COMPANY OVERVIEW

The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) is the leading trade association for the U.S. and Canadian recreational boating industry (nmma.org), the primary advocate for the boating business community and boating consumer, and the leading producer of consumer boat shows in the United States.

Member-owned and driven, the NMMA team manages an annual budget of $50M.

NMMA represents 85% of the U.S. and Canadian recreational marine manufacturing market including companies that make boats, marine engines, and accessories. NMMA members deliver an estimated $45 billion in new marine products each year to consumers around the world to enjoy the boating lifestyle. On behalf of its members, who sell products to countries around the globe, NMMA provides business intelligence and statistics; product standards and certification; regulatory and government affairs; and consumer and B2B promotion. NMMA runs the industry’s consumer-facing Discover Boating initiative (DiscoverBoating.com), attracting over five million potential boat buyers to DiscoverBoating.com. Additionally, Discover Boating consumer boat shows attract 500K attendees to its events each year.

NMMA is a frequent and influential collaborator with the leading business trade organizations focused on advancing recreation in America including the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, American Sportfishing Association, Center for Sportfish Policy, Water Sports Industry Association and many others.

NMMA Mission

Our Why: Creating Transformational Experiences
Our Vision: Recreational boating is the #1 leisure activity in America.
Our Mission: To ensure the growth and success of the recreational boating industry.
Our Core Values: Respect/Serve Others/Be Curious/Collaborate/Focus on the Consumer

Our Promise to Members:

• Convene, unify, and expand the North American recreational boating market.
• Foster a favorable business environment for members.
• Cultivate a best-in-class boating experience for consumers.
• Encourage continuous improvement of recreational boating products.
• Champion industry information, learning, and knowledge.
• Ensure the health and success of NMMA and Discover Boating.

COMPANY SIZE AND LOCATION

NMMA is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and is expanding its advocacy footprint by building out its Washington presence and across the nation to meet its mission and service promise to members. NMMA has a hub office in Chicago, Illinois and members of NMMA’s team are based in regions where it produces its consumer boat shows including Boston, Louisville, Miami, Minneapolis, and New York. NMMA offers a flexible work environment.

NMMA is one of the most financially sound trade associations in the global recreation industry. As and industry with $230B in economic output, companies across recreational boating provide meaningful outdoor and leisure opportunities for millions of Americans. With an estimated 95 percent of boats on our nation’s waters made right here in the U.S., recreational boating remains a proudly American industry and cherished pastime. This drives our commitment to advocating for recreational water access, infrastructure that ensures a safe and enjoyable boating experience, and ongoing sustainability and manufacturing competitiveness that allows for American businesses to thrive in our global marketplace.

Key Responsibilities:

Reporting to the SVP of Government Relations, the Vice President of Government Relations will partner with the SVP in supporting the strategic initiatives of the association and lead a team of  eight professional lobbyist advocates with four direct reports covering federal relations, state relations, and the growing political action committee. Additionally, the VP will help strategically organize and drive the industry’s legislative agenda and collaborate with numerous like-minded advocacy organizations and outside lobbyists/contractors to support the association’s goals. As a true thought partner to the SVP of Government Relations, the association’s members and staff leadership, the VP Government Affairs will be responsible for leading and managing:

• legislative, legal and regulatory lobbying efforts at the federal and state levels with a growing body of international work;
• the strategic deployment of resources and initiatives that are supported by the strategic plan, the priorities of the leadership team, and outlined in year-to-year goals;
• political fundraising for the BoatPAC and related political engagement;
• the communication of and accountability to a rolling three-year strategic framework for NMMA’s advocacy and government relations operations;
• the connection of the association’s policy positions and initiatives to member needs;
• a high-functioning and expansive state and federal lobbying operation that is achieving to be coordinated and integrated in its approach to its advocacy work;
• support for policy, regulatory, and legislative agendas that are industry priorities through direct legislative outreach and advocacy;
• threats and opportunities;
• effective staffing, recruiting, and succession plans;
• coalition relationships across business, international trade, outdoor recreation, and conservation;
• the expansion of existing and new partner, federal agency, and/or coalition relationships by representing the association and its members in high level policy and coalition conversations;
• Internal relationships across the association’s programmatic and functional teams to help frame and deliver on its government relations and advocacy strategy; and
• Overall presence in Washington DC, with the new administration, before Congress, and at relevant state capitals.

