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Job Description:

This role serves as ABA’s lead subject matter expert and advocate on agricultural and rural banking issues, with an overarching goal of achieving a policy environment that fosters a vibrant agricultural and rural economy. The SVP must have deep experience in agricultural policy, as well as a strong understanding of commercial banking, agricultural and rural home lending, and the broader competitive landscape, including non-bank agricultural lenders. The role is responsible for developing and advancing ABA policy positions, supporting the Agricultural Bankers Committee, and representing the association before Congress, regulators, industry groups, aligned organizations, and other stakeholders. Key responsibilities include lobbying the House and Senate Agriculture Committees, preparing testimony and other advocacy materials, leading ABA’s response to relevant regulatory proposals, and building and participating in ag-focused coalitions, forums, and task forces.

Based in ABA’s Washington, D.C., headquarters, the SVP partners with colleagues across the association to ensure that agricultural and rural banking considerations are integrated into ABA’s legislative, regulatory, communications, research, and membership work. The position also serves as a two-way link connecting ABA’s agricultural banking membership and state association alliance with the association’s broader policy and advocacy teams, ensuring strong and timely information flow.

Periodic travel is required for priority member engagement, industry events, and other activities that advance ABA’s policy and advocacy objectives.

The SVP leads ABA’s engagement with the agricultural and rural banking community, including developing relationships with bankers across institutions of all sizes, providing briefings to senior bank executives and ABA leadership, serving as a speaker at industry events, providing lead policy support for the annual Agricultural Bankers Conference, and supervising agriculture-focused communications. A key element of the role is translating broader ABA policy positions into the agricultural and rural banking context and clearly communicating those positions to bankers, state alliance partners, policymakers, industry partners, and the media.

In addition, the role provides market intelligence and research to inform ABA advocacy, economic research, products, services, and membership initiatives; coordinates the association’s agricultural banking work with outside consultants and other external partners; and serves as a credible external spokesperson on agricultural and rural banking issues.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead agricultural and rural banking policy and advocacy: Serve as ABA’s primary subject matter expert on agricultural and rural banking issues and develop, advance, and communicate ABA policy positions to promote a vibrant agricultural economy.

• Represent ABA with policymakers and external stakeholders: In coordination with the broader Congressional Relations team, advocate before Congress, including the House and Senate Agriculture Committees, regulators, industry coalitions, allied organizations, and the media. Build strong relationships with other Agricultural and rural-focused advocacy groups with shared priorities.

• Integrate agricultural and rural banking priorities across ABA: Partner with colleagues across Policy and other ABA functions to incorporate agricultural and rural banking perspectives into association-wide legislative, regulatory, communications, research, grassroots, and membership strategies.

• Engage and support ABA’s agricultural banking membership: Lead the Agricultural Bankers Committee, build relationships with bankers across institutions of all sizes, and ensure member perspectives inform ABA advocacy and priorities.

• Provide executive-level expertise and communications: Brief senior bankers and ABA leadership, prepare testimony and advocacy materials, speak at industry events, and translate broader ABA positions for agricultural and rural banking audiences.

• Support industry programming and strategic initiatives: Lead policy support for the Agricultural Bankers Conference, ensure timely agriculture-focused communications, coordinate outside consultants and partners, and provide market intelligence to support ABA products, services, and membership initiatives.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Experience engaging with Congress, regulatory agencies, and other Washington-based stakeholders.
• 15+ years of progressive experience including a deep understanding of commercial banking and the agricultural and rural housing lending function and policy. Working knowledge of other non-bank lending landscape in the same area preferred.
• Experience and existing relationships within the agricultural and rural economy policy community preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across policy disciplines and organizational functions.
• Ability to connect specialized agricultural and rural banking issues to broader commercial banking and financial services policy.
• Strong judgment and communication skills, including the ability to advise senior executives and work effectively with diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience developing policy positions and coordinating advocacy across legislative, regulatory, communications, and member-engagement channels.
• Ability to balance external member and stakeholder engagement with sustained participation in the work of a Washington-based policy organization.
• Ability to travel (less than 20%).

Target base for role:

$290,000.00 - $310,000.00

Salary Band Range:

American Bankers Association (ABA) is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, marital status, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, protected Veteran status, personal appearance, political affiliation, family responsibilities, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.