Government Relations Director

Description

Government Relations Director


Madison, Wisconsin
September 15, 2026
Open until filled but with a minimum of 14 days posting.

(We are hiring for either the Director - level or Manager - level position, but not both positions.)

SUMMARY

Legal Action of Wisconsin is seeking an experienced government-relations professional to build stronger, sustained relationships between Legal Action and Wisconsin and policymakers-and to help secure something Wisconsin civil legal aid urgently needs: meaningful state investment in our work.

This is a highly relational position. Success will not come from appearing at the Capitol only when the biennial budget is moving or when a particular bill affects our clients. The Government Relations Director must become a trusted and familiar presence in Wisconsin's policymaking community: someone legislators, staff, executive-branch officials, and other government leaders know, see regularly, and understand as a reliable source of information about civil legal aid, the people we serve, and the effect that state policy has on their constituents.

A central responsibility of this position is to develop and carry out a year-round strategy to secure and sustain state funding for Legal Action and civil legal aid. That means building relationships well before a funding request is made; maintaining them between legislative sessions and budget cycles; regularly helping policymakers understand the value Legal Action brings to their districts and constituents; arranging and participating in off-cycle and in-district meetings; and creating opportunities for policymakers to see our work and its impact firsthand.

The Director also works with members of Legal Action's Leadership Team to develop and maintain relationships with Wisconsin's members of Congress and their staffs. Legal Action receives significant federal funding, and we believe it is important for our Congressional delegation to understand how we use and steward those public dollars, the services those resources make possible, and the impact of our work on their constituents. Legal Action does not lobby Congress, but we regularly educate members of Congress and their staffs about our work, our clients, and our responsible stewardship of federal funds.

Legal Action operates under significant restrictions on lobbying and legislative advocacy. Except for advocacy that Legal Action may lawfully undertake regarding state funding, our ability to engage policymakers about proposed changes in substantive law or regulation is limited. In many circumstances, we may provide information about the potential effects of a proposed change only in response to a request from a policymaker, and we may not ask a policymaker to make that request. That makes relationships especially important. The Director must build the credibility, visibility, and connections that cause policymakers to turn naturally to Legal Action when they need reliable information about how a proposal may affect low-income Wisconsinites and the civil legal-aid system.


The Director also has firmwide responsibility and authority for compliance with the restrictions that govern Legal Action's legislative, lobbying, rulemaking, Congressional education, and related government-relations activities. The Director provides guidance to employees, but the role is not merely advisory: when the Director reasonably believes that a proposed or ongoing activity is impermissible or creates a significant compliance risk, the Director has authority to direct the employee to stop, refrain from, or modify the activity.

The Government Relations Director is part of Legal Action's External Relations Department and is supervised by the Chief External Relations Officer. The Department also includes an Annual Fund Manager, Grants Manager, Major Gifts staff member, and Social Media Specialist. Legal Action's Volunteer Engagement Director works closely with the External Relations Department. Together, the team builds understanding of and support for Legal Action among policymakers, donors, volunteers, community partners, and the public.

This is a full-time, FLSA-exempt position based in Madison. Because relationship-building and visibility are fundamental responsibilities of the position, this is not primarily a remote government-relations role. The Director is expected to work in person at least four days during each five-day workweek, including substantial time at the State Capitol, legislative and government offices, Legal Action's Madison office, and other government, community, and job-related meetings and events.

LEGAL ACTION OF WISCONSIN

Legal Action is a large, vibrant nonprofit law firm that provides free civil legal aid to low-income people throughout Wisconsin and to Wisconsin's 11 federally recognized Native American tribes. We operate seven offices in Green Bay, La Crosse, Madison, Milwaukee, Oshkosh, Racine, and Wausau and provide services through both regional offices and statewide projects.

Our attorneys and advocates help people address legal problems involving housing, public benefits, barriers to employment, consumer law, family law, and other issues that directly affect economic security and stability. In addition to representing individual clients, Legal Action engages in impact litigation, systemic advocacy, outreach, education, and other strategies designed to address barriers to justice.

