Government Relations Associate

Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies in Philadelphia seeks a professional to support client engagements across government relations, strategic communications, political engagement, and public affairs.

The role focuses on understanding client objectives, coordinating with stakeholders, preparing materials, tracking priorities, and helping plan events and fundraising. Candidates should have 3-5 years in politics or related fields and strong written and verbal communication.

Qualifications

• Approximately 3-5 years of experience in politics, government, campaigns, political fundraising, public affairs, communications, government relations, or another fast-paced professional environment.
• Exceptional organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple clients, projects, relationships, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills and the ability to professionally interact with clients, elected officials, senior executives, attorneys, lobbyists, civic leaders, and staff.
• Strong writing skills and the ability to draft concise, polished correspondence and adapt to the voice and communication style of senior professionals.
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative, anticipate needs, solve problems independently, and consistently follow through on commitments.
• Strong interpersonal judgment and an understanding of discretion, relationships, personalities, and professional context.
• Ability to handle confidential and politically sensitive information with discretion.
• High degree of responsiveness and comfort communicating through email, phone, text, and other platforms as appropriate.
• Strong attention to detail and an instinct for ensuring names, dates, invitations, follow-up, materials, and other details are accurate.
• Experience coordinating events, meetings, fundraising activities, or other stakeholder engagements preferred.
• Ability to work effectively across teams and understand when to act independently, coordinate with colleagues, or elevate an issue.
• Interest in the intersection of government, business, politics, communications, technology, culture, and civic affairs.
• Experience or relationships in Montgomery, Delaware, Bucks, or Chester counties is a plus, but not required.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Support the day-to-day management and execution of client engagements across government relations, strategic communications, political engagement, and public affairs.
• Develop a strong understanding of assigned clients, including their objectives, stakeholders, political environment, and outstanding priorities, and help ensure that client commitments and deliverables are completed.
• Prepare client updates, briefing materials, talking points, meeting notes, research, stakeholder analyses, presentations, and other client-facing materials.
• Track client priorities, meetings, deadlines, commitments, and follow-up and proactively move outstanding matters toward completion.
• Draft and manage correspondence, including emails, introductions, invitations, outreach, and follow-up with clients, elected officials, business and civic leaders, and other stakeholders.
• Maintain a working understanding of key relationships and ongoing conversations so that routine matters can be advanced quickly and with limited direction.
• Support government relations and stakeholder engagement in Philadelphia and, as client needs require, throughout Southern Eastern Pennsylvania.
• Monitor relevant legislative, political, regulatory, business, and civic developments and identify issues or opportunities relevant to clients and the practice.
• Support political fundraising and engagement activities, including outreach, invitations, guest lists, RSVP and contribution tracking, event preparation, and follow-up.
• Assist in planning and executing client events, political fundraisers, stakeholder meetings, roundtables, dinners, receptions, and other convenings.
• Support business development efforts, including prospect research, meeting preparation, outreach, proposal development, and follow-up.
• Serve as a trusted point of contact for stakeholders and help facilitate introductions, coordinate outreach, and move relationships and conversations forward.
• Support special projects involving multiple clients, stakeholders, offices, or jurisdictions.
• Coordinate with Public Strategies professionals in Harrisburg, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., New York, and other markets as client needs require.
• Work closely with the Government Relations Coordinator on scheduling, travel, expenses, meeting and event logistics, contact management, and other administrative needs, while helping provide the context, prioritization, communications, and follow-through necessary to advance client and practice priorities.
• Anticipate needs, identify outstanding items, and take ownership of getting projects and commitments across the finish line.

Skills

Political fundraising

Public affairs

Government relations

Communications

Writing

Problem solving

Discretion

Time management

Client management

Relationship building

Cross-team collaboration

Event coordination

Stakeholder engagement

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Key Responsibilities

• Support the day-to-day management and execution of client engagements across government relations, strategic communications, political engagement, and public affairs.
• Develop a strong understanding of assigned clients, including their objectives, stakeholders, political environment, and outstanding priorities, and help ensure that client commitments and deliverables are completed.
• Prepare client updates, briefing materials, talking points, meeting notes, research, stakeholder analyses, presentations, and other client-facing materials.
• Track client priorities, meetings, deadlines, commitments, and follow-up and proactively move outstanding matters toward completion.
• Draft and manage correspondence, including emails, introductions, invitations, outreach, and follow-up with clients, elected officials, business and civic leaders, and other stakeholders.
• Maintain a working understanding of key relationships and ongoing conversations so that routine matters can be advanced quickly and with limited direction.
• Support government relations and stakeholder engagement in Philadelphia and, as client needs require, throughout Southern Eastern Pennsylvania.
• Monitor relevant legislative, political, regulatory, business, and civic developments and identify issues or opportunities relevant to clients and the practice.
• Support political fundraising and engagement activities, including outreach, invitations, guest lists, RSVP and contribution tracking, event preparation, and follow-up.
• Assist in planning and executing client events, political fundraisers, stakeholder meetings, roundtables, dinners, receptions, and other convenings.
• Support business development efforts, including prospect research, meeting preparation, outreach, proposal development, and follow-up.
• Serve as a trusted point of contact for stakeholders and help facilitate introductions, coordinate outreach, and move relationships and conversations forward.
• Support special projects involving multiple clients, stakeholders, offices, or jurisdictions.
• Coordinate with Public Strategies professionals in Harrisburg, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., New York, and other markets as client needs require.
• Work closely with the Government Relations Coordinator on scheduling, travel, expenses, meeting and event logistics, contact management, and other administrative needs, while helping provide the context, prioritization, communications, and follow-through necessary to advance client and practice priorities.
• Anticipate needs, identify outstanding items, and take ownership of getting projects and commitments across the finish line.

Qualifications

• Approximately 3-5 years of experience in politics, government, campaigns, political fundraising, public affairs, communications, government relations, business operations, executive support, or another fast-paced professional environment.
• Exceptional organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple clients, projects, relationships, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills and the ability to professionally interact with clients, elected officials, senior executives, attorneys, lobbyists, civic leaders, and staff.
• Strong writing skills and the ability to draft concise, polished correspondence and adapt to the voice and communication style of senior professionals.
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative, anticipate needs, solve problems independently, and consistently follow through on commitments.
• Strong interpersonal judgment and an understanding of discretion, relationships, personalities, and professional context.
• Ability to handle confidential and politically sensitive information with discretion.
• High degree of responsiveness and comfort communicating through email, phone, text, and other platforms as appropriate.
• Strong attention to detail and an instinct for ensuring names, dates, invitations, follow-up, materials, and other details are accurate.
• Experience coordinating events, meetings, fundraising activities, or other stakeholder engagements preferred.
• Ability to work effectively across teams and understand when to act independently, coordinate with colleagues, or elevate an issue.
• Interest in the intersection of government, business, politics, communications, technology, culture, and civic affairs.
• Experience or relationships in Montgomery, Delaware, Bucks, or Chester counties is a plus, but not required.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience preferred.