Director, State Government Relations (Western Region) in Western Region, Arizona at CropLife America & RISE

CropLife America (CLA), a trade association located in the Washington, D.C. area, is seeking a full-time Director of State Government Relations. As a key member of the state team, the Director of State Government Relations represents the association on state legislative and regulatory policy and political matters. Job responsibilities include developing, implementing, and managing effective legislative and political strategies at the state and local levels in support of the organization’s priorities and objectives. The Director reports to the Vice President of Government Relations.

• Co-leads the State Affairs Committee (SAC), including overall strategy development, budget, coordination with members, and coordination with the Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment (RISE) State Affairs staff.
• Actively manage state and local issues that impact the pesticide industry within the geographic area of responsibility.
• Monitor, review, and analyze all relevant state legislation, identifying emerging policy issues to determine potential impacts on the pesticide industry.
• Develop legislative strategies to address issues and seek successful outcomes.
• Communicate actions, strategies, and threats to CLA staff, leadership, and members.
• Represent the organization with state and local government officials and policymakers.
• Coordinate across the organization to support legislative strategies with communications, legal, science, and regulatory support.
• Oversee and manage contract lobbyists and consultants, including lobbying, reporting, and ethics compliance requirements.
• Effectively work with state legislative, regulatory, and political organizations of importance to CLA with the objective of building relationships and knowledge of our industry and issues.
• Create and deliver persuasive correspondence, presentations, and advocacy materials, including testimony, policy positions, talking points, toolkits, grassroots alerts, briefings, reports, and backgrounders.
• Support management of the State Affairs Committee (SAC), including meeting preparation, management, and follow-up, coordinating CLA staff involvement, and addressing SAC members’ needs.
• Other duties as assigned by the Vice President.

Education/Experience:

• BA/BS degree in political science, communications, public relations, agriculture, environmental science, or a similar field.
• A minimum of 10 years of experience in a related position.
• Prior work experience in state government relations is required.
• The ability to produce effective writing, including distilling complex or technical information into concise and influential communications, is essential.

Additional Qualifications:

• Demonstrates excellent organizational, issues management, and analytic skills, along with the ability to take a proactive, self-directed approach.
• Develops and successfully maintains effective relationships with association members, allies, policymakers, lobbyists, coalitions, grassroots stakeholders, and teammates.
• Skilled and influential speaker and writer, able to communicate clearly and concisely with legislators and staff, allied organizations, association members, and other industry leaders.
• Capable and motivated to learn and accumulate technical and other knowledge about the pesticide industry.
• Demonstrates flexibility, sound judgment, discretion, and political acumen.
• Skilled problem solver who can make decisions under pressure and in complex situations.
• Manages multiple priorities and meets tight deadlines.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, legislative bill tracking tools, and social media.
• Travel is required approximately 50% of the time.