You'll work for a governor who has a reputation for being tough on her staff - and erratic. You'll be her "communications and policy adviser."

But she already has policy and communications advisers. And you won't be over them.

 

Uh-oh.

 

Her staff is roundly blamed for her problems. The usual: too insular, too young, too hard to reach. Also, they came from the campaign and don't know government. Or, they were in the Light Gov's office and aren't up to the Big Job. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

 

I'm sure they'll greet you with open arms and a warmly cooperative attitude.

Gov. Beverly Perdue's new communications and policy adviser says he wanted to come home.

Greensboro native and Appalachian State grad Pearse Edwards said he has enjoyed working for Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire -- both governors are Democrats -- but he wanted to move back to North Carolina.

“I'm not a big fan of winters in the northwest,” Edwards said Thursday.

He expects to play a role similar to what he has done for Gregoire, helping integrate the communications, policy and government relations functions of the governor's office.

“Policy is complex,” he said. “There’s a real need for the people to get a better understanding of what government is doing.”

Perdue already has a communications director, David Kochman; a senior adviser for government relations, Andy Willis, and a policy director, Al Delia. Their salaries are $115,200, $153,000 and $160,000 respectively.

Edwards, who will be paid $136,000, will not supervise those staffers. They will still report to Chief of Staff Zach Ambrose.

More after the jump.

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Pearse Edwards, Gov. Beverly Perdue's newly hired senior communications and policy adviser, will be paid $136,000 a year.

Edwards is slated to start Sept. 14 but will not join the communications staff.

He "will be advising not only communications but policy and government relations," said Tim Crowley, Perdue's deputy communications director.

Edwards' job is a new position, but Crowley said the salary still fits within the budget for the governor's office, which was trimmed this year along with other agencies. The new hire and six-figure salary, however, come a week after the legislature approved a budget that raised $1 billion in new taxes and trimmed spending to at least minimize layoffs of teachers.

Edwards, a North Carolina native, currently serves as chief spokesman for Gov. Christine Gregoire, of Washington. Gregoire and Perdue are both Democrats.

Edwards, the new communications adviser, did not return a phone call to Dome Wednesday evening.

Gov. Beverly Perdue has hired a new adviser on communications.

Pearse Edwards, currently chief spokesman for Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire, is slated to join Perdue's staff in September as senior communications and policy adviser.

No one is leaving the staff, according to Perdue's Deputy Communications Director, Tim Crowley. He said there is money in Perdue's office budget to cover Edwards' salary, but the exact salary figure will not be available until tomorrow. Edwards makes $125,000 working for Gregoire, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer web site. Perdue's office budget was cut this year along with other agencies.

Perdue's current communications lineup includes, in addition to Crowley, Communications Director David Kochman and Press Secretary Chrissy Pearson.

Edwards is a North Carolina native and has served as Gregoire's communications and external relations director since January 2008, according to the P-I. He previously worked for Microsoft and former Washington Gov. Gary Locke, who is now U.S. Secretary of Commerce.