Date Posted:
May 31, 2026
Position Title:
State-Federal Affairs Director
Office/Company:
National Governors Association
Party:
N/A
Office Code:
Job Number:
HC-07504
Reports To:
Location:
Washington, DC
Contact:
Salary:
$125,000 – $150,000 annually
Primary Role
Secondary Role:
Job Type:
Full Time
Description:
The State-Federal Affairs Director serves as NGA's operational lead for advocacy coordination, translating Governors' policy priorities into structured, bipartisan federal engagement and ensuring NGA's voice is heard effectively on Capitol Hill, in the Executive Branch, and across the state-federal landscape.State-Federal Relationship Management, Consultant and External Partner Management, Federal Stakeholder Engagement, Advocacy Coordination & Materials Development, Convenings & MeetingsBachelor's degree in government relations, public policy, political science, or a related field, 8+ years of experience in federal government relations, state-federal engagement, legislative affairs, or closely related roles
Responsibilities:
• Serving as the principal liaison to Governors' state-federal representatives, maintaining consistent communication on federal priorities, legislative developments, and advocacy opportunities.
• Managing structured engagement for state-federal representatives, including daily updates, standing calls, briefings, working groups, and issue-specific coordination sessions.
• Synthesizing state priorities and feedback, sharing actionable intelligence with senior leadership, and keeping representatives current on Center for Best Practices research and advocacy materials.
• Identifying misalignments between state priorities and federal advocacy, and recommending adjustments to strategy, messaging, or engagement.
Qualifications:
• Deep knowledge of the federal legislative and regulatory process—including Congressional procedure, committee structures, and Executive Branch rulemaking—and existing relationships with Congressional staff, committee offices, and/or Executive Branch officials.
• Demonstrated experience managing government relations consultants or external advocacy partners, including setting priorities, coordinating deliverables, and evaluating performance.
• Thorough understanding of the state-federal policy landscape, including federalism, federal grant programs, regulatory preemption, and intergovernmental relations.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to draft high-quality advocacy materials quickly and represent NGA credibly with senior officials, Governors' staff, and external partners.
Instructions:
Email to apply
Other:
Equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to any protected characteristic under applicable law.
