Government Relations Knowledge

Start Date End Date Venue Fees (US $)
26 Oct 2025 Riyadh, KSA $ 3,900 Register

Government Relations Knowledge

Introduction

An intensive week of government affairs strategy, persuasion, policy influence and communications. This intensive five-day course covers every strategic and tactical dimension of government and public affairs. Please note that this course replaces the Strategic Public Affairs and Lobbying Seminar, which has been updated and refreshed with this course. 

Objectives

    This course covers the following modules:

    • Creating a government and public affairs strategy
    • Advocacy and positioning: developing a government and public affairs programme
    • Implementing government and public affairs programmes
    • Managing engagement with government officials and politicians 
    • Strategic communications for government affairs

    What to expect:

    Strategic Government and Public Affairs is an ISOC Focused Immersion Seminar. This extended training format focuses intensively on a single set of competencies for five days. It is designed to develop practical and enduring expertise in one particular specialty – government and public affairs. 

    You will not have to sit through long lectures or presentations – this course uses active learning to help you internalise the topic and apply it in the real world. Over the course of five days, you will cover the full spectrum of government and public affairs. Every day follows a hands-on format, revolving around a variety of fun and fast-paced exercises. Participants can expect to do direct work on their individual government affairs strategy and tactics for their own organisations – returning to the office at the end of training with new ideas, tools and techniques to put in place right away. 

    Training Format:

    This course comprises five modules each covering a set of key concepts and skills, each module runs for one day. Within each module, best practice and key concepts are covered off in a concise briefing, followed by stimulating learning activities like workshops, discussions, case studies and role-play exercises.

    After this course you will be able to:

    • Map out the power structures that determine your organizations prospects
    • Identify how, where and when to engage in the policy and legislative process
    • Develop an issues and stakeholder management plan for public affairs
    • Master and execute the main public affairs and lobbying techniques
    • Develop a lobbying strategy that integrates public affairs activity in support of your business strategy
    • Conduct meetings with high-level government officials
    • Build a lobbying campaign designed to shape your policy and legislative environment
    • Engage with the news media and harness their influential power as part of a lobbying campaign
    • Conduct lobbying online using the main social media tools and platforms 

Training Methodology

This is an interactive course. There will be open question and answer sessions, regular group exercises and activities, videos, case studies, and presentations on best practices. Participants will have the opportunity to share with the facilitator and other participants what works well and not so well for them, as well as work on issues from their own organizations. The online course is conducted online using MS-Teams/ClickMeeting.

Who Should Attend?

This is an intermediate-level course designed for executives who need to engage with government, legislators and politicians for work. Learning is pitched at a level to help you to synthesize the best practice and direct strategic implementation. This course is recommended for managers tasked with overseeing strategic government and public affairs, whether directly or having hired a consultancy. There is always a high level of knowledge exchange and cross-fertilisation of ideas within this course.

Course Outline

Day 1: Creating a Government and Public Affairs Strategy

This one-day module covers the fundamental concepts, principles and approaches to developing a government relations and public affairs strategy by taking learners through a step by step process for creating their strategy which they can utilize when they return to work. 

  • Understanding the principles of public affairs and government relations
  • Creating a government relations and public affairs strategy
  • Stakeholder analysis and management in public affairs
  • Understanding and mapping your public affairs and political landscapes  

Day 2: Advocacy and Positioning: Developing a Government and Public Affairs Program

This module covers skills and approaches to defining your position and making your case persuasively.

  • Messaging for government and public affairs audiences 
  • Positioning your organisation and its business goals effectively with stakeholders
  • Using proof and persuasion to drive your messaging 
  • Leveraging communication channels for a public affairs programme 

Day 3: Implementing Government and Public Affairs Programs

This module covers the practical implementation of government and public affairs campaigns and activities.

  • Understanding the dynamics of political jurisdictions to maximise results
  • Using different lobbying programme frameworks for your campaign
  • Utilising the best tools and tactics to engage with stakeholders
  • Practical workshop where participants develop their own public affairs programme 

Day 4: Managing Engagement with Government Officials and Politicians 

This module covers how to develop relationships and hold meetings with government officials.

  • Identifying and understanding your targets: getting to the right people within government
  • Managing the dynamics of your relationship with government officials
  • Developing the right communications collateral for meetings with government officials
  • Practical workshop session where participants practice managing their encounter 

Day 5: Strategic Communications for Government Affairs

This module covers how to utilise strategic communications and media engagement to further your government and public affairs objectives. 

  • Aligning communications activities with government affairs programmes 
  • Creative PR tools and tactics to generate publicity 
  • Building relationships with journalists to secure press coverage for your public affairs initiatives 

Accreditation

Related Courses

Competency Solutions Brochure
PETC Corporate Profile