Coordinator, Communications

The Coordinator, Communications and Legislative Affairs, serves as the operational backbone for two critical divisions of the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA). The coordinator supports the strategic and tactical goals of AIA’s advocacy and outreach teams — key functions of the leading trade association for the American aerospace and defense industry.

The ideal candidate is well organized, discreet, collegial, and customer service-oriented, with excellent communication and writing skills, ability to multi-task, and attention to detail. They must be able to quickly switch between near - and long-term tasks and balance that against supporting strategic planning and execution demands for each division. Managing complex schedules, streamlining day-to-day operations, maintaining excellent records, and meeting constantly changing deadlines and requirements is essential to the position. Experience on Capitol Hill or in a comparable legislative role and/or in communications or media is a plus.

Key Responsibilities:

This position will have primary responsibility for operational support of both the Communications and Legislative Affairs division teams, including schedule and calendar maintenance, expense filing, coordinating team meetings, engagement with internal/external stakeholders on behalf of each leader, division-wide near- and long-term planning activities, and other responsibilities as directed by the Vice Presidents.

The coordinator will also support overall division tasks, including assisting with council, committees and working group actions, preparing, and disseminating initial drafts of documents for member company distribution and/or AIA leadership, preparing policy summaries for AIA leadership and members, and collaborating on Association-wide flagship events.

This position is responsible for performing a variety of administrative activities and functions. In this capacity, the coordinator will be responsible for a wide range of daily and long-term projects.

Administrative Coordination for Division Leadership (60%)

• Supports AIA’s member database (Microsoft Dynamics): record maintenance, making amendments and changes to member companies, creating/ending system relationships, pulling committee lists for divisions, maintaining committee list updates for divisions, general data cleanup/entry.
• Supports the planning of meetings and events, including divisional meetings (Council, Committee and Working Group events, internal, external, and member-facing meetings).
• Supports preparation of materials for both divisions’ councils and committees as needed; collects and collates department summaries of meeting presentations; maintains collections of meeting briefing books; distributes meeting notices and materials to member company representatives, collects and tracks proxy forms.
• Edits, transmits, and electronically files a variety of documents, including correspondence, agenda, minutes, listings, summaries or reports, charts and tables.
• Track division processes/projects and lead on process improvement opportunities leading towards improving divisional efficiency and effectiveness.
• Assist with preparing and maintaining division budgets, as well as monitoring/tracking division expenditures against approved allocations during the year.
• Ensure timely and accurate receipt, processing and verification of division invoices utilizing organizational financial systems.
• Prepares individual expense reports for senior staff.
• Performs general clerical duties including, but not limited to, copying, scanning, mailing (physical and electronic), and filing.
• Provides regular front desk coverage especially for Communications and Legislative lead events.
• Supports staff in assigned project-based and organizational work.

Support for Advocacy and Outreach Activities (30%)

• Responsible for the generation and distribution of daily media clips that provide senior leaders and the AIA team strategic insight on priority issues and developments impacting the aerospace and defense industry.
• Supports maintenance of critical AIA advocacy and outreach email lists, including for media, Hill, AIA members, and others as necessary.
• Manage and update communications’ team’s project management tool including adding relevant information, following up on task status, and archiving past-due tasks into tracking spreadsheet and serves as a key liaison to senior staff on team activities.
• Provide research assistance to support the team’s advocacy and outreach efforts.
• Support the drafting of key advocacy materials, including letters, fact sheets, blog posts, and reports.
• Monitors and provides readouts and summaries of key AIA engagements, including Capitol Hill roundtables and member events, as well as key hearings.

Enterprise-wide Collaboration (10%)

• Provide support to AIA-wide flagship events, including bi-yearly meetings, quarterly executive meetings, monthly industry-wide interactions, and international air and trade shows.
• Collaborate with other division Coordinators/Senior Coordinators on organization-wide needs on an as needed basis, to include planning/execution of meetings or events led by other divisions within AIA.
• Participate in special projects, focus groups, and other assignments as needed.

Minimum Requirements:

• Native understanding and extensive work within the Microsoft Office environment (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project, Sharepoint) is required
• Strong oral and written communications skills (concise, timely, positive nature)
• Ability to work under time pressure to meet deadlines and capability to quickly flex to changes in priorities. In addition, be flexible where extra hours are needed without always being asked
• A team player attitude, with dynamic customer service, and proven ability to respond to internal and external requests, from all levels of leadership, for assistance promptly, professionally, and effectively
• Ability to independently prioritize, multi-task duties, and collaborate across AIA. In addition, possesses well-developed interpersonal and time management skills
• Natural desire to take ownership to contribute to the broader team.
• Motivated, “can-do” attitude that contributes to the mission of the organization and the industry
• Ability to handle confidential information with professionalism, maturity, and trust

Desired Skills/Experience:

• 1-2 years’ of relevant operational, administrative, or project management experience
• College or Associates degree, or equivalent work experience, ideally in a relevant field such as political science, public affairs/policy, business/economics, journalism/communications, English, preferred
• Interest and experience with Capitol Hill and the legislative landscape and/or a strong background in communications/public relations/public affairs
• Knowledge of the media landscape and an eye for breaking, relevant news
• Experience with PhotoShop, Canva, or other design programs
• Experience conducting and presenting research
• Experience managing to a principal and/or senior leadership
• Passion for the American aerospace and defense industry

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Equal Opportunity Employer

AIA is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace, committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity/expression or veteran status.