Vice President of State Federal Affairs

JOB TITLE:              Vice President of State-Federal Affairs
PROGRAM:              State-Federal Affairs
LOCATION:              Washington, D.C.-Hybrid
SALARY:                  $211,679 annually
STATUS:                   Full-time

ABOUT NCSL:
Are you ready to join an organization with an extraordinary mission? The National Conference of State Legislatures offers careers where you can use your skills, knowledge, and experience to truly make a difference. NCSL’s mission is purposeful – strengthening the legislative institution. From informing effective policies and promoting communication among state legislatures, to ensuring states have a strong, cohesive voice in the federal system, our team works in service of legislatures. And, with a commitment to constantly innovating all resources and services to meet the evolving needs of members, NCSL has earned the reputation as the nation’s most trusted bipartisan membership organization for legislators and legislative staff. Our success serving NCSL members relies on our team of passionate, dedicated professionals who work diligently to strengthen the legislative institution. Join our team and contribute to this unique, essential mission. NCSL has a flexible remote work policy.  Building and maintaining our organizational culture is critical and we do so by bringing staff together, in person, for four consecutive days each month.  The remote work policy provides the freedom to work from anywhere with the requirement that staff travel on their own fare to the NCSL office once a month for team meetings and professional development. 

ABOUT THE ROLE:
The Vice President of State-Federal Affairs leads the conference’s State-Federal Affairs Division, direct the operations of the Washington, D.C. office, and serves as a member of the Executive Management Team. The State-Federal Affairs Division represents and advocates on behalf of states legislatures in Washington, D.C., based on policy positions approved by the conference consistent with support for state sovereignty and state flexibility and protection from unfunded federal mandates and unwarranted federal preemption. The division provides federal policy research, including legislative and regulatory tracking and analysis; and educational programming, both virtual and in-person. The vice president oversees the conferences 7 Task Forces, and 11 Standing Committees, in coordination with the Vice President’s of State Policy Research.

The vice president is part of the 10-member Executive Management Team of NCSL. This leadership group determines key policies and makes decisions on the internal operations of the organization as well as a broad array of NCSL external activities. The position provides advice and consultation to the CEO, NCSL officers, and the 63-member NCSL Executive Committee on a broad range of programmatic and administrative policy issues. NCSL has a staff of around 180 and an annual operating budget exceeding $35 million derived from a variety of revenue sources including complex grants.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

• Supports the CEO and fellow senior leaders as a member of the executive management team in developing and implementing products and services to support NCSL’s mission.
• Develop, lead, mentor and evaluate a first-rate team that mutually support one another, drive high quality work and contribute to a positive and rewarding work culture that embraces learning and professional development for all staff. Provide support, coaching, feedback, supervision and guidance to direct the team.
• Establish and continually monitor the division’s work and outcomes to ensure excellence and to identify areas for improvement. Ensure the divisions advocacy is consistent with the bipartisan policies adopted by the conference. 
• Compile and present regular reports to the NCSL Executive Committee on NCSL’s work in Washington, D.C. and the work of the conference’s standing committees and task forces.
• Introduce and adapt new ideas, approaches and methods to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the State-Federal Affairs division.
• Provide support to the Legislative Staff Coordinating Committee, an advisory group to the NCSL Executive Committee representing the nation’s 33,000 legislative staff.
• Coordinate and encourage collaboration across the organization, including coordination among the division’s policy programs and activities with other Vice Presidents and executive team staff.
• Conduct high-level analysis on priority projects of NCSL and personally manage complex projects on important and/or cross-cutting issues.
• Represent NCSL with other national organizations and in national forums.
• Other duties as assigned by the CEO.

SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE:
Supervisor/Management Responsibilities:

• Direct and manage the State-Federal Affairs staff (12 individuals)
• Develop and oversee the budget of the division.
• Recruit, interview, hire, and assist in training new staff.
• Oversee the daily workflow of the department.
• Provide constructive and timely performance evaluations.
• Handle discipline and termination of employees in accordance with company policy.

THE WORK ENVIRONMENT: This full-time position is mostly performed in an office environment, on or off-site, with prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. NCSL provides a unique hybrid remote work policy with the requirement that staff travel on their own fare to the NCSL office once a month for team meetings and professional development. Employees routinely use standard office equipment such as laptops, printers, scanners, copy machines, and smartphones. Occasional travel by airplane, including overnights and weekends, is required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

ANTICIPATED INTERVIEW & HIRING TIMELINE:
Initial screenings will be on a rolling basis

• Interview 1-Week of September 1
• Interview 2-Week of September 29
• Interview 3-Week of October 13 (in-person)
• Final Interview-Week of October 29

QUALIFICATIONS FOR SUCCESS:
Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree.
• Fifteen years of progressive work experience.
• Experience identifying, securing and managing relationships with high-level federal officials.
• Proven record of ability to work successfully in a nonpartisan environment.
• Ability to work in a politically neutral manner with experience working in a nonpartisan environment for members of both major U.S. political parties preferred.
• Familiarity with key features of a successful membership organization, including constituent services and engagement.
• Excellent management skills and experience, with the ability to mentor, coach and develop an exceptionally high functioning team of directors. That includes setting objectives and performance standards, providing constructive feedback and achieving established program goals.
• Experience with organizational budgeting and overseeing budgets.
• Demonstrated ability to establish strong working relationships.
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills.
• Superb decision-making abilities and project management skills.
• Intellectual curiosity and commitment to the mission of NCSL.
• Proven record of professionalism, entrepreneurialism, organizational leadership, and creativity.
• Ability to drive results and optimize processes.
• Possess a proven commitment to develop talent and cultivate innovation.
• Deliver insights even when dealing with ambiguity.

Knowledge and Skills 

• Ability to think critically and work both independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in written form.
• Ability to produce quality work under pressure and in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to resolve conflict in a constructive, productive way. 
• Ability to maintain a flexible schedule including working extended hours, possibly on nights and weekends.
• Ability to work in Microsoft office suite including teams, outlook, word and excel. 

YOUR BENEFITS AT A GLANCE: 
NCSL has a flexible remote work policy.  Building and maintaining our organizational culture is critical and we do so by bringing staff together, in person, for four days each month.  The remote work policy provides the freedom to work from anywhere with the requirement that staff travel on their own fare to the NCSL office once a month for team meetings and professional development.  We are committed to offering a full range of other benefits for you and your eligible family members, including domestic partners.

Your total compensation goes beyond the number on your paycheck. Our outstanding benefits include low-cost health, dental and vision coverage, a 401(a)-retirement plan with 10% contribution after 6 months and full vesting, life & disability insurance, 3-weeks paid vacation with 5+ years of paid full-time work experience, generous time off plans and paid family leave, floating holidays, identity theft protection, employee assistance programs, pet insurance, paid time off to volunteer, and more! Relocation assistance provided for out-of-state candidates.

HOW TO JOIN OUR TEAM:
If you are a purpose-driven, dedicated professional looking to give as much as you get – submit your resume and cover letter by 11:59 PM MT, August 8, 2025 for best consideration. Learn more about working with NCSL by visiting our careers page: https://www.ncsl.org/research/about-state-legislatures/ncsl-careers.aspx. We are looking forward to receiving your application!

NCSL is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to developing a diverse, dynamic team and inclusive workplace. NCSL does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability, or any other status protected by law or regulation.