Govt And External Affairs Mgr - 90369675 - Washington (Hybrid)

Your success is a train ride away!

As we move America’s workforce toward the future, Amtrak connects businesses and communities across the country. We employ more than 20,000 diverse, energetic professionals in a variety of career fields throughout the United States. The safety of our passengers, our employees, the public and our operating environment is our priority, and the success of our railroad is due to our employees.

Are you ready to join our team?

Our values of ‘Do the Right Thing, Excel Together and Put Customers First’ are at the heart of what matters most to us, and our Core Capabilities, ‘Building Trust, Accountability, Effective Communication, Customer Focus, and Proactive Safety & Security’ are what every employee needs to know and do to be most impactful at Amtrak. By living the Amtrak values, focusing on our capabilities, and actively embracing and fostering diverse ideas, backgrounds, and perspectives, together we will honor our past and make Amtrak a company of the future.

Work Arrangement: Hybrid Weekly out of DC

SUMMARY OF DUTIES:
Are you passionate about improving transportation options across the country? The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) will help advance a new era for passenger rail in America. Come help Amtrak’s External Affairs team engage with associations, businesses, organizations, and other stakeholders so that Amtrak can deliver the passenger rail service people need and deserve. This position is responsible for helping the Government Affairs Department manage and improve strategic partnerships with external stakeholders in order to build support for the improvement and expansion of intercity passenger rail.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Working with the Director of Government & External Affairs, this position will: 

• Help manage strategic partnerships and External Affairs, including building and improving relationships with various external stakeholders such as trade associations, affinity groups, labor organizations, environmental groups, universities and student groups, travel industry, chambers, and private corporations, among others.  
• Build expertise on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the various federal programs that are authorized and/or funded by the act, and work with internal and External stakeholders to help advance these capital projects, including:   
  • New Airo trainsets procurement 
  • New diesel locomotives procurement 
  • New long distance passenger equipment procurement 
  • ADA stations program 
  • B&P Tunnel Replacement Program 
  • Hudson Tunnel Project 
  • Connecticut River Bridge replacement project 
  • Susquehanna River Bridge replacement program 
  • East River Tunnel replacement project 
  • Gateway High Line Renewal and SOGR: Dock Bridge 
  • Bush River Bridge replacement program  
  • Gunpowder River Bridge replacement program 
  • Sawtooth Bridge replacement 
  • Pelham Bay Bridge replacement project 
• Leverage qualitative and quantitative data to understand the policy and political landscape and stakeholder needs, and collaborate with internal and External stakeholders to develop strategies and tactics to better serve our customers, efficiently invest in assets, and otherwise support the company’s legislative priorities. 
• Create and coordinate public events, panel discussions, and public outreach efforts for Amtrak leadership, Government Affairs, and other departments to explain the company’s priorities and plans to improve and expand passenger rail.  
• Public speaking, representing the company at events, meetings, and conferences, frequently to large audiences, and sometimes requiring travel.  
• Build strategic partnerships to advance competitive grant opportunities.  
• Draft and design documents that clearly and effectively communicate to external stakeholders Amtrak’s historic challenges and current opportunities, business and federal updates, and how stakeholders can help improve passenger rail for the future.  
• Grow Amtrak’s Network – Working with Amtrak’s Network Development team and others in the company, help advance various initiatives and efforts to improve and expand Amtrak’s national network via traditional and non-traditional outreach and communication tools, including digital tactics. Master the Federal Railroad Administration’s new Corridor Identification and Development Program, and engage external stakeholders to advance efforts to grow Amtrak service throughout the country.  
• Improve Amtrak’s Infrastructure – Working with Amtrak Capital Delivery team and others in the company, help engage external stakeholders to advance capital projects on the Northeast Corridor have the support they need to advance in a timely, efficient, and effective manner.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's Degree in business, public administration, political science, communications, or other related field  
• 7 years of work experience or the combined equivalent of education and/or training  
• Basic understanding of how Congress makes federal funding and policy decisions 
• Expertise and experience with traditional and non-traditional communication tools, including PowerPoint; digital strategy, social media and storytelling; and data analytics  
• Motivated and able to work independently with limited supervision 
• Able to travel up to 25% of the time, frequently within the greater DC area and the northeast region, but also across the Amtrak network 
• Able to handle multiple tasks at one time and adapts easily to an exceptionally fast-paced working environment 
• Motivated and able to work independently with limited supervision 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s in Business, Public Administration, Political Science, or related degree 
• 9 years of relevant work experience. 
• Experience working for a trade association and/or other national group involved in federal policy making and stakeholder engagement  
• A passion for improving transportation and mobility in America, and in particular, an interest in the future of intercity passenger rail 
• Excellent analytical capabilities, bolstered by a strong understanding of Amtrak rail operations, the rail industry and surface transportation policy 

