Federal Relations Manager

Position Overview

Job Description

• Assist the AVC with the management of the university's daily involvement with the US Congress and executive branch on legislative policy and regulatory issues in which the university has an interest.
• Arrange interactions between key members of the University of Kansas community and members of congress, federal officials, and key committee and agency staff.
• Ensure the university is aware of emerging areas of sponsored research and positioned to capitalize on these funding streams, including non-traditional or non-peer reviewed channels of support.
• Advise university leadership as to the potential institutional effects of proposed federal legislative changes.
• Develop and advocate federal policy of interest to the University of Kansas and serve as the university's main representative on national associations and advocacy groups that address the priorities of research universities.
• Facilitate the University’s deep engagement with the national higher education associations (AAU, APLU, etc.) and work to promote the placement of university leaders within the leadership structure of those organizations.
• Facilitate active involvement in Washington, DC of local University of Kansas alumni to advance the university's mission and federal government relations effort in close coordination and cooperation with the endowment association and the KU Alumni Association.
• Help enhance the university’s internship program for students during their time in Washington D.C. Coordinate with internship program leadership to support future growth of the program and interact with Congressional and executive branch offices on behalf of the program.
• Attend government hearings and meetings and represent the University of Kansas with national associations and other research coalition groups in DC.

Required Qualifications

1. Bachelor's degree in public policy, higher education policy or related field.
2. Three (3) years of Washington D.C. advocacy experience, preferably in areas related to federally sponsored research and higher education policy.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Experience with research universities and an in-depth understanding of the federal research funding process as demonstrated by application materials and references.
2. Experience with the Kansas congressional delegation as evidenced by application materials.
3. Work experience that demonstrated the ability to work independently and collaboratively with a team as evidenced by application materials.
4. Excellent oral and written communication skills as demonstrated by application materials and references.
5. Work experience that required the ability to multi-task and quickly grasp details of a wide variety of legislative issues
6. Experience connecting daily legislative and policy developments to the University of Kansas's overarching goals as evidenced by application materials.

Contact Information to Applicants

Additional Candidate Instruction

1. A cover letter that describes how you meet the required and preferred qualifications
2. A Resume or CV
3. Contact information for three (3) professional references

Disclaimer

• Position Requirements: This position will be hybrid with the option to work in a KU office located in Washington D.C. and a designated remote work location.
• Advertised Salary Range: $80,000 - $100,000
• Application Review Begins: 12-Oct-2026
• Anticipated Start Date: 01-Dec-2026
• FTE: 1.0
• Reg/Temp: Regular
• FLSA Status: Administrative
• Employee Class: U-Unclassified Professional Staff
• Work Schedule: M-F 8:00 to 5:00, some nights and weekends
• Job Family: Administrative/Management-KUL
• Work Location Assignment: Hybrid