Manager, Government Affairs and Partnerships

Position Title: Manager, Government Affairs and Partnerships

Reports To: SVP, Government Relations and Contracts

Location: United States

Per Scholas is seeking a Manager, Government Affairs and Partnerships. You will support the government contracts and partnership team, managing directors, development leads, and national leadership team members across the country in crucial government research and engagement strategies to cultivate relationships with key state and local workforce agencies, and elected and appointed officials. You will serve as core point of insight and intelligence in engaging with key players in workforce and government ecosystems across our Campuses, support our participation in national advocacy coalitions, and will work closely with the SVP of Government Contracts, the Per Scholas leadership team, and outside advisors in moving forward our public sector partnerships and legislative and government affairs strategies. This role will be instrumental in helping Per Scholas build and cultivate a strong public sector network to advance our mission and accelerate our growth across the United States.

This role calls for excellent project management and research skills, a high degree of professionalism, and strong attention to detail. 

WHAT YOU’LL DO: 

• Coordinate government affairs research and engagement activities across campuses and support regional outreach and partnership development by leaders across our campuses.
• Build and maintain our database of key national and regional government contacts. 
• Conduct in-depth research on complex topics, synthesizing key insights into clear, accessible summaries for internal audiences who may have varying levels of familiarity with government structures and systems.
• Draft messaging, emails, talking points, and external-facing collateral aligned with key legislative and budget priorities.
• Support scheduling with elected officials, including virtual and in-person meetings, site visits, graduations, and other high-visibility events. 
• Log all meetings with elected and appointed officials, and share detailed notes with key internal stakeholders to identify opportunities to further develop key relationships. 
• Participate in relevant coalitions, associations, and other groups on behalf of Per Scholas across target states and cities.
• Distribute regular internal updates on federal policy, regional funding and leadership changes, and budget information, using information gathered from coalitions and policy advisors.
• Collaborate with the government contracts team, regional senior vice presidents, managing directors, development team, and national leadership team on cultivating key government partnership opportunities.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING TO US:

Professional Requirements

• A strong commitment to promoting economic mobility and an optimistic outlook on the potential of government policy to drive social change.
• Ability to conduct thorough research and analysis in a public sector setting
• Understanding of government funding and organizational structures
• Enthusiasm for developing strong networking skills to build and maintain relationships with government agencies, policymakers, and advocacy organizations.
• Demonstrated project management and time management skills
• Strong detail orientation and appetite for fast-paced execution of complex tasks
• Ability to navigate complex government structures and effectively engage with stakeholders at various levels
• Excellent note-taking skills are critical; must be able to quickly digest and summarize information that may be new or unfamiliar 
• Strong written communication skills required; preferred experience with presentation design and delivery 

Personal Characteristics

• You thrive in a creative, inventive, fast-paced startup environment with people who are passionate about their work and mission
• You are energized by learning new things and sharing your expertise with others
• You are open to and accepting of feedback, coaching, and growth
• You are a data-driven, results-oriented, and forward-looking catalyst for social change
• You have a collaborative and flexible work style; you’re excited to work both cross-functionally with other departments and independently
• You are tech-savvy and are interested in engaging new solutions to support your work
• You are detail-oriented, with exceptional organizational and time management skills
• You are strong at managing your time, and you can balance multiple projects and tasks
• You stand behind our purpose, believing that individuals from any community should have access to well-paying careers, and that talent should be recognized and recruited from many diverse sources