Government Affairs Coordinator

The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) is pleased to accept applications for a Government Affairs Coordinator in Washington, DC.  This is an exciting entry level / mid-career opportunity to work with all 50 State Fish and Wildlife Agencies, furthering their mission of fish and wildlife management and conservation.

Position Location: Washington, DC

Reports To: Government Affairs Director

Job Type: Exempt / full-time

AFWA Background: The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA/Association), founded in 1902, represents North America’s fish and wildlife agencies. It promotes sound management and conservation, and speaks with a collective voice on important fish and wildlife issues. The Association is a nonprofit, 501(c)(6) trade association. See www.fishwildlife.org for more information.

Position Summary: The Government Affairs Coordinator is a key player in the AFWA Government Affairs program and assists with: Congressional advocacy logistics, scheduling of key meetings and events, Association policy development, and outreach and education to Association members and partners on Congressional legislation and federal rulemaking actions of interest.  The Government Affairs Coordinator will work with staff of the Government Affairs Team in policy areas that include, but are not limited to, agriculture, fish and wildlife, federal public land management and related statutes, federal appropriations, fishing and boating, hunting and shooting sports,  water, invasive species, natural resources, energy, and other policies, statutes, and legislation that could affect the management authority of state fish and wildlife agencies.

Duties: Support Government Affairs Logistics – Assist the Government Affairs Director and Manager (GAD/M) with scheduling meetings and conference calls with AFWA members and coalition partners, taking notes, and assisting with meeting and organizational follow-up on tasks and logistics. Regularly monitor news, subscription services, and the Federal Register for content of interest and coordinate distribution of information to AFWA members, as appropriate. Assist the GAD/M with internal organization coordination and in identifying and implementing program efficiencies.

Support Advocacy Efforts – Assist the GAD/M with coordinating and scheduling meetings with congressional offices, federal agency staff, and Association members and partners; assist with legislative and policy research, writing, and coordination of congressional testimony and statements for the record; assist with the development of talking points on legislation and issues of importance; assist with the coordination and tracking of  Congressional Dear Colleague Letters and community letters of support/opposition on legislation; assist with the development and distribution of advocacy messages to Congress and AFWA members and partners on important legislation. Attend, take notes, and report on Congressional hearings of interest, and represent the organization at coalition meetings.

Assist with Policy Development—Assist the GAD/M with identifying emerging Congressional issues; the development of nationally coordinated comments during federal agency rule-making processes; the development of Association positions on Congressional legislation; and providing Government Affairs support to Association committees and working groups.

Outreach and Education to Association members –Coordinate and assist, when appropriate, the GAD/M in: the development of written and verbal communications on various issues of interest for state fish and wildlife agency Directors, their key staff, and Association committees; the scheduling and execution of regularly scheduled conference calls; the writing of content for Association member communications; and the development of Congressional “calls to action” for Association members. Assist the Government Affairs Team and Association’s Communications Director with management of web content for Government Affairs issues.

Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications: Ability to communicate effectively (orally and in writing), work effectively with others, be self-motivated, manage long-term and short-term deadlines, manage scheduling and numerous projects at one time, and have strong organizational skills. Familiarity with the congressional legislative and federal regulatory processes. Ability to develop and maintain relationships with AFWA members, coalition partners, and conservation organizations; ability to monitor social media and website platforms as well as the ability to navigate computer software that supports government affairs operations. Experience in natural resources conservation or a related field.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in natural resources, fish and wildlife management, or a closely related field; Bachelor’s degree in political science with a focus on natural resource conservation or environmental studies; or Bachelor’s degree in English with additional coursework in or experience with natural resource related issues; and two years’ experience working in a natural resource related issues and policies.

Travel time required: Less than 10%

Compensation: Negotiable, commensurate with experience and other qualifications.  Benefits package includes: Medical and dental insurance, life insurance, short‐ and long‐term disability, worker’s compensation, credit union membership, a 401(k) or a Roth 401(k) plan, annual and sick leave, and paid holidays.

Application Process:   Please email CV and cover letter to arnelson@fishwildlife.org with the subject line "Government Affairs Coordinator."  Please include your salary expectations in cover letter – applications without salary expectations will not be considered.

Compensation and benefits: The Association offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience and job duties as well as an excellent suite of benefits including paid vacation, a retirement plan and excellent health benefits.

Application Deadline:  July 10, 2019 or until filled.