What are the responsibilities and job description for the Vice President of Government and Community Relations position at Tulane University?
Reporting directly to the Vice President for Public Affairs & Chief Communications Officer, the VP for Government & Community Relations is responsible for collaborating with university leaders to develop and successfully advance Tulane’s public policy priorities. The VP cultivates and sustains meaningful relationships with policymakers in federal, state and local government, develops and implements strategies to identify and secure government funding, educates key constituencies and advocates for policies that support the university’s mission and higher education interests. The VP leads a team of government and community relations professionals who interface daily with a broad group of stakeholders. This position also advances the interests of the Tulane community by managing external resources and working in partnership with other colleges and universities, medical research and science organizations, and higher education associations and coalitions, including the Association of American Universities (AAU) of which Tulane is a distinguished member.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
- WittKieffer is assisting Tulane University in this exciting search.
- All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited.
- Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or résumé and a letter of interest addressing the themes in this profile.
- For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by June 1, 2025, via WittKieffer’s candidate portal.
- Nominations and inquiries can be directed to: John K. Thornburgh and Lauren Bruce-Stests at TulaneVP-GCR@wittkiefer.com
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Familiarity with higher education systems and issues.
- Proven ability to establish effective relationships and negotiate with a wide range of constituencies.
- Skilled decision-maker and problem-solver, with transparency in decision-making and management.
- Excellent interpersonal communication and relationship management skills.
- Strong organizational skills and ability to conceive and execute a political advocacy strategy.
- Experience managing a team of highly skilled and experienced professionals.
- Strategic planning acumen and proactive posture.
- Strong policy analysis skills.
- High degree of discretion, ethical standards, and the ability to work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
Required Education and/or Experience
- At least 15 years of experience lobbying or working in or with government at the federal, state and/or local level.
- Previous experience navigating a high-profile public or political environment is required.
- Previous management experience is necessary.
Preferred Qualifications
- A record of success as an innovative and collaborative leader in a large, complex, mission-driven organization with numerous and distributed stakeholders, shared decision making, and often rapidly shifting priorities.
- Advanced knowledge of industry best practices and trends for all aspects of advocacy and issues strategy, in areas such as the development and maintenance of relationships, positioning, and messaging across and within community and governmental systems as well as metrics for assessing effectiveness.
- Experience in institutions that are subject to political and public scrutiny, whether legislative or regulatory.
- A firm understanding of and commitment to compliance with state and federal lobbying laws, ethics rules, and applicable regulations.
- Experience working with or for business and industry in the development of partnerships or other mutually beneficial relationships.
