Political Science Jobs in Spring, TX (NOW HIRING)

Position Overview:

The State & Local Public Affairs Senior Analyst is a member of the Government & Public Affairs (G&PA) team and supports the company's external affairs efforts through research, stakeholder engagement, local policy monitoring, and project support.

The role serves as the central coordinator for the department's stakeholder engagement and community feedback processes, as well as the company's broader social performance measurement systems, transforming data into actionable insights that inform strategy, strengthen stakeholder relationships, and ensure critical departmental processes are executed consistently and effectively.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in Business Management, Communications, Public Relations, Political Science, Public Policy, or a related discipline.

Experience/Specific Knowledge:

• A minimum of two (2) or more years of progressively responsible experience in public affairs, government affairs, community relations, or communications - preferably with exposure to the energy sector.
• Demonstrated experience monitoring local/state government processes and preparing concise policy summaries and stakeholder briefs.
• Experience supporting stakeholder engagement and community outreach programs.
• Proven ability to drive positive change and continuous improvement.
• Intermediate proficiency level in MS Office applications that may include but are not limited to Excel, Word, Teams, Access, PowerPoint and Outlook.

Certifications, Licenses & Registrations:

• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license and a driving record satisfactory to the company and its insurers (for travel).

Competencies, Skills & Abilities:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to multi-task.
• Strong analysis, decision making, and logic skills.
• Self-motivated with a high level of initiative.
• Must be able to perform all essential and marginal functions of the job.
• Must be able to work with a team, take direction from management, adhere to required work schedules, focus attention on details, and follow work rules.
• Ability to successfully perform multiple tasks with strict deadlines.
• Ability to organize and prioritize daily work.
• Job level commensurate with experience and skill sets; position will be filled depending on qualifications, experience, and skill sets of the successful candidate. 

Physical Demands:

All of the physical requirements listed below are those that may be necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Sitting; standing; walking or moving throughout facility; driving; talking; seeing (specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus); hearing; feeling; bending or stooping; squatting or crouching; reaching; kneeling; pushing; pulling; lifting up to 25 lbs.
• Minimal safety hazards; general office working conditions.
• Must be able to sit for prolonged periods of time.
• The employee is regularly required to use hands to type, touch, handle, or feel.  The employee is required to talk and hear.  The employee is frequently required to stand and reach with hands and arms.  The employee is occasionally required to walk and climb or balance.  The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Working Conditions:

• Travel ~30%
• Required to carry a cell phone and be available to respond during working and non-working hours.
• The successful candidate will be required to clear a drug screen and a complete background check, including credit report for certain positions, after an offer has been extended and prior to being employed.

Supervisory Responsibility:

• No

PREFERRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, CERTIFICATIONS, COMPETENCIES, SKILLS, & ABILITIES:

Above the minimum requirements, not required but advantageous in this position:

• Experience using stakeholder/customer relationship management software or GIS tools for mapping stakeholder influence/impact.
• Prior experience working directly with local governments, utilities, or energy project teams in states around the US.
• Familiarity with political and regulatory environment

Other responsibilities:

• The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed. This position may perform other duties as assigned.

Essential duties and responsibilities:

• Manage and continuously improve stakeholder engagement tracking systems, including stakeholder matrices, data collection tools, reporting processes, and project narratives.

• Administer the department's stakeholder engagement program, community feedback mechanisms, and incident management processes to ensure accurate, timely, and actionable information is available to project teams and leadership.

• Develop and maintain project-level and enterprise-level reporting tools, dashboards, scorecards, and indices that provide insights into stakeholder, community, and public affairs activities.

• Coordinate the collection, validation, and integration of data from multiple sources, including stakeholder engagement, community investment, advertising, sponsorships, media coverage, and public outreach programs.

• Produce regular reports, presentations, and briefing materials that communicate stakeholder trends, project status, risks, opportunities, and strategic recommendations.

• Monitor and analyze local and state government activity (legislation, elections, city/town ordinances, board/council meetings) and deliver concise summaries and recommended next steps to internal teams.
• Prepare issue briefs, talking points, presentations, email drafts, and reports for internal and external audiences; coordinate review with subject-matter experts.
•  Attend community meetings, public hearings, and local forums as an on-the-ground representative when assigned; summarize outcomes and follow-ups for project teams.
• Support coordination with local community leaders, businesses, and advocacy groups to ensure proactive communications around sitting, permitting, construction, and maintenance activities.
• Share local community knowledge and lessons learned across the organization to help projects and operating assets reach successful outcomes that balance company and community needs.
• Support compliance with company communication protocols and any required reporting for external engagement activities.