Strategic Public Policy & Legislative Affairs Director

PRISM; Folsom (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

PRISM, a joint powers authority serving public entities across California, seeks a Director of Legislative & Governmental Affairs to lead complex legislative advocacy, policy coordination, and strategic communications. The role focuses on tracking bills, coordinating lobbyists, and shaping PRISM’s public policy agenda with member agencies and external stakeholders.

The selected candidate will work in PRISM’s Folsom office or remotely from a home location within commuting distance, with travel as

Qualifications

• Minimum seven years in governmental affairs.
• Experience in public sector environments preferred.
• Strong writing, research, and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Serve as PRISM’s primary staff liaison to the Legislative Committee, including coordinating meeting materials, preparing agendas and reports, tracking committee direction, supporting policy discussions, and ensuring timely follow-up on legislative priorities.
• Serve as PRISM’s primary contact to PRISM’s contracted lobbyists.
• Review, analyze, and track bills introduced, amended, or otherwise moving through the legislative process that may impact PRISM, its programs, or its member agencies.
• Monitor legislative calendars, committee hearings, bill amendments, floor actions, regulatory developments, and other governmental activity relevant to PRISM’s operations and strategic interests.
• Coordinate with PRISM’s Lobbyists to maintain legislative tracking systems, reports, summaries, and status updates to support timely decision-making by PRISM staff, leadership, committees, and members.
• Coordinate with PRISM’s Lobbyists to prioritize advocacy efforts, focus attention on key bills, and ensure alignment between legislative strategy, PRISM’s policy positions, and member interests.
• Assist Lobbyists and PRISM staff with drafting, reviewing, and refining bill language, amendments, position letters, talking points, legislative summaries, and other advocacy materials.
• Coordinate and gather technical content from PRISM staff subject matter experts to ensure position letters and advocacy materials accurately reflect program operations, risk management considerations, fiscal impacts, and member agency concerns.
• Engage with industry associations through working groups and coalitions.
• Play a key role in preparing PRISM representatives, staff, committee members, or other stakeholders for legislative meetings, hearings, testimony, or outreach efforts.
• Support the development and coordination of future PRISM-sponsored legislation, including concept development, stakeholder engagement, drafting assistance, legislative strategy, coalition-building, and communication planning.
• Play a key role in educating legislators, legislative staff, agency representatives, and external stakeholders regarding PRISM’s mission, programs, membership, public entity focus, and role in supporting local government risk management.
• Develop and strengthen PRISM’s visibility, credibility, and name recognition within the legislative and public policy environment.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with legislative offices, state agencies, public entity organizations, association partners, member advocacy teams, and other external stakeholders.
• Represent PRISM in meetings, coalition discussions, legislative briefings, workgroups, and other forums involving public policy issues relevant to PRISM and its members.
• Develop informational communications regarding specific legislation, policy issues, PRISM programs, and advocacy priorities, including bill summaries, issue briefs, flyers, talking points, alerts, reports, presentations, and member-facing updates.
• Prepare clear, accurate, and persuasive written materials for diverse audiences, including PRISM members, legislative offices, external partners, committees, and other stakeholders.
• Develop communications relating to general public relations for PRISM’s membership and external parties, including materials that explain PRISM’s programs, public agency role, legislative priorities, and value to members.
• Support consistent messaging across legislative, advocacy, public relations, and member communication efforts.
• Work collaboratively with PRISM staff to translate technical program information into accessible communications that support advocacy, education, and member engagement.
• Analyze proposed legislation, policy proposals, and public agency issues to evaluate potential operational, legal, fiscal, governance, or programmatic impacts on PRISM and its members.
• Prepare reports, recommendations, presentations, and briefing materials for PRISM leadership, committees, and other internal or external audiences.
• Exercise sound judgment in identifying sensitive legislative, political, operational, or member-related issues and elevate matters appropriately.
• Maintain awareness of emerging legislative trends, public agency advocacy issues, and policy developments that may affect PRISM or its membership.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Legislative advocacy

Public policy

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic communications

Policy analysis

Written communication

Job description

PRISM, a joint powers authority serving public entities across California, seeks a Director of Legislative & Governmental Affairs to lead complex legislative advocacy, policy coordination, and strategic communications. The role focuses on tracking bills, coordinating lobbyists, and shaping PRISM’s public policy agenda with member agencies and external stakeholders.

The selected candidate will work in PRISM’s Folsom office or remotely from a home location within commuting distance, with travel as