What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director, Government Affairs position at Tulsa Community Foundation?
Background :
Tulsa Innovation Labs LLC (TIL) is a tech-led economic development organization headquartered in Tulsa, OK pioneered by the George Kaiser Family Foundation. The organization is responsible for catalyzing Tulsa's leadership in advanced industries. We believe that by building a world-class tech hub in America's heartland, we unlock opportunity for all.
Founded in January 2020, TIL has already made waves nationally, securing a $38.2M Build Back Better Regional Challenge award and a $51.7M EDA Tech Hubs Implementation award. Remarkably, TIL is one of only two communities in the country to achieve both honors, positioning us as a trailblazer in driving regional growth and innovation.
As we transition from our startup phase to an established role as a systems hub and community leader, TIL is entering an exciting new chapter. This next phase demands bold thinking, operational excellence, and the ability to scale our capacity to match the growing opportunities before us. Joining TIL means becoming part of a high-impact organization shaping the future of our community and beyond.
Position Summary :
The Director of Government Affairs directs and manages the local, state, and federal government relationship management efforts of TIL, managing advocacy agencies, committees or other activities as needed in order to carry out the government affairs of the organization by developing and growing relationships with key political, legislative, regulatory, and agency stakeholders that ultimately advance TIL's goals. As a leader within the TIL system, this role requires a highly collaborative approach to succeed. While independent initiative and expertise are valuable, success in this position hinges equally on the ability to work closely with internal teams and external partners. The ideal candidate will excel at building strong relationships across the organization to align efforts and drive shared goals, ensuring that both internal collaboration and external engagement are fully leveraged to achieve impactful outcomes.
Responsibilities / Essential Job Function :
The following functions represent the majority of the duties performed by the position. The description is not meant to be all-inclusive or prevent other duties from being assigned when necessary :
- Lead, develop, and execute an "Innovation Agenda" that will outline advocacy priorities critical to the success of an innovation economy in Northeast Oklahoma, and develop and implement legislative advocacy strategies
- Coordinate government affairs activities of TIL at the city, county, state and federal level also including tribal governments
- Devise outreach plan that includes events, communications, and other strategic touchpoints in order to cultivate strategic relationships with relevant staffers of federal delegation members
- Work with Events and Programming team to develop relevant events and / or programming that builds awareness and buy-in of TIL vision and drives priorities forward at the local, state, and federal levels (i.e. forums, dinners, days at the capitol, Washington Fly-in, etc.)
- Provide guidance to Grants and Initiatives teams to ensure funding alignment with key governmental agencies on TIL initiatives
- Successfully manage external resources such as government relations consultants, prioritizing the development of long-term strategies for key collaborators and constituencies
- Develop and execute governmental agency outreach strategy in collaboration with Sr. Associate, Grants & Partnerships, and initiatives teams
- Provide research, position papers and recommendations on issues to TIL teammates, committees, and leadership
- Lead the development of a legislative tracker at all levels that may impact TIL's ability to fully carry out its mission in accordance with the Innovation Agenda and ensure timely communication of issues / opportunities to TIL leadership
- Provide regular information to Marketing and Communications team regarding Public Policy issues pertaining to TIL's mission in newsletters, social media and other relevant distribution avenues.
- Represent TIL in areas of government and public affairs by attending specific meetings where appropriate
- When directed, organize advocacy efforts on issues of interest for TIL critical partners
- Build relationships at the City and County levels, tracking agendas and attend meetings as appropriate
- Maintain positive working relationships with local, state, and federal elected officials and relevant staff
- Serve as resource for staff, advisory councils, and leadership on matters of Public Policy.
- Other duties as assigned by Managing Director.
Requirements
QUALIFICATIONS
Education & Experience :
Competencies, Skills & Abilities :
To be successful in this role, you must have excellent communication, organizational and project management skills. You must also have the ability to actively listen, engage and connect with a diverse group of people, fostering meaningful relationships with our partners. Our team must be nimble and adaptable to the growing and changing needs of our organization and stakeholder groups, creating solutions and improving processes to achieve TIL goals.
Physical Requirements :
Hours & Location :
About out Benefits
As part of our overall compensation package, we offer work / life flexibility, comprehensive health benefits, paid time off, and generous retirement contributions designed to support your and your family.
Details :
Salary : $52
