Strategic Communications Advisor

Macfadden is an employee-owned, international professional services corporation that applies integrated information technology solutions and program/project management expertise to help solve critical issues impacting the health, safety and security of the world around us. Since 1986, federal agencies have relied on Macfadden for mission critical support in the areas of international disaster response, development and humanitarian assistance, compliance and monitoring support, information management, and systems engineering and integration.

Today, Macfadden provides innovative solutions that enable our customers to protect America’s food supply more efficiently and bring medical breakthroughs to market sooner; rapidly respond to complex international disaster relief efforts; develop and maintain critical government IT financial systems and safeguard key government information systems. We support our customer’s mission to help emerging democracies in Eastern Europe and Eurasia develop their economic infrastructures; and help meet compliance requirements and improve transparency through effective records and information management programs; and help preserve many of our nation’s most treasured historical documents through our data capture and digital conversion services.

With more than 225 employees, Macfadden is headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland with multiple client site operations worldwide including: Washington, D.C.; Chesapeake, VA; Birmingham, AL; and Beirut, Lebanon. When you work with a Macfadden employee-owner, you will be working with a competent, experienced professional who cares deeply about your success. That’s what sets us apart and drives our commitment to our customers.

Position Description:
The Strategic Communications/Congressional Liaison Advisor will provide support to USAID’s Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA) and the Legislative Public Affairs (LPA) Offices of the Assistant Administrator on matters relating to DCHA programs. Housed physically in the LPA, the Strategic Communications Advisor will work with LPA, the DCHA Front Office and the Office of Program, Policy, and Management (DCHA/PPM) to coordinate DCHA message and materials, and with individual offices on their meetings. They will seek opportunities to communicate DCHA program requirements and initiatives to the Congress.

The primary goal is to communicate USAID/DCHA’s strategic messages, programs, work, and themes, to members of Congress and their staff who can assist with or contribute to achieving DCHA’s and the Agency’s goals.

Primary Responsibilities:
Maintain continuous personal contact with selected members of Congress and their staffs, and with Agency oversight committees, for the purpose of gaining their acceptance of legislation proposed by USAID and assessing their interest in and attitudes toward these legislative requests. Present to the various members of Congress the Agency’s policy, stance, reaction or other official position with respect to any of a wide variety of matters that may be under discussion or proposed.

Through ongoing relationships with members of Congress, understand, analyze, and evaluate the views of DCHA programs and work by Congress and individual members to report and recommend to the Assistant Administrators of DCHA and LPA and other senior agency officers new directions and approaches.

Participate in reviews of formal Agency notifications and presentations to Congress, and designs, develops, and recommends congressional outreach efforts to promote the Agency’s and Bureau’s mission, as appropriate.
Identify, track, and summarize proposed legislative actions having a direct impact on DCHA program activities and keep DCHA and appropriate agency staff and others outside the agency informed on legislative actions.

Prepare reports on congressional hearings, briefings, legislation mark-ups, and floor action, as necessary, and make recommendations to the Assistant Administrators on appropriate strategy and action. In coordination with the DCHA/PPM Communications Specialist, help prepare Agency officials for congressional hearings and briefings by assisting in the preparation of testimony, talking points, and other related documents for use by Agency officials. Manage requests for information or assistance relating to DCHA programs from members of Congress and their constituents. Answer these requests in a timely fashion, and as necessary, refer the requests to others to research and prepare responses, and follow through to see that accurate and responsive information is relayed to the congressional office or committee without delay.

Work closely with the DCHA/PPM Communications Specialist and the appropriate LPA Public Liaison Officer to ensure consistency of message and unity of purpose with DCHA outreach to Congress and external groups. In this role, the contactor will help identify constituency development opportunities and joint ventures with such organizations which will further DCHA’s and the Agency’s legislative and public objectives.
Attend weekly DCHA communicators meetings and report on congressional meetings, share materials and material requests, and assist in ensuring that DCHA’s communications efforts are in line with broader legislative issues and efforts before Congress.

Education Requirements:
Bachelor’s degree; Master’s degree in relevant discipline preferred.

Requirements:

• At least ten (10) years of experience working in communications or a related field.
• Must have experience working on policy matters, including a proven track record interacting with Congressional and committee members.
• Must have experience working with various US Government Agencies in an Interagency environment, particularly in legislative advocacy.
• Excel in a dynamic, fast-paced work environment and be able to shift priorities and multi-task effectively
• Reliable, highly organized, motivated and committed to customer service.
• Proficiency in basic Microsoft Office (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access) or equivalent, e-mail and internet applications.
• Excellent skills in both oral and written communication.
• Outstanding ability to build consensus among divergent audiences.
• U.S. Citizenship is required; selected candidate must be able to qualify for a government sponsored security clearance.

Application Instructions:
To be considered for this position, you must submit a resume and cover letter; please include as attachments, to preserve formatting.

Applications without a resume and cover letter will not be considered; only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

All application materials must be submitted via our website using the following link: http://ch.tbe.taleo.net/CH02/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=MACF&cws=1&rid=475