Position Description: Manager of Government Affairs 

Central Ohio is among the most vibrant and rapidly expanding communities in the country. With over 2,700 new residents expected to move to Central Ohio each month over the next two decades, ensuring robust access to attainable, high-quality housing has never been more critical.

For more than 80 years, the Building Industry Association of Central Ohio (BIA) has served as the voice of the residential construction industry, working collaboratively with policymakers, community leaders and stakeholders to advance smart policies that support responsible growth and meet the evolving housing and workforce needs of our region.

The Manager of Government Affairs’ role is to work proactively on behalf of our members in advocating for robust housing creation of all types throughout our region. 

This position will work closely with BIA leadership to advance the Association's Housing Creation agenda and effectively represent the 600+ member companies of the BIA. 

The ideal candidate will be an engaged learner with strong written and verbal communication skills who is adept at conveying important communication effectively. 

The candidate must have a mission-driven focus on serving the needs of the BIA's members and the organization as we strive to create housing opportunities across our region and serve the residential construction industry for the next 80 years. 

This position will report directly to the Executive Officer of the BIA and collaborate with other members of the BIA team in a small-staff environment.

 Duties & Responsibilities

• Develops and maintains effective lines of communication with local, state and national public officials regarding issues that impact the industry and association. 

• Coordinates, promotes and participates in meetings held with elected officials, agency staff, political candidates and other community leaders to advance the objectives of the association. 

• Provides staff support to the Builders & Developers Council, Multi-Family Council, County Working Groups, BUILDPAC, Industry Action Fund and other committees and task forces as assigned by the Executive Officer. 

• Attends and participates in government and community meetings and reports to the members any issues affecting the industry. 

• Obtains and tracks proposed legislation and regulations for submission to committees and active industry advocates for analysis and recommendations. 

• Establishes and maintains a grassroots network of members to assist on critical legislative and regulatory issues. 

• Establishes and maintains relationships with other groups and organizations and serves as a liaison between the local, state and national associations on public policy issues. 

• Maintains information files on issues and disseminates information to members as necessary. 

• Contributes to the association’s advocacy communication strategy through the creation of emails, articles, social media posts and other forms of communication. 

• Actively assists in key association events, programs and initiatives. 

• Collaborates with other team members on multiple projects simultaneously in progress. 

• Functions as a part of a highly cohesive, small-staff team and contributes to the overall success of the organization. 

• Provides excellent customer service to BIA members and collaborators. 

• Travel within the Central Ohio region required (Approximately 25% of the time) 

• Performs other duties as may be assigned by the Executive Officer. 

Skills and Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.

 • Minimum of three years of experience in government affairs, economic development, planning, public policy or a related field, in either the public or private sector.

 • Strong understanding of how government functions at the local, state and federal levels, with knowledge of current political issues and trends and how they impact the residential construction industry.

 • Professional demeanor with excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex issues clearly and effectively.

 • Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with the ability to influence, collaborate and serve as a trusted resource for members, elected officials and community stakeholders.

• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, evolving and sometimes ambiguous environment, including independently solving problems in alignment with the Association’s priorities and values.

 • Demonstrated ability to manage complex issues, balance competing priorities and meet tight deadlines under pressure. 

 • Proven ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of cross-functional teams.

 • Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

 • Commitment to providing a high level of professionalism, responsiveness and customer service to BIA members, partners and the broader community.

To Apply: Please submit cover letter and resume to Jessica McKinney at jessica@biahomebuilders.com 

About the BIA 

The Building Industry Association of Central Ohio has represented the residential construction industry in the central Ohio region for 80 years. The BIA's mission is to advocate for policies which will allow for their industry to meet the growing and diverse needs of the region, promote awareness of the homebuilding industry and the thousands of jobs it supports, provide a path for professional and career development and to serve as a vehicle for networking and industry collaboration.

The BIA is an equal opportunity employer.