Government Relations Director
The Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants (MICPA), a not-for-profit organization, is a diversified, professional, member-driven association for certified public accountants and affiliated professionals in the State of Michigan. With 16,500+ members spanning across several different industries, we are the leading statewide professional organization dedicated to serving our members, the CPA profession, and the public they serve through advocacy, collaboration, and education.
We are searching for a self-motivated and confident individual to join our team as the director of government relations. This position embodies our mission by advocating to elevate and protect the profession, collaborating with regulatory entities to provide clarity and support to our members, and educating members on a myriad of information, such as tax policy changes, CPA education requirements, and more. The ideal candidate will build effective working relationships with a wide array of stakeholders, including elected officials, regulatory bodies, internal leadership, other organizations, and outside government affairs consultants. An addition to relationships, the director will work closely with the President & CEO to develop fundraising/distribution strategies, connect members through grassroots events and task forces, present to potential members, and be the go-to for member questions related to licensing.
Key Responsibilities:
- Care for the well-being and development of your team and others; motivate and empower your team
- Build and maintain professional relationships with key State of Michigan officials and legislators
- Develop and oversee various legislative outreach programs and communication to stakeholders
- In coordination with lobbyist, develop yearly PAC fundraising and distribution strategies
- Be a liaison for several related task force and committees
- Oversee all bill tracking and analysis as it relates to the profession, working with members to provide comments when necessary
- Attend several meetings/events throughout the state, such as State Board of Accountancy and Licensing & Regulatory Affairs meetings, firm visits, presentations, etc.
- Provide monthly and year-end reporting to appropriate parties
- Bring new ideas to the table
- Four (4) years of experience in legislative, regulatory and/or public policy arenas
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in related field
- Effective and diplomatic communications (verbal (phone calls and in-person) and written (through email, chat and text); Detail-oriented; efficient time and project management skills; self-motivated; ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and work with limited supervision; investigative and problem-solving skills
- Ability to build professional rapport with employees, members, volunteers, business community and other stakeholders and work in cross-functional teams
- Access to reliable transportation for traveling to meetings/events within the state, as needed
Desirable skills/knowledge:
- Association or trade/service organization and customer service experience
- Understanding of public policy and legislative activities
- Experience with Microsoft Outlook, Excel, and Word
- Ability to occasionally transport supplies/equipment weighing up to 50 pounds from the office to vehicles to facilities with wheeled carts
Cultural Expectations:
- Support, embrace, and live the Association’s core values of bringing JOY to the workplace each day; creating an environment of TRUST through respect, honesty, integrity, empathy and consistency; contributing everyday INNOVATION from the smallest idea to organization-changing ideas; COLLABORATION with others to create greater outcomes; providing impactful SERVICE to our members; and valuing the strength that DIVERSITY brings to our team, members and the profession
- Provide continuous and quarterly feedback to your team and encourage their development and involvement in the association as a whole
- Establish goals and strive to accomplish them
- Lead by example to foster awareness, understanding, and accountability with staff members and champion the ongoing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts
- Seek developmental opportunities for your personal and professional growth
- Develop and maintain contemporary knowledge of the CPA profession
- Medical with Rx, Dental, Vision Insurance
- Flexible Spending Account
- Life and Disability Insurance
- 401(k) including annual Safe Harbor contribution
- Flexible PTO, vacation, and nine paid holidays
- Time off (up to 1 day) to volunteer in serving our communities
- Parental Leave – up to 12 weeks
- Employee Assistance Program
- True work/life integration with a focus on health and wellbeing
- “Buddy” program for new employees – your go-to teammate
- Hybrid/flexible work environment - modern office with adjustable height desks and ergonomic chairs; ability to work remotely and flex your schedule when needed
- Reimbursements for business-related travel
Who we are:
MICPA is home to a welcoming and inclusive staff (who are not CPAs, except for two of us) who embrace a culture of belonging through joy, trust, and innovation with intentional focus on collaboration, service and the strength of diversity. MICPA is committed to focusing on employee experience, health and wellness, continued employee development, and serving their communities. For more information, please visit: www.micpa.org/our-culture.
We were awarded the Financial Wellness award in 2021 (for having a successful financial wellness program for staff) and the Caring Culture award in 2022 (for demonstrating a culture of caring for our people, customers, and community) from the Auburn Hills Chamber of Commerce.
We value the strength that a diverse workforce brings. Our goal is to attract qualified candidates and encourage applications from all individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, physical [dis]ability or length of time spent unemployed. We invite you to apply and join us!
