Assistant Director for International Issues, Congressional and Governmental Affairs -- Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU)

Title: Assistant Director for International Issues, Congressional and Governmental Affairs Location: Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) Departments: International Programs and Congressional and Governmental Affairs Supervisors: Vice President, Congressional and Governmental Affairs and Vice President, International Programs Summary The Assistant Director for International Issues, Congressional and Governmental Affairs is a key joint appointment in APLU’s Offices of Congressional & Governmental Affairs and International Programs and works under the direction of the Vice President for Governmental Affairs and the Vice President for International Programs. Primary Responsibilities The main responsibilities of the position are to advance the association’s international legislative priorities through the annual appropriations and appropriate authorization processes. A significant component of this position requires outreach to and coordination with members of the Council on Governmental Affairs (CGA) – the government relations officials at APLU member universities – and the Commission on International Initiatives (CII) – the international affairs officers at APLU universities. The Assistant Director for International Issues is responsible for developing, in concert with both offices, an overall annual strategy for federal engagement to advance international issues of importance to our membership. The strategy will establish the set of actions required to achieve APLU’s goals for the fiscal year. The assistant director monitors, analyzes, tracks, and recommends the best course of action regarding federal legislation that would impact international programs of interest to APLU’s U.S. institutions, including but not limited to international development programs, international agriculture programs, immigration and visa policy, study abroad and international education. APLU is the leading higher education association on many of these issues. The Assistant Director is expected to drive an advocacy agenda and raise the profile of APLU as a leading voice. The Assistant Director will participate in events, meetings, and hearings with various coalition groups, legislative offices, and occasionally agency offices to represent APLU’s interests on issue areas and will report activities to the VPs for Governmental Affairs and International Programs. The Assistant Director position is supported by special dues paid by APLU member institutions through an International Advocacy Coordinating Committee (IACC). The Assistant Director is responsible for managing the relationship with IACC members and maintaining their support. Qualifications Qualified candidates will be experienced professionals with several years’ experience on Capitol Hill or in positions focused primarily on working with the Hill. Ideal candidates also will have some professional experience with universities as well as with the substance of the issues within APLU’s international portfolio. Candidates must be proven team players and self-starters, and have strong verbal and written communication skills. Candidates will also possess strong organizational and interpersonal skills, be detail-oriented and able to juggle multiple responsibilities simultaneously. Bachelor’s degree required. Salary and Job Requirements Compensation: Range starts at $70,000. APLU provides a generous benefits package. Location: Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) 1307 New York Avenue, NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20005 Timeframe: APLU is seeking to fill this position as soon as possible and will consider applications on a rolling basis. To Apply To apply, please send an e-mail, with attachments in Word format, including a cover letter describing your interest and qualifications, your resume, two short writing samples (1-3 pages each), and three professional references to resume@aplu.org with the subject line: “Assistant Director, International Issues, Congressional and Governmental Affairs”. APLU is an equal opportunity employer.