Government Relations

Job Description

Position Summary:

This position is responsible for collaborating with professionals across NRECA’s Government Relations Regulatory Unit, which is focused on electric cooperative advocacy before the Executive Branch and independent regulatory agencies. The Regulatory Affairs Director, Tax Policy and Finance requires knowledge of federal tax policy and financial regulations that may impact not-for-profit electric cooperatives, as well as an ability to advocate on behalf of electric cooperative interests before policymakers. NRECA’s Regulatory advocacy is directed by the mission of our 900, not-for-profit cooperative members to provide safe, affordable and reliable energy.

Essential Regulatory Advocacy Responsibilities:

Identify Federal Tax Policies and Financial Regulations Impacting Not-For-Profit Electric Cooperatives:

• Leverage strong working knowledge of federal tax policies and financial regulations to advocate on behalf of electric cooperative interests before policymakers.
• From a tax and financial regulatory perspective, inventory the policy landscape and identify regulatory risk to, an opportunity for, not-for-profit electric cooperatives.
• Describe the unique set of tax and finance-related considerations electric cooperatives as not-for-profit entities must consider in executing on their mission to deliver safe, affordable and reliable energy to end-of-line consumer-members.

Develop Policy Positions that Mitigate Financial Regulatory Risk and Create Opportunities:

• Develop policy positions that mitigate financial regulatory risk to electric cooperatives and create new opportunities in a changing energy environment (i.e., through the shaping of federal incentive programs).
• Agencies of focus include but are not limited to the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), U.S. Department of Treasury, and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB).

Advocate on Behalf of Electric Cooperative Positions Before Policymakers:

• Proactively engage, educate and advocate before policymakers on the unique set of business considerations not-for-profit electric cooperatives must evaluate.

  oThis includes describing to policymakers how agency decision making uniquely impacts electric cooperative resource planning, transmission and distribution planning, and other key business decisions.

  oThis includes advocating on behalf of developed policy positions both verbally and in written documents such as agency regulatory filings.

• Successful agency advocacy results in policymakers that better understand the electric cooperative business model, the mitigation of any regulatory risk that drives up consumer-member costs without benefit, and the creation of workable new opportunities for electric cooperatives such as voluntary federal incentive programs and federal financial assistance programs that make sense for co-op communities and their consumer-members. ​

Activities that Support Successful Advocacy:

• Manage outside consultants to scope of work and budget. Outside consultants may be leveraged to support regulatory filings or other advocacy activities that require specific policy, technical or legal expertise.
• Utilize all resources and advocacy paths available, lead and participate in all agency, legal, media, and other policy advocacy related to area of responsibility. 
• Advocate and negotiate technical and substantive issues directly with appropriate policymakers and staff.
• Build and maintain relationships in the policy community and industry to enhance NRECA’s reputation, access, and advocacy efforts.
• Advocate NRECA positions through regular engagement, including developing and presenting testimony and developing and submitting comments, on regulatory activities related to area of responsibility.
• Participate in and represent NRECA interests in coalitions with other stakeholders.​

Member Education:

• Inform and educate NRECA members about policy issues arising in area of responsibility to help them meet regulatory obligations and serve affordable, reliable energy to end-of-line consumers.
• Provide input on meeting agendas, attends, and participates in annual, regional, and other NRECA meetings as appropriate, and provides advice and consultation to the NRECA Board.
• Develop NRECA member engagement resources (i.e., fact sheets, issue briefs, and regulatory summaries) developed to keep NRECA members informed about policies impacting their business.

Education and Continuing Professional Growth:

• Possess specialized expertise pertaining to area of responsibility.
• Build in-depth knowledge about the members’ business needs, policy positions, and internal politics.
• Work to maintain, enhance, and expand knowledge of membership and area of responsibility.
• Build nationally recognized expertise relating to area of responsibility and work to maintain, enhance, and expand that expertise.

Collaboration, Coordination and Communication:

• Lead project teams to achieve milestones and objectives for projects with notable risk and complexity, includes developing the strategy for project execution.
• Communicate complex ideas, anticipate potential objections, and negotiate with others, often at internal and external senior levels, to influence decisions.
• Collaborate closely with colleagues in Government Relations, Communications, Business and Technologies Strategies and others on an enterprise-wide basis.
• Keep NRECA leadership, management and membership informed on issues relating to area of responsibility.
• Other duties as assigned.

Direct Reports to this Position:
There are no direct reports to this position.

Formal Education Required:

Bachelor’s or advanced degree with knowledge and/or work experience in tax policy and/or federal financial regulatory space.

Experience and Certifications Required:

• Eight or more years of relevant work experience.

Qualifications

Desired Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (as demonstrated by prior work experience):

• Knowledge of and work experience in tax policy and/or financial regulatory space.
• Policy experience in the legislative or regulatory space.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with a diverse membership, federal agencies, employees and/or vendors in a clear and concise manner to include developing comment packages to agencies, testimony and briefing papers.
• Ability to be persuasive, negotiate, and collaborate with individuals at all levels throughout organization and with outside groups.
• Ability to think strategically and creatively to achieve advocacy goals of members.
• Ability to work in a collaborative environment to build consensus and gain agreement on a plan of action.
• Ability to use Microsoft Office tools (Excel, Word, Outlook, Power Point) in the day-to-day essential duties of the job as demonstrated by prior work experience.
• Ability to operate various office equipment such as computer, copier, printer, or other job-related equipment as demonstrated by prior work experience.

Essential Physical Requirements:

• The worker is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal and reading.
• Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. If the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for sedentary work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated for light work.

Disclaimer Statement: The preceding job description has been written to reflect management’s assignment of essential functions. It does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

Additional Requirement:

The preceding job description has been written to reflect management’s assignment of essential functions. It does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status.

NRECA is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you need special assistance or an accommodation while seeking employment, please e-mail humanresources@nreca.coop or call: 703-907-5992 - NRECA Arlington Human Resources. Please call 402-483-9275 - NRECA Lincoln Human Resources, for Lincoln, NE employment opportunities. We will make a determination on your request for reasonable accommodation on a case-by-case basis.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released the 'Know Your Rights' poster, which updates and replaces the previous "EEO is the Law" poster and "EEO Is the Law Poster Supplement". 

Pay Transparency Non-Discrimination. NRECA will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay. Please see the Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision for more information.

E-Verify. As a Federal Contractor, NRECA is required to participate in the E-Verify Program to confirm eligibility to work in the United States. For information please click on the following link: E-Verify.

For more information about life at NRECA please visit www.Electric.coop.