Introduction
Building Skills and Gaining Experience
Professional Development Programs
Recommended Courses of Study
Appendix: Additional Sources of Executive Education
Introduction
When you look at the public affairs profession from the outside, it may not appear to have changed much over the past 15 years. Companies and non-profits are still dealing with a partisan Congress, a distrustful public, and a host of seemingly unsolvable public-policy issues.
But, in reality, the public affairs business has undergone dramatic changes since the early 1990s. As companies have expanded their global operations, they've encountered difficult political and social challenges. As gridlock continues in Washington, D.C., many issues have devolved to the states, where the pace can be rapid and the outcomes can be unpredictable. As information technology has revolutionized the way opinions are formed and public policy is made, anyone in the world now has the power to become a grassroots lobbyist, a media pundit or a shareholder activist.
And, despite what presidents from Reagan to Clinton proclaimed, the era of Big Government is not over. In fact, government at all levels has increased its involvement in business. And this as created new challenges for public affairs professionals.
The training and experience needed to succeed in this field has changed as well. A thorough knowledge of government and the political process has always been necessary, but executives also must understand business operations. They must know how their activities in communications, corporate citizenship and government affairs relate to each other. And they must have a comprehensive understanding of the rules and regulations government business and lobbying practices in the United States and around the globe.
In addition to this knowledge, public affairs professionals must develop expertise in four major areas: (1) issues management, (2) advocacy and relationship-building, (3) communications and (4) program management. These functions represent the ability to identify and prioritize issues, serve as a powerful advocate, communicate effectively to internal and external audiences, and create successful ventures that institutionalize high-priority projects.
Building Skills and Gaining Experience
Business school texts refer to a "core competency" as something that an organization can do well, that provides customer benefits, is difficult to imitate, and can be leveraged to many products and markets. It combines knowledge and skills to enable the firm to operate to a world-class standard.
At an individual level, competencies also combine knowledge and skills essential for success. Oftentimes people working in public affairs have great expertise in an area such as government and politics, but they don't know how to work effectively with the news media. While they may become a very capable lobbyist, they lack the broad perspective and training required to maximize their impact.
The following is a general list of competencies needed if one aspires to obtain a senior-level position in the public affairs field.
- Essential Knowledge
- Government and politics
- How government works at all levels
- Political and social trends (domestic and foreign)
- Rules and regulations
- Ethics laws
- Lobbying and gift laws
- Campaign finance laws
- Other rules and regulations
- Business management and strategy
- Role of business in society
- Corporate strategy, operations, finance and marketing
- Association management (if applicable)
- Issues Management
- Anticipating emerging issues
- Issue prioritization
- Performance measurement
- Advocacy and Relationship-building
- Lobbying
- Working with coalitions and associations
- Developing internal champions
- Collaborating with communications and corporate social responsibility functions
- Managing consultants and contract lobbyists
- Communications
- Writing
- Speaking
- Specialized communication
- Program Management
- International public affairs
- PACs
- Grassroots
- CSR and strategic philanthropy
Professional Development Programs
The Public Affairs Council, founded in 1954, is the leading association for public affairs professionals. Its mission is to advance the field of public affairs and provide tools and resources that enable public affairs executives and managers to achieve their business and professional goals.
The Council has over 600 member corporations, associations and consulting firms that work together to enhance the value and professionalism of the public affairs practice, and to provide thoughtful leadership as corporate citizens. The organization is both non-partisan and non-political.
Each year the Council sponsors over 30 professional development programs on topics ranging from PAC fundraising to global public affairs management. These programs can be sorted into the following categories:
Many Council programs focus on skill development for entry-level, mid-level and senior-level public affairs professionals. Other programs, however, focus on important policy issues including health care, privacy, trade, biotechnology and environmentalism.
Here is a list of conferences planned for 2008. Note that roundtables and legal overviews are held in multiple locations throughout the year. In addition to these programs, the Council sponsors teleconferences, town halls and issue-oriented breakfast meetings. Updates to our conference schedule can be found on our Web site.
Recommended Courses of Study
Because the Council is not an academic institution, it does not follow a set curriculum for its conferences and seminars. The business and political environment is in a state of constant change, which means that educational offerings must evolve as well. For those needing a comprehensive look at the field, the Council has designed its Public Affairs Training Seminar to ensure that participants gain an understanding of each related function.
It also should be noted that major conferences provide break-out sessions that focus specifically on the topics noted in the general list of competencies. For example, a manager looking to develop her business writing skills would be able to attend a session on that subject at the National Grassroots Conference. A PAC manager in need of fundraising experience could find several sessions on that topic at each National PAC Conference. A state lobbyist interested in performance measurement could hear a useful presentation at the State and Local Government Relations Seminar. Many break-out sessions at national conferences also are designed specifically as "skill-builder" or "senior-level" programs. This approach enables public affairs managers and executives to get the most out of their educational experience.
To assist you in your professional development planning, here are suggested learning tracks for five positions in the public affairs field:
I. Political Involvement Professional
II. Public Policy Analyst
III. Federal Lobbyist
IV. Director/VP of Public Affairs (U.S.)
V. VP of Global Public Affairs
Please note that this is not intended to be a strict list of requirements, but a set of guidelines. Each person's prior experience and interests - and the needs of their employer - will affect their professional development needs. For more advice, please call us at (202) 872-1790 or visit our Web site at www.pac.org/conferences.
Appendix: Additional Sources of Executive Education
Although the Public Affairs Council sponsors the lion's share of the professional development programs in the public affairs field, other groups also provide training- and issues-oriented seminars. The following is a partial list of nonprofit organizations offering conferences and executive education in public affairs. In many cases, participants must be members of the sponsoring organization.
PAC/Campaign Finance 
