Director of External Partners and Government Affairs

Better Together•Tallahassee, FL

About The Position

Better Together works to end the root causes of poverty, dependency, divorce and child abuse by leveraging the power of the local church to provide struggling families with supportive relationships and meaningful work. Once properly supported, families can achieve independence, stay together and thrive. The Director of External Partners and Government Affairs is responsible for building, managing, and advancing strategic relationships that expand the organization’s reach, influence, and long-term sustainability. This role serves as the primary liaison to government leaders, law enforcement, the Department of Children and Families, public agencies, coalitions, and key external partners, while also helping to identify, cultivate, and support the closing of strategic funding opportunities aligned with organizational priorities. This position works closely with the CEO, senior leadership, and external stakeholders to translate the mission into action through policy engagement, strategic partnerships, funding collaboration, and high-impact initiatives. At Better Together, we are a mission-first team that shows up with purpose, humility, and grit. Our culture is shaped by five core values that guide how we lead, how we serve, and how we grow. If these values reflect who you are and how you work, you may be a great fit for our team.

Requirements

Must Reside in Florida
Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Public Policy, Political Science, Business Administration, Communications, or a related field required
Proven experience in government relations, public policy, partnerships, or external affairs
Strong relationship-builder with credibility across public, private, and nonprofit sectors
Strategic thinker with the ability to move from vision to execution
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
High level of judgment, discretion, and professionalism
Experience navigating complex stakeholder environments
Technological requirements: Salesforce, Zapier, WordPress and Basecamp
Match Better Together’s core values (described above)

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary point of contact with local, state, and federal government officials and agencies
Build and maintain strong relationships with elected leaders, agency staff, and policy influencers
Track relevant legislation, policy developments, and funding opportunities
Support advocacy strategies that align with organizational goals and approved policy positions
Work with communications team to help prepare briefing materials, talking points, and summaries for leadership as needed
Identify, cultivate, and steward strategic partnerships that advance mission and scale impact
Develop partnerships with national and statewide nonprofits, coalitions, and civic leaders.
Evaluate partnership opportunities for alignment, capacity, and long-term value
Serve as an organizational representative in external meetings, convenings, and coalitions
Ensure partnerships are clearly scoped, documented, and effectively managed
Identify and help close strategic funding opportunities with private philanthropic partners and aligned institutions
Support the CEO and senior leadership in cultivating and stewarding high-value funding relationships
Collaborate on proposals, due diligence, and reporting as needed
Support negotiations, renewals, and long-term partnership agreements
Coordinate with finance and operations to ensure alignment with organizational capacity and strategy
Partner with the CEO and senior leadership to shape external strategy and growth priorities
Translate external opportunities into clear internal action plans
Provide regular updates, insights, and recommendations to leadership and the board as requested
Ensure messaging and engagement are consistent with mission, values, and brand
Contribute to long-term organizational planning and cross-department collaboration