Associate Lobbyist

South Carolina Realtors; Columbia (SC); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote Fridays

Health insurance

401(k) matching

Paid time off

Life/AD&D insurance

Professional development

Job summary

South Carolina REALTORS® is seeking an Associate Lobbyist to support the advocacy division in Columbia, SC. You will track legislation, provide representation before the General Assembly, and coordinate with grassroots networks and contractors to protect private property rights.

Your role involves drafting public testimonies, policy briefs, and background issue summaries, while ensuring ethics and compliance across all activities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in political science or related field.
• 2–4+ years in government relations or lobbying in South Carolina.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Monitors daily legislative, regulatory, and budget proposals affecting real estate.
• Represents SCR through direct lobbying of elected officials and key staff.
• Drafts testimonies, position papers, and background summaries for SCR Legislative Group.
• Coordinates logistics for SPC and FPC programs and regional events.
• Liaises with local REALTOR associations to support advocacy campaigns.

Skills

Lobbying

Policy analysis

Public speaking

Education

Political Science degree

Public Policy degree

Job description

Position Overview

The Associate Lobbyist provides key operational and strategic support to the advocacy division of South Carolina REALTORS® (SCR). Working directly under the supervision of the Chief Political Officer (CPO), this role tracks legislative developments, provides direct representation before the South Carolina General Assembly, coordinates with political action grassroots networks, and independent contractors to protect private property rights.

Core Operational Areas

1. Legislative Tracking, Research & Briefing: Monitoring committee calendars, tracking active bills, and summarizing policy changes through written and verbal reports for leadership.
2. Direct Statehouse Representation: Lobbying lawmakers, assisting with public testimonies, and attending legislative events.
3. Political Coordinator Integration: Supporting the State Political Coordinator (SPC) and Federal Political Coordinator (FPC) networks.
4. Contractor & Regulatory Support: Coordinating tracking targets alongside external contract lobbyists, attending regulatory meetings as necessary, and maintaining lobbyist compliance records.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

• Monitors and analyzes daily legislative, regulatory, and budgetary proposals within the South Carolina General Assembly that impact the real estate profession.
• Utilizes customized professional tracking platforms to issue real-time alerts, policy briefs, and risk assessments for the CPO.
• Represents SCR's public policy positions through direct lobbying of elected officials, state agency executives, and legislative staffs.
• Assists in drafting authoritative public testimonies, position papers, legislative fact sheets, and background issue summaries to support the SCR Legislative Group.
• Coordinates and supports the administrative logistics of the State Political Coordinator (SPC) and Federal Political Coordinator (FPC) programs.
• Organizes in-person grassroots political events, regional legislative dinners, and statehouse networking functions with key policymakers.
• Acts as a key liaison to local REALTOR® associations to deploy call‑to‑action advocacy campaigns and maximize regional political engagement.
• Gathers intelligence on statewide electoral shifts, candidate filings, political trends, and legislative caucus activities.
• Ensures meticulous personal and contractor adherence to all South Carolina State Ethics Commission lobbyist registration and disclosure timelines.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Public Policy, Communications, Public Administration, or related field required.
• Experience: 2–4+ years of hands‑on experience in government relations, direct lobbying, statehouse staffing, or managing political issue campaigns in South Carolina.
• Competencies: Strong foundational understanding of the South Carolina legislative and committee process ; excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills ; ability to operate dynamically with volunteers, contractors, and elected officials under strict deadlines.

About South Carolina REALTORS® (SCR):

South Carolina REALTORS® is the state’s largest professional trade association, advocating on behalf of more than 30,000 real estate professionals and private property owners statewide. Headquartered in Columbia, SC, SCR provides legal resources, legislative advocacy, continuing education, and professional development programs to empower members and uphold ethical standards in real estate. We foster a collaborative, member-first work environment dedicated to public service, industry leadership, and organizational excellence.

What We Offer:

• Flexible schedule with remote work on Fridays
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision health coverage (employer-subsidized)
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with generous employer matching
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid standard holidays
• Employer-paid life, AD&D, and long‑term disability insurance
• Professional development support, continuing education, and relevant professional association dues/licensure reimbursements

Equal Opportunity Employer:

South Carolina REALTORS® is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment for all employees. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.