Government Relations Assistant.

The National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) seeks a Government Relations Assistant.

ABOUT THE POSITION

·       The Government Relations Assistant reports to the Vice President of Government Relations.

·       The position is classified as Full-Time Exempt.

·       The normal workday for NAICU staff is seven and one-half hours (37.5 hours a week).

·       NAICU staff, with their supervisor's approval, may select the office hours most appropriate to their position and responsibilities but, generally, staff begin their day at 9:00 a.m. and end at 5:30p.m.

·       NAICU is a hybrid workplace. The majority of NAICU's employees who commute to the DC office report to the office two days per week. There is a mandatory in-person in-office requirement on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with employees expected to be available for in-person work on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays. NACU's hybrid environment is subject to change.

·       Evening and weekend work and travel is occasionally required, especially during membership meetings and to support NAICU programs.

·       This position offers exposure to, and opportunities for professional development in, the policy and advocacy work of the department including: 1) developing a deep understanding of the missions and issues facing private nonprofit higher education and their students, 2) advocating on Capitol Hill on behalf of the sector, and 3) supporting the six Government Relations professionals in their policy work.

ABOUT THE DUTIES

The Government Relations Assistant works with the Government Relations staff to help coordinate the work of the Department. This position also serves as the essential communications link among the department’s staff members and

·       Provides project management support, coordinates materials, and manages the department’s logistics for member programs, meetings, webinars, and special events.

·       Supports NAICU's Government Relations staff by attending congressional hearings, agency briefings, policy seminars, and other events. Among the responsibilities include reporting on these events to the Government Relations team.

·       Coordinates and provides administrative support to the Vice President of Government Relations and other members of the Government Relations staff.

·       Maintains records of official communications of the department.

·       Manages the department’s lobbying, expense, travel, and leave reports.

·       Arranges and coordinates Government Relations membership meetings (virtual and in-person).

·       Provides support for the NAICU Annual Meeting which includes writing speaker invitations, confirmations, organizing background memos and coordinating prep calls; managing Advocacy Day materials; staffing the registration desk and the Advocacy Day off-site location; assisting with the congressional reception.

·       Supports programs and events for NAICU state executives and NAICU Secretariat. This may include site selection and logistics management.

·       Provides support for Congressional Independent College Caucus events, which includes procuring rooms on Capitol Hill, catering and logistics, set up and staffing the event.

·       Supports Government Relations staff on their policy and advocacy work as needed.

·       Drafts correspondence to Congress, the Administration and association members.

·       Serves as the point person for daily staff schedules and communications.

·       Serves as key liaison across NAICU departments and works with colleagues to support communication with the policy committees, events, programming, and member engagement on key policy and regulatory issues.

·        Works in partnership with the Executive Assistant to the President on

o  Identifying opportunities for cross-departmental efficiency and priority-setting.

o  Communicating and coordinating Government Relations/organizational priorities (calendar of key events, production schedules, etc.)

·       Serve as the Government Relations Department’s representative to the association’s Tech Committee, representing and communicating the needs of the Government Relations department.

QUALIFICATIONS, COMPETENCIES, AND REQUIREMENTS

The ideal candidate will have

·       A bachelor's degree, one year's administrative experience, and preferably some exposure to Capitol Hill, either as an employee or as an intern.

·       Experience in a membership association or other environment representing constituencies.

·       Ability to organize and complete detailed administrative tasks independently and possess excellent organizational, writing, and communication skills.

·       A highly collaborative work style in a diverse, team-oriented organization, effective interpersonal communication skills, and the ability to adjust quickly as the association’s and/or member needs change.

·       A passion for making higher education accessible to students of all income levels and a belief in the transformative power of American higher education is essential.

·       Interest in public policy and advocacy, and a desire to develop new skills.

·       Proficiency in Office 365 (Microsoft Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive), Zoom, SharePoint, or similar tools required. Familiarity with emerging uses for Artificial Intelligence in the workplace. Congress Plus, Protech or other advocacy or membership software knowledge a plus.

ABOUT NAICU

NAICU is a proactive champion and advocate for private, nonprofit higher education in the U.S.

NAICU is the only national organization solely focused on representing private, nonprofit higher education on public policy issues in Washington, D.C. and serves as the unified voice for the 1,700 private, nonprofit colleges and universities in our nation. Since 1976, NAICU has represented this subset of American higher education on policy issues with the federal government.

NAICU’s membership reflects the diversity of private, nonprofit higher education in the U.S. Its member institutions include major research universities, faith-based colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions and other Minority-Serving Institutions, art and design colleges, conservatories of music, traditional liberal arts and science institutions, women’s colleges, work colleges, two-year colleges and schools of law, medicine, engineering, business, and other professions.

NAICU is instrumental both in shaping higher education policy and assisting its members with issues at the intersection of the institution and the federal government. NAICU:

·       Works regularly with Congress, the White House, and federal agencies on issues of greatest concern to independent colleges and universities

·       Provides access to key Congressional and Administration leaders and staff

·       Tracks, analyzes, and summarizes policy, legislation, and regulations

·       Creates and provides tools, resources, legislative alerts, webinars, and the weekly Washington Update newsletter, to help members make the case for independent higher education

·       Serves as a convener and coalition builder

·       Creates tailored advocacy training for new and experienced presidents

NAICU members have access to experts in:

·       Government relations, advocacy, and federal higher education policy

·       Higher education research and analysis

·       Communications, public relations, and public affairs

NAICU’s membership network includes more than 900 member institutions and related associations serving various subsets of private, nonprofit colleges and universities, and includes member institutions in 315 congressional districts. NAICU has 18 staff members, including 7 members of the Government Relations staff.

ABOUT NAICU’s ADVOCACY MODEL

Private, nonprofit colleges and universities are in 395 congressional districts and contribute substantially to the education and economic vitality of those districts, states, and regions. NAICU members are active in their communities at every level and are encouraged to keep their elected representatives in Washington informed of their work. NAICU provides member presidents with up-to-date information on legislative and Administration proposals that could affect their campuses and encourages them to voice their support for or concerns about these policies.

Protecting the independence of private, nonprofit institutions, and ensuring that all students, regardless of family income, have access to higher education, are the prisms through which NAICU views its policy choices and courses of action. In its simplest form, NAICU’s policy mission has four parts:

1.     Ensuring that student aid programs continue to provide all Americans with access to the college of their choice.

2.     Promoting tax policy that helps families save and pay for college, and helps private colleges fulfill their distinctive missions.

3.     Seeking appropriate regulation of private, nonprofit colleges and universities that is sensitive to their diversity and independence, while addressing society’s needs.

4.     Seeking institutional support for the sector when appropriate.

To achieve these goals, NAICU meets with policymakers; advocates on behalf of its member institutions; provides analysis, insight, and guidance on legislation, regulations, and other policy developments; devises collective strategies among key stakeholders; and keeps members informed and involved throughout the policy process.