MISSION STATEMENT

Deliver exceptional civil legal services and structural change advocacy, free of cost, to those most in need. Our core values (equity, advocacy, client-centered, integrity and community) guide our work and actions. Please see our website for a description of the core values and vision that guides our work.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

State Funding and Government Relations

• Lead Legal Action's strategy to secure, maintain, and expand state investment in civil legal aid, with particular responsibility for building support for funding Legal Action's work.

• Develop and implement a government-relations strategy that operates year-round, not only during the biennial state budget process or legislative sessions.

• Build and maintain meaningful relationships with legislators from both parties, legislative staff, executive-branch officials, agency personnel, and other policymakers whose work affects Legal Action, our clients, or civil legal aid.

• Maintain a regular and visible presence at the State Capitol and within Wisconsin's Madison-based government-relations and policymaking community.

• Ensure that policymakers understand what Legal Action does, whom we serve, the problems our clients face, and how Legal Action's work benefits residents of their districts and communities.

• Develop opportunities for legislators and other policymakers to learn about Legal Action's work through meetings, office visits, community events, briefings, and other appropriate engagement.

• Develop and maintain relationships outside the Capitol and outside the legislative session, including arranging and participating in in-district meetings and other off-cycle engagement with policymakers.

• Work with Legal Action leadership, program staff, and the External Relations Department to identify compelling data, client experiences, program results, and other information that demonstrates the impact and value of civil legal aid.

• Monitor developments affecting potential state funding and identify opportunities, risks, decision-makers, and strategies early enough for Legal Action to respond effectively.

Congressional Relations and Federal Funding Education

• Work with members of Legal Action's Leadership Team to develop and maintain productive relationships with Wisconsin's members of Congress and their staffs.

• Help members of Congress and Congressional staff understand Legal Action's work, the communities and constituents we serve, and the importance of federal resources to the delivery of civil legal aid in Wisconsin.

• Communicate clearly and credibly about how Legal Action responsibly stewards federal funds and the services, outcomes, and community impact those resources make possible.

• Help develop and coordinate meetings, briefings, office visits, community visits, and other appropriate opportunities for members of Congress and their staffs to learn about Legal Action's work.

• Work with Legal Action leadership, Finance, program staff, and other employees to ensure that information provided to Congressional offices about federal funding, program performance, services, and outcomes is accurate and useful.

• Conduct Congressional education and relationship-building in compliance with the restrictions applicable to Legal Action's federal funding. Legal Action does not lobby Congress.

Legislative and Public Policy Engagement

• Monitor proposed legislation, administrative rules, budget provisions, and other governmental developments that may significantly affect Legal Action's clients, services, funding, or ability to provide legal assistance.

• Develop sufficient knowledge of Legal Action's major areas of practice to recognize when proposed legislative or administrative changes may have significant consequences for our clients or our work.

• Work closely with Legal Action attorneys and other subject-matter experts to understand and accurately explain the practical effects of proposed laws, regulations, and public policies on the people we serve.

• When legally permissible and appropriately requested by a policymaker, coordinate Legal Action's response and provide clear, accurate, useful information about how proposed changes may affect low-income Wisconsinites, Legal Action's clients, or the delivery of civil legal aid.

• Connect policymakers with the appropriate Legal Action attorneys, advocates, leaders, data, or other resources when specialized substantive expertise is needed.

• Keep Legal Action leadership and appropriate employees informed of significant legislative, regulatory, budget, and policy developments.

• Participate in statewide access-to-justice, legal-aid, and other coalitions and partnerships when doing so advances Legal Action's mission and government-relations objectives.

Legislative and Lobbying Compliance

• Ensure that Legal Action's legislative, lobbying, rulemaking, Congressional education, and related government-relations activities comply with applicable Legal Services Corporation restrictions, funding restrictions, Wisconsin lobbying requirements, Legal Action policies, and other applicable laws and regulations.

