Vice President, Government Affairs

National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) is the nation’s oldest and largest national parks nonprofit advocacy organization. NPCA has an exciting opening for the Vice President, Government Affairs to join our Government Affairs department.

Location: Washington, DC

Job Status: Full-time (32 hours per week); Exempt

Department: Government Affairs             

Immediate Supervisor: COO

Incumbent/Newly Created Position: Incumbent

Grade: R          

Salary: $185k – 205k based on experience

Benefits: We offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package for this role including a four-day, 32-hour work week, paid vacation leave, paid sick leave, paid holidays, health insurance, flexible spending account, dental insurance, life insurance, vision insurance, retirement benefits, short- and long-term disability, and paid sabbaticals for staff after seven years of service. Learn more about our benefits at npca.org/jobs.

Primary Purpose of the Position:  

The Vice President of Government Affairs leads the department and works collaboratively to advance organizational legislative and administrative policy priorities. Working in close partnership with regional and conservation programs, this role ensures alignment between federal policy and on-the-ground priorities. The Vice President serves as a key member of the Executive Team and represents the organization externally with policymakers on Capitol Hill and in the administration, partners, and the media. The Vice President also leads the National Parks Action Fund, the organization’s affiliated 501(c)(4), overseeing its strategy, governance, and operations in alignment with organizational goals.

Essential Functions:           % of Time

Executive Leadership & Organizational Strategy (15%)

• Serve as an active member of the Executive Team, contributing to organizational vision, priorities, and goal setting.
• Provide leadership on cross-organizational initiatives and help address emerging organizational needs and opportunities.
• Work collaboratively with senior leadership to ensure alignment between government affairs strategies, issue team strategies, and broader organizational objectives.
• Help shape and implement NPCA’s strategic plan goals.
• Work with Program Leadership to co-manage the Board Program Committee, providing updates and strategic guidance.

Department Leadership & Management (15%)

• Lead, mentor and grow expertise in the Government Affairs Department, ensuring strong management, accountability, and performance across teams.
• Supervise and support a senior leadership team, fostering a culture of collaboration, inclusion, and high performance.
• Ensure effective coordination with regional and conservation program staff to align advocacy strategies and execution.

Policy Development & External Affairs (50%)

• With Program Leadership, set and drive policy priorities across legislative and administrative arenas to advance mission-focused outcomes.
• Ensure a strategic, targeted, and bipartisan approach to advancing key priorities.
• Build and maintain relationships with members of Congress, the Executive Branch, and key external stakeholders.
• Expand and mobilize networks of partners, coalitions, and advocates to support policy goals.
• In consultation with other organizational policy experts, oversees the development of high-quality policy products, including regulatory comments, rulemaking responses, congressional testimony and policy positions.
• With Program Leadership, ensure clear, compelling and consistent messaging across policy and advocacy materials and communications.
• Serve as a media spokesperson across print, radio, television, and digital channels.
• Oversee and ensure proper accounting of lobbying expenses and compliance with 501(c)(3) lobby laws.

Fundraising & Development Support (15%)

• Partner with Development and Membership to support fundraising priorities
• Help position policy and advocacy work as a compelling investment for philanthropic support.  Assist in drafting and/or editing cases for support for priority areas.
• With direction from gift officers and foundation leads, engage with donors and prospects and contribute to the development of individual major donor proposals and funding opportunities.

National Parks Action Fund (5%)

• Serve as Executive Director of the affiliated 501(c)(4) organization, overseeing strategy, operations, and compliance.

Total                    100%

Other: Respects employees regardless of their position or background. Participates in developing department goals, objectives, and systems. Participates in administrative staff meetings, organization-wide meetings, staff committee meetings, training programs, and attends other meetings and seminars as designated by the supervisor. Assists in evaluation of reports, decisions, and results of department in relation to established goals. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee in this position. 

Minimum Work Schedule: Monday – Thursday, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm; This position is based in our Washington, DC headquarters and requires significant time in-person for meetings and work events.

Minimum Scope of Position: Interacts with local and national elected officials; state and federal government, donors, media, government affairs staff as well as Washington DC-based and regional staff, especially the Regional, Conservation Programs, Communications, and Development departments.

Minimum Qualifications, Competencies, Skills, Education, and Traits

Minimum of nine to ten (9-10) years of specialized experience in environmental advocacy, non-profit management, park administration or planning or a related field. Education: BA in government, environmental science or related field or experience.  Law Degree or Masters degree in related field is highly desired. He or she should have at least seven years of strong management skills leading and directing an experienced team, and proven ability to provide strategic advice in the design and implementation park advocacy programs.  Previous experience managing advocates is desired.  He or she should be experienced in the art of bringing forth an advocacy campaign or program and pursuing a substantive agenda in the legislative process.  

A proven and successful record in legislative policy, media relations, and staff management. 

Other Competencies include: Strategic Thinking, Financial Acumen, Management, Leadership, Excellent writing skills, Effective communication, facilitation and presentation styles (one-on-one, small and large groups)

Core Values

Live, honor, and own the organization’s Core Values:

Commitment. We are passionate about NPCA and dedicated to achieving excellence through our work and mission. We seek to improve our performance by taking opportunities for professional and personal development, and encouraging reasonable risk-taking and innovation.

Inclusion. We value diversity of thought, background, experience, and opinion. We create a culture of empowerment by welcoming and encouraging meaningful participation from all people and promoting an environment that embraces different perspectives.

Integrity. We hold ourselves accountable to each other, our members and partners, and our mission. We evaluate the impact of our work and strive for honesty and transparency across the organization. We operate ethically in the organization’s best interests.

Respect. We collaborate in results-oriented teams based on trust and consideration for each other. We promote harmony between our work and our personal lives. We foster a healthy and positive workplace culture and work collaboratively with external partners.

Physical Effort and Dexterity:  Must be able to sit for long periods at a desk and operate a computer and other office equipment without difficulty.  Position requires some travel both in-state and out-of-state. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.

Physical Environment:  Typical office setting, cube.

Employer’s Rights:  NPCA reserves the right to revise this position description at any time.  The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the NPCA and employee and is subject to change by the NPCA as the needs of the NPCA and requirements of the job change. The above is in no way an exhaustive list of the requirements for the position.