Specialist - Government Relations

Job Purpose

The ideal candidate will be responsible to provide support in government relations. He/she will coordinate and monitor all government relations activities to remain abreast of status, actions needed and resolutions, and to identify areas where further corrective actions are needed to continually improve and enhance processes.

In addition, the role will be focused towards engagement and relationship building with key stakeholders in government/ministries, or any other body to establish EDOTCO as a major player in the towerco and telecom industry.

Job Responsibilities

• Maintain strong working relationships with regulators, authorities and ministries to ensure access to effective and prompt support and advice when needed
• Ensure any interactions with government bodies are always conducted in the best interests of the Company and represent the business in a professional manner
• Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of the requirements of all relevant government entities.
• Identify potential areas of risk; develop and implement process and systems for resolution of problematic issues and provide general guidance to relevant stakeholders on how to avoid or deal with similar situations in the future through effective communication and training
• Assess EDOTCO`s current and future ventures or specific projects to identify possible Government Relations risks and issues and plan out government relations activities and timelines in a streamlined, organised and efficient manner
• Provide advice and opinions on regulatory matters, government relations including business as usual activities and special projects
• Relationship with Defense Forces, Provincial Security and other authorities to build an image, also get relevant permissions from them as and when required
• Managing/resolving regulatory/ compliance issues affecting the business of the country
• Interacting with the government authorities to get maximum possible concessions for Pakistan or Towerco Industry
• Liaising with regulatory authorities as required including the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority, Competition Commission of Pakistan and Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan ensuring compliance, with regulatory and license obligations in the light of local laws, Telecom Act, Rules, Regulations, Policies, Directives, Guidelines and License Conditions
• Assisting in the procurement of additional licenses and approvals, for business expansion and operations

Working Relationships

Internal

• Strategy & Commercial team on all projects for information gathering, government liaison, events coordination, strategic alliance proposals and international ventures etc
• Site Acquisition for compliance and dealings with local government and state-backed companies on approvals
• Finance for enterprise risk framework and understanding tax issues, tax implications of regulatory issues
• In-country regulatory heads for issue escalation and regular updates
• Legal for legal consultation
• Corporate Communications – government liaison

External

• Relevant ministries, policy makers, international organisations, trade associations and industry forums

Qualifications, Skills & Knowledge

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Economics, Law, Communications Engineering, Finance, Business or equivalent
• Postgraduate qualifications or MBA would be a strong advantage
• At least 8 years' experience preferable in the telecommunications industry with exposure to the corporate affairs environment

Skills & Knowledge

• Excellent written and oral communications skills in English
• Possess strong and convincing negotiation and presentation skills
• Knowledge of international regulatory developments and global best practices
• Familiar with telecommunications operations for both wired and wireless services
• Proficient with all country telecom policy frameworks, Telecommunications Acts and relevant subsidiary legislation.