Government Affairs Manager

This is  a non-merit position. Candidates must follow the instructions in the "To Apply" section.  Positions in this class are exempt from the screening and referral requirements of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services - Human Resources Enterprise.

Government Affairs Manager

Why Iowa PBS? 

Iowa PBS is Iowa's statewide public broadcasting network. Approximately 100 full and part-time employees work at Iowa PBS serving our audiences with local programs, broadcast services, and education and outreach initiatives that contribute to our mission. Our organization is made strong by highly-qualified, diverse and talented staff members who are vital to Iowa PBS's future. Working at Iowa PBS will provide you the opportunity for robust career development. We consider the employees at Iowa PBS to be our most valuable resource.

Position Overview

Iowa PBS seeks an experienced and strategic Government Affairs Manager to serve as the organization’s lead advisor on governmental relations, legislative affairs, and public policy matters. Reporting directly to the Executive Director, this Executive Officer 3 position provides leadership in monitoring, analyzing, and responding to legislative, regulatory, and governmental activities that affect Iowa PBS, public broadcasting, education, and communications policy.

The Government Affairs Manager serves as an Iowa PBS legislative liaison and works collaboratively with the Executive Director, leadership team, and staff across the organization to identify policy opportunities and risks, develop legislative strategies, coordinate governmental reporting and communications, and advance the organization’s mission to educate, inform, enrich, and inspire Iowans.

The Government Affairs Manager contributes to strategic planning efforts, provides executive-level policy analysis and recommendations, and helps ensure Iowa PBS remains a trusted and effective public service organization serving communities across the state.

Key Responsibilities

Government Relations and Legislative Affairs

• Serve as an Iowa PBS legislative liaison, coordinating with and advising the Executive Director on legislative, governmental, and public policy matters affecting the organization.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with legislators, congressional staff, government officials, and external stakeholders.
• Represent Iowa PBS before legislative committees, government agencies, and other governmental bodies on behalf of the organization.
• Coordinate Iowa PBS engagement with Iowa’s federal congressional delegation on issues affecting public broadcasting, education, telecommunications policy, and federal funding priorities.
• Develop and implement strategies that advance Iowa PBS’s legislative, regulatory, and public policy objectives.

Policy Analysis and Executive Advising

• Monitor legislative, regulatory, and governmental developments and coordinate organizational review of issues that may affect Iowa PBS operations, funding, services, and strategic priorities.
• Advise the Executive Director and leadership team on emerging policy issues and recommend organizational responses and strategies.
• Collaborate with the Business Office and other divisions to evaluate fiscal, operational, and programmatic impacts of proposed legislation and policy initiatives.
• Participate in organizational strategic planning and leadership initiatives and help position Iowa PBS to effectively respond to emerging legislative, regulatory, and public policy developments.

Reporting, Compliance, and Organizational Communications

• Lead the coordination and submission of Iowa PBS state and federal governmental reporting responsibilities, ensuring the timely, accurate, and effective preparation of reports, filings, and official communications required by legislative, executive branch, regulatory, and oversight entities.
• Coordinate the preparation and submission of Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reports, filings, compliance requirements, and related communications, working collaboratively with appropriate Iowa PBS divisions and subject matter experts.
• Develop executive briefings, policy analyses, testimony, and other materials that support decision-making and communicate Iowa PBS’s public service impact.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience serving as a legislative liaison or leading governmental affairs, government relations, public policy, or intergovernmental relations activities for a public, nonprofit, educational, media, or governmental organization.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze legislation, regulatory actions, and public policy issues and develop strategic recommendations for organizational leadership.
• Experience coordinating governmental reporting, regulatory compliance activities, and official communications with state, federal, or oversight agencies, including preparation of reports, filings, testimony, or briefing materials.
• Proven ability to build and maintain productive relationships with legislators, congressional staff, government officials, and external partners.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate cross-functional initiatives, build consensus, and develop organizational responses to legislative, regulatory, or policy issues.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare executive briefings, policy analyses, reports, testimony, and presentations for diverse audiences.
• Familiarity with public broadcasting, education policy, telecommunications policy, governmental reporting requirements, or Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations is beneficial.

Benefits: 

As a full-time employee, you'll receive a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System (IPERS) participation

• Retirement Investors Club (RIC)

• Health, Dental, Life & Long-Term Disability Insurance

• Vacation, Sick Leave & 9 Paid Holidays

• Flexible Spending Accounts

• Employee Assistance Program

• Opportunities for professional and career development

To learn more about the benefits of working with the State of Iowa, visit our benefits webpage.

E-Verify and Right to Work

The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States. The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work laws, which protect employees’ rights to work without being required to join a labor organization. For more information, please visitwww.e-verify.gov.

Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:

 1) Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in any field, and experience equal to five years of full-time professional-level work in program administration, program development, program operations, or management. 

2) A total of nine years of education and/or full-time experience (as described in number one), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university course work in any field equals one year of full-time experience. 

3) All of the following (a, b, and c): 

   a. Three years of full-time professional-level work experience in program administration, program development, program operations, or management; and 

   b. A total of four years of education and full-time experience (as described in part a), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university course work in any field equals one year of full-time experience; and 

   c. A total of two years of graduate-level education and full-time experience (as described in part a), where twenty-four semester hours of accredited graduate college or university course work in a public-service-related area (e.g., public or business administration, social work, public health, law, education, engineering) equals one year of full-time experience. Graduation from the Iowa Certified Public Manager Program is also equivalent to one year of full-time experience or education.

4) Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes twelve months of full-time work as an Executive Officer 2 or two years of full-time work as an Executive Officer 1 or comparable specific management-level position.

For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description.