United States of America: DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

Organization: CARE USA
Country: United States of America
Closing date: 26 Nov 2014

CARE USA is seeking a talented and experienced Director of Government Relations (DGR) to lead CARE's efforts to influence US government policies and funding. The DGR oversees a team responsible for communicating CARE's position on key issues to the US Congress and the Administration and with peer organizations and coalitions in Washington. S/he serves on the Advocacy Department's senior management team (SMT) where s/he helps shape and manage the implementation of the Advocacy Division’s strategic and annual operating plans. In addition, the DGR serves as the Political Director for our sister 501©4 organization, CARE Action Now.

Responsibilities:

· Supervises, leads, guides, mentors and supports the GR team. Creates a sense of team work among members of the GR team. Represents the team in broader organizational planning processes and manages team budget and overall relationships with other parts of the organization.

· Serve as a member of the Advocacy SMT and contribute to the overall achievement of the strategic goals of the unit. Help to develop Advocacy's multi-year and annual operation plans, strategies and priorities, including strategies related to USG engagement.

· Plays a key role in managing the expenditure of the government relations team restricted grants as well as day-to-day management of the government relations team’s annual operating budget. Actively engages in securing funds to support Advocacy's advocacy efforts by identifying funding opportunities, developing relationships with donors and developing concept papers.

· Directs the creation and implementation of advocacy strategies in support of the organization's policy agenda with Congress, the Administration and other key actors. In collaboration with other Advocacy SMT members, coordinates the development and implementation of appropriate strategies for outreach, work and influence with targeted policy makers, opinion leaders, institutions and media to achieve CARE's policy objectives.

· Works closely with the head of the Citizen Advocacy team to identify specific key policy makers, opinion leaders and others as key targets for CARE Action Network (CAN) volunteers to engage and influence to achieve our policy objectives.

· Develops and manages the execution of an advocacy strategy for one of Advocacy's priority areas of focus.

· Leads efforts to develop strategic partnerships with like-minded organizations in order to help achieve CARE's advocacy agenda. This includes developing collaborative engagement plans, coordinating efforts among partners and taking part in strategic campaigns.

Requirements and Skills

· Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience

· 7 - 10 years government relations and/or Congressional experience

· 3 - 5 years international development and relief experience preferred

· 3- 5 years hands-on management and budgeting experience

· Demonstrated skill in policy advocacy/legislative work with Congress and Administration

· Solid knowledge and understanding of issues surrounding international and foreign assistance policies and programs

· Thorough understanding of legislative/executive branch processes, including budget and appropriations

· Demonstrated experience in the design and implementation of policy advocacy strategies

· Advanced oral and written communication skills

· Proven skill in management of staff and budgets

· Leadership of cross-divisional teams

· Planning, organizing and managing complex organizational initiatives

Our diversity is our strength; we encourage people from all backgrounds and experiences, particularly women, to apply.

CARE USA is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

The closing date for this posting, if listed, is approximate. Job postings may be removed from CARE's career website at any time.

How to apply:

To apply for this position, please visit our website here:

http://ch.tbe.taleo.net/CH05/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=CAREUSA&cws=1&rid=2506