Intergovernmental Relations Officer

Description

Norfolk, Virginia is America's most authentic and urban waterfront city. Home to the world's largest naval station and the business, arts, and cultural center of Coastal Virginia, Norfolk has been rated a top place to live, work, play, and raise a family by numerous publications. Working for the City of Norfolk is an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of others. With our commitment to competitive pay and a strong retirement package, you can do good for your community and do well for yourself. Join a caring workplace that proudly celebrates uniqueness, authenticity, and a shared commitment to improving the lives of our residents.

The City of Norfolk's Office of the City Manager is seeking an Intergovernmental Relations Officer who will develop, direct and manage a government relations program and advise on legislative matters. The incumbent will develop, implement and manage plans, programs and policies. This position is responsible for key deliverables such as proposed legislation. Participates in strategic and grant management.

Essential Functions

Essential functions include but are not limited to:

• Manage knowledge and content by identifying vital information from legislative issues and municipal operations.
• Maintain current knowledge of legislative processes, research new legislation and current events, understand technological research methods and tools, network with others, present information, seek out self-education opportunities, seminars and conferences and read program updates.
• Create relationships through networking by identifying opportunities to initiate introductions and maintaining relationships with internal and external individuals and organizations.
• Develop strategies, techniques and procedures for getting city positions recognized, assemble key decision-makers, identify internal and external customers and encourage departments to narrate how legislation will impact operations.
• Lobby by identifying key decision makers, presenting, justifying and defending controversial positions.
• Establish credibility and access to key decision makers' offices and staff.
• Provide interpretations of legislative issues and position statements.
• Engage in appropriate debate and consensus building.
• Prepare testimony regarding municipal operations issues.
• Coordinate and direct consultants in lobbying.
• Participate in coalitions to provide a unified lobbying voice.
• Draft and introduce legislation and floor amendments.
• Entertain and structure formal and informal settings conducive to discussion and consensus building and making government programs visible.
• Identify, initiate, join and seek leadership and service opportunities in municipal associations, coalitions and groups.
• Seek formal and informal methods of thanking, recognizing and including individuals.
• Initiate and maintain formal and informal networks within city departments, seeking opportunities to make the department visible as to services and benefits offered.
• Seek opportunities to listen to needs that might be met by the department, strengthening and enhancing ties at local, state and national levels, interfacing between various levels of government.
• Perform liaison with legislative bodies and agencies and representing the city on special commissions and special assignments.
• Create work product deliverables by designing the content, format and presentation of issues information and status.
• Develop impact statements and position statements, draft proposed legislation and floor amendments, prepare administrative reports, filling requests for preparation of city reports, report and track legislation, prepare and document the departmental budget, respond to requests for information.
• Prepare speeches, agendas, briefing materials, departmental recommendations, develop and communicate the mission statement and prepare and maintain job description status.
• Participate in strategic management by formulating and communicating a vision of government programs, thinking, planning and working with issues in an analytical format.
• Develop strategies for issue management, benchmarking against other municipalities, contextual strategies for decision makers, lead consultants in regular reporting, issue analysis and presentation.
• Secure, analyze, categorize, retain and retrieve information.
• Build records and directories.
• Recommend, direct and evaluate work of outside consultants.
• Educate, inform and disseminate legislative positions.
• Manage grants by seeking out and disseminating information regarding grant opportunities

Education/Experience

Work requires specialized knowledge in a professional or technical field. Work requires professional level of knowledge of a discipline equivalent to that which is acquired in a Bachelor's degree-level of study.

Five years experience.

Additional Information & Requirements

• Valid Driver's License
• Signing Bonus: This position is eligible for a one-time $5,000 signing bonus for new hires.