• Maintain a strong working knowledge of what Legal Action may and may not do in legislative, lobbying, rulemaking, Congressional education, and related government-relations activities; provide practical guidance to employees; and enforce applicable restrictions when necessary.

• Exercise firmwide compliance authority over legislative, lobbying, rulemaking, Congressional education, and related government-relations activities. If the Director reasonably believes that an employee's proposed or ongoing activity is prohibited, impermissible, or creates a significant compliance risk, the Director has authority to direct the employee to stop, refrain from, or modify the activity. Employees must comply with that direction unless and until the Chief External Relations Officer, Chief Executive Officer, or other designated Legal Action leadership determines otherwise.

• Help employees distinguish among permissible education and information-sharing, restricted lobbying activity, responses to policymaker requests, state-funding advocacy, Congressional education, and other forms of government engagement.

• Develop, maintain, and communicate clear procedures for review, approval, documentation, and reporting of legislative and lobbying activity.

• Provide regular training and guidance to employees whose work may involve policymakers, legislation, administrative rules, or government advocacy.

• Maintain the documentation and information necessary for required lobbying, legislative-activity, and funder reports and ensure that required reports are accurate and timely.

• Coordinate with the Chief External Relations Officer and other Legal Action leadership when questions arise regarding whether a proposed activity is permissible.

External Relations Collaboration

• Work closely with the Chief External Relations Officer and other members of the External Relations Department to integrate government relations with Legal Action's broader external-relations strategy.

• Collaborate with the Annual Fund Manager and Major Gifts staff member when relationships, events, communications, or information about Legal Action's impact may support both public funding and philanthropic engagement.

• Coordinate with the Social Media Specialist and other communications staff so that Legal Action's public communications help policymakers and other stakeholders understand our work and impact while complying with applicable lobbying restrictions.

• Collaborate with the Grants Manager when government relationships and government grant opportunities overlap or support each other.

• Work closely with the Volunteer Engagement Director to identify opportunities for members of the private bar, community leaders, and other supporters to understand and demonstrate the value of civil legal aid.

• Represent Legal Action professionally at government, legal, access-to-justice, community, and other appropriate events and meetings.

• Document meetings, contacts, and other relationship building work in the External Relations team database.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's Degree required

• Significant experience in government relations, legislative affairs, public policy, governmental service, or a closely related field.

• Demonstrated experience working within and building relationships in Wisconsin's Madison-based legislative, government-relations, and policymaking community.

• Demonstrated ability to establish and sustain productive professional relationships with elected officials, legislative and Congressional staff, executive-branch officials, government employees, advocates, and other stakeholders.

• Ability and willingness to build relationships across political and ideological perspectives and to represent Legal Action as a credible, nonpartisan source of information about civil legal aid and the communities we serve.

• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute a long-term government-relations strategy rather than relying primarily on transactional or issue-specific advocacy.

• Strong understanding of Wisconsin state government, including the legislative process, state budget process, executive branch, administrative agencies, and the roles of legislative and agency staff.

• Excellent judgment and the ability to operate effectively within significant legal and funding restrictions on lobbying and legislative advocacy, including the judgment necessary to identify and stop potentially impermissible activity.

• Ability to understand complicated legislative, regulatory, legal, budget, and public-funding issues and communicate them clearly and succinctly to policymakers and non-specialists.

• Excellent interpersonal, oral communication, and persuasive communication skills.

• Strong written communication and analytical skills.

• Ability to work independently, identify opportunities, follow through consistently, and maintain relationships over long periods of time.

• Demonstrated commitment to civil legal aid, access to justice, and serving low-income and other underserved communities.

• Ability to register as a lobbyist with the State of Wisconsin and comply with applicable Wisconsin Ethics Commission requirements.

• Ability to work in person at least four days during each five-day workweek, including frequent work at the Wisconsin State Capitol, legislative and government offices, Legal Action's Madison office, and other job-related locations.

