Associate, External Affairs

The Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games will be hosted in Los Angeles, California in 2028, returning to the United States for the first time in over 30 years. 2028 will be the first time LA hosts the Paralympic Games, creating an opportunity to expand awareness, understanding and inclusion of people with disabilities. 

LA28, the organizers for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, is on a mission to create an unparalleled Games experience for athletes, fans, partners, our community and our people. Our vision is to collectively create what’s next through sport, community and the power of our differences. 

The 2028 Olympics and Paralympics will represent LA and leverage the strength of our community’s diversity and creativity as we collectively work to design a Games that we all want to be a part of. We do this by focusing on people and by inviting everyone into the story of the LA28 Games. 

The LA28 organizing committee is an independent, non-profit organization that is privately funded and governed by a board of directors.  

Our Vision is to collectively create what’s next by harnessing sport, community and the power of our differences. Our Mission is to create an unparalleled Paralympic and Olympic Games for athletes, fans, partners, our community and our people. 

Values and Behaviors:

• Optimism – Embody a positive, enthusiastic, and solution-oriented attitude in everything we do; challenge the status quo, inspire and support one another to achieve our best; have our eyes on the future and believe we can make a meaningful impact
• Integrity – We communicate openly and honestly, listen, and respectfully value multiple perspectives; we do what we say and are accountable for everything we do; we do the right thing, always. Even when it isn’t easy
• Excellence – We hold ourselves to the highest standard and expectations; we live our values and truths and persevere through challenges; we are continuous learners and adapt and pivot with speed to meet changing needs
• Inclusion – We seek to represent, include, empower and level the playing field; our work reflects the communities we serve and the world in which we live; we leverage our platforms to bring awareness to issues relevant to who we are
• Co-Creation – We are authors of a shared story. Everyone contributes their unique voice to our shared mission; we share pride in our accomplishments and ownership of our shortcomings
• Boldness – We embrace creativity, courage and outside-the-box thinking; we are unafraid to take risks, explore unconventional solutions, and learn from the process; we are innovators, disruptors, and challengers of the status quo

Associate, External Affairs:

The External Affairs team is responsible for creating and maintaining LA28’s relationships with key external stakeholders and for using the convening power of the Games to leave a positive impact on the people of Los Angeles. It is comprised of interconnected functional areas, including Government Affairs and Impact & Community Relations.   

Living LA28’s value of co-creation, the External Affairs team engages regularly with a wide range of stakeholders, including elected and appointed officials and their staff at the international, federal, state, and local levels; community, labor and non-governmental leaders and organizations; advocacy groups and associations; private sector partners; and many others. In addition, team members work across the LA28 organization and the broader U.S. and international Olympic and Paralympic Movements.  

The Associate will support the team’s day-to-day administrative needs across many categories, including, but not limited to, calendar maintenance, assisting with office visit logistics, and new staff onboarding. They must be a proactive and detail-oriented professional with a passion for operations and External Affairs. 

Key Responsibilities:

Administrative Support  

• Provide high-level administrative support to the External Affairs team, including managing all-team calendar events and fostering collaboration between internal teams  
• Aid in the planning and management of meetings, events, conferences, etc. by identifying, assembling, and coordinating materials, set-up, and on-site staffing.  
• Maintain centralized file management systems and create protocols to ensure consistent updates and processes across the department 
• Assist with onboarding new External Affairs team members  

Stakeholder Management  

• Maintain databases for managing and tracking outreach and engagement activities and stakeholder contacts  

Project Coordination  

• Develop, organize, and track comprehensive meeting agendas, materials, and follow-ups, proactively monitoring and managing action items from internal and external stakeholders to ensure precise project execution and accountability  
• Help ensure all External Affairs efforts serve to achieve immediate and long-term goals and support all improvements for processes and tracking to key performance indicators (KPIs)

Background & Qualifications:

• 2 – 4 years of direct experience government, community relations, external relations or other related fast-paced field managing and leading people and initiatives 
• Demonstrated commitment to co-creation and collaborative decision-making  
• Strong teamwork and interpersonal skills   
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills  
• Extremely detail-oriented with excellent organizational, operational and program execution skills   
• A high energy level, entrepreneurial spirit, and the ability to thrive through a period of change and growth  
• Fluency working with Office suite products, with demonstrated ability to utilize advanced features/functions in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint, and an ability to adapt rapidly to new organizational tools as they are integrated by LA28  
• Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and professionalism 

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions 

• Availability to work in-person five days a week in a Los Angeles-based office and, as required, to attend in-person meetings and events all across the County and region   

Expectations 

• Innovative Approach – Ability to identify opportunities, develop new ideas and execute on creative concepts while managing to a budget  
• Influencing Skills – Ability to drive organizational alignment through collaboration  
• Flexible Approach – Ability to roll with the transitional nature of the organization as it grows and establishes itself over the next 5 years  
• Challenger Mindset – Inclination to drive ongoing improvement in people and process

Education / Training / Certifications 

• An undergraduate degree in public policy, political science, or related field   

The annual base salary range for this position is $70,000.00 - $75,000.00salary range. The pay scale provided is the range that LA28 reasonably expects to pay as starting base compensation for this role. All LA28 compensation remains subject to final determination based on individual candidate qualifications, experience, or other reasonable criteria consistent with LA28’s operational business needs and applicable law. 

LA28 does not provide relocation assistance. 

LA28 is committed to operating fair and unbiased recruitment procedures allowing all applicants an equal opportunity for employment, free from discrimination on the basis of religion, race, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, color, ethnic or national origin, or any other classification as may be protected by applicable law. We strive to build a team that is diverse, inclusive and encourages qualified candidates of all backgrounds, perspectives, and identities to apply. We assess applications based on relevant skills, education, and experience a candidate can add to our team.