Director of Government Relations

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT: Director of Government Relations

Estimated Start Date: September 1, 2011

Position Scope: CJC’s Director of Government Relations is primarily responsible for:
implementing a range of government relations, policy campaign, and community engagement
activities to support CJC’s policy goals. These activities will include: education of members of
the Illinois General Assembly, the members of the Illinois Congressional delegation, and other
elected and appointed government officials; implementation of Illinois Works for the Future
campaign activities; and overseeing the engagement of CJC’s members, allied organizations and
community members in public policy advocacy. The Director of Government Relations will
supervise one policy staff person and report to the Associate Director.

The Chicago Jobs Council (CJC) is a membership organization comprised of approximately 100
education, employment and training providers, civic groups, businesses and advocates who
support CJC’s mission to ensure access to employment and career advancement opportunities
for people in poverty. We carry out our mission by facilitating dialogue among communitybased
providers and advocates, whereby they identify issues that affect disadvantaged job
seekers, and develop strategies for reforming public policies and improving local programs.
CJC’s work culture is based on team work, and all team members must demonstrate flexibility,
personal responsibility, integrity, and a commitment to consistently high quality work.
CJC’s policy work is advanced by a team of six policy staff, including the Director of Government
Relations. The team is led by the Director of Policy and works collaboratively to implement
effective advocacy strategies in multiple policy‐making venues, primarily at the city and state
level, but also on regional and national initiatives.

Responsibilities:
• Lead the implementation of CJC’s outreach and education strategies in the Illinois General
Assembly, with the Governor’s Office, and with the U.S. Congressional delegation from
Illinois.
• Coordinate and oversee all Illinois Works for the Future (IWF) campaign activities, including:
public engagement and endorser development; strategic leadership to set advocacy plan to
accomplish campaign policy and outreach goals; and a range of communication activities.
• Lead and oversee the implementation of community engagement and communication
strategies to support CJC’s policy advocacy strategies, including IWF.
• Develop and maintain relationships with appropriate decision makers, agencies, advocacy
groups, and coalitions as needed to mount effective public policy campaigns.
• As necessary, coordinate with the Director of Policy on administrative policy advocacy at
the local, state and federal level.
• Identify opportunities for CJC to contribute expertise to legislative and administrative
policy‐making forums; facilitate the engagement of CJC policy staff and members with
relevant content knowledge in those opportunities.
• Contribute to the development of CJC’s annual policy work plan, with an understanding of
difference between goals, objectives, and activities and ability to set measurable and
achievable performance expectations.
• Supervise one senior policy associate.
• As needed, participate in the evaluation, selection, and hiring of CJC employees.
• Appropriate verbal communication of CJC’s mission, strategies, organizational goals, and
policy positions in meetings and presentations.
• Maintain acute awareness of political, policy, economic and community issues at the
federal, state, and local levels that impact CJC’s policy work, program work and members.
• Complete quarterly reports to the Board of Directors regarding work plan outcomes.
• Development of emails, letters, memos, meeting summaries, evaluation summaries, policy
briefs, and fact sheets.
• Write fundraising proposals and reports as assigned.
• Participate in regular full staff meetings.
Skills and Qualifications:
• Commitment to the advancement of CJC’s organizational mission: The Chicago Jobs Council
is an organization that works with its members to ensure access to employment and career
advancement opportunities for people in poverty.
• Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of five to seven years experience in leading and
managing complex policy campaign initiatives; leading efforts in legislative, and/or
administrative advocacy; cultivating relationships with elected officials; experience with
workforce development, community economic development, community organizing, or
social service programming. Master’s degree is preferred.
• Familiarity with public policies and programs that impact people living in poverty,
particularly in the areas of economic development, workforce development, work supports,
income supports, vocational education, adult education, and program development.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a demonstrated ability to cultivate and sustain relationships
with state‐level policy‐makers in Illinois; and to work well with colleagues, funders, Board
members, CJC member organizations and working group participants, and other
stakeholders.
• Possesses exceptional critical thinking and analytical ability; demonstrated ability to balance
creativity and logic when making decisions after adequately contemplating various courses
of action and collection of facts.
• Possesses clear, concise, and persuasive written and verbal communication skills, including
public speaking experience.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively facilitate discussion at staff meetings, working groups,
committee or task force meetings, as well as at focus and breakout groups.
• Participates well in a team including listening to and respecting team members’ ideas,
providing backup on other team members’ projects, adapting when a change is made, and
incorporating team feedback on written communications.
• Possesses self‐confidence including a belief in one’s ability to accomplish a task and select
an effective approach to a task or problem, confidence in one’s own decisions or opinions,
reflects on lessons learned from failures and successes.
• Exceptional administrative, organizational and time management skills that allow for the
handling of multiple and competing priorities while meeting short‐ and long‐term deadlines
and ability to coach team members to do the same.
• Proficiency with computer applications in Windows environment, especially Microsoft
Office Suite applications.

APPLICATION CLOSING DATE: August 8, 2011

The Chicago Jobs Council offers competitive compensation, commensurate with experience, and
an excellent benefits package. Send cover letter, resume, and a brief writing sample via e‐mail
to hr@cjc.net (documents must be submitted in either MS Word or PDF format).

THE CHICAGO JOBS COUNCIL IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER