Kansas University has hired Jack Cline, who has experience working at universities and in politics, to fill its director of federal relations position.

Cline had been serving as assistant vice president for federal relations for the University of Massachusetts since 2007.

He holds two leadership positions with the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, serving on the APLU Council of Governmental Affairs Executive Committee and on the group’s Budget Task Force.

Cline also served as executive director of gubernatorial appointments and personnel for then-Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, according to a KU statement. He also worked for Massachusetts Gov. Paul Cellucci and served on the professional staff for U.S. Congressman John Boehner.

“It’s an exciting time in Washington. I am honored to represent the state’s flagship university and work closely with the Kansas congressional delegation. My focus will be to illuminate the chancellor’s priorities every day on Capitol Hill, and my door will always be open to the KU community,” Cline said in the statement.

He will report to Tim Caboni, KU’s vice chancellor for public affairs.

“He has a really elegant understanding of higher education policy, coupled with a really in-depth understanding of the legislative process,” Caboni said.

The position had been vacant since last May, when Keith Yehle left KU to join Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, N.M. Yehle had been in the position since June 2005.

In his new position, Cline will make $160,000 per year, and will be based out of the Washington area.