How to hire a government affairs specialist

How to hire a government affairs specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step government affairs specialist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a government affairs specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new government affairs specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a government affairs specialist, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A government affairs specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, government affairs specialists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of government affairs specialists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Government Affairs Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Government Affairs Specialist	Political scientists study the origin, development, and operation of political systems. They research political ideas and analyze governments, policies, political trends, and related issues.	$18-50

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • PowerPoint
   • Government Affairs
   • Public Policy
   • Regulatory Issues
   • Government Agencies
   • Medicare
   • Medicaid
   • Federal Government
   • Regulatory Agencies
   • Policy Positions
   • External Communications
   • Government Contracts
   • Federal Agencies
   • Political Action Committee

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Construct and manage the request for proposal (RFP) process for an establish software corporation in the grants management sector.
   • Manage and engage grassroots patient advocate network through utilization of an online database, monthly teleconferences, and ongoing communications.
   • Involve in meetings for product development and Medicare and Medicaid expansion activities.
   • Complete required RFI's and RFP's for candidate considerations.
   • Review Medicaid R/A and daily account audit using to HBOC system.
   • Set up the NYT's electronic filing systems for securities reporting and document management per Sarbanes-Oxley regulations.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your government affairs specialist job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A government affairs specialist can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, government affairs specialists' average salary in florida is 46% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level government affairs specialists 63% less than senior-level government affairs specialists.
   • Certifications. A government affairs specialist with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a government affairs specialist's salary.

   Average government affairs specialist salary

   $64,263yearly

   $30.90 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level government affairs specialist salary

   $39,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

4. Writing a government affairs specialist job description

   A government affairs specialist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a government affairs specialist job description:

   Government affairs specialist job description example

   This position is primarily responsible for coordinating bid board activities in support of the Military & Defense team in order to maximize sales opportunities. Effectively coordinates special projects, prioritizing appropriately to ensure that the goals and objectives are accomplished within the established timelines. Provides status updates to project stakeholders, ensuring the quality and integrity of the information to enable effective decision making.
   Responsibilities • Work within e-bid sites to review bid opportunities, communicate those opportunities to the sales team and submit bid packages.
   • Track bid metrics including bids submitted, won, lost, etc.
   • Execute special projects as assigned by management, providing accurate data, detailed explanations, and proper presentation to enable appropriate decision making.
   • Ensure project execution stays on schedule.
   • Assist with the research and resolution of issues pertaining to assigned projects, interfacing with the sales team, marketing, legal, operations or supply chain, as necessary to do so.
   • Conduct research, identify information, perform analysis, create formal response of findings as directed by manager.
   • Collaborate with other involved parties to prepare bid responses.
   • Provide support for large customer contracts, including customer service and appropriate problem resolution when necessary.
   • Perform Competitive Assessment - analysis of specific competitor information on product offerings and performance as well as competitor's markets.
   • May perform initial review of RFQ's to determine necessary stakeholders that need to be contacted.
   • May develop and maintain reports to customers and coordinate various pricing and product programs and spreadsheets.
   • May act as a technical coordinator for any products added to the operating system for the M&D team.
   • May gather product data and assemble it into reports or format in a manner that is acceptable to a customer or operating system.
   • Perform all other work as assigned by manager. Qualifications • Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing or related field
   • 2-4 years of project management experience
   • Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining timelines, accuracy & appropriate detail
   • Ability to effectively schedule and adjust project time lines as priorities shift with business needs
   • Ability to understand and resolve Industrial business problems
   • Strong understanding of Military & Defense segment, as well as knowledge of Snap-on products, services, conditions of sale and warranty policy, is preferred
   • Ability to communicate effectively with all levels within the company and with external customers and vendors (includes written, verbal and presentation skills)
   • Must be able to work independently and within a team environment
   • Strong analytical and problem solving skills
   • Culturally adept to manage personal interactions in multi-cultural settings
   • Proficient in Microsoft Office suite products including Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint and Word
   • Must have and maintain all required credentials
   • Domestic travel (5-10%) may be required

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find government affairs specialists for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any government affairs specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level government affairs specialists with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your government affairs specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit government affairs specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting government affairs specialists requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new government affairs specialist

   Once you've decided on a perfect government affairs specialist candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new government affairs specialist. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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