Description

Southwest Strategies and Katz & Associates (Katz) are seeking a full-time Manager of Public Affairs to direct and support project teams and deliver strategic communications for clients in San Diego and throughout the state of California. We are a full-service public affairs and strategic communications firm, focused on community and digital outreach, and with Katz, we are the largest public outreach firm in California focused on infrastructure, including land use, energy, transportation and water.

We are focused on building leaders in our industry and community. We want managers who get energized about mentoring others and leading projects while supporting staff in their growth. We seek people who are creative and have a passion for building strategic relationships and communicating with community members, media and civic organizations. We want strong writers and researchers – those who enjoy jumping in and learning everything they can about a client or project.

Responsibilities: 

• Develop and execute strategic communication plans for complex and broad projects needing government or public support
• Draft white papers, opinion editorials, talking points, plans and more
• Develop engaging and innovative content for presentations, digital media, advertising and other collateral materials 
• Educate community about projects through targeted outreach and events 
• Build and manage support coalitions for projects 
• Act as point of contact for projects; maintain communication, address concerns, present communication strategies and ultimately build trust with clients 
• Manage strategy and deadlines for each project; assign tasks to support staff and monitor progress 
• Collaborate with Creative Department to create impactful campaigns that meet objectives and budget parameters 
• Support business development efforts and draft proposals

Summary:

Responsible for collaborating with and directing project teams to deliver strategic communications, and serving as liaison between SWS and clients.

Essential Functions/Responsibilities:

• Support executive members on client accounts as requested
• Participate in research, writing, and presentation of new business proposals
• Serve as a positive role model and support and respect colleagues, clients and partners
• Build and maintain meaningful relationships with targeted, high-level external audiences
• Collaborate with graphic designers on branding strategies to create impactful campaigns that meet deadlines, objectives and budget parameters
• Collaborate with staff and executive team members to develop outreach plans and strategic communications for clients
• Handle crisis and emergency communications in order to counter negative publicity
• Manage team project strategy and deadlines for each client, assign tasks to support staff and monitor progress throughout the project, and communicate status updates to clients in client meeting agendas, recaps and reports
• Act as primary point of contact for clients; maintain communication, address any concerns that they may have, present communication strategies, and ultimately build trust
• Understand and track all lobbyist reporting items, political contribution rules and regulations, reporting, etc.
• Collaborate with graphics team to cultivate new business leads, develop proposals, and design communications
• Support staff as they develop collateral materials, including delegating tasks, directing the work, and reviewing and providing feedback on content
• Actively search for business opportunities by attending networking and community events, participating in professional associations, and meeting informally with government contacts
• Maintain an understanding of current public affairs and communications best practices, tactics and tools to provide strategic direction to clients

Requirements

Experience: 

• 5-9?years?of?previous Public Affairs or Community Relations experience required 
• Proven success in managing strategic outreach campaigns 
• Experience managing project team of 2-3 employees
• Previous public relations agency experience preferred 

Education: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Public Affairs, Political Science or similar field required 

Skills/Abilities: 

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills 
• Superior organizational and multitasking skills 
• Confidence to take initiative and problem solve
• Ability to work under tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment 
• Knowledge of local political landscape

What we Offer:

• Competitive salary with opportunities for growth
• Benefits including comprehensive medical care, flexible spending accounts, paid time off and profit sharing
• Opportunities to work on impactful projects that affect the future of our state
• Opportunities to engage with influential stakeholders 

Physical Requirements

While performing the responsibilities of the job, the employee is required to talk and hear. The employee is often required to sit and use their hands and fingers, to handle or feel. The employee is required to stand for long periods of time, walk, reach with arms and hands, climb or balance, and to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. Vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to view the computer for long periods of time.