Director, Government Affairs Senate - 90118450 - 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.

 

This hybrid position can be based out of Washington DC;

 

SUMMARY OF DUTIES:
The Director of Government Affairs (Senate) is the company’s primary liaison to the United States Senate and is responsible for advancing Amtrak’s business and legislative priorities before the chamber and ensuring that members and staff are well informed on Amtrak-related issues.   

 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• General Education and Information Sharing: Build and maintain relationships with as many Senate members and staff as possible to help ensure the Senate has the most relevant information related to Amtrak’s train services, capital projects, and the general state of the business, both nationally and specifically of interest to members’ states, in order to help Senators make well informed decisions on Amtrak and passenger rail.  Respond to congressional inquiries in a timely manner.  Provide Amtrak 101s and other briefings throughout the year and as needed.  Create engagement opportunities, including staff and member educational train trips, station tours, construction site visits, and other traditional and non-traditional opportunities to engage the Senate.  

 

 • Federal Funding: Work closely with the Senate Appropriations Committee to advance Amtrak’s funding priorities, including Amtrak’s annual grant request as required by law, as well as various supplemental and ad hoc funding requests for Congress.  Relevant duties include provide guidance on the internal creation of the annual grant request, present Amtrak’s request to the committee, answer staff questions and provide technical assistance, draft bill and report language, and generally ensure that the committee understands impacts and outcomes of various funding scenarios.  

• Public Policy and Reauthorization: Work closely with the Commerce Committee, other authorizing committees, and personal offices to understand the challenges that intercity passenger rail face, both now and in the future, and the associated opportunities to address them through legislation, including via the surface transportation reauthorization bill.  Create and implement a political strategy for the Senate to help advance policy proposals, standalone legislation, amendments, and other legislative opportunities that help the federal government best support intercity passenger rail in America.  

• Board of Director Nominations – At the request of the administration, provide logistical and other support to the president’s nominees for Amtrak’s Board of Directors confirmation process.  Specific responsibilities may include: coordinate briefings for the nominees, schedule and staff nominee/senate meet and greets, help draft testimony and talking points, coordinate and lead hearing preparation, and manage other miscellaneous tasks related to the confirmation process.

• Congressional Hearings – Prepare the company, and specifically the Amtrak witness, to testify before committees of jurisdiction in order to help advance Amtrak’s legislative and business priorities and messaging.  Specific tasks may include: contribute to the drafting of testimony and oral remarks, create hearing prep binders and related materials, lead Q&A/prep sessions for the witness, staff witness at the hearing, and coordinate follow-up QFRs, among other duties that ensure a successful hearing. 

• Supervision, Leadership, and Other Duties as Assigned – As part of the Government Af