Director, Government Relations

Sun Life

Director of Government Relations responsible for legislative strategies to grow Sun Life's priorities in southeast United States. Building political relationships and analyzing legislation impact for effective government relations.

Posted 7/18/2026full-timeRemote • Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $154,700 - $232,100 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

Use this summary to align your resume positioning with the role.

Demonstrates expertise in government relations, including lobbying strategies and relationship management with state officials. Proficient in analyzing legislation and its impact on business priorities while effectively communicating complex policies to diverse audiences.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Lobbying ExperienceState Political Landscape KnowledgeLegislative Staff CollaborationAnalytical SkillsProject Management

ATS Keywords

Tailor your resume

Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills

Legislation AnalysisPolicy Proposal DevelopmentStrategic ExecutionRegulatory ComplianceContract Management

Soft Skills

Relationship BuildingCommunication SkillsProblem SolvingOrganizational SkillsPlanning Skills

Certifications & Qualifications

BA/BS Degree in Political ScienceAdvanced Degree Preferred

Industry Keywords

Government RelationsHighly Regulated IndustriesState Lobbying RulesEthics RulesTrade Associations

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Develop and execute state-specific strategies to introduce and influence legislation, regulation, and policy proposals that protect, enable and grow Sun Life priorities
Develop and maintain strong relationships with and act as liaison to Executive Branch officials, gubernatorial appointee level officials, state legislators, and key staffers within assigned region
Analyze proposed and enacted legislation, regulations and sub-regulatory guidance to inform operational and financial impact by partnering with internal subject matter experts
Identify, synthesize, and report on high-level political landscape and ways it impacts on-the-ground relationships, opportunities, and challenges to inform overall government relations department strategy
Develop relationships with aligned state trade associations, business leaders, and other external stakeholders to advance Sun Life priorities and strengthen relationships with elected officials and appointed regulatory leaders
Manage state contract lobbyists or other outside contractors within region
Know, adhere to, and educate other internal stakeholders on state lobbying and ethics rules
Other duties as needed or required

Requirements

What you’ll need

BA/BS degree in political science, public policy, or related degree required
master's or other advanced degree preferred
7+ years minimum experience in lobbying and/or relevant experience
Experience with highly regulated industries
Knowledge of state political landscapes and impacts on business priorities
Ability to balance enterprise-wide thinking with day-to-day strategic execution in government relations spaces
Experience in working collaboratively with legislative staff and/or governmental regulatory agency leadership in multiple states
Strong ability to synthesize and communicate complicated policies to non-policy audiences both verbally and via written products
Excellent problem solving, analytical, planning and organizational skills
Ability to manage multiple projects, determine project urgency in a meaningful and practical way, use goals to guide actions and create detailed action plans, organize and schedule people and tasks
Ability to prioritize work and operate under tight deadlines

Benefits

Comp & perks

generous vacation and sick time
market-leading paid family, parental and adoption leave
medical coverage
company paid life and AD&D insurance
disability programs
partially paid sabbatical program
401(k) employer match
stock purchase options
employer-funded retirement account