Community & Government Affairs Manager recruiters
When neighbours, councils and regulators decide whether your project goes ahead, this person is your voice, and the wrong hire can turn a manageable meeting into a public fight.
This is what we do all day: recruit data center professionals.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
- No upfront fee
- Pay only if you hire
- Data centers only, construction to operations
- Local and 100% travel candidates
- Replacement guarantee on standard searches
- Community & Government Affairs Manager
What does this hire really come down to?
A community and government affairs manager manages relationships with elected officials, agency staff, neighbours and community groups around a campus. They prepare for hearings, brief leadership, respond to complaints about noise, water and traffic, and keep commitments made during approval.
They do not set strategy for site selection, and they do not negotiate incentives, though they work closely with those who do. The risk is mistaking a polished speaker for a trusted one. Public bodies remember who kept promises. Ask what the person promised in the past and what happened next.
The ladder looks like this. A coordinator handles logistics and correspondence. A director or vice president sets the political strategy across markets. The manager sits in the field with a defined set of sites, speaks for the company at hearings, and escalates what they cannot resolve.
What do we check before you see anyone?
Ask them to describe a hearing that went badly and how they recovered. Probe how they handled a noise or water complaint after operations began, not only during approvals. Ask who inside their company they had to persuade and how they did it.
- Ask them to describe a hearing that went badly and how they recovered.
- Probe how they handled a noise or water complaint after operations began, not only during approvals.
- Ask who inside their company they had to persuade and how they did it.
- Check how they prepared executives to speak publicly. Did they write remarks or only schedule them?
How we help you hire
- 01
Tell us who you need
Tell us about the role, experience, location and pay. We talk through what matters to you.
- 02
We find and speak with candidates
We approach suitable people directly, including people who are not applying to job ads.
- 03
You meet the strongest matches
We explain their background, interest in the job and our view. You decide who to interview.
- 04
We help you complete the hire
We help with feedback, the offer and start arrangements, and stay in touch as you make your decision.
Where do we find these candidates?
Government affairs staff at utilities, large industrial plants and energy developers understand permitting and public pressure. Former local government staff or planning commission workers know how officials decide, though they may need coaching on corporate speed. Public affairs consultants can be strong in messaging, so test whether they have lived with long-term community commitments.
- Government affairs staff at utilities, large industrial plants and energy developers understand permitting and public pressure.
- Former local government staff or planning commission workers know how officials decide, though they may need coaching on corporate speed.
- Public affairs consultants can be strong in messaging, so test whether they have lived with long-term community commitments.
Which hiring mistakes should you avoid?
Do not hire a spokesperson when you need a relationship keeper. Hearings are short; commitments last for years. Do not hide the real issues from the candidate. Water, noise and tax debates are the job, so describe them honestly. Define escalation.
- Hiring a spokesperson when you need a relationship keeper. Hearings are short; commitments last for years.
- Hiding the real issues from the candidate. Water, noise and tax debates are the job, so describe them honestly.
- Failing to define escalation. Without it, the manager is either overruled or acting beyond their authority.
Questions we settle before outreach
- Describe the live issues
We ask you what the community actually worries about and tailor the search to those problems.
- Check local standing
We look for people who know the region's officials or have equivalent experience elsewhere.
- Test candour
We ask each candidate to describe a mistake and what they told the public body. We note where candidates are strong on messaging versus long-term follow-through.
Reading the track record
Ask for a commitment the person made to a council or neighbourhood group and whether it was kept. Then ask who inside their company had to approve spending to keep it. Real experience includes friction with colleagues as well as with the public.
Reference conversations are most useful here. A planning staffer or neighbourhood leader who dealt with the candidate can tell you whether they returned calls, admitted problems and delivered what was said.
What you must give the hire
Public trust cannot be built by someone who is not told the truth internally. Tell candidates which issues are unresolved, who approves statements and whether they can say no to a schedule that harms relationships. People with real experience will ask these questions first, and if they do not, ask yourself whether they have handled a contested project before. Also decide early whether this person will be visible at hearings or work mostly behind the scenes, because the two styles suit different temperaments and candidates will want to know which one you expect.
Where do we fill this role?
What does BLS publish for this role?
The figure below comes from the national OEWS row for Managers, All Other. Read the mapping badge before using it in a budget. A broader occupation can include jobs outside data centers. Compare your seat’s responsibilities and pay basis with the published occupation rather than treating the median as an offer quote.
Broader occupation. Managers, All Other is a broader occupation based on the work described, not a separate data center wage series. BLS does not distinguish this title, experience level, shift, credentials or data center employers. Confirm the actual duties before using this comparison.
| Area | Median annual wage | BLS occupation |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $141,900 | Managers, All Other (SOC 11-9199) |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 11-9199 Managers, All Other, United States. View this release at BLS.
Not ready to start a search?
We tell you where qualified Community & Government Affairs Manager are working in your area and what it takes to move them. No fee, no obligation.
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Questions
How soon could I see people experienced with contested hearings?
It depends on the region and how sensitive the project is. We send profiles as they pass a practical screen. We cannot give a fixed number of days.
Their current company keeps local relationships valuable. Will a counteroffer end it?
We talk about why the person wants to move and whether they might stay. If that changes, we let you know.
Should the hire live near the campus?
Local knowledge is valuable, so many prefer to stay in their region. Where the role covers one campus, a move can be required. Tell us what you expect.
How do I describe time at hearings, state capitals and sites?
Say how much travel and how expenses are handled. Candidates will ask early.
How do I compare a former council staffer with a corporate public affairs person?
Ask each for a skeptic they persuaded and one they failed to move. The pair tells you more than a reputation. Former officials may need coaching on corporate speed.
Is there a fee difference between a one-campus hire and a regional one?
Our agreement states the terms and is sent before work begins. Ask for it and we will answer any question on work.
Start your search
Which related roles might you also need?
Related hiring situations
What should you know before you send a role?
How long until I see a short list?
We discuss timing once we know the role and location. We keep you updated rather than promising a date before the search starts.
Is there a guarantee?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
What don't you do?
We do not post your job on boards, send stacks of unscreened resumes or charge an upfront fee. We do not approach candidates for your search before the brief is agreed with you.
Need this person?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.