State Relations Specialist

Georgia Tech prides itself on its technological resources, collaborations, high-quality student body, and its commitment to building an outstanding and diverse community of learning, discovery, and creation. We strongly encourage applicants whose values align with our institutional values, as outlined in our strategic plan. These values include academic excellence, diversity of thought and experience, inquiry and innovation, collaboration and community, and ethical behavior and stewardship. Georgia Tech has policies to promote a healthy work-life balance and is aware that attracting faculty may require meeting the needs of two careers.

About Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech is a top-ranked public research university situated in the heart of Atlanta, a diverse and vibrant city with numerous economic and cultural strengths. The Institute serves more than 45,000 students through top-ranked undergraduate, graduate, and executive programs in engineering, computing, science, business, design, and liberal arts. Georgia Tech's faculty attracted more than $1.4 billion in research awards this past year in fields ranging from biomedical technology to artificial intelligence, energy, sustainability, semiconductors, neuroscience, and national security. Georgia Tech ranks among the nation's top 20 universities for research and development spending and No. 1 among institutions without a medical school.

Georgia Tech's Mission and Values

Georgia Tech's mission is to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. The Institute has nine key values that are foundational to everything we do:

1. Students are our top priority.

2. We strive for excellence.

3. We thrive on diversity.

4. We celebrate collaboration.

5. We champion innovation.

6. We safeguard freedom of inquiry and expression.

7. We nurture the wellbeing of our community.

8. We act ethically.

9. We are responsible stewards.

Over the next decade, Georgia Tech will become an example of inclusive innovation, a leading technological research university of unmatched scale, relentlessly committed to serving the public good; breaking new ground in addressing the biggest local, national, and global challenges and opportunities of our time; making technology broadly accessible; and developing exceptional, principled leaders from all backgrounds ready to produce novel ideas and create solutions with real human impact.

The State Relations Specialist role will promote Georgia Tech's strategic vision and goals related to state funding and legislation affecting the Institute. Identify and develop opportunities to increase the Institute's visibility, influence and support with state decision makers, the Georgia Chamber and Atlanta Metro Chamber, and the higher education community at large. In consultation with the Institutes President and senior management, develop specific state funding priorities and education priorities consistent with the Institute's overall mission as well as plans for executing these priorities. Work in a cohesive manner with the USG to promote USG priorities.

This position will interact on a consistent basis with: Georgia Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker, USG leadership, Georgia Tech's executive leadership, faculty, and staff
This position typically will advise and counsel: GT President, Leadership, Deans, Department heads, faculty
This position will supervise: NA

Job Duty 1 - Develop Institute wide strategies and advocate to secure state funding priorities

Job Duty 2 - Manage policy approaches for issues that broadly affect higher education. Monitor and analyze state legislation for GA and other states impacting higher education activities. Identify opportunities relevant to the Institutes strategic objectives and recommend strategies for engaging Georgia Tech.

Job Duty 3 - Provide direct staff support to the Institutes President in individual meetings with legislative leadership, Governor and Lieutenant Governor.

Job Duty 4 - Advise senior Institute administrators, deans, school directors, research faculty, and staff on higher education and research legislation, program development, and marketing. Serve as Government & Community Relation's state relations spokesperson presenting GT's state relations perspective to campus units and organizations.

Job Duty 5 - Manage Georgia Tech's legislative advocacy network of alumni and friends in support of securing funding priorities.

Job Duty 6 - Represent GT at external government relations engagements in support of GT priorities. Represent the Institute in interactions with legislative members and staff, state agencies, Chambers of Commerce, higher education associations, coalitions and other constituencies.

Job Duty 7 - Recruit and engage faculty experts to provide testimony to legislative committees.

Job Duty 8 - Track, evaluate and summarize legislation and policy impactful to higher education. Prepare issue papers, oral and written presentations and communications for Institute staff and elected officials.

Job Duty 9 - Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Educational Requirements
Bachelor's Degree or equivalent combination of
education and experience.

Required Experience
Two years of job-related experience.

75,000 - 85,000 Commensurate with education and experience.

ABILITIES
Ability to work collaboratively within groups with differing priorities. Ability to self-manage and adapt to constantly
changing priorities. High regard among state stakeholders. Ability to lead as well as participate in committee and group gatherings.

KNOWLEDGE
In depth knowledge of state legislative and
budget process.

SKILLS
Excellent communication and customer service skills. Excellent time management skills.

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 25 institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.

The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The Institute is committed to maintaining a fair and respectful environment for all. To that end, and in accordance with federal and state law, Board of Regents policy, and Institute policy, Georgia Tech provides equal opportunity to all faculty, staff, students, and all other members of the Georgia Tech community, including applicants for admission and/or employment, contractors, volunteers, and participants in institutional programs, activities, or services. Georgia Tech complies with all applicable laws and regulations governing equal opportunity in the workplace and in educational activities.

Equal opportunity and decisions based on merit are fundamental values of the University System of Georgia ("USG") and Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech prohibits discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, on the basis of an individual's race, ethnicity, ancestry, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetics, or veteran status in its programs, activities, employment, and admissions. Further, Georgia Tech prohibits citizenship status, immigration status, and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, and recruitment, except where such restrictions are required in order to comply with law, regulation, executive order, or Attorney General directive, or where they are required by Federal, State, or local government contract.

This is not a supervisory position.
This position does not have any financial responsibilities.
This position will not be required to drive.
This role is considered a position of trust.
This position does not require a purchasing card (P-Card).
This position will not travel
This position does not require security clearance.

A successful candidate must be able to pass a background check. Please visit: https://usg.policystat.com/policy/19298143/latest