Profession public affairs consultant

Public affairs consultants function as representatives for a client's goal. They attempt to persuade legislative bodies and policy makers to implement laws or regulation in accordance with the client's wishes, and negotiate with parties with potentially conflicting interests. They perform analytical and research duties in order to ensure that the client's cause is being addressed in an appropriate way to the appropriate parties. They also consult their clients on their causes and policies.

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Personality Type

• Enterprising / Artistic

Knowledge

• Government policy implementation

  The procedures related to the application of government policies at all levels of public administration.

• Legislation procedure

  The procedures involved in the making of laws and legislation, such as which organisations and individuals are involved, the process of how bills become laws, the proposal and reviewing process, and other steps in the legislation procedure.

• Diplomatic principles

  The practices of facilitating agreements or international treaties with other countries by conducting negotiations and attempting to protect the interests of the home government, as well as facilitating compromise.

Skills

• Think analytically

  Produce thoughts using logic and reasoning in order to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

• Protect client interests

  Protect the interests and needs of a client by taking necessary actions, and researching all possibilities, to ensure that the client obtains their favoured outcome.

• Manage government policy implementation

  Manage the operations of the implementation of new government policies or changes in existing policies on a national or regional level as well as the staff involved in the implementation procedure.

• Apply diplomatic principles

  Apply the processes involved in the creation of international treaties by conducting negotiations between representatives of different countries, protecting the home government's interests, and facilitating compromise.

• Advise on conflict management

  Advise private or public organisations on monitoring possible conflict risk and development, and on conflict resolution methods specific to the identified conflicts.

• Influence legislators

  Influence the organisations and individuals involved in the process of making or changing legislation and laws in order to obtain a desired result, by identifying which parties would be best to contact and using persuasive methods to influence their actions and decisions.

• Advise on legislative acts

  Advise officials in a legislature on the propositioning of new bills and the consideration of items of legislation.

• Maintain relationships with government agencies

  Establish and maintain cordial working relationships with peers in different governmental agencies.

• Perform political negotiation

  Perform debate and argumentative dialogue in a political context, using negotiation techniques specific to political contexts in order to obtain the desired goal, ensure compromise, and maintain cooperative relations.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB