Senior Communications Advisor on Federal Affairs

Department Information

Office of the Governor

Colorado Governor Jared Polis is committed to building a Colorado For All a place where everyone has an opportunity to succeed and live the Colorado way of life. Governor Polis is focused on lowering health care costs for hardworking Coloradans transitioning the state to renewable energy sources ensuring every Colorado child gets a quality education making housing more affordable and available improving public safety and building an economy that works for everyone. The Office of the Governors staff includes budgeting communications and outreach legal counsel legislative liaison operations policy and research and scheduling.

Office of Federal Funds and Strategic Initiatives (OFFSI)

Our focus is on:

• Maximizing competitive federal funding opportunities

• Ensuring federal and stimulus funding is spent effectively impactfully and equitably.

• Building upon lessons learned to improve public systems.

Salary Range: $85000-$105000

FLSA Classification: Exempt

TERM LIMITED:

Please note: This is a term-limited position until December 31 2026.

FLSA Classification: Exempt

Organizational Relationships:This position directly reports to the Governors Director of Communications with a dotted line to Office of Federal Funds and Strategic Initiatives (OFFSI) leadership including the Chief of OFFSI. The position organizes and works closely with agency staff working specifically on communications efforts pertaining to federal funds and federal affairs. The position also oversees a Communication Coordinator who supports the communication of federal funding opportunities to agencies and community partners.

Summary of Functions:

TheSenior Communications Advisor on Federal Affairs is responsible for supporting Governor Polis communication around federal engagement in Colorado by coordinating and building communication strategiesthat: tell the story of how state and federal resources are ensuring Colorado maintains a leading economy compared to other states; respond to the changing environment in Washington DC; support agencies in communicating around federal affairs to local governments and communities; and generate a proactive message about the importance of federal funding in Colorado.

This position exists in the Governors Office and will support highlight and oversee the broader communications planning development and rollout of communications relating to federal affairs. This includes rapid response proactive communication stakeholder engagement and developing story telling. While the position will work to address the changing federal landscape and emerging issues the position will also work to highlight and defend Colorados success in the implementation of federal funds including the American Recovery Plan Act CARES Act State Stimulus Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) including key activities successes and other timely updates. This position will advise consult and strategize on messaging branding and engagement as well as develop opportunities to tell the Colorado story.

This position leads federal affairs messaging for the Governors Office including working with the office of federal funds policy operations budget and communications teams among others and other State agencies coordinating with all agency public information officers and other executive and communications staff. This individual will work closely with the Office of Federal Funds and Strategic Initiatives including the Chief Director of Implementation Director of Federal Affairs Director of IIJA and IRA Strategic Coordination and key Governors staff working on federal funding to ensure consistent communication.

Special projects assigned as necessary.

Roles and Responsibilities

This position will be depended on to source craft and share pertinent information and messaging on Colorados federal affairs including responding to actions from the federal government building links to communities across Colorado and assessing opportunities. Functionally this means coordinating with cross-functional teams focused on creative problem-solving communications messaging and storytelling and timely responses to internal and external inquiries.

This individual will interact regularly with multiple departments and must gain a working knowledge of the various divisions and overall operations of the agencies supported by the team. A strong candidate will have excellent communication and organizational skills will be adept at critical and strategic thinking and will have a thorough understanding of government processes and outreach.

Proactive and Responsive Communications

• Be the go-to person in the communications team related to federal affairs.

• Monitor federal administration and congressional actions develop and execute communications/media strategies to advance Colorados priorities in the federal context

• Coordinate with the Office of Federal Funds and Strategic Initiatives and Governors Office teams including policy budget and communications and community engagement and others on upcoming actions announcements plans and strategies and other internal events projects or work products.

• Coordinate messaging within the Governors Office and coordinate messaging across all State agencies in partnership with agency public information officers related to Federal Affairs including funding received actions by the federal government and impacts on Colorado.

• Work in a timely manner to respond to media and stakeholder inquiries with the agencies and their appropriate liaisons to the Governors Office.

• Ensure messaging consistency across reportable materials including reports submitted to federal agencies and creatingsummary snapshots presentations and messaging.

• Understanding of accessibility standards and ensures all Governors office produced documents follow guidelines.

• Support the communications team broadly with ad hoc projects and team assistance.

Community and Stakeholder Engagement

• Coordinate with the press secretary and the press team as well as the community engagement team to proactively engage Coloradans about the federal priorities and impacts of federal actions.

• Manage the Communications Coordinator to develop content for webinars websites newsletters fact sheets media inquiries and more to proactively communicate funding opportunities awards and emerging federal issues and impacts within different levels of government and externally.

• Support state agency stakeholder engagement to ensure awareness around federal affairs including coordinating efforts to ensurethe Governors Office is able to communicate opportunities and impacts across various groups (i.e. ensure different audiences know how to access various resources-- e.g. individuals vs. governments).

Communications of Impact Successes and Lessons Learned

• Take the lead on crafting compelling stories that accurately reflect the impact of federal actions in Colorado including effects on State programs local communities and citizens.

• Develop materials that capture the history progress and lessons learned from Colorados response to economic recovery and maximizing federal funding.

• Help build a vision and timeline for delivering an effective communications plan and resources to help summarize actions needed including press materials one-pagers digital content and other products for the Governors Office to leverage in promoting Colorados federal work including efforts to draw-down and implement federal funds protect existing programs and support the Governors larger priorities.

Applicants must pass a thorough background check prior to employment and reside in Colorado once employed.