Director
Government Relations

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About the Role
Do you have experience in City or State government, advocacy, or government relations? Kasirer is seeking to hire a Director of Government Relations to join our team. As a Director, you will work closely with both Vice Presidents and Associates on Client Teams to advance complex projects. You will be both task-oriented and think “big picture” to propel our clients’ goals forward.

Kasirer is looking for an individual with intergovernmental skills and experience who has either worked for or with government or private sector organizations and understands some government relations, advocacy, community relations, coalition building, and a range of issues and policy areas important to NYC (New York City). Working with client teams, they will develop strategic plans designed to engage decision makers in government and elected office to achieve concrete goals for our clients. These goals may include reputational development, positioning clients for competitive procurement opportunities, and more.

The successful candidate must have a calm response to crisis and thrive in a high-pressure environment. They must be interested in local politics and have a basic understanding of NYC government. They must be able to engage with numerous clients and projects consistently to help lead clients through complex situations, all while managing workflows on a variety of long-term projects with a discerning eye on the ever-changing political landscape. Building relationships with City Council Members and Borough Presidents and their staff, as well as with members of the Mayoral administration is key. The successful candidate will be a skilled communicator and able to work collaboratively with the firm’s leadership and staff to promote a respectful and inclusive environment that emphasizes cooperation and teamwork. In addition, they must be respectful of the perspectives of others and possess sound judgment.

Kasirer’s diverse portfolio includes a variety of organizations, companies, and membership associations in industries such as hospitality, media, communications, production, education, technology, data analysis, retail and chambers of commerce, luxury retail, transportation, energy, aviation, finance, healthcare and more. We work with a range of different clients on many policy areas, and the Director will thrive being involved with many issues.

The Director is self-motivated, organized, and detail oriented.

Responsibilities

• Writing the initial drafts of client strategic engagement plans, in coordination with the client lead.
• Participating in regular calls with the clients they are assigned to, providing substantial value, insight, and input into the discussion, and taking notes to inform follow-up.
• Scheduling external meetings with elected officials and key stakeholders on behalf of clients, as well as internal calls with clients.
• Drafting agendas and briefing materials to prepare clients, team leads, and principals for meetings.
• Conducting research and issue analysis, utilizing their growing network and relationships to gather intel, and understanding politics, government, and lobbying, to inform client strategies.
• Regularly engaging in dialogue with the staff of elected and government officials, community, and third-party stakeholders, to support the client strategy, with an ability to speak to the direct stakeholder, if necessary.
• Participating in weekly team meetings and ensuring that client updates are input into team tracking systems.
• Proactively communicating progress and status updates with clients, both verbally and written, when necessary.

Knowledge and Skills

• Strong organizational skills including detail-orientation. Ability to strategically manage multiple projects in a deadline-driven environment.
• Ability to succeed in a collaborative environment.
• Ability to distill complicated information into easy-to-understand memos;
• Proactive about trying to get better at whatever they do; reflect on successes/failures, seek feedback, incorporate feedback immediately to improve, ask for the help or resources they need to be successful, and assume personal responsibility.
• Understanding of New York City’s political landscape, and a strong interest in learning more about City government.

Experience and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required, advanced degree a plus;
• Minimum of three years experience working in either government relations, City or State government, political campaigns, or advocacy;
• Knowledge of and/or experience working in NYC government strongly preferred;
• Strong oral and written communications skills and high attention to detail;
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment with a strong team ethic;
• Willingness to attend night events/meetings and occasional weekend events;
• Working knowledge of MS Office software, i.e., Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Kasirer is an equal opportunity employer. The salary range for this position is $90,000 to $110,000.

To apply for this position please send your cover letter and resume with the subject line “Director” to KasirerApplicants@kasirer.nyc.