Job Title: Congressional Affairs Officer
Department: Congressional Affairs
Location: Washington D.C.
The General Delegation of the PLO to the United States, the Palestinian diplomatic mission in Washington, is looking to fill the position of Congressional Affairs Officer with an expected start date of February 2012.
The Congressional Affairs Officer requires outstanding interpersonal skills as well as familiarity with Congress and American politics. The Officer is expected to support the Government Affairs Officer, report to the General Director and accompany the Ambassador in his meetings on the Hill. Duties include research, outreach, and strategically targeting Congress as well as cultivating relationships and reaching out to different segments and groups in American society to facilitate the outreach effort.
Primary Responsibilities:
The Congressional Affairs Officer’s main responsibility is to develop and maintain relations with the US Congress. The duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Develop and implement strategies to increase support for Palestinian positions within the US Congress;
- Build relationships with Congressional offices and staffers;
- Update and maintain a database of all Congressional staff from offices and committees;
- Track all draft legislation related to Palestinian issues as well as official statements and press releases issued by Members of Congress on such issues;
- Provide information on a regular and relevant basis to Congressional offices on Palestinian issues, including weekly updates, fact sheets and press releases;
- Coordinate with the Media Officer at the General Delegation in order to provide congressional offices on the Hill with media material on a regular basis;
- Advise the Ambassador on engaging Members of Congress;
- Prepare bios and talking points for the Ambassador prior to his meetings with Members of Congress;
- Draft letters to Members of Congress and their staff regarding relevant issues, responses to their concerns, or responses to their public statements and votes as necessary;
- Attend and report on briefings and hearings of Congressional Committees as they relate to Palestinian and Middle Eastern issues. Reports written on these hearings need to be detailed and submitted to the Ambassador within a timely manner.
Qualifications:
The successful candidate will possess the following skills, qualifications & attributes:
- Bachelor’s Degree Required, Master’s preferred;
- Minimum of TWO years of relevant work experience;
- In depth knowledge of American politics, Congress, and society; specialized knowledge of DC and official government business in our nation’s capital is a plus;
- Good knowledge of Palestinian issues;
- High energy, strong interpersonal skills, and comfortable working with various types of people;
- Excellent organization and administrative skills;
- Ability to work both as part of a team and independently as needed;
- Capacity to maintain poise and work effectively under extreme pressure;
- Arabic is a plus.
To Apply:
Please send the following materials to nfarsakh@plodelegation.us:
- Cover letter indicating your interest and specific qualification for this position;
- Resume;
- Short writing sample, up to FOUR pages on a relevant issue of your choice;
- Two references.
