This position plans, coordinates, and supports government relations initiatives at the federal and state levels that deliver on the agency’s goals to build an equitable economy and operate a sustainable and inclusive agency.  The position also supports efforts to secure new funding resources, including state and federal grant applications and legislative appropriations.

Functions and Responsibilities

• Supports efforts to secure new funding resources including state and federal grant applications and legislative appropriations; including supporting and/or managing cyclical funding opportunities.
• Supports the development of an agency-wide political and government relations strategy with the Policy Manager, building broad coalitions and working closely with partners to support the advancement of shared goals.
• Manages agency’s relationship with state and/or federal elected officials and their staff. Ensures discussion and content in regular meetings aligns with agency priorities. 
• Develops and cultivates relationships with the staff for elected officials, public agencies, and other partners.
• Identifies and tracks relevant issues and agenda content at the federal and/or state levels, including Congressional, legislative and/or agency initiatives.
• Coordinates with the Office of Government Relations at the City of Portland; coordinates across Prosper Portland departments to refine and communicate agency’s state and federal legislative priorities. Tracks and provides feedback on proposed legislation. 
• Convenes and facilitates meetings with internal and external stakeholders; sets up, leads, and/or supports project advisory committees and focus groups.
• Develops and manages proactive strategy for strengthening relationships with elected officials and increasing their understanding of and support for Prosper Portland. 
• Broadens awareness of Advance Portland, including partner roles and responsibilities. 
• Broadens awareness of Prosper Portland’s place-based projects and programs; and citywide projects and programs. 
• Supports Policy Team and agency with initiatives, special projects, participation on committees, and other relevant duties as assigned.
• Researches, tracks, and participates in the creation of city best practices and trends related to economic development, new revenue sources, legislative proposals, and policy initiatives.
• Makes recommendations and leads and/or participates in program, process, and policy improvements; coordinates or assists with their implementation. 
• Collaborates with and supports the Communications Team, crafting content for website, social media, newsletters, press releases, and talking points, as needed. 
• Crafts scopes of work, procures, and manages related professional services, contracts, and agreements. 
• Scopes, prepares, implements, and manages goals, schedules, budgets, and tools for assigned initiatives. 
• Represents Prosper Portland at community meetings and government meetings.

Scope

• Operates under minimal supervision. Establishes own approaches and procedures. Receives general or little instruction on new assignments. Work is subject to final review. 
• Makes decisions for many aspects of work that requires technical expertise, initiative, and good judgement.
• Makes recommendations for complex and politically sensitive decisions that require oversight. 
• Decisions and errors in work can have a significant legal, financial, political, or operational impact to the agency. 
• Work involves a high level of complexity due to tight timelines, the need to prioritize multiple assignments, relationship management with a variety of external stakeholders that require negotiation, bridge-building, and compromise, the need to navigate political dynamics, the agency’s history of gentrification, and the inherent nature of creating and implementing projects and programs grounded in racial equity. 
• Position has no staff supervisory responsibilities; however, will oversee the work of consultants, vendors temporary workers, and/or student staff.

Competencies

Putting People First, Inclusion & Collaboration

• Customer Service: Provides responsive, accessible, and practical support to departments, funders, partners, and community stakeholders; anticipates needs, clarifies expectations, and follows through.
• Transparency: Communicates opportunity criteria, responsibilities, deadlines, decisions, assumptions, commitments, risks, and results clearly and consistently; maintains reliable records that support public accountability.
• Accountability: Owns assignments and commitments, meets deadlines, safeguards public resources and confidential information, verifies accuracy, documents decisions, raises concerns promptly, and accepts responsibility for work quality and results.
• Interpersonal Skills and Collaboration: Builds trusted relationships across departments and with external partners. Exercises active listening, tact, diplomacy, discretion, cultural awareness, and political judgment; builds consensus and resolves conflict constructively.
• Communication and Influence: Writes persuasive, precise, and audience-appropriate proposals and executive materials; presents complex funding, program, budget, and compliance information clearly; facilitates decisions and uses negotiation and persuasion appropriately.
• Inclusive Practices: Applies culturally responsive and inclusive practices to funding strategy, project design, partnership development, proposal narratives, community engagement, performance measures, and evaluation so that pursuits reflect community needs and reduce barriers to access.
• Project Leadership: Organizes and guides cross-functional contributors without direct authority, clarifies roles and decision rights, maintains momentum, reviews work quality, manages deadlines, and escalates barriers or material risks.

Excellence, Innovation & Learning

• Efficiency: Builds repeatable workflows, templates, libraries, dashboards, and review practices; sequences work effectively, reduces duplication, and allocates effort to the most viable opportunities.
• Effectiveness: Focuses work on measurable outcomes and competitive results; uses evidence, scoring criteria, funder feedback, pipeline data, and implementation experience to improve positioning, proposals, award performance, and return on effort.
• Knowledge: Advanced knowledge of grant prospecting, funding research, public and philanthropic grantmaking, notices of funding opportunity, proposal development, grant budgets, match and leverage, application systems, award lifecycle practices, resource monitoring, reporting, closeout, records retention, and public accountability. Working knowledge of federal, state, local, City, funder, and agency requirements; internal controls; conflict-of-interest practices; allowable costs; performance measurement; and community economic development.
• Technical Abilities: Advanced ability to interpret solicitations and agreements; analyze eligibility, competitiveness, budgets, data, compliance requirements, and risk; develop clear recommendations; write and edit competitive proposals; manage application portals and document control; and coordinate complex pursuits involving multiple contributors and approvals.
• Continuous Learning: Stays current on funder priorities, policy changes, application systems, grant-development practices, award requirements, and emerging funding models. Seeks and applies feedback from funders, reviewers, partners, and internal stakeholders.
• Problem Solving: Applies advanced research, analytical, and creative problem-solving skills to identify barriers, test assumptions, evaluate options and tradeoffs, resolve proposal or compliance issues, develop practical solutions, and escalate material concerns.
• Planning, Organization, and Adaptability: Manages multiple complex pursuits and monitoring assignments with competing deadlines. Establishes priorities, workplans, responsibilities, milestones, reviews, and contingencies; maintains accurate records and adapts quickly to changing requirements, opportunities, and organizational needs.

Minimum Education, Training and/or Experience

Six years of combined experience in government relations, public policy, politics, economic development, public 

administration, or equivalent experience. An associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree will substitute for up to 

one year of experience.

Physical Requirements

Position requires ability to remain in a stationary position for extended periods of time along with the ability to move throughout the office and travel to properties and events. Position may require the ability to walk on uneven terrain, ladders, and stairs. Although rare, this position may need to lift up to 20lbs. Position often uses a computer and other standard office equipment. Position must communicate and interact with internal and external stakeholders often regarding complex subject matter.

Working Conditions

Normal working hours are Monday through Friday [8 AM - 5 PM] in a combination of in-person and remote work. Additional hours may be needed to meet deadlines, support grant launches and submissions, attend funder briefings, complete proposals and reporting, respond to monitoring or compliance issues, or address time-sensitive program needs. Position may require travel to external meetings, community events, project or awardee locations, funder meetings, and public meetings; travel out of the metro area may occur. Position will be expected to engage in conversation and personal reflection around inclusive economic development, community impact, equitable access to public resources, and responsible stewardship of public funds.