Legislative & External Affairs Specialist from INSPYR Solutions

Austin, TX 78735

About the Job

COMPANY: Nonprofit / Insurance
JOB TITLE: Legislative & External Affairs Specialist
LENGTH OF CONTRACT: Starts off at 5 months. Potential for contract-to-hire or contract extension.
LOCATION: Austin, TX 78735 (This role is mostly remote with occassional trips to the Texas State Capital building)
COMPENSATION:$30 o $35 per hour
WORK REQUIREMENTS: US Citizen, GC Holders or Authorized to Work in the U.S.

MANAGER NOTES:

Someone interested in politics, possibly someone that majored in political sceince while in college.
Someone that may have previously interned at the Texas State Capital, with a law firm or some sort of association
You will be comfortable working in a fast paced environment and comfortable pivoting quickly.
The reason the role is open is that the new legislative session for congress starts in January and my client needs to add another person to the team due to work volume.
The purpose of the role is to be on top of proposed bills which will be presented to congress and know the intricacies of these bills and how it affects my client.
You will then create messaging and proposals of these bills with appropriate talking points
Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Will be comfortable taking the intricacies of proposed bills and presenting them in an informal group setting…
Digging into bills, pulling out key points and getting into politics of bills and how it affects possible insurance policies and associated underwriting.

POSITION SUMMARY:
The Legislative & External Affairs Specialist reports to the Senior Legislative & External Affairs Manager and assists in the execution of a wide range of communications and public relations activities.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Assists with the development and execution of enterprise strategies for engaging with the Texas Legislature, media, and other key stakeholder groups.
Participates in the implementation and development of communication deliverables associated with business projects, which can include project management, event planning, message development and distribution, material production, web page updates along with coaching and support to varying stakeholders;
Composes, verifies, edits, and distributes highly optimized print and digital communications that support stakeholder engagement, including informational materials, press releases, speeches, presentations, articles, bulletins, newsletters, brochures, graphic and photographic illustrations, web content, and other collateral concerning the Association’s programs and activities;
Supports all functions of media relations including public appearances, media inquiries, etc.;
Helps to develop media relations strategies, including media coverage monitoring and communication, development of media lists, interview briefing sheets, wire release management, reporting requirements, and CRM updates;
Assists with the monitoring of news publications and social media for news related to the Association and recommends proactive strategies for responding to inquiries and/or preparing draft responses to news stories;
Helps to research, compose, verify, edit, and distribute approved information to the media, including press releases, alerts, and inquiry responses;
Works with requisite media, web, and social networking monitoring and analytical tools and helps to interpret data to identify trends, prepare professional reports, and make recommendations for strategy and process refinement;
Works with web content management systems and databases for the posting and distribution of communications content and the development and maintenance of stakeholder contact lists.
Supports the execution of crisis communication plans and assists with crisis-related communications;
Helps to tracks federal, state, and local legislation affecting the insurance industry and develop position statements and testimonies on legislative bills and amendments;
Researches and drafts information distributed to the legislature, Board of Directors, Agent Advisory Group, and other external stakeholders;
Prepares materials, presentations, talking points, speeches, statutory reports, etc. for key stakeholder audiences;
Researches and maintains up-to-date information on legislative, regulatory, and other government officials and their staff to support relationship management with these stakeholder groups;
Supports the response and coordination of responses to legislative and regulatory inquiries and works collaboratively with key internal stakeholders to ensure open and accurate internal and external communications between the Association and legislative and governmental officials;
Helps to procure, monitor, and manage relevant expenses, while adhering to company policies and procedures on expense management;
Performs ad hoc projects and tasks as assigned.

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing or a related field;
Three to five years of public relations or communications experience, with at least three of those years within a professional setting;
Advanced computer skills including high level knowledge and ability with the Internet and web-based applications and Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams).

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE

Public sector experience
Insurance Industry Experience
Experience with database software, online content management systems, and/or record keeping software and project management applications.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

Knowledge of journalistic principles and practices and the techniques of planning, composing, and editing informational materials
Knowledge and skill in the use of methods and techniques of disseminating information to the public.
Knowledge of public relations techniques and procedures
Knowledge of marketing and advertising practices and techniques
Knowledge of commercial art methods and the general principles of layout and design
Ability to compose and produce a variety of informational materials for release to media or publications
Ability to conduct research and find pertinent and newsworthy information
Ability to use a variety of online content management and database systems
Ability to establish and maintain working relationships with internal and external stakeholders and the general public
Ability to communicate and make presentations to internal and external stakeholders, employee groups, and the general public
Ability to work additional hours as needed to meet project deadlines and during a catastrophe

Our benefits package includes:

Comprehensive medical benefits
Competitive pay, 401(k)
Retirement plan
…and much more!

About INSPYR Solutions
Technology is our focus and quality is our commitment. As a national expert in delivering flexible technology and talent solutions, we strategically align industry and technical expertise with our clients' business objectives and cultural needs. Our solutions are tailored to each client and include a wide variety of professional services, project, and talent solutions. By always striving for excellence and focusing on the human aspect of our business, we work seamlessly with our talent and clients to match the right solutions to the right opportunities. Learn more about us at inspyrsolutions.com.

INSPYR Solutions provides Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, INSPYR Solutions complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.