Senior Director of State Legislative and Regulatory Affairs

Position Summary:

The Senior Director of State Legislative and Regulatory Affairs serves as CMI’s chief state lobbyist and regulatory affairs lead, representing the metal can industry before state legislatures, state regulatory agencies, and key stakeholders. This senior-level position for an experienced legislative and regulatory advocate is responsible for developing and executing effective state-level legislative and regulatory strategies that support the association’s mission and policy objectives. The internal CMI team, contracted state lobbyists, and aligned partner organizations will help this role deliver on CMI’s state government affairs agenda. This professional will work closely with CMI’s other government affairs staff member, who manages federal issues, to ensure state and national priorities are aligned and actions are communicated effectively to members. In addition to advocacy work, the Senior Director provides strategic guidance and staff leadership to the association’s technical and regulatory committees. 

Advocacy is a key activity at CMI. This critical position requires understanding the broad policy implications of legislation, policy decisions, and regulatory actions, and how CMI’s resources can be deployed to influence outcomes and advantage the metal can industry. Understanding political dynamics and the process of state administrative and legislative actions is essential for CMI to create leverage points and positive outcomes. 

Key Responsibilities:

State Legislative Affairs (45%)

• Lead CMI’s state legislative advocacy efforts that enable the metal can industry to thrive, focusing on chemicals, food safety, product stewardship, recycling (e.g., extended producer responsibility), sustainability, energy, tax, and related policy areas.
• Draft position papers, testimony, comments, and legislative amendments, as well as serve as CMI’s lead spokesperson with state lawmakers and their staff, with insights derived from member engagement and other sources.
• Develop and execute state government relations strategies to elevate CMI’s presence and influence in key states on priority issues with a focus on developing long-term legislative champions and advancing industry priorities.
• Build and maintain relationships between CMI and allies, partners, and key state government stakeholders, including through initiating and supporting coalitions where appropriate.
• Coordinate opportunities for CMI members and staff to engage with and influence state lawmakers, including via direct meetings and fundraising.
• Accurately monitor relevant state bills via CMI’s legislative tracking tools.
• Manage contract lobbyists, public relations firms, and other outside members of the team that support CMI’s state advocacy efforts.

State Regulatory Affairs (45%)

• Collaborate with CMI’s technical consultant to monitor via CMI’s tracking tools for regulatory developments affecting the can industry, prepare and submit regulatory comments, keep members aware of key regulatory actions, and proactively collect and disseminate information to influence regulatory actions for the benefit of the can industry.
• Lead development of a state regulatory strategy that results in CMI generating information and taking action that advances can industry priorities on key regulatory issues in critical states both in the near-term and long-term.
• Serve as the association’s point person for engagement with key state regulatory agencies (e.g., CalEPA, CalRecycle, CA Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, WA Department of Ecology) with insights derived from member engagement and other sources.

Committee Management (10%)

• Staff CMI’s regulatory/technical committees, which currently are the Food Safety and Product Stewardship Committee and the Environmental Health and Safety Committee, such that meetings are scheduled and effectively run, member questions and needs are appropriately addressed, relationships between CMI and its members are strengthened, and CMI gets the guidance and information from members that it needs to translate committee expertise into actionable public policy positions and actions.

 Qualifications:

Experience

• Minimum of five years’ experience working in senior-level positions in government relations, regulatory affairs, or public policy.
• Experience inside of or engaging a state legislature or a regulatory agency is highly desired.
• Previous success in developing and successfully executing a state legislative or regulatory agenda is highly desired.
• Previous management of external consultants or lobbyists is preferred.

Knowledge

• Deep understanding of the state legislative and regulatory process.
• Knowledge of packaging; chemicals; food safety; sustainability; recycling (e.g., extended producer responsibility); product stewardship; energy; environmental health and safety; or tax is a plus.
• Knowledge of technical matters relevant to the metal can industry through academic training or professional experience is highly desired; alternatively, an eagerness to learn these matters with a proven ability to learn technical information quickly.

Skills

• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement effective advocacy strategies that create political momentum on issues of importance.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex technical data into concise advocacy materials.
• Adaptive and collaborative—essential in a small-staff association team.
• Strategic thinker with strong political instincts and policy analysis capabilities.
• Skilled in building consensus and maintaining relationships with policymakers, regulators, and industry stakeholders.
• Comfortable managing multiple priorities and working independently with strong project management capabilities.

Why Join Us:

• Lead the charge for a historic industry providing critical goods on high-profile policy issues that are critical for the association and that matter generally for the economy and the environment.
• Work directly with senior industry leaders who are shaping the future of packaging.
• Join a collaborative, high-energy, small but mighty team where your expertise and initiative are valued, you have the freedom to act nimbly, and your growth is supported.
• Competitive salary and benefits with the ability to work remotely.

Travel: Occasional domestic travel (15-20%) required for advocacy meetings, conferences, and member engagement. Travel likely higher during state legislative sessions. If the candidate is remote, roughly quarterly travel to Washington, DC for meetings with the entire staff in-person.

Compensation: Range of $140,000-$200,000 plus benefits such as retirement, long-term disability insurance, health insurance, telephone stipend, professional development, and PTO, plus all federal holidays.

Location: Washington, DC Area (Hybrid) or Remote (near a major airport)

Reports To: President

To Apply: Qualified candidates are invited to submit a resume and optional cover letter to info@cancentral.com outlining relevant experience and interest in the position. CMI is an equal opportunity employer.