• Ability to travel throughout Wisconsin for policymaker meetings, including in-district meetings and occasional evening events, with occasional overnight or out-of-state travel as required.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Existing professional relationships with Wisconsin legislators, legislative staff, executive-branch officials, agency personnel, members of Wisconsin's Congressional delegation or their staffs, or other members of Wisconsin's government-relations community.

• Experience working on state appropriations, state budget initiatives, public funding campaigns, or other efforts to obtain governmental funding.

• Experience communicating with elected officials about the stewardship, impact, or effectiveness of government-funded programs.

• Experience developing bipartisan support for an organization, program, funding initiative, or public-policy objective.

• Experience with civil legal aid, access to justice, poverty law, or issues affecting low-income communities.

• Experience working in a regulated nonprofit environment or with restrictions on lobbying or legislative activity.

• Experience translating legal or technical subject matter into concise, accessible information for policymakers.

• Juris Doctor and admission to the Wisconsin Bar or Master's Degree preferred, although equivalent legislative, policy, analytical, or government-relations experience will be considered.

SALARY

This position is classified as Exempt for the purposes of the FLSA. Salary is determined under Legal Action's Salary Administration Plan based on relevant experience and other applicable criteria.

The salary is determined by the candidate's number of years of relevant experience based on their résumé. For example, a candidate with nine years of relevant experience will earn an annual salary of $91,402 and 18 years of relevant experience will earn an annual salary of $109,683.

Candidates with a relevant advanced degree or professional credential may qualify for an additional salary differential for this position.


To ensure fairness and remove bias, Legal Action's Board of Directors determines salaries. They are not negotiable.FRINGE BENEFITS

All Legal Action employees receive a full package of fringe benefits. It currently includes: employer-paid health and dental insurance for employee, spouse, and family with a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA), employer-paid life and long-term disability insurance; employee-paid income protection benefits; a profit-sharing plan; generous sick leave accrual; and at least four weeks of vacation leave and four personal holidays per year. (Legal Action policies require employees with a spouse to contribute $200/month to the health insurance premium if the spouse has other health insurance available to them.)

SPANISH OR HMONG LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY PREMIUM

Legal Action's Salary Administration Plan includes additional pay of either $2,400 annually or $4,800 annually to those employees who are fluent in Spanish or Hmong.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD

For an external hire, the probationary period is six months. For an internal hire, they may be subject to a probationary period of up to six months.


GOVERNANCE

The position is governed by Legal Action's personnel policies, which are subject to change by Legal Action. As with any Legal Action position, there is no guaranteed period of employment and employment is at will, subject to termination at any time.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND IN-PERSON EXPECTATIONS

This position depends heavily on sustained personal relationships and regular visibility within Wisconsin state government. The Director is therefore expected to work in person at least four days during each five-day workweek.

In-person work is not limited to time in Legal Action's Madison office. Depending on the work, it may include time at the State Capitol, legislative offices, state agencies, government meetings, coalition or stakeholder meetings, Legal Action events, community events, and other job-related functions. The Director will also travel periodically for in-district and other meetings with policymakers and stakeholders throughout Wisconsin.

Remote work may be available on a limited basis consistent with Legal Action's policies and the requirements of the position, but the ability to be a regular, visible participant in Madison's government-relations community is an essential expectation of the job.

The position requires the incumbent to complete the following tasks as well, including:

• entering information into a computer accurately;

• answering numerous emails, phone calls, in-person, and other electronic communications throughout the day;

• occasionally moving objects, usually about 10-20 pounds; and

• retrieving documents from printers, copiers, and similar office equipment and file or distribute them to others as needed.

HOW TO APPLY

All application materials must be submitted at this link:

All applicants are required to submit:

• a cover letter describing their interest in the position and relevant government-relations, legislative, public-policy, and relationship-building experience;

• a resume; and

• a writing sample that demonstrates the applicant's ability to communicate complex information clearly and persuasively.

External applicants will be asked to provide three professional references during the interview process.

We will begin reviewing applicants on September 30, 2026.

HIRING MANAGER

The Chief External Relations Officer is the hiring manager for this position and will form and lead the interview panel.