Job Description

NRECA is a unique national trade association providing advocacy, financial services and business support services to over 900 consumer owned electric cooperatives across the country. NRECA employees are united by our mission, inclusive culture, collaborative workplace and commitment to service excellence. As a "best place to work" employer, we operate with integrity, transparency and a spirit of innovation.

Position Summary:

Join a growing team supporting NRECA members that are bringing vital broadband networks to unserved and underserved rural communities. This position is responsible for collaborating with professionals across NRECA's Government Relations Regulatory Unit, which is focused on advocacy before the Executive Branch and independent regulatory agencies. The Regulatory Affairs Director, Broadband will collaborate with the broader broadband advocacy team in support of the continuation of broadband funding and the favorable structure of broadband programs and regulations before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Additional Background:

In our digital economy, high-speed broadband access has become a necessary part of everyday life. Electric cooperatives increasingly rely on robust telecommunications networks, systems and various technologies to provide safe, affordable and reliable electric service and other programs and services for their member-owners. In addition, many of these same rural Americans are locked out of the modern economy simply because broadband internet service is not available. Access to sufficient, affordable, and reliable broadband service is not only critical to cooperatives' business operations but increasingly a necessity for communities, education, healthcare and commerce. For this reason, numerous electric cooperatives are working toward meaningful and diverse solutions to provide broadband services, which can help bridge the digital divide and jumpstart local economies. NRECA has taken a prominent leadership and advocacy role across government to ensure electric cooperatives can provide broadband service, including middle-mile broadband connectivity, voluntarily, on their own or in partnership with other providers.

Essential Regulatory Advocacy Responsibilities:

Identify Federal Broadband Policies and Regulations Impacting Electric Cooperatives:

• Leverage strong working knowledge of federal broadband policies to advocate on behalf of electric cooperative interests before policymakers.
• From a broadband regulatory perspective, evaluate the policy landscape and identify regulatory risk to, and opportunity for, not-for-profit electric cooperatives in broadband.
• Describe the unique set of circumstances electric cooperatives must consider as they deploy and operate broadband infrastructure to serve rural unserved and underserved locations.

Develop Policy Positions that Support Broadband for Electric Cooperatives:

• Develop policy positions that mitigate broadband-related regulatory risk to electric cooperatives and create new opportunities in a pro-growth policy environment with a focus on deregulation, public safety and consumer protection. For example:
  • Reforming the FCC's National Broadband Map to more effectively direct state and federal investment in broadband infrastructure.
  • Exempting cooperatives and small entities from onerous new regulations, such as the FCC's digital discrimination rules.
  • Ensuring affordability and FCC Universal Service Fund sustainability.
  • Ensuring any federal broadband funding programs support high-speed, scalable broadband service in rural communities that will meet growing bandwidth demand.
  • Agencies of focus include the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Advocate on Behalf of Electric Cooperative Positions Before Policymakers:

• Proactively engage, educate and advocate before policymakers on the unique set of broadband-related business considerations not-for-profit electric cooperatives must evaluate.
• Successful agency advocacy results in policymakers that better understand the electric cooperative business model and the mitigation of any regulatory risk that drives up consumer-member costs without benefit.

Activities that Support Successful Advocacy:

• Manage outside consultants to scope of work and budget. Outside consultants may be leveraged to support regulatory filings or other advocacy activities that require specific policy, technical or legal expertise.
• Utilize all resources and advocacy paths available including proactive arrangement of in-person meetings with policymakers, agency letter and regulatory comment writing, and leveraging the practical experience of the cooperative membership to influence policy outcomes.
• Advocate and negotiate technical and substantive issues with appropriate policymakers and staff.
• Build and maintain relationships in the policy community and industry to enhance NRECA's reputation, access, and advocacy efforts.
• Advocate NRECA positions through regular engagement, including developing and presenting testimony and developing and submitting comments, on regulatory activities related to area of responsibility.
• Participate in and represent NRECA interests in coalitions with other stakeholders.

Member Education:

• Inform and educate NRECA members about policy issues arising in area of responsibility to help them meet regulatory obligations and serve affordable, reliable broadband.
• Provide input on meeting agendas, attend, and participate in annual, regional, and other NRECA meetings as appropriate, and provide advice and consultation to the NRECA Board.
• Develop NRECA member engagement resources (i.e., fact sheets, issue briefs, and regulatory summaries) utilized to keep NRECA members informed about policies impacting their business.

Education and Continuing Professional Growth:

• Possess specialized expertise pertaining to area of responsibility.
• Build in-depth knowledge about the members' business needs, policy positions, and internal politics.
• Work to maintain, enhance, and expand knowledge of membership and area of responsibility.
• Build nationally recognized expertise relating to area of responsibility and work to maintain, enhance, and expand that expertise.

Collaboration, Coordination and Communication:

• Lead project teams to achieve milestones and objectives for projects with notable risk and complexity, includes developing the strategy for project execution.
• Communicate complex ideas, anticipate potential objections, and negotiate with others, often at internal and external senior levels, to influence decisions.
• Collaborate closely with colleagues in Government Relations, Communications, Business and Technologies Strategies and others on an enterprise-wide basis.
• Keep NRECA leadership, management and membership informed on issues relating to area of responsibility.
• Other duties as assigned.

Direct Reports to this Position:
There are no direct reports to this position.

Formal Education Required:
Bachelor Degree required, Juris Doctor preferred, with knowledge and/or work experience in the broadband/telecommunications policy space.

Experience and Certifications Required:

Eight or more years of relevant work experience.

FLSA Status: Exempt

Desired Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (as demonstrated by prior work experience):

• Knowledge of and work experience in broadband/telecommunications policy.
• Policy experience in the legislative or regulatory space.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with a diverse membership, federal agencies, employees and/or vendors in a clear and concise manner to include developing comment packages to agencies, testimony and briefing papers.
• Ability to be persuasive, negotiate, and collaborate with individuals at all levels throughout organization and with outside groups.
• Ability to think strategically and creatively to achieve advocacy goals of members.
• Ability to work in a collaborative environment to build consensus and gain agreement on a plan of action.
• Ability to use Microsoft Office tools (Excel, Word, Outlook, Power Point) in the day-to-day essential duties of the job as demonstrated by prior work experience.
• Ability to operate various office equipment such as computer, copier, printer, or other job-related equipment as demonstrated by prior work experience.

Essential Physical Requirements:

• The worker is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal and reading.
• Exerting up to twenty pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. If the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for sedentary work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated for light work.

Qualifications

Additional Requirement:

The preceding job description has been written to reflect management's assignment of essential functions. It does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status.

NRECA is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you need special assistance or an accommodation while seeking employment, please e-mail humanresources@nreca.coop or call: 703-907-5992 - NRECA Arlington Human Resources. Please call 402-483-9275 - NRECA Lincoln Human Resources, for Lincoln, NE employment opportunities. We will make a determination on your request for reasonable accommodation on a case-by-case basis.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released the 'Know Your Rights' poster, which updates and replaces the previous "EEO is the Law" poster and "EEO Is the Law Poster Supplement".

Pay Transparency Non-Discrimination. NRECA will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay. Please see the Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision for more information.

E-Verify. As a Federal Contractor, NRECA is required to participate in the E-Verify Program to confirm eligibility to work in the United States. For information please click on the following link: E-Verify.

For more information about life at NRECA please visit www.Electric.coop.