INSTITUTIONAL AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS: IT’S ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT

The words ‘Institutional and Government Relations’ are  increasingly being used in the field of public policy advocacy. Basically it refers to ‘Relationship Management’ on behalf of a client (Consultant), Company/Organization (in-house) for the purpose of raising the public image with legislators, institutional representatives and the media.

Major functions and tasks may include:

1. Educate, build, enhance and maintain relationships and the organization’s image with the legislative and executive branch; local, state, national and supra-national authorities e.g. EU; governmental and private agencies; and other governmental or institutional and organizational representatives. This is accomplish by

- Providing data and educational materials 

- Writing testimony and talking points as needed

- Developing effective public awareness

2. Coordinate legislative efforts at the local, state, national and supranational level affecting or potentially affecting the organization and other stakeholders. This is accomplished by:

- Studying and monitoring and evaluating pending legislation and initiatives

- Surveying and evaluating impacts on organization, other stakeholders

- Developing the organization’s responses

3. Assist with quasi-lobbying efforts for issue specific needs (especially if an independent lobbyist is not contracted with). This may involve:

- Studying proposed legislation to determine possible effect of identified issue

- Contacting and conferring with members of the legislature and other public office holders to persuade them to support favorable legislative action

- Contacting individuals and groups having similar interests related to identified issue in order to encourage them to also contact legislators and present their views

- Preparing news releases and information pamphlets related to identified issue to inform members and other stakeholders of the proposed legislation’s pro’s and con’s

- May be legally required to register with governmental authorities as lobbyist and to submit reports of regulated expenditures incurred during lobbying activities

4) Create a Communication Plan to educate and disseminate information to the media, members and community. This calls for ensuring message continuity and preparing talking points and often serving as a point of contact for the media when appropriate.

5) Facilitate and arrange for the President & CEO, members or other contacts to assist in media or relationship contact, testimony and follow up as deemed relevant.

6) Assist with public affairs and advocacy process

7) Assist with coordination of Public Affairs events and development activities

Competencies (education & talent)

Qualifications: Advanced degree in marketing, public relations, communications, business development or related field; and a minimum of 5 years in a similar position. Desirable: Legal background, 8-10 years’ experience in similar position.

Experience: Successful advocacy experience, lobbying experience, current relationships with elected officials, agency heads or policymakers (or influential staff of the same)

Knowledge: Knowledge of public policy at the local, state, national and supranational level, ability to research, compile and manage information. Working familiarity with office technology, database/CRM software design, software (e.g. Publisher)

INSTITUTIONAL AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS IN 25 LANGUAGES

• институционални и правителствени отношения (institutsionalni i pravitelstveni otnosheniya) (Bulgarian)
• Relaciones institucionales y gubernamentales (Spanish)
• Institutionelle og statslige relationer (Danish)
• Institutions-und Regierungsbeziehungen (German)
• Institutsionaalne ja valitsuse suhteid (Estonian)
• θεσμικές και κυβερνητικές σχέσεις (thesmikés kai kyverni̱tikés schéseis) (Greek)
• Institutional and Government Relations (English)
• Relations institutionnelles et gouvernementales (French)
• Institucionalni i vladinih odnose (Croatian)
• Relazioni istituzionali e governativi (Italian)
• Institucionālās un valdības attiecības (Latvian)
• Institutionele en relaties tussen de overheid (Dutch)
• Stosunki instytucjonalne i rządowe (Polish)
• Relações institucionais e governamentais (Portuguese)
• Relații instituționale și guvernamentale (Romanian)
• Inštitucionálne a vládne vzťahy (Slovak)
• Institucionalne in vladne odnose (Slovenian)
• Institutionaaliset ja valtion suhteiden (Finnish)
• Institutionella och statliga relationer (Swedish)
• институциональные и государственные отношения (institutsional'nyye i gosudarstvennyye otnosheniya) (Russian)
• 机构和政府关系 (Jīgòu hé zhèngfǔ guānxì) (Chinese)
• Hubungan kelembagaan dan pemerintah (Indonesian)
• 機関および政府関係 (Kikan oyobi seifu kankei) (Japanese)
• 기관 및 정부 관계 (Gigwan mich jeongbu gwangye) (Korean)
• Kurumsal ve hükümet ilişkileri (Turkish)