Director, Legislative Affairs

TITLE: Director, Legislative Affairs

LOCATION: Alexandria, Virginia

FLSA: Exempt

DIVISION: Office of Legal Counsel

TRAVEL REQUIREMENT:
Minimal, less than 10%.

HOURS and SCHEDULE:
Generally, Monday – Friday, 9:00am to 5:30pm (minimum 37.5 hours within five (5) days per week); As necessary, the ability to work flexible hours and to be responsive to after-hours and time sensitive requests from NCMEC leadership and legislative offices is required.

REPORTS TO:
Position reports to the Senior Vice President, General Counsel.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:
The Director, Legislative Affairs will manage the Legislative Affairs Manager, the State Policy Counsel, and the Policy Program Assistant.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR PUBLIC CONTACT:
Daily contact requiring courtesy, discretion, and sound judgment.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
This position will work with the General Counsel to set strategy for, implement, and manage federal and state legislative outreach, advocacy, and lobbying, including the delivery of technical assistance, advocacy, and lobbying relating to legislative and policy issues in support of NCMEC’s mission, programs, and services.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Partner with the General Counsel, Legislative Affairs Manager, State Policy Counsel, and NCMEC senior management to develop and create strategies to prioritize NCMEC’s legislative and advocacy agenda and activities relating to federal and state child protection legislation and related issues supporting NCMEC’s mission.
• Create and manage strategy for increasing the range of interaction, relationships, and communications with federal and state legislative offices; private corporate and non-profit entities; and internal NCMEC staff on legislative issues that may impact or relate to NCMEC’s core programs of work.
• Manage and coordinate with the Legislative Affairs Manager and State Policy Counsel on multiple, simultaneous deliverables, deadlines and projects relating to federal and state initiatives.
• Collaborate with General Counsel on policy developments, substantive requests from the Hill and state legislators, and strategic policy decisions arising at the federal or state levels in order to coordinate organizational strategy and decision-making.
• Collaborate with internal staff to stay up to date on developments regarding NCMEC’s operational programs in order to continually benchmark impact of NCMEC’s legislative affairs agenda and strategy and to develop ideas for new legislative initiatives supporting NCMEC.
• Represent the organization when interacting with the Hill, governmental agencies; federal officials and staffers; non-profit and corporate entities; internal working groups; and partner coalitions.
• Work closely with Legislative Affairs Manager, State Policy Counsel, and internal staff to manage process for crafting organizational responses to legislative and related third party requests for guidance and technical assistance concerning proposed policy and federal legislative issues relating to NCMEC programs.
• Manage and oversee implementation of consistent workflows and document protocols relating to legislative and policy trackers, communications, and deliverables.
• Oversee drafting of written testimony, policy position papers, and briefing documents relating to NCMEC’s federal and state legislative priorities and positions.
• Liaise as requested with the Public Policy Committee of the Board of Directors on discussion and action items that arise.
• Ability to register as a federal lobbyist for NCMEC required.
• Oversee maintenance of NCMEC lobbying registrations.
• Present at Hill briefings, conferences, and related events regarding policy, regulatory, and legislative issues concerning NCMEC programs of work.
• Other duties and special projects as assigned by the General Counsel.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree required; JD preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years substantive experience relating to Congressional relations, federal and/or legislative affairs, and public policy matters required.
• Experience as a Congressional staffer required.
• Experience with and/or exposure to state legislative issues preferred.
• Experience working with federal appropriations and federal grant protocols strongly preferred.
• Previous experience working closely with non-profit organizations, for-profit corporations, or law firms lobbying on legislative matters required.
• Previous experience with and/or working knowledge relating to non-profit, child-related, constitutional, and/or technology-related issues required.
• Demonstrated experience developing and maintaining strategic relationships and open communication and collaboration with Congress and federal government agencies required.
• Experience working with non-profit organizations, or similarly situated entities, relating to developing and coordinating national and state policies on mission-related issues preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Working knowledge and experience with protocols and processes relating to Capitol Hill and federal government agencies, especially relating to appropriations and federal grant procedures.
• Working knowledge, and/or motivation and comfort gaining working knowledge, with protocols and processes relating to state legislative process.
• Strong written and oral communication and advocacy skills in support of NCMEC’s mission.
• Ability to interact and communicate appropriately with a range of internal and external colleagues and entities holding the same or different policy positions on issues relevant to NCMEC.
• Ability to perform as high-level strategic thinker and act decisively.
• Demonstrated skill and comfort analyzing technology processes and data to communicate and draft correspondence, briefing documents, and presentations for a variety of audiences.
• Excellent judgment in setting priorities and interacting with internal and external contacts.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively coordinate multiple projects and manage multiple staff through various workflows and prioritize multiple deliverables.
• Diligence and past success in pursuing positive outcomes in difficult situations.
• Ability and dedication to continued learning about evolving programs and operations of NCMEC.
• Demonstrated proficiency in using word processing, spreadsheet, and standard database software.
• Adaptability, flexibility and ability to work as part of a team and in an individual capacity.
• Ability to maintain the integrity and confidentiality of highly sensitive material and information.
• Passion for the issues affecting missing and exploited children.