Vice President, Public Affairs

Position Summary:

The Vice President of Public Affairs is responsible for managing state, federal, and international public affairs initiatives and developing strategies to advance APCIA advocacy priorities to position APCIA as the dominant voice of the property casualty industry. Leads media relations efforts, public affairs campaigns, reputation management, and crisis communications. Develops thought leadership platforms on top issues to reach key stakeholders, including the media, policymakers, consumers, coalition partners, and APCIA members. Clearly articulates APCIA’s public policy positions to consumer, business, and trade press. Serves as a spokesperson for APCIA on state, national, and international policy issues.

Principal Responsibilities:

• Leads state. federal and international public affairs agenda and provides direction on key initiatives to advance APCIA’s strategic goals and advocacy agenda.
• Provides leadership in creating multifaceted, cross divisional public affairs campaigns on key initiatives that help achieve APCIA’s strategic goals. Oversees the execution of national, state, and federal public affairs campaigns that include earned, paid and digital/social media; thought leadership positioning; coalition building and communication research activities such as the use of focus groups, polls, data-driven information, and positioning campaigns with opinion elites, media, policymakers, academic, think tanks, etc.
• Provides strategic thinking in the development of communication plans and tactics for state legislative and regulatory issues that increase APCIA’s positioning with members, opinion leaders, lawmakers, and the media.
• Oversees the development and implementation of a proactive media relations program that includes extensive traditional and social media outreach and placement of story ideas, news releases, guest editorials, feature articles and social media posts.
• Proactively arranges media interviews with issue/subject matter experts and positions APCIA as the dominant voice of the industry. Crafts media talking points and briefing materials and participates in media visits, press briefings, and press conferences.
• Identifies legislative and regulatory issues and trends that affect the bottom line results of APCIA members and contributes to the development of communications with APCIA members, the media and other key stakeholders.
• Responsible for review and approval of state, federal, and international news releases, guest editorials, and key messaging documents. Contributes to political engagement efforts and grassroots initiatives.
• Navigates multiple stakeholders.
• Contributes to the planning and execution of key APCIA events such as the Advocacy Planning Conference and Annual Meeting. Participates in member company committee meetings and briefs members on public affairs activities. Provides public affairs information for Board of Governor meetings, APCIA initiatives, and other internal events.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Manage APCIA’s media database, news release distribution system, and contact management program to enhance news media networking opportunities and broaden consumer outreach.
• Lead communication strategy and planning sessions, participate in division and staff meetings, teams, etc., and contribute to overall APCIA success.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

1. Educational Requirements:
   • Bachelor of Arts or advanced degree in public affairs, journalism, communications, or related field.
2. Experience:
   • 20 years experience in corporate or trade association public affairs, political affairs, journalism, or communications.
   • Excellent oral and written communication skills.
   • Confident presentation skills.
   • Solid organization skills and ability to use Word and various electronic database software packages to distribute information and track results.