Applications will be accepted until May 17, 2024

JOB TITLE: Government Relations Manager Exempt

REPORTS TO: Development Director SALARY RANGE: $60,000 - $85,000/annually

BENEFITS: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, and Simple IRA

SUPERVISES: None

JOB SUMMARY: Responsible for managing The Food Depot’s advocacy program. Work focuses include negotiating and managing government contracts, supporting The Food Depot’s public policy initiatives, and collaborating with members and staff of federal and state legislative bodies, personnel of federal and state executive branch agencies involved in anti-hunger and social welfare matters, and employees and volunteers of advocacy partners and other humanitarian and social welfare organizations.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develops, plans, and executes a comprehensive strategy for The Food Depot to achieve program goals and objectives in its advocacy program
• Works with advocacy partners to advocate for public policy alterations that will reduce food insecurity
• Works with all levels of government on potential funding opportunities for The Food Depot, including negotiating contracts and grants with government agencies and ensuring compliance with contract and grant reporting and reimbursement processes and requirements
• Develops and executes a communications strategy to educate staff, volunteers, and board members on The Food Depot’s advocacy agenda and the work being done by employees and volunteers to advance it, and opportunities for staff, volunteers, and board members to contribute to that work, including creating and preparing relevant materials, programming, and activities
• Educates elected and appointed officials and staff at all levels of government on food insecurity and poverty issues
• Takes responsibility for The Food Depot’s Public Policy Advocacy Committee to include: attending all meetings of the Committee (or, if the meetings are conducted electronically, participating in them in the appropriate manner) unless excused by the Executive Director; preparing and disseminating in advance the agenda and documents needed for each of the Committee’s meetings; preparing and disseminating in advance of each of the Committee’s meeting the draft minutes of the previous Committee meeting; and preparing a summary report of each of the Committee’s meetings and other Committee activities for the Executive Director, and keeping the Executive Director apprised of significant actions and plans of, and recommendations made by, the Committee.
• Develops and administers an annual budget for the advocacy program
• Conducts presentations and training sessions on behalf of The Food Depot to further educate communities regarding advocacy opportunities and public policy initiatives
• Contributes to building a positive team spirit; puts success of the team above personal interests.
• Complies with and adheres to all policies, procedures, and systems of The Food Depot
• Consistently reports for work and arrives on time
• Performs related duties as required or assigned by the Executive Director; assists other departments and personnel of The Food Depot as requested
• Works on evenings and weekends as the position requires
• Carefully tracks expenditures and staff time expended on lobbying, ensures such financial and time expenditures are within the applicable limits specified in Section 501(h) of the Internal Revenue Code, and works with The Food Depot’s Executive Director and accountant to ensure these expenditures are accurately reported on each Form 990 annual submission to the Internal Revenue Service

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• A working knowledge of the legislative and regulatory processes at the local, state, and federal levels is required
• Experience working with federal, state, and local elected and appointed officials, staff, and civil servants in both the legislative and executive branches is required
• Having developed working relationships with federal, state, and local elected and appointed officials, staff, and civil servants in both the legislative and executive branches is highly desirable
• A demonstrated commitment to the mission and values of The Food Depot is essential
• Must have good communication and interpersonal skills and the demonstrated ability and willingness to be a team player
• Must be able to effectively communicate and interact with coworkers, managers, volunteers, and customers of The Food Depot
• Must have excellent personal relations skills and be able to work productively and collegially with a wide range of diverse internal and external actors
• Must be computer literate; knowledge of Microsoft Office and Google Suite of tools is essential
• Must be committed to accuracy, thoroughness, and excellence in work products
• Must be detail-oriented and able to successfully budget time and allocate necessary effort to handle multiple simultaneous assignments and tasks
• Must perform well in a fast-paced environment and be adaptable to change
• Must be able to work independently as well as work collectively with other staff members
• Must be able to use general office equipment such as computers, copiers, scanners

Employment Requirements

• Obtain a negative result in a pre-employment drug screening
• Hold a current New Mexico driver’s license and must have a clean driving record

Physical Environment

• The employee will spend approximately 40% of work time working at a stationary computer terminal in a shared office space, 20% talking on the telephone, and 40% interacting at locations other than The Food Depot with federal or state legislative or executive branch elected or appointed officials or staff, federal or state executive branch personnel, and personnel and volunteers of advocacy partners
• The position normally is located and functions in an office environment. Working in local, state, or federal government facilities in The Food Depot’s nine-county service area and in Albuquerque is sometimes required, and occasional travel to Washington DC may be required
• The employee will work at public facing food distributions periodically, which may entail lifting parcels of food of approximately 40 pounds and standing for time periods of more than one hour

Disclaimer

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee in this position. Every employee is required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give assignments to that employee.

This position description excludes the marginal functions of the position that are incidental to the performance of fundamental job duties. All duties and responsibilities are essential job functions and requirements. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at will" relationship.

I have read the above job description. I meet the qualifications and can perform the duties as described.