Director, Gov Affairs

Optimum; Plano (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Optimum in Plano, TX seeks a Director of Government Affairs to lead state legislative and regulatory engagement, coordinating with federal, state, and local officials to advance the company’s public policy and business objectives.

You will oversee franchise renewals, grants programs for broadband expansion, and community affairs initiatives across the Western footprint, building strategic relationships and guiding advocacy initiatives in Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas and Southeast Texas.

Qualifications

• 10-15 years experience in the telecommunications industry, government sector or other relevant areas.
• Strong knowledge of telecommunications business, laws, and regulation is preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability present effectively to a wide range of audiences.
• Team building skills, including ability to work effectively with colleagues that are not in a direct reporting relationship.
• Leadership skills, including ability to advance company interests in venues that require consensus building.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain relationships with governors' offices, Attorneys General, state utility commissions, and local government officials in the Primary Areas.
• Manage all state-level legislative advocacy, regulatory advocacy, and compliance.
• Develop and execute government strategies to garner support for business initiatives and grants for broadband deployment.
• Oversee local government relationships and franchise management across the Western footprint.
• Develop strategic targets for community affairs initiatives to enhance the company’s image and relationships with public officials.

Skills

Government affairs

Legislative analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Communication skills

Leadership

Job description

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Director, Gov Affairs

Location: Plano, TX, US, 75024

Brand: Optimum

Requisition #: 12724

Are you looking to Optimize your life? Start your exciting path to a rewarding career today!

We are Optimum, a leader in the fast-paced world of connectivity, and we're seeking driven and enthusiastic professionals to join our team, empower lives, fuel businesses, and drive innovation. Connectivity is now longer a luxury, but a necessity. A career at Optimum means you'll be enabling progress and enhancing lives by providing reliable, high-speed connectivity solutions that keep the world connected. Our successes, now and in the future, are powered by our amazing product, a commitment to our people and culture, and the connections we make in our communities.

If you are resourceful, collaborative, and passionate about delivering consistent excellence, Optimum is for you!

Job Summary

The Director, Government Affairs is responsible for state legislative and regulatory affairs as well as all engagement with state, local and Federal government officials on business matters for Optimum in Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas and Optimum's South East Texas footprint ("Primary Areas"). This role also manages the renewal and compliance with the cable franchises negotiated with local governments across the Western Footprint covering 4 of the Optimum OMS regions. This position will also work with the appropriate state and local agencies to secure broadband expansion grants for designated areas in the Primary Areas, as well as other markets should opportunities arise. In coordination with Corporate Government Affairs, this position must develop and execute political, legislative, and regulatory strategies and initiatives that support and enhance the company's business objectives, including strategic community affairs initiatives. The Director is also responsible for maintaining and building relationships with key federal, state, and local officials as well as community stakeholders who are influential in the Primary Areas.

Responsibilities

• Government Affairs Relationships: Develop and maintain relationships with Governors' offices, Attorneys General, state utility commissions, state legislatures (including leadership, key committee chairs and staff), congressional district directors, and local government officials in the Primary Areas. The Director will also attend political functions and community events on behalf of the Company.
• Legislative & Regulatory Affairs: Manage all state-level legislative advocacy, regulatory advocacy, and compliance. This includes strategic planning and direct day-to-day engagement in all aspects of legislative and regulatory proceedings and the coordination, both direct and indirect, (through industry allies and business associations) of company involvement to minimize operational impact and costs. To the extent possible, these efforts seek to achieve a better governmental environment for the company's products and services.
• Business Initiatives: Responsible for developing and executing government strategies to garner support for business initiatives, including permits to support network expansion/upgrades, programming disputes and siting of retail locations. This may include working with applicable state and local agencies to secure government broadband grants for deployment of our broadband network.
• Franchising: Responsible for all local government relationships and franchise management, including securing renewals on favorable terms and compliance throughout the entire Western footprint. Also supports expansion in communities outside company's franchise areas through the negotiation and management of alternative right-of-way agreements as needed.
• Community Affairs: Responsible for developing strategic targets for execution of community affairs initiatives to advance the company’s community image and relationships with public officials.

Qualifications

• 10-15 years experience in the telecommunications industry, government sector or other relevant areas.
• Strong knowledge of telecommunications business, laws, and regulation is preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability present effectively to a wide range of audiences.
• Team building skills, including ability to work effectively with colleagues that are not in a direct reporting relationship.
• Leadership skills, including ability to advance company interests in venues that require consensus building.
• Flexibility and creativity in problem solving, particularly in negotiations with government officials and agencies.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with federal, state, and local government officials as well as community stakeholders.
• Ability to analyze and understand business impact of proposed legislation and regulations at federal, state, and local level.