Director, Government Affairs

Position Title: Director, Government Affairs

Reports To: Vice President Sales & Marketing

Date Last Revised: October 11, 2023

Position Summary:

The position researches and monitors government activities at the local, state, and federal level that could affect the organizations business and clients. In partnership with the product business teams and senior leadership, this individual will drive the strategic planning for known and potential regulatory activities related to the business and industry that support growth opportunities for the Knorr-Bremse.

Essential Functions:

• Builds and maintains professional relationships with members of federal, state, and local government entities and agencies.
• Joins trade associations and industry committees and seeks leadership roles.
• Collaborates with industry advocates to build areas of common interest.
• Testifies before government committees in support of the organization and/or industry.
• Introduces legislative and public policy changes that will support company operations.
• Collaborates closely with cross functional teams to drive the Bendix position and messaging for the business.
• Lead the analysis of proposed legislative actions and determines potential impact to the organization.
• Identify and help secure government funding for increased R&D spending for technologies in medium and heavy-duty vehicles.
• Positively position Bendix with regulatory agencies, such as NHTSA and FMCSA. Leads the information gather that supports Bendix’s area of interests.
• Continue to support the business on government regulation for all Bendix product lines.
• Required to attend meetings/briefings in order to be fully informed on various issues within Bendix and as well as issues being considered by congress.
• Key areas of focus will be in safety, improved fuel efficiency and reduced vehicle emissions, sustainability, and protections against counterfeiting.
• May oversee and manage a liaison program between the organization and legislative entities.
  
  
  

Knowledge:

• Familiar with a variety of the discipline’s concepts, practice, and policies.
• Knowledge of the stakeholders within the organization and industry to drive engagement.
• A strong understanding of what the factors are that influence legislative or regulatory policy developments.
• Heavy duty / commercial vehicle knowledge required.
• Knowledge of the congressional environment and professional standards of lobbyists
  
  
  

Experience:

• Requires a minimum of 10 years of experience in Marketing or Lobbying field.
• Relies on extensive experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals.
• Experience in communicating policy views to congressional staff.
• Experience in the heavy-duty truck, bus and/or automotive market.
  
  
  

Skills:

• Ability to establish a professional, credible, and trusting relationship with the customer. Takes pride in ensuring positive experience.
• Exceptional Communications skills (oral and written), ability to articulate complex issues and communicate them to a variety of audiences.
• Active listener who strives for resolutions and drives actions and tasks to completion.
• Strong negotiation skills, with the ability to influence and persuade to inspire action with government, the customer and internal organizational team.
• Initiative-taker who is action oriented, highly motivated, and possesses a keen sense of urgency. Capable of performing in a customer-focused, team-based matrix organization is essential.
• Possesses excellent analytical skills and is capable of utilizing the appropriate tools (i.e., excel, system reports, etc.)
• Ability to understand and navigate governance, administration, and culture in the internal and external environment, while demonstrating commitment to the organization and its customers.
• Strong ability to work through constraints which could be out of your control. Must manage stress quickly while remaining calm with a strong ability to control emotions and behaviors.
• Strong collaborator who puts team success before individual contributions; but can work independently and get the job done with minimal direction.
• Must possess strong marketing skills, with an eye for new product/market opportunities and ability to translate technical details into easily understood concepts and communicate to the market.
• Strong Quality Function Deployment (QFD), market research, and channel skills and a level of financial analysis capability.
  
  
  

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in political Science, marketing, public administration, public policy, law, business, or related field.
  
  
  

Position Requirements:

The demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.