Vice President, Local Government Affairs Inland Empire Region

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERIVEW

The California Apartment Association (CAA) is the nation’s largest statewide trade association serving the rental housing industry. CAA’s diverse membership includes thousands of individuals who own/manage rental housing and the largest corporate owners of apartments in California. CAA is committed to helping its members provide quality rental housing in California through a comprehensive legislative advocacy, promoting common sense solutions to our state’s housing challenges, and educating rental housing providers to help them understand, navigate, and comply with local, state, and federal laws and regulations.

THE POSITION

The Vice President, Government Affairs is a strategic and knowledgeable representative of the rental housing industry, engaging with local and regional government entities to advocate for industry interests within an assigned region of California. This position is responsible for monitoring legislative and regulatory developments, advocating CAA’s policy positions, building relationships with public officials, engaging members in grassroots advocacy, and providing strategic analysis and recommendations to internal leadership. The ideal candidate has a strong foundation in public policy and political engagement, excellent communication and presentation skills, and the ability to operate independently while coordinating closely with CAA’s public affairs team.

SPECIFIC RESPONISBILITIES

Legislative & Regulatory Monitoring

• Track and analyze proposed local and regional legislation, ordinances, and regulatory actions affecting rental housing providers.
• Summarize complex policy proposals and communicate potential impacts to CAA staff, leadership, and members.

Advocacy & Lobbying

• Represent CAA before local governments, including city councils, county boards, and commissions.
• Develop and deliver testimony, position letters, and briefing materials.
• Engage in direct advocacy with elected officials, staff, and agency representatives to influence successful outcomes.
• As needed, support CAA’s state public affairs program though advocacy and industry mobilization activities focused on state legislative matters and members of the state legislature

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and maintain relationships with elected officials, government staff, community stakeholders, and business coalitions.
• Participate in and lead collaborative efforts in coalition with align organizations to advance shared housing and land use policy goals.

Reporting & Strategic Recommendations

• Prepare detailed policy memos, reports, and updates for the CAA Local Legislative Steering Committee, Board of Directors, and other audiences
• Develop and deliver informed, actionable recommendations on local policy issues, grounded in comprehensive legislative analysis, stakeholder feedback, and organizational priorities.
• Make formal presentations to committees and the Board, as needed, to brief on local issues and advocacy strategies.

Member Engagement & Grassroots Mobilization

• Serve as a regional point of contact for member concerns related to local government policies.
• Working with CAA staff, organize member briefings, town halls, and training sessions to build grassroots advocacy capacity.
• Mobilize CAA members to engage in campaigns by contacting officials, submitting public comments, or attending key meetings.

Communications Support

• Collaborate with CAA’s communications team to craft clear, compelling messaging in support of advocacy efforts.
• Draft talking points, newsletter content, and timely policy alerts tailored to regional developments.

Political Engagement

• Recommend CAA participation in local political campaigns, ballot measures, or initiatives that may affect rental housing policy.
• Support the identification and cultivation of local candidates, elected officials, and influencers who align with CAA’s mission and priorities.
• Collaborate with CAA staff and regional members to mobilize advocacy and voter education campaigns during election cycles.
• Participate or host candidate forums, fundraisers, and PAC-related activities in coordination with CAA’s Political Action Committee (PAC).

Compliance & Documentation

• Ensure proper documentation of all advocacy activities and compliance with applicable lobbying disclosure laws, in coordination with CAA’s legal counsel.
• Additional Duties
• Represent CAA at community events, business coalitions, and regional forums.
• Support internal departments (e.g., legal, communications, member services) with policy-related information and engagement strategies.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Vice President of Public Affairs.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in political science, public policy, communications, or a related field.
• Minimum 3–5 years of experience in public policy, government affairs, legislative advocacy, or a related field.
• Strong understanding of local government operations and the legislative process in California.
• Excellent communication skills, including policy writing, memo drafting, and public speaking.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze legislation, formulate strategy, and present recommendations to leadership.
• Experience cultivating relationships with elected officials, stakeholders, and community leaders.
• Ability to work independently while coordinating with a statewide team.
• Availability to travel regionally and attend evening/weekend meetings and events as necessary.

Preferred

• Strong familiarity with housing policy, land use, or rental housing industry issues.
• Experience working with a trade association, elected office, or advocacy organization.
• Campaign or PAC-related experience.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Must have a valid California driver’s license and reliable transportation.
• This position involves a hybrid work environment with regular in-person engagement in the assigned region.
• Occasional statewide travel to Sacramento or other regions may be required
• Office Location- CAA's main office is in Sacramento, with offices throughout California.
• Compensation and Benefits- California Apartment Association offers a competitive salary that is commensurate with experience. Additional benefits include health insurance and 401(k) with employer contribution.