Government Relations Associate

Merchant McIntyre & Associates is a midsize federal grants and government relations firm headquartered in Washington, D.C., that helps nonprofit clients from the higher education, healthcare, and local government sectors reach their federal funding and legislative advocacy goals.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities include:

• Assisting client services team with client project/grant management, identifying competitive federal grant opportunities aligned with client needs, and developing comprehensive federal grant strategies for clients;
• Communicating directly and professionally with clients by phone, email, and in person;
• Analyzing federal grant solicitations to determine alignment with client funding priorities;
• Tracking federal agency budget proposals and federal legislation (including appropriations) and providing timely summaries and updates to the client services team;
• Conducting substantive research related to federal policy trends and priorities in key client sectors;
• Quickly and efficiently summarizing relevant information for client calls and briefings; and
• Scheduling, organizing, and assisting with hosting clients in Washington, D.C., including Congressional/Executive Branch meeting requests and logistics, developing meeting content and leave-behind materials, participating in meetings, and coordinating substantive follow-up.

Ideal candidate qualifications include:

• Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field;
• Strong verbal communication and interpersonal skills with prior experience in a client-facing role
• Familiarity with the federal budget and appropriations process, including experience with agency discretionary spending (federal grants)
• Competitive candidates will have prior experience working with federal discretionary grants (Federal Agency, Capitol Hill, nonprofit organization, and/or private sector;
• Strong research, writing, and editing skills;
• Ability to quickly synthesize and accurately summarize lengthy and complex materials, such as federal grant solicitations and federal legislation; and
• Self-motivated, task-oriented, and able to work independently and manage multiple tasks and responsibilities.

Compensation & Benefits:

• Full-time, salaried position based in Washington, D.C., with opportunity for travel.
• MM's benefits package includes participation in a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA), 401(k), transportation benefits, professional development opportunities, and a flexible PTO policy.
• Salary commensurate with experience.