Team Management

• Build out NMMA team capabilities and ensure members receive timely and appropriate training and development.
• Establish and monitor staff performance and development of goals, assign accountabilities, set objectives, establish priorities, conduct annual performance and compensation reviews.
• Mentor and develop staff using a supportive and collaborative approach and a coaching style of leadership.
• Promote a department culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to quality.
• Ensure a successful on-boarding and establish critical relationships with the executive leadership team, direct reports, internal stakeholders, board members and key coalition partners.
• Work with the SVP and the team to deliver value to board, member and cross-functional staff as part of NMMA’s integrated advocacy direction (policy and regulatory affairs, public affairs, lobbying, PAC, grassroots activation, coalition efforts).
• Reinforce a highly collaborative corporate culture and position government relations as an enterprise-wide partner across all business activities.

Challenges

• Leading an effective member-driven approach to political advocacy and government relations.
• Successfully navigating the scientific, environmental, social and political realities for an industry that continues to face regulatory and other business threats.

Required Experience, Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:

Government Relations Experience: 10 years’ minimum experience in high-level proactive federal and state policymaking and advocacy. Strong political acumen and expertise in the political process at the federal and state level required. Proven track record of bi-partisan collaboration, successful influence campaigns and legislative/regulatory victories. Experience with lobbying and PAC compliance.

Issue Expertise: Ability to comprehend, oversee and be passionate about the issue areas that affect the recreational boating industry, including environmental policy, regulatory compliance, international trade, tax, manufacturing, recreation and infrastructure, sustainability, appropriations, and fisheries management.

Leadership Experience: Proven team leadership skills that are inspiring and motivating; ability to build relationships and engage effectively with internal and external business partners. Must have 5 years’ experience managing, developing, and retaining a face-paced high-performance team. Track record of successfully building leading, training, and coaching teams. Successful management of external lobbying firms and legislative advocates at the federal and state level.

Stakeholder Management and Coalitions: Demonstrable experience building consensus and driving coalitions with diverse internal and external stakeholders on complex policy positions and relevant strategies. A collaborative and flexible style, with a strong member-centric service mentality.

Senior-level Congressional experience, a Governor’s office, or other high-level experience working in a presidential administration a plus. Related industry or association experience is considered a key building-block.   

Competencies Desired:

Customer-focused; Action-oriented; Collaborative; Strategic; Effective team-builder; and Strong Communicator

About NATIONAL MARINE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION

The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) is the leading trade association for the U.S. and Canadian recreational boating industry (nmma.org), the primary advocate for the boat manufacturing community, and the leading producer of consumer boat shows in the United States. Member-owned and driven, the NMMA team manages an annual budget of $50M. As part of this work, NMMA runs the industry’s consumer-facing Discover Boating initiative (DiscoverBoating.com), that attracts 4-5 million potential boat buyers to DiscoverBoating.com. Additionally, Discover Boating consumer boat shows attract 500K attendees to its 10 events each year. NMMA represents 85% of the U.S. and Canadian recreational marine manufacturing market including companies that make boats, marine engines, components and accessories. On behalf of its members, who sell products to countries around the world, NMMA provides business intelligence and statistics; product standards and certification; regulatory and government affairs; and consumer and B2B promotion. NMMA is a frequent and influential collaborator with the leading business trade organizations focused on advancing recreation in America includin...g the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, Recreational Boating, and Fishing Foundation, American Sportfishing Association, Center for Sportfish Policy, and many others. NMMA Mission Our Why: Creating Transformational Experiences Our Vision: Recreational boating is the #1 leisure activity in America. Our Mission: To ensure the growth and success of the recreational boating industry. Our Core Values: Respect/Serve Others/Be Curious/Collaborate/Focus on the Consumer Our Promise to Members: •Convene, unify, and expand the North American recreational boating market •Foster a favorable business environment for members •Cultivate a best-in-class boating experience for consumers •Encourage continuous improvement of recreational boating products •Champion industry information, learning, and knowledge •Ensure the health and success of NMMA and Discover Boating Company Size and Location NMMA is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and maintains a hub office in Chicago, Illinois. In addition to Washington, D.C., and Chicago, members of NMMA’s overall 80-person team are based in regions where it produces its consumer boat shows including Boston, Louisville, Miami, Minneapolis, and New York. NMMA offers a flexible work environment, including remote and hybrid work. NMMA is one of the most financially sound trade associations in the global recreation industry. As a significant industry sector, companies across recreational boating provide meaningful outdoor and leisure experiences for millions of Americans.

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