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Physical Demands: 

• Frequently uses a computer keyboard, monitor, and mouse to perform a variety of tasks. 
• Constantly or frequently sits, stands, or walks; may lift, carry, push, or pull objects of various weights; may reach, kneel, crouch, bend, or twist to perform administrative tasks  

Mental Demands: 

• Constantly communicates, comprehends, and responds to verbal statements and instructions both orally and in writing. 
• Frequently acquires new knowledge, skills, and tasks, both complex and simple, to maintain effectiveness in position. 
• Frequently resolves problems with conflicting priorities in cognitively demanding situations.  

Working Conditions: 

• Constantly works in a fast-paced, time sensitive environment with frequently changing priorities. 
• Frequently works in crisis situations requiring fast, long-reaching decisions based on incomplete information/data, and must be on-call and available on an emergency basis. 

COMMUNICATIONS AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS:

Must have excellent oral and written communication skills.

The salary/hourly range is $113,200 - $146,664. Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, certifications, etc. Depending on an employee’s assigned worksite or location, Amtrak may consider a geo-pay differential to be applied to the employee’s base salary. Amtrak may offer additional incentive and pay programs to recognize and reward our employees, including a short-term incentive bonus based upon factors such as individual and company performance that is commensurate with the level of the position and/or long-term incentive plan compensation. In addition to your salary, Amtrak offers a comprehensive benefit package that includes health, dental, and vision plans; health savings accounts; wellness programs; flexible spending accounts; 401K retirement plan with employer match; life insurance; short and long term disability insurance; paid time off; back-up care; adoption assistance; surrogacy assistance; reimbursement of education expenses; Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility; Railroad Retirement sickness and retirement benefits; and rail pass privileges. Learn more about our benefits offerings here.

Requisition ID:160386
Posting Location(s):District of Columbia
Job Family/Function:Government Affairs 
Relocation Offered:Yes 
Travel Requirements:Up to 25% 
 

You power our progress through your performance.
 

We want your work at Amtrak to be more than a job. We want your career at Amtrak to be a fulfilling experience where you find challenging work, rewarding opportunities, respect among colleagues, and attractive compensation. Amtrak maintains a culture that values high performance and recognizes individual employee contributions. 

Amtrak is committed to a safe workplace free of drugs and alcohol. All Amtrak positions requires a pre-employment background check that includes prior employment verification, a criminal history check and a pre-employment drug screen. 

Candidates who test positive for marijuana will be disqualified, regardless of any state or local statute, ordinance, regulation, or other law that legalizes or decriminalizes the use or possession of marijuana, whether for medical, recreational, or other use. Amtrak's pre-employment drug testing program is administered in accordance with DOT regulations and applicable law.  

In accordance with DOT regulations (49 CFR § 40.25), Amtrak is required to obtain prior drug and alcohol testing records for applicants/employees intending to perform safety-sensitive duties for covered Department of Transportation positions. If an applicant/employee refuses to provide written consent for Amtrak to obtain these records, the individual will not be permitted to perform safety-sensitive functions.

In accordance with federal law governing security checks of covered individuals for providers of public transportation (Title 6 U.S.C. §1143), Amtrak is required to screen applicants for any permanent or interim disqualifying criminal offenses. 

Note that any education requirement listed above may be deemed satisfied if you have an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Amtrak is an EOE/Affirmative Action Minority/Female employer, and we welcome all to apply. We consider candidates regardless of race/color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions), national origin/ethnicity, age, disability (intellectual, mental and physical), veteran status, marital status, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, genetic information, citizenship or any other personal characteristics protected by law.