely held religious belief.

Recruitment closes on October 17, 2022 at 5:00 pm.

To request reasonable accommodations in the application process, please contact us.

We subscribe to the principles of an equal opportunity employer and shall recruit, interview, hire, classify, train, promote, demote, discipline, transfer, terminate, and set rates of pay or other compensation on the basis of merit and qualification without regard to race, religion, creed, sexual orientation, color, national origin, physical disability, sex, age, gender identity, or genetics.