Director of Policy & Advocacy

Position Overview Help Shape the Future of Southwest Louisiana! Southwest Louisiana is a strategic, business-friendly region anchored by Lake Charles, offering strong economic opportunity, robust infrastructure, and an attractive cost of living. Located along the I‑10 corridor, the region provides efficient access to Houston, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans, supported by interstate, rail, port, and regional air connectivity. With billions of dollars in planned and active investment across energy, petrochemical, LNG, and infrastructure sectors, Southwest Louisiana continues to see sustained project activity that drives long‑term growth and ongoing demand for professional services. Director of Policy & Advocacy This role serves as a regional convener, managing issue‑based taskforces and aligning business, government, and community stakeholders around shared priorities related to infrastructure, site readiness, ease of doing business, tax policy, innovation, workforce, and quality of life. It is a full‑time, salaried position requiring flexibility for meetings, events, and legislative activity. Key Responsibilities Convene and facilitate regular regional meetings with elected officials, parish administrators, key staff, business leaders and state agencies Foster consistent communication between businesses and government agencies on permitting, infrastructure, workforce, and development priorities In partnership with the Southwest Louisiana Regional Planning Commission, support unified regional funding requests to state and federal advocacy efforts tied to regional economic development priorities Design, launch, and manage time‑limited, outcome‑driven policy taskforces aligned with organizational priorities Support and lead regional advocacy engagements, including Capitol and Washington, DC activities Lead efforts to improve ease of doing business through regulatory alignment and customer‑service‑oriented government practices Conduct and analyze an annual regional business climate survey Support training for government staff and newly elected officials Support civic engagement and advocacy training for emerging leaders Coordinate with partner organizations on quality‑of‑life and talent‑supporting initiatives, including housing, placemaking, and amenities Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in public policy, political science, planning, economics, business, or a related field (advanced degree preferred) 10+ years of experience in policy, advocacy, government relations, or regional coordination Experience convening and managing multi‑stakeholder taskforces or coalitions Strong understanding of local, state, and federal government processes Excellent written, verbal, and facilitation skills Strong organizational and project management abilities Ability to work collaboratively across jurisdictions and sectors Willingness to work flexible hours and travel regionally #J-18808-Ljbffr