Senior External Affairs Analyst
Are you interested in working for the Sacramento region's only public agency that brings together cities, counties and other partners to plan and prepare for the future? We are looking for someone to lead our relations with local public agencies, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders.
This is a new position dedicated to focusing on managing external relationships and partnerships, outreach, and education. You will be part of a newly formed group of nine staff that work in three teams: external affairs, legislative affairs, and communications. As the lead staff for external affairs, you will report to the Director of Legislative and External Affairs. This position may have supervisory duties. Most supervision given will be project-based.
With an agency-wide staff of nearly 60, you will work with project managers and management to coordinate on how we engage stakeholders in our programs and projects, and how we engage in external processes that impact our work.
Why join SACOG?
- The dynamic nature of our work - we are a small, flexible, and diverse staff that serves a voluntary association of city and county governments that provide a forum for mutual problem solving and regional advancement.
- We encourage professional development and growth, as well as, promote job satisfaction and personal fulfillment in which talents are fully utilized and uniqueness is valued.
- We have a team-based organizational structure - collaborative, achievement-oriented teams are the focal point of all our project work. Our team members come from a range of backgrounds that bring a variety of ideas, perspectives and experiences to help contribute to our innovative and collaborative environment.
- We are committed to our organizational values - professional excellence, innovation, integrity, leadership, trust, mutual respect, accountability, teamwork, collaboration, open communication, and personal growth.
- We value our employees - our generous benefits package is described on the "Benefits" tab.
Diversity at SACOG
SACOG values diversity and believes that a range of backgrounds brings a variety of ideas, perspectives and experiences that contribute to an innovative and collaborative environment in which talents are fully utilized, uniqueness is valued, and SACOG's objectives are met. SACOG is committed to building a culturally diverse workplace. We welcome individuals of all backgrounds, orientations, and identities.
In addition to being an organizational value, we also uphold equal opportunity under the law. SACOG is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to compliance with all applicable laws providing equal employment opportunities. SACOG provides fair and equal opportunity for all with no discrimination because of race, creed, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status, age, sexual orientation, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws.
SACOG will make reasonable accommodations for the known physical or mental disabilities of an otherwise qualified individual who is an applicant or employee.
Telework
This position will have the ability to telework at least part-time. Certain duties will require time in the office, but the majority of duties can be done remotely. Employees are required to live within 200 miles of Sacramento so that they can attend meetings in person.
We support telework because it:
- Enhances employees' productivity, satisfaction, and ability to collaborate
- Improves recruitment and retention
- Reduces greenhouse gas emissions, vehicle miles traveled (VMT), traffic and parking congestion, and air pollution
Search Schedule
Filing Deadline: June 10 at 5:00 pm
First round interviews via Zoom: Mid June
Second round interviews may be in-person: Mid to Late June
Reference checks: Late June
Offer of employment: Late June
Desired start date: Mid July
This is the senior level in the Analyst class series. For a full description of the Senior Analyst classification, please see the Analyst Series Classification in our Job Classification Plan.
For this specific position, the duties, knowledge, abilities, education and experience needed are stated below.
Duties:
- Develop and implement an ongoing relationship and engagement strategy that includes targeting the following groups in the six-county SACOG region:
- All city council members and county supervisors in the Sacramento region
- Senior staff such as city managers, county executives, planning directors, public works directors and community development directors
- Key partners including transit districts, Metro Chamber, Valley Vision, SMUD, Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce, Greater Sacramento Economic Council, air districts, water and sewer districts, utility districts, labor organizations, and other community-based organizations.
- Lead, plan, organize, and coordinate activities to effectively and efficiently communicate about key agency projects and programs to external audiences.
- Develop strategies and contribute to efforts to assist SACOG in accomplishing key goals and amplify our impact in the region.
- Provide recommendations to improve SACOG's relationships, outreach efforts and overall communications strategy with organizations within the region.
- Lead internal staff on usage of customer/client relationship management software.
- Develop and maintain relevant contact information and an inventory of community groups and individuals.
- Develop and implement a system to coordinate external partner efforts with staff.
- Advise management on significant external organization agenda items and actions and inform of critical issues affecting SACOG and actions needed, follow-up on meetings, correspondence, and reports.
- Support agency leadership and represent the agency as needed at public events and meetings. Act as a liaison and provide feedback and follow-up.
- Assist in developing speaking points, presentations, background documents and informational materials regarding agency projects and programs.
- Present written, oral, and visual reports to the Board of Directors, committees, outside agencies and organizations, and public stakeholders.
- Manage events, communication and outreach, and education programs to promote community participation, educate stakeholders, ensure SACOG responsiveness to community concerns, and increase community support for SACOG's interests, programs, and projects.
- Provide professional support across the agency in external affairs. Serve as a liaison and build cooperative partnerships between SACOG and other government entities, interest groups, and other stakeholders to advance and represent the priorities and interests of SACOG and member jurisdictions.
The ideal candidate:
- Is passionate about public service and leading with equity, particularly in the areas of local government, transportation, housing, or land use
- Has the ability to assess partnership opportunities, has successfully partnered with public and private sector stakeholders, and has established and maintained trusting and collaborative working relationships with diverse community groups, public organizations, and other external partners
- Excels at building consensus and cooperation on a wide range of, and potentially controversial, topics
- Possesses strong strategic communications skills
- Can identify, distill, and convey important and relevant information from complex documents, agendas, and meetings
- Can plan, coordinate, and facilitate meetings and events about complex issues
- Enjoys leading educational opportunities such as webinars, tours, and briefings
- Thrives working both independently and in collaboration with colleagues to meet individual and team goals and enjoys being a part of a team
Knowledge of:
- Expert-level theories and concepts related to external affairs.
- Quality assurance and quality control principles and practices of within areas of expertise.
- Organizational and management practices as applied to the analysis, evaluation, development, and implementation of programs, policies, and procedures.
Ability to:
- Provide leadership and technical guidance as an agency-recognized subject matter expert and advisor in assigned area of responsibility including performing varied duties requiring many different and unrelated processes and methods applied to a broad range of activities or substantial depth of analysis.
- Manage large, complex, and multi-disciplinary projects, programs, studies, and initiative.
- Make effective decisions under circumstances that may include uncertainty in approach, methodology, or interpretation and evaluation processes, as well as continuing changes in program, technological developments, unknown phenomena, or conflicting requirements.
- Originate new techniques and establish standards by identifying and defining unknown conditions, resolving critical problems, and developing new theories.
Education and Experience
Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:
Equivalent to graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in business or public administration, planning, political science, government, communications, or a closely related field.
At least five (5) years of increasingly responsible experience in external affairs, government relations, public relations, or a closely related field; or two (2) years of experience equivalent to Associate Analyst at SACOG.
Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid California Driver's License by time of appointment.