Under the direction of the Executive Director, the Division Chief is responsible for leading the Commission’s government and community affairs efforts on behalf of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and will cultivate and maintain relationships with key stakeholders including city and town leaders in Host and Surrounding Communities, municipal officials, members of the Massachusetts state legislature, state and federal government officials and other community organizations and agencies as necessary.
This role forges effective relationships with legislators, legislative staff, municipal and elected officials, MGC external stakeholders, and the Massachusetts Executive Branch, to monitor, promote, educate, engage, and implement legislative and community strategies on matters impacting the Commission.
The Division Chief ensures Gaming and Sports Wagering Licensee compliance with Host and Surrounding Community commitments. The Division Chief is the primary liaison between the agency and community members for information and education related to the Commission and its programs and policies, including, the gaming, racing, and sports wagering laws and related topics. This position oversees the management of the Agency’s Community Mitigation Fund grant program.
The Division Chief is also responsible for the leadership and mentoring of Division Staff, reports regularly to the Commission in a public forum, maintains communication with the public, community officials, state and local officials, licensee staff, and others.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Government Relations
§ Monitor state, federal, local, and municipal legislative actions for potential impact on the MGC and manage the legislative priorities of the Commission.
§ Build relationships among state, federal and local government bodies and the executive office, to further the goals of the Commission.
§ Lead engagement with policy makers/elected officials and their staff on the impact legislation, regulation, or other policies may have on the Commission.
§ Serve as the singular contact for all external stakeholders related to legislative and government affairs matters.
§ Conduct research, analysis and interpretation of proposed changes to current and proposed gaming, igaming and sports wagering related legislation.
§ Coordinate analysis and communication among all MGC departments when providing legislative analysis to Executive Director and the Commission.
§ Provide the MGC Chairperson, Commissioners, and Executive Director with timely and periodic updates and analysis of proposed or pending legislation.
§ Draft proposed legislative language, testimony, reports, and other agency communications on pending government and legislative issues.
§ Attend hearings and provide testimony as needed concerning legislation affecting the Commission.
§ Maintain communication with community leaders and local elected officials regarding issues in their communities pertaining to the commission.
§ Design programs and events to help educate legislators, municipal officials and other stakeholders on the work of the MGC.
Community Relations
§ Build and maintain relationships with Commission licensees, community representatives, advisory committee members and other stakeholders on Commission activities, programs, and priorities.
§ Coordinate priority agency/community issues with all Casino Impacted communities and coordinate with applicable Massachusetts regional planning agencies including the Metropolitan Area Planning Council and the Pioneer Valley Planning Council.
§ Manage the Agency Community Mitigation Fund (CMF), including drafting the annual guidelines; overseeing the annual competitive grant cycle; and managing individual grants.
§ Plan, coordinate, and provide support for meetings of MGC advisory committees, including the Local Community Mitigation Advisory Committee(s), the Community Mitigation Public Safety, Addictive Services, and Gaming Policy Advisory subcommittees and others.
§ Coordinate Casino Licensee Quarterly and Annual reports to the Commission.
§ Coordinate the Commission’s review of Licensee compliance with commitments made to state and local communities. This includes tracking and ensuring operator adherence to:
- Host and Surrounding Community Agreements
- License Conditions
- Section 61 findings
- RFA-2 application commitments
- Licensee capital expenditure requirements
§ License Review and Renewal:
- Coordinate license renewal process for Region A, Region B, and slots-only Gaming Facilities, along with the interim evaluation process.
§ Coordinate with the Commission and Executive Director on recommended appointments to the Commission’s various GPAC and LCMAC advisory committees.
Required Skills and Experience:
· Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with a diverse group of stakeholders including members of the community and elected officials.
· Familiarity with the key agencies of state government that are involved in licensing and oversite of gaming facilities’ operations—including the Department of Transportation (Mass DOT), the Executive Office of Economic Development, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, and the Executive Office of Administration and Finance.
· Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
· Knowledge of the legislative process and ability to monitor, understand and provide updates on the status of legislation affecting the Commission
Education and Experience:
· Bachelor’s Degree preferred
· 5-10 years of experience in a related field preferred.
· Minimum of 5 years of experience in a leadership or supervisory role.
A successful candidate for this position must pass an extensive background check conducted by the Massachusetts State Police. It includes a full credit check, CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information), fingerprinting, drug test, reference checks, review of IRS Income Tax Transcripts for the last four years, and a Certificate of Good Standing from the Massachusetts Dept. of Revenue (DOR).
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is responsible for the implementation of the expanded gaming law (Chapter 194 of the Acts of 2011) and regulatory oversight of G.L. chapter 23K (casino gaming), chapter 23N (sports wagering), and chapter 128A (horse racing). Under these laws, the Commission is tasked with establishing a regulatory framework for the solicitation, licensing, taxation, and oversight of a maximum of three casino licenses and one slots parlor only license, the provision of in-person and digital sports wagering, and the live and simulcasting of horse racing in Massachusetts.
It is the policy of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to afford equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals, without regard to their race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, citizenship status, veteran status, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic or status that is protected by federal, state, or local law.
