Description

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL POSTING

Government Relations Manager

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 Manager 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 Manager 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 Manager 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 Manager 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 Manager provides guidance to employees, but the role is not merely advisory: when the Manager reasonably believes that a proposed or ongoing activity is impermissible or creates a significant compliance risk, the Manager has authority to direct the employee to stop, refrain from, or modify the activity.

The Government Relations Manager 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 Manager 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.

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.

• 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 or at least 10 years of experience as a Legislative Relations Manager or equivalent position.

• 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 t