[Hiring] Senior Policy Advisor @State