External Affairs Manager

Job Summary

The External Affairs Manager will play a crucial role in enhancing and managing ClearPath’s public image and messaging, specifically focusing on interactions with Capitol Hill and the media. This role requires a strategic communicator with experience in public relations, media outreach, and legislative advocacy. The External Affairs Manager will develop and implement comprehensive communication strategies to advance the organization’s mission, engage stakeholders, and influence public policy. This role will have visibility of media, Capitol Hill, Administration, industry and trade relationships. 

The position will require an entrepreneurial mindset to support the ClearPath communications and marketing objectives to achieve policy outcomes, and continuously improve brand perception. Additionally, the position will work closely with the ClearPath team to build strategy and plan with ambitious goals to communicate regularly with corporate stakeholders that will allow for broader legislative efforts. This includes frequently interacting with stakeholders as well as helping coordinate and attending events and trips, hearings and briefings where we can drive our message, and coordinate and educate target audience and key stakeholders on ClearPath priorities. This role may also include representing ClearPath publicly, including being on-the-record with reporters, leading external stakeholder meetings, and briefing Capitol Hill.

The individual will play a key role in continuing to grow our message by developing and distributing content, including advertising, to be placed on platforms such as cable news, social media, traditional media and other platforms. As an organization driven by innovation, we strive to keep our brand on the forefront of communications, marketing and advertising tactics. The External Affairs Manager will report directly to ClearPath’s Senior Director of External Affairs.

Job Description

Communications and External Affairs

• Develop and execute strategy for owned content using editorial calendar in conjunction with External Affairs Team and Policy Team:
• • Weekly newsletter, blogs, press materials, op-eds, statements, talking points, media interview briefs, news releases, website content and fact sheets, initiatives and key messages.
• Cultivate relationships with target Congressional audience including building relationships with Communications Directors and Press Secretaries, and legislative and policy staff, through sharing ClearPath talking points on key energy issues in real time, messaging briefs, and attending networking events and ClearPath-owned events and trips
• Collaborate with Events Manager and lead development of messaging documents to be used at ClearPath events including agenda brochures, one-pagers, pocket cards, presentations, and other materials
• Develop messages and narratives that will stick with ClearPath’s target audience and media
• Create and drive proactive media relations strategies to cultivate and enhance meaningful relationships with targeted, high-level external audiences, including the national news media, key influencers, and target audience; field incoming press calls, provide media with requested information, schedule interviews, prep spokespeople for interviews, proactively develop relationships with media and pitch story ideas. 
• • Over time, demonstrate ability to serve as an independent spokesperson

Digital & Social Strategy

• Manage the conception and deployment of digital communications strategies and materials, ensuring the right message reaches the right audience at the right time
• Help manage the effective use of new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool in collaboration with the External Affairs Associate
• Manage the conception and deployment of social communications strategies and campaigns across different social platforms including Twitter/X, LinkedIn, and YouTube
• Manage vendor and consultant relationships to fully deploy a stronger digital strategy
• Collaborate with the creative team to turn complex issues into appealing and easy to understand visuals 

Team & Project Management

• Independently lead weekly External Affairs meetings; track EA team objectives and key results; project manage team deliverables and tasks, and ensure they stay on track, meet deadlines and adhere to quality control and brand standards
• Successfully manages and mentors External Affairs intern and potentially other team members, including independently executing regular 1:1s 
• Collaborates with team members on EA and cross functionally to help them see the big picture 
• Takes an active interest in leading others and mentoring peers
• Able to represent the organization in external groups and in some situations with guidance (meetings on the Hill, events with key stakeholders, etc.)
• Fosters collaborative problem solving and leads by example to propose and implement innovative solutions to programmatic or project-based challenges

Candidate requirements

Capabilities

• Fact–based management – view the organization as an open system, synthesize information from diverse sources, come to conclusions, and make decisions that are rational and based on sound evidence. 
• Communicating – convey the information required by others in a concise, direct, and unambiguous way. 
• Business acumen – make sound business decisions based on a strong understanding of the company’s business model, strategic goals, and relevant policies, as well as best practices and current technologies in one’s own discipline or functional area. 
• Driving results – motivate individuals to achieve and exceed goals by establishing accountabilities, clarifying performance expectations, agreeing to high standards and measures, monitoring and reviewing performance, and providing timely and relevant feedback. 
• Creativity and innovation – challenge commonly held assumptions; originate new or radical alternatives to traditional methods, processes and build on others’ ideas. 
• Process management – take a systematic approach to making the company’s workflow more effective, efficient, and capable of adapting to an ever-changing environment. 
• Planning and priority setting – identify the priorities, processes, and practical actions that are necessary to achieve an objective or realize an idea. 
• Team building – enable and encourage group members to work together to complete tasks and accomplish goals that individual members could not accomplish alone. 
• Strategic thinking –develop and help drive a shared understanding of a long-term vision that describes how the organization needs to operate now and in the future.
• Quality Focus – able to manage the efficiency, accuracy, completeness, and integrity of the work that they produce.

Qualifications:

• Preferred 5 years of professional experience in a related field – communications, public relations, marketing, public affairs, Capitol Hill, clean energy. Preferred experience with social media platforms, working with reporters, or prior experience on Capitol Hill. 
• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, Public Relations, Political Science or a related field 
• A professional and personal commitment to ClearPath’s mission
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and project management skills
• Ability and willingness to work occasional nontraditional hours based on events and trips
• Knowledge in or willingness to learn NationBuilder, Google Analytics, Google Ads and WordPress
• Willingness to learn new communication tools or software

Compensation & Benefits:

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience
• Annual bonus, historically awarded
• Paid professional development opportunities
• Comprehensive health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance 
• Retirement Benefit offering an employer matching contribution of employee contributions $1 for $1 on the first 5% of pay contributed
• No set vacation policy - take what you need whenever workflow allows
• In-office work format preferred, with flexibility as needed.
• Fully stocked office kitchen in a newly renovated building on Capitol Hill

At ClearPath, we value a diverse and inclusive workforce. We believe our team is the key to making an impact and fulfilling our mission. ClearPath is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.