About the Organization

The Media Research Center (MRC) is the nation’s leading media watchdog, exposing and countering liberal bias in the press and fighting censorship by Big Tech social platforms and news aggregators. We don’t just study the media and Big Tech, we shape the narrative, drive national conversations, and hold the press accountable in real time.

Position Summary

The Government Affairs Manager serves as a key member of the Government Affairs team and plays a central role in advancing the organization’s legislative, regulatory, and public policy priorities. Working closely with the Vice President of Free Speech, this position develops and strengthens relationships with federal and state policymakers, coalition partners, advocacy organizations, and other strategic stakeholders to promote the organization’s mission of defending free speech, exposing media bias, and advancing constitutional liberties.

This is an in-office role based in Herndon, VA, with the ability to work from home on Fridays. The Government Affairs Manager will report to the Vice President of Free Speech and oversee 2-3 interns. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required to support legislative sessions, conferences, or special events. Moderate travel, including travel to Capitol Hill, state capitals, and conferences, is expected.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Government Relations and External Affairs

  • Cultivate and maintain productive relationships with Members of Congress, congressional staff, Executive Branch officials, state and local officials, regulatory agencies, media outlets, think tanks, advocacy groups, trade associations, grassroots organizations, and other key stakeholders.
  • Prepare briefing materials, policy summaries, talking points, background memoranda, and meeting agendas for senior leadership.
  • Identify opportunities to educate legislators on legislation and public policy through direct advocacy, coalition engagement, and strategic outreach.
  • Recommend legislative and regulatory priorities and assist in developing long-term government affairs and advocacy strategies.
  • Coordinate coalition letters, policy statements, sign-on campaigns, and joint advocacy initiatives.
  • Represent the organization at conferences, coalition meetings, policy forums, legislative events, and other public functions.

Policy Research and Strategic Communications

  • Monitor developments involving media regulation, technology platforms, First Amendment jurisprudence, government transparency, public broadcasting, censorship, election law, and other issues affecting free expression.
  • Develop tailored outreach campaigns for policymakers, coalition partners, and strategic allies, including digital communications, and evaluate campaigns to improve effectiveness.
  • Assist in preparing executive leadership for meetings, media interviews, testimony, and speaking engagements.
  • Prepare policy analyses, briefing materials, issue briefs, talking points, testimony, press statements, and other advocacy materials for senior leadership and external audiences.

Event and Project Management

  • Coordinate logistics for congressional briefings, policy roundtables, coalition meetings, speaking engagements, and other government affairs events.
  • Oversee multiple advocacy projects, ensuring deadlines and strategic objectives are met.
  • Coordinate across communications, research, legal, development, and digital teams to support integrated advocacy campaigns.

Tracking and Reporting

  • Maintain legislative trackers, policy calendars, correspondence, stakeholder databases, advocacy activities, and issue monitoring systems.
  • Maintain accurate records of legislative contacts, coalition partners, advocacy activities, and stakeholder engagement within Salesforce or other CRM systems.
  • Produce reports and analytics regarding outreach activities, advocacy outcomes, and government affairs performance.

Required Qualifications

  • 3+ years of progressively responsible experience in government affairs, public policy, legislative affairs, advocacy, political campaigns, congressional offices, executive branch agencies, public affairs, or nonprofit advocacy. Internship experience will also be considered.
  • Understanding of the federal legislative process, executive branch policymaking, state government operations, and the conservative public policy landscape.
  • Strong commitment to the organization’s mission.
  • Ability to travel 1–2 days per week to Capitol Hill, the White House, and other federal agencies as needed.
  • Knowledge of First Amendment issues, media policy, constitutional law, technology policy, and free speech advocacy.
  • Excellent written communication skills, including the ability to prepare policy documents and executive-level correspondence.
  • Outstanding verbal communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to interact professionally with senior government officials and organizational leadership.
  • Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple competing priorities, meet deadlines, and maintain attention to detail
  • Experience coordinating across departments and leading cross-functional initiatives.
  • Strong analytical and research capabilities.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience working with federal or state policymakers.
  • Experience building coalitions and managing external stakeholder relationships.
  • Familiarity with CRM systems, legislative tracking tools, and advocacy software.
  • Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Public Policy, Government, Communications, Law, Journalism, or a related field.

Compensation

The salary range for this role is $80,000 – $85,000, depending on skills and experience.

How to Apply

To apply, qualified individuals should submit the following application materials in one PDF document:

  • Cover letter including:
    • Your interest in the mission of the Media Research Center, and why you’re a good fit for the role
    • Salary requirements
  • Resume

Applications should be submitted to Talent Market via this link: talentmarket.org/apply-for-your-dream-job/.

Questions can be directed to Bailey Drouant, Project Manager at Talent Market, who is managing the search process: [email protected].

There is no application deadline for this position. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. This job will remain posted on our site until it is filled.

While we thank all applicants in advance for their interest in this position, we are only able to contact those to whom we can offer an interview. Only direct applications will be considered. No phone calls, please.

Talent Market, the liberty movement’s talent agency, is a nonprofit that connects liberty-minded professionals with free-market nonprofit jobs at no cost to candidates or organizations. We work with 501(c)(3) organizations that clearly and directly focus on advancing the principles of economic freedom, free enterprise, free trade, free speech, property rights, rule of law, and limited regulation. Visit Talent Market to explore open roles, join our talent network, or work with us on your next hire.