Vice President, Government Relations

The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce is the region’s most dynamic and effective business-for-business member organization. By combining the power of people, with our legacy of leadership and business advocacy, we drive public policy, programs, and communications to create a dynamic economy. We focus on delivering value for our members, making Chicago a world-class place to live and work.

Vice President of Government Relations
Job Description

Position Summary:
Reporting to the President and CEO and serving as an integral member of the senior management team, the Vice President, Government Relations is to advocate on behalf of the business community and to ensure adoption of legislation, administrative rules, and policies that facilitate economic development and job growth, and to effectively communicate our advocacy priorities to elected officials, the media and other stakeholders.

He/she manages its direct report, the Manager, Government Relations, and oversees the public policy team including contracted employees and interns. The government relations team manages the development of policies through member committees, programs and the Chamber’s Political Action
Committee (PAC).

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Manage the strategic planning for and implementation of the Chamber’s legislative and advocacy initiatives in consultation with the CEO, Chairman of the Public Policy Committee, volunteer forum and committee chairpersons, and the Executive Committee

• Work with the Membership team to serve as the lead liaison for members utilizing the Chamber’s

Government Relations services

• Coordinate with the Vice President of Communications & Marketing on internal and external communications and media outreach

• Coordinate with the VP of Programs to implement all public policy related programming

• Form strategic alliances with other civic organizations to better coordinate research and policy activities

• Serve as a registered lobbyist for, and represent the public policy positions of the Chicagoland

Chamber before the Illinois General Assembly; Cook County Board of Commissioners; and Chicago City
Council

• Serve as liaison to contractual staff and ensure out-sourced activities are implemented properly and in a fiscally responsible manner

• Maintain a database of contact with elected officials and track bills and ordinances on legislative issues at the state, county and local levels of government. Manage substantive issue forums, like the

Tax Policy Council and the Public Policy Committee
– Maintain a strong knowledge of forum/committee issues and drive their initiatives
– Coordinate event logistics for forum/committee meetings and other events with the Program & Event team
– Oversee the preparation of meeting agendas, correspondence with forum/committee members, handouts and minute

• Manage the Chamber PAC, including candidate selection and PAC fundraising efforts

• Develop and track the Government Relations’ budget

• Work with the Management Team to assemble the annual Public Policy legislative report, legislative agenda, policy statement, and other marketing materials

• Attend conferences, workshops, training events and any other relevant meetings

• Engage in special activities or events as deemed necessary by the President and CEO

• Design and implement events for member and elected official interaction

• In conjunction with the Chamber Foundation, develop research initiatives that will support and guide the Chamber’s legislative

Qualifications:

• Masters or professional degree

• A minimum of five years direct government and legislative experience; city, state and Cook County experience preferred

• Demonstrated command of pro-business issues and priorities

• Willingness to travel on short notice to Springfield, Illinois and ability to stay in Springfield for extended periods of time

• Experience with raising, distributing, managing and reporting of the expenditure of PAC funds

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Broad experience in developing strategic planning and implementing goals and tactics

• Must have previous team management experience with strong leadership and motivational skills and the ability to develop a results-focused, collegial team ethos

• Focused, proactive, highly responsive and results and goal-oriented

• An inspirational, enthusiastic, and accessible style, the capability to earn respect and broad-based credibility across an organization and with stakeholders, and the ability to properly empower others

• Problem analysis and problem resolution at both a strategic and functional level

• Results oriented and willing to make a personal commitment to meeting quantitative and qualitative targets. A strong work ethic and ability to maintain confidentiality

• Ability to operate as an effective tactical as well as strategic thinker

• Ability to work non-traditional hours including early mornings and evenings

• Passion for the mission of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce

Work Location:

• One location

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Retirement plan
• Paid time off

This Job Is Ideal for Someone Who Is:

• Dependable — more reliable than spontaneous
• People-oriented — enjoys interacting with people and working on group projects
• Innovative — prefers working in unconventional ways or on tasks that require creativity
• Autonomous/Independent — enjoys working with little direction

This Company Describes Its Culture as:

• Outcome-oriented — results-focused with strong performance culture