Associate Vice Chancellor - Government Affairs and Civic Engagement,

The mission of the Office of Legislative & Community Affairs is to: 

Ø  provide legislative, regulatory, and financial support to CCC through proactive representation at the local, state, and federal levels of government    

Ø  build and maintain a strong community relations program with external stakeholders  

Ø  advance and strengthen CCC’s commitment to civic and community engagement  

 

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE  

 

Reporting to the Vice Chancellor for Legislative and Community Affairs, the Associate Vice Chancellor-Government Affairs and Civic Engagement, is responsible for enhancing the District’s relationships with government officials at all levels and to maintain positive community relations.  In collaboration with the VC and senior executive leadership, the AVC works on legislative issues beneficial to CCC and fosters working relationships with elected officials, government agencies, and industry experts.

The AVC is also accountable for Civic Engagement and other special initiatives that reside within the Office of Legislative and Community Affairs:

·       Civic Engagement:  Management oversight of Civic Engagement unit; leads initiatives and strategies for building CCC’s capacity to cultivate community partnerships and explore student pathways for community involvement, leadership development, and civic responsibility.

·       Community Connections: Manages and directs community partnership initiatives designed to connect more Chicagoans to CCC programs, with a focus on Chicagoans living in communities identified as having the highest number of adults with some college or no degree.

 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

 

Government Affairs

·       Partners with VC-Legislative & Community Affairs to lead and manage CCC’s governmental relations functions to include strategy/policy development and government.    

·       Coordinates with college presidents and senior leadership to implement strategies to increase state and local government’s awareness of CCC’s programs, planned initiatives, and institutional needs. 

·       Researches higher education and public policy issues; analyzes and monitors proposed legislative and regulatory actions impacting CCC’s programs and funding and higher education in general; and communicates legislative matters to senior leadership. 

·       Implements strategies to engage external and internal stakeholders in supporting CCC’s legislative agenda.  Develops and disseminates key messages to public/elected officials and key stakeholders.  

·       Provides operational support for stakeholder engagement efforts, including organizing meetings with elected officials, and relevant community groups.  

·       Drafts position papers, reports, fact sheets and other informational materials to effectively communicate CCC’s views and position on proposed legislation, enacted laws, and government regulations and to enlist support for CCC’s interests. 

·       Prepares a quarterly legislative data impact report for local and state legislative officials in collaboration with decision support department. 

·        May travel to Springfield, Illinois and/or Washington D.C. for legislative sessions.  

 

Civic Engagement and Community Connections

·       Works collaboratively with key stakeholders in developing strategies and providing opportunities for student involvement in civic engagement activities such as individual volunteerism, collective engagement, and electoral participation. 

·       Cultivates community partnerships designed to give students opportunities to explore pathways to community involvement, leadership development, and civic responsibility and to foster awareness of societal issues and address issues of public concern.

·       Identifies and cultivates community and faith-based organizational partnerships with the goal of increasing awareness and reach of City Colleges’ programs among residents in high priority communities, leveraging district-wide and community resources to support stability and deepen safety nets.                             

·       Works collaboratively with leaders across the district to coordinate special projects and requests from civic, government, and community-based partners.   

·       Provides leadership and strategic insight on community and civic strategic initiatives and programs. 

 

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

Reports To                       Vice Chancellor for Legislative and Community Affairs 

Direct Supervision          Director-Civic Engagement, Community Partnership Adult Learner Liaisons

 

QUALIFICATIONS

·       Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in Government Relations, Public Affairs, Political Science or a related field OR a Juris Doctor from an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school

·       Five years of government and/or public affairs or public policy development or advocacy work experience, preferably for a higher education institution or not-for-profit organization

·       Work experience in higher education public policy development highly desirable

·       Knowledge and understanding of CCC’s mission, goals, and strategic initiatives  

·       Knowledge of local, state, and federal legislative and executive processes

·       Highly developed interpersonal skills

·       Excellent verbal and written communication experience

·       Skill in analyzing and interpreting legislation and policy documents

·       Demonstrated ability to effectively advocate for institutional needs to elected and appointed officials, stakeholders, and the public

·       Ability to exercise tact and diplomacy in handling sensitive situations

·       Ability to work effectively within a culturally diverse environment

·       Ability to develop and maintain partnerships with business, industry, and the community

·       Must be able to travel to Springfield and/or Washington D.C.

·       Must be able to work some evenings and weekends

·       Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

The intent of this job description is to provide a general description of the duties and responsibilities of this position.  It is not intended to be an exhaustive set of the duties and responsibilities, nor all of the necessary qualifications to perform the work.

 

TBD
Additional Information