Requirements of the Director of Advocacy
- 2 years of experience in government relations, ideally
- Be able to work early in the mornings and evenings could be several nights a week, as needed
- Meet with members when requested on their policy and regulatory priorities.
- Experience developing and leading coalitions with aligned stakeholders to support municipal and state policy initiatives
- Experience managing relationships and objectives with external campaign consultants, vendors, including polling, digital advertising, fundraising, compliance
- Ability to draft talking points, press statements, and op-eds as needed.
- Ability to represent the Chamber on various boards, committees, and task forces
- Create reports, prepare agendas, track key policy issue.
- Collaborate with Chamber staff team, participate in member communications, and member engagement programming.
- Attend Chamber events and support Events Manager when needed.
Benefits of the Job:
- 23 days PTO, accrued annually on a bi-weekly basis, 13 Paid Holidays
- Simple IRA Retirement Plan
- Medical, Dental, Short Term/Long Term Disability, Group Life
- Health Savings Account
- Parking paid for by PRCC
- Downtown Portland location!!
Responsibilities of the Director of Advocacy
- Serve as the Chamber’s primary liaison to municipal governments, regional policy bodies, and state government, with a strong focus on the City of Portland.
- Monitor City Council, board, commission, and committee meetings in Portland; attend and provide public testimony on issues affecting the business community
- Build and maintain strong relationships with municipal and state officials, including councilors, city/town managers, and department heads, serving as a trusted resource on employer perspectives.
- Attend early morning and evening municipal meetings as needed, often multiple nights per week.
- Monitor and analyze state legislation and rulemaking—particularly in housing, transportation, childcare, economic development, and labor—relevant to Chamber priorities.
- Inform members of emerging policy issues and opportunities for public comment at the local and state levels.
- Serve as staff liaison to 2-3 community chamber committees, including the Portland Community Chamber of Commerce; provide updates, solicit feedback, and attend meetings every 1-2 months.
- Lead all political and electoral activities of the organization, including ballot question campaigns and 501(c)(4) activities.