The Director of Federal Government Affairs will lead external engagement with the federal government community in Washington, D.C., including elected officials, Administration officials, regulatory agencies and other organizations seeking to impact public policy development at the federal level. This position will focus primarily on labor/workforce, tax, agriculture, nutrition, food safety and environmental issues. This position will also oversee the management of two political action committees. The ideal candidate will possess significant political acumen, have federal and private sector government relations expertise and strategic planning capabilities. Strong motivation, writing, communication, presentation and relationship-building skills are essential to be successful.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Develop and execute consistent, pro-active engagements with internal (corporate staff and franchisees) and external (federal government officials; consultants; third-party groups; trade associations) stakeholders.
Oversee coordination of advocacy days, impact tours, educational events, political fundraisers and receptions on relevant topics.
Track, identify, analyze, and influence federal regulatory and legislative policy, and recommend positions and strategies that advance Inspire's business objectives.
Translate business goals into measurable results through the development and execution of a government affairs strategy.
Develop and strengthen a network of relationships with key elected officials from the Administration, federal agencies, and Congress as appropriate. These relationships will be leveraged to advance Inspire Brand's objectives and mission.
Anticipate, monitor, analyze and plan for legislative and regulatory action relating to the company's core business functions.
Monitor the development of business issues that affect the company's reputation; develop strategies for addressing each issue and deploy team resources to ensure management of issue, building profiles of issues and best practices to ensure consistent approach for managing.
Represent the company at industry trade groups and develop extensive relationships with industry peers and other stakeholder groups.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE QUALIFICATIONS
4-Year degree in Political Science, Public Administration, Business Administration, Communications or related area
10+ years of experience in federal government affairs
Experience in Congress/federal government agency as well as private sector
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS or ABILITIES
Familiarity with restaurant and/or franchise industry preferred
Must enjoy working in a fast-paced, multi-tasking, deadline-oriented dynamic environment with constant change
Organizational leadership and management experience, the ability to motivate others to advance goals, and the ability to effectively manage multiple projects or roles in a rapidly evolving environment.
Outstanding communicator with the stature and presence to represent the company at industry forums and events, legislative arenas with stakeholders, franchisees, and trade associations; and a track record of nurturing positive relationships with legislators, administrators and lobbyists, as well as with senior management.
The ability to persuasively communicate complex concepts and programs into concise and credible messages at the highest levels of government and business.
A keen sense of political discernment and strategy, with the ability to identify and influence key policymakers and regulators.
Utilizes exceptional analytical and organizational capabilities to create planning processes to deploy both policy and sustainability strategies.
Inspire Brands is a multi-brand restaurant company whose portfolio includes more than 32,000 Arby's, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin', Jimmy John's, and SONIC restaurants worldwide.
We're made up of some of the world's most iconic restaurant brands, but we're much more than just a restaurant company. We're a team of hundreds of thousands who individually and collectively are changing the way people eat, drink, and gather around the table. We know that food is much more than a staple-it's an experience. At Inspire, that's our purpose: to ignite and nourish flavorful experiences.
