Director of Policy and Government Relations

If you love building relationships, working as part of a team, and lobbying at the state level to advocate for rural electric cooperatives and their member-consumers, then Indiana Electric Cooperatives (IEC) may be the right place for you.

Indiana Electric Cooperatives (IEC) has been around since 1935, and today our member cooperatives serve more than 1.3 million Hoosiers. At IEC, we work hard for our members and the communities we serve. We support our member cooperatives with various services that include job and safety training, government relations, regulatory compliance support, professional development and communication. We provide our members with the support they need to power their communities.

We offer an excellent benefit package that includes:

• Competitive salary
• Flexible work environment and paid time off
• Defined benefit pension plan (you read that right - we still have an incredible pension plan!)
• 401(k) plan with company match
• Health, vision, life and disability insurance
• Identity theft insurance
• Opportunities for learning and development
• Supportive culture and a work/life balance

As the director of policy and government relations, you will be a member of the government relations team and responsible for representing Indiana Electric Cooperatives (IEC), its member cooperatives and the generation and transmission cooperatives (G&Ts) in state government through lobbying and assisting in developing and implementing legislative and regulatory strategies and tactics as well as developing and expanding key relationships which include state agencies, state government and other external and internal stakeholders to advocate on behalf of IEC's member cooperatives and member-consumers.

The ability to work a flexible schedule, including some evenings and weekends, is necessary. Travel approximately 30 percent of the time, including overnight travel approximately 25 days per year, is required.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conducts lobbying at the state level on behalf of the association and its members; represents members in legislative committee and policy development hearings and meetings.
• Fosters and builds positive and collaborative relationships with members of the Indiana General Assembly, legislative staff and the executive branch.
• Directs and fosters relationships with Indiana state government agencies when advocating on behalf of IEC member cooperatives and member-consumers.
• Builds positive and collaborative relationships with members of Indiana's Congressional delegation and supports the vice president of government relations on federal issues.
• Supports the vice president of government relations with National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) issues and relationships.
• Directs and educates internal and external stakeholders on federal and state issues of consequence to IEC through formal meetings, events, written communication and delivered testimony.
• Provides the IEC executive leadership team with subject matter expertise on state governmental relations issues, legislative and executive branch processes and political issues.
• Focuses on policy development, research, and knowledge on issues related to IEC and its membership. Provides analysis and recommendations to address IEC priorities through state legislative or regulatory channels.
• Develops and conducts statewide, regional and local presentations to member cooperative boards, key staff, and employee and member meetings for state policy development and other government relations communications.
• Leads the association's broadband initiatives and objectives through the development, implementation, and execution of the association's strategic initiatives on broadband deployment throughout Indiana.
• Manages compliance and reporting for the government relations team.
• Provides IEC members with information on available grant programs. Works with state and federal agencies to develop grant programs beneficial for the association's members.
• Works in collaboration with the vice president of government relations and other department staff in strategizing, planning, developing, approving and implementing IEC's state legislative, regulatory, grassroots and political agenda.
• Effectively manages IEC's state and federal political action committees by processing and tracking contributions along with compliance, facilitating committee meetings, fundraising, creating and managing budgets, attending political fundraisers and creating strategic partnerships

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

To perform this job successfully, an individual should have an equivalent of the following education and/or experience.

• Bachelor's degree in communication, public policy, political science or a related field.
• Three to five years of direct experience in government relations, lobbying, grassroots program management and/or policy analysis is preferred.
• Valid driver's license.

If you meet the qualifications above and are interested in this position, please attach a cover letter and resume and provide salary requirements with your application per the link below.

Our human resources department or the hiring manager will contact qualified candidates.

Indiana Electric Cooperatives is an equal opportunity employer.