Director of Texas Government Affairs

Ready to advance a growing industry that provides the essential digital infrastructure making our modern lives possible and enabling the 21st-century economy?  

The Data Center Coalition (DCC) is the membership association for the data center industry, empowering and championing the data center community through public policy advocacy, thought leadership, stakeholder outreach, and community engagement.  

Data centers are the backbone of the modern economy, and our members are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in capital in new data center facilities across the country to meet unprecedented demand for the digital services that have become increasingly central to Americans’ daily routines and how we live. The way we work, learn, buy groceries, bank, and even access medical care now occurs online. Data centers make this possible by enabling the apps, platforms, and services we increasingly rely on every day to keep us connected in our modern digital lives. 

DCC represents and advances the interests of the data center industry by aggregating industry expertise and thought leadership, partnering with policymakers and other collaborators, and supporting communities where data center teams live and work through active engagement. 

To learn more, go to http://www.datacentercoalition.org.  

About the Role and Opportunity 

The Director of Texas Government Affairs will lead DCC’s state and local policy advocacy efforts in the Lone Star State. They will work with DCC’s State Policy Team and DCC members to identify, organize, and build consensus around key policy issues and positions and facilitate development and execution of DCC’s Texas legislative strategy.  

The Director of Texas Government Affairs will build relationships with key stakeholders and engage with policymakers and stakeholders in Texas and lead legislative advocacy for DCC’s state and local priorities on issues of importance to the data center industry, including energy, tax and regulatory policy, environmental sustainability, project development, and workforce policy. 

The Director of Texas Government Affairs will serve as staff leader for DCC Texas work groups and initiatives on legislative policy, working in close partnership with the DCC Senior Manager, Energy Policy-Texas. They will provide written legislative reports and updates, advocate for the organization’s policies and priorities, and ensure that DCC members have awareness of market risks and opportunities.   

We are growing and looking for a hard-working and ambitious candidate, willing to help build DCC as we continue to scale our engagement in key markets. This position reports to DCC’s Vice President of State Policy. 

This is a remote position for candidates based in Austin, Texas. The role will include occasional travel (up to 20%) to engage DCC members and support DCC’s participation in stakeholder meetings, conferences, and other events, both within and outside of Texas. 

Responsibilities 

• Lead DCC’s advocacy efforts before Texas state and local policymakers. 
• Research, identify, and track current and emerging policy issues in Texas. 
• Engage with DCC members to identify and prioritize issues and engagements. 
• Lead industry advocacy on-the-ground in Austin during legislative sessions, including meeting in-person with state lawmakers, testifying at hearings, and coordinating engagement among members and stakeholders. 
• Synthesize member input and manage work streams to facilitate a strong industry voice on state and local policy matters in Texas. 
• Organize and run meetings, work groups, and initiatives related to Texas policy priorities, including meeting agenda development and execution. 
• Coordinate regular briefings and reporting to members on Texas state and local policy issues, developments, and initiatives. 
• Draft position statements and external-facing documents, prepare slide decks and talking points for internal and external meetings, and manage briefings for members, partners, and external stakeholders. 
• Coordinate stakeholders and organize larger coalition messaging around key Texas state and local policy priorities. 
• Build policy-focused coalitions with chambers of commerce, trade associations, organized labor groups, and other key stakeholders. 
• Research, identify, and track current and emerging policy issues in local jurisdictions in Texas. 
• Attend local government meetings and provide testimony/comments on behalf of DCC and its members as necessary. 
• Engage and manage consultants, as needed, in support of DCC policy priorities. 
• Support outreach and community engagement efforts in Texas, including through speaking opportunities. 
• Other tasks as assigned. This position’s duties may evolve over time as the needs of the organization change. 

Basic Qualifications: 

A successful candidate will have: 

• Experience in legislative advocacy, including working directly with or in local and/or state government in Texas.   
• Ability to work closely, in a bipartisan fashion, with local and state policymakers and their staff.   
• Experience in and an understanding of local and state politics, advocacy, and the legislative process, and the ability to quickly learn numerous policy issues. 
• Ability to draft comments, provide testimony, and represent DCC before Texas state and local government bodies. 
• Experience managing third-party lobbying consultants to accomplish organizational objectives. 
• Strong strategic, analytical, and communication skills (oral and written). 
• A member-services mindset and an aptitude for building and maintaining relationships with member company government affairs professionals and executives. 
• The ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team and capable of balancing multiple projects and/or policy issues at a time. 
• Proven ability to manage competing projects and deadlines. 
• High degree of professionalism and attention to detail.  
• Strong interpersonal skills, ability to liaise with internal and external personnel. 
• Tact and diplomacy, with the ability to maintain confidentiality, professionalism, composure, and discretion. 
• Attention to detail. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Experience managing advocacy efforts in Texas. 
• Trade association and/or technology industry experience. 
• Solid understanding of policies related to data centers, such as energy, water, tax and regulatory policy, environmental sustainability, project development, and workforce policy. 
• Experience planning and executing events, such as one-on-one meetings, policy roundtables, and state legislative fly-ins.  

Additional Details: 

Full-time position with a growing benefits package, which currently includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, life, short-term and long-term disability insurance, 401K matching, and vacation and sick leave that starts accruing on Day 1!  

This is a virtual position with the ability to work from a home office. DCC may provide office space at a co-working or shared office facility if preferred. 

Must be eligible to work in the United States. 

Compensation is negotiable and will be based on your skills, experience, and geographic location.  

We would love to hear from you! Email resume: hiring@datacentercoalition.org to apply. 

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, national origin, mental or physical disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law.