Public affairs associate

Grassroot Institute of Hawaii; Honolulu, Northern (HI, KY); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary: $70,000–$120,000

Full medical, dental, and vision

Retirement plan with 3% employer match

13 days paid time off

Paid holidays

Job summary

The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii is seeking a public affairs associate to help advance its mission to promote individual liberty, economic freedom and limited, accountable government in Hawaii. A Grassroot Institute lobbyist will represent the organization before lawmakers at the state and county levels, testify on priority legislation before committees, councils and commissions and help mobilize public support for policy reform.

This position reports to the director of strategic campaigns.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Minimum two years of experience in government affairs or public policy.
• Knowledge of Hawaii legislative process or ability to learn quickly.
• Strong writing and public speaking skills for persuasive testimony.
• Ability to explain complex policy issues to lawmakers and the public.
• Willingness to register as a lobbyist and work extended hours during sessions.

Responsibilities

• Track and analyze state and county legislation relevant to Grassroot’s priorities.
• Build and maintain relationships with legislators and officials.
• Prepare and deliver testimony before legislative committees and councils.
• Support strategic campaigns in developing and executing legislative strategy.
• Mobilize Grassroot supporters to engage lawmakers on key issues.
• Represent Grassroot at community events and coalitions.
• Translate research into model bills, talking points and testimony.
• Track legislative developments for planning and communications.

Skills

Public speaking

Policy analysis

Relationship building

Written communication

Oral testimony

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Tools

AI systems

Job description

Job summary

The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii is seeking a public affairs associate to help advance its mission to promote the principles of individual liberty, economic freedom and limited, accountable government in Hawaii. A Grassroot Institute lobbyist will represent the organization before lawmakers at the state and county levels, testify on priority legislation before committees, councils and commissions and help mobilize public support for policy reform. This position reports to the director of strategic campaigns.

Responsibilities

Legislative advocacy

• Track and analyze state and county legislation relevant to Grassroot’s core priorities, which include housing reform, tax policy, government spending and lifting regulatory burdens that drive up the state’s cost of living and hinder economic opportunities.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with legislators, legislative staff and government officials.
• Prepare and deliver written and oral testimony before legislative committees, county councils and various commissions or other government bodies.
• Support the director of strategic campaigns in developing and executing legislative strategy.

Community engagement

• Assist with mobilizing Grassroot supporters to engage lawmakers on key issues.
• Foster partnerships with stakeholder groups to advance mutual policy goals.
• Represent Grassroot at community events and coalition meetings.

Research and communications support

• Work with Grassroot’s policy team to translate research into model bills, talking points, fact sheets and testimony.
• Track and report on legislative developments for internal planning and external communications.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen Grassroot’s influence in policymaking.

General

• Comply with all lobbyist registration and reporting requirements of the Hawaii State Ethics Commission and county ethics agencies, as applicable.
• Represent Grassroot at state and national conferences when opportunities arise.
• Participate in staff calls and leadership team meetings.
• Perform other duties as needed to fulfill the mission of the organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Minimum two years of experience in government affairs, public policy, legislative work, political campaigns or a related field.
• Knowledge of the Hawaii legislative process, or the ability to learn it quickly.
• Strong writing and public speaking skills, including the ability to deliver clear, persuasive testimony.
• Ability to understand and explain complex policy issues to lawmakers and the general public.
• Comfort with building relationships across the political spectrum.
• Commitment to Grassroot’s mission of advancing individual liberty, economic freedom and limited, accountable government.
• Willingness to register as a lobbyist and work extended hours during the legislative session, as needed.
• Experience with AI systems or innovative technologies.

Compensation and benefits

This is a full-time position.

Full-time employment includes:

• An annual salary of $70,000 to $120,000, reflective of experience.
• A comprehensive employee benefits program, including full medical, dental and vision coverage.
• A retirement plan with a 3% employer match, available after two years of consecutive employment and subject to the plan’s terms and provisions.
• Thirteen working days of paid time off per year. PTO is not available and does not accrue during the first six consecutive months of employment and cannot be carried into following years.
• Paid federal and select state holidays including Christmas and the day after Thanksgiving.

About the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational institute devoted to advancing human flourishing through individual liberty, economic freedom and limited, accountable government.

Disclaimer

This job description is not intended to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may be changed or assigned at any time without notice.