Director of Government Affairs

American Council of Engineering Companies of Minnesota; Saint Paul (MN); On-site; USD 95,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Retirement plan with employer match

Parking in downtown Saint Paul

Bonus eligibility based on performance

Job summary

ACEC Minnesota seeks a Director of Government Affairs to lead legislative and regulatory advocacy, coordinating with the CEO and member firms to advance business interests at the Capitol and with state agencies.

The role owns advocacy outcomes, manages multiple concurrent issues, builds coalitions, staffs the government affairs committee, and aligns state priorities with ACEC National goals.

Qualifications

• Owns a legislative or regulatory portfolio with lobbying and coalition leadership.
• Knowledge of Minnesota legislative process and public procurement.
• Ability to translate member concerns into actionable positions.
• Strong writing and analytical skills with deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Develop legislative strategy and manage session activities.
• Own the annual legislative agenda and execute it during session.
• Engage with legislators, agency leadership, and staff; testify when needed.
• Monitor rulemaking dockets and coordinate with coalitions.
• Draft letters, advise on coalition responses, and manage relationships.
• Staff the government affairs committee and connect work to the agenda.
• Support PAC activities and ensure compliance.
• Coordinate with ACEC National priorities and federal fly-ins.

Skills

Legislative portfolio ownership

Direct lobbying

Coalition leadership

Minnesota legislative process

Regulatory rulemaking

Public procurement knowledge

Analytical writing under deadline

Job description

The Director of Government Affairs is the principal owner of ACEC Minnesota's legislative, regulatory, and public agency advocacy. The role exists to advance the business interests of member firms in law and rule. In coordination with the CEO, the Director sets and executes the organization's advocacy strategy, owns its relationships with legislators and agency leadership, and is accountable for advocacy outcomes.

Core Responsibilities

• Legislative strategy and session management
• Develop the annual legislative agenda in coordination with the CEO and own its execution through session
• Analyze and prioritize legislation affecting the engineering industry, including procurement, qualifications-based selection, professional licensure, liability, and infrastructure funding
• Represent ACEC Minnesota at the Capitol, including direct engagement with legislators and staff, testimony, and coordination of CEO and member testimony
• Produce the end-of-session summary and interim analysis
• Lobbying and compliance
• Maintain working knowledge of Minnesota campaign finance and lobbying law
• Report all campaign finance activity (contributions and expenses) on a weekly basis
• Regulatory and agency advocacy
• Co-own with the CEO ACEC Minnesota's working relationships with MnDOT, the Metropolitan Council, state licensing boards, and other agencies whose rules and procurement practices affect member firms
• Monitor rulemaking dockets and policy changes and represent the organization in rulemaking proceedings
• Draft comment letters
• Advise on coalition responses
• Convert member firm concerns about agency practice, including procurement and contract terms, into defined advocacy objectives
• Coalition and stakeholder management
• Build and manage coalitions with allied organizations on shared legislative and regulatory priorities
• Serve as ACEC Minnesota's principal in coalition settings, with authority to speak to positions the CEO has approved
• Committee leadership
• Staff the government affairs committee and connect committee activity to the legislative agenda
• Support the PAC and campaign fund committees with fundraising, candidate evaluation, event planning, and compliance awareness
• National coordination
• Align state advocacy with ACEC National priorities
• Coordinate federal fly-in participation twice per year
• Maintain relationships with the Minnesota congressional delegation's staff
• Executive and member communication
• Brief the CEO on legislative and regulatory developments with analysis that supports decisions
• Produce member-facing advocacy communications

A successful candidate for the position of Director of Government Affairs owns advocacy outcomes. They define what ACEC Minnesota wants from a relationship or an issue and are accountable for whether the organization gets it. The Director operates independently at the director level, with work product reaching the CEO in final, publishable form.

To be successful in this position, they must manage multiple concurrent issues through session and between sessions without dropped commitments to members, legislators, coalition partners, or agencies. This position must maintain complete records of positions taken and commitments made so institutional knowledge survives the role holder.

Qualifications and Competencies

• Demonstrated experience owning a legislative or regulatory portfolio, including direct lobbying and coalition leadership
• Working knowledge of Minnesota legislative process, administrative rulemaking, and public procurement
• Ability to translate technical member firm concerns into positions legislators and agency staff can act on
• Strong analytical writing under deadline, with a demonstrated record of accuracy
• Judgment to know when to commit the organization and when to escape to the CEO

Compensation and Benefits

The starting salary range for this position is$95,000 to $115,000. Placement within the range reflects demonstrated experience owning a legislative or regulatory portfolio, including direct lobbying and coalition leadership. This is a full-time, exempt position based in downtown Saint Paul.

• Medical, dental, and vision. Coverage begins the first of the month following 30 days of employment. ACEC Minnesota pays 80 percent of the employee-only premium and 50 percent of dependent premiums.
• Retirement. The ACEC Minnesota 401(k) Plan makes a 3 percent safe harbor employer contribution, fully vested immediately. You receive it whether or not you contribute. Eligibility begins on your date of hire, with plan entry the first of the month that follows. Pre-tax and Roth deferrals are available.
• Parking. Covered parking in the World Trade Center ramp at no cost.
• Review and bonus. Compensation is reviewed annually in July, aligned with the fiscal year. The position is eligible for a discretionary annual performance bonus based on organizational and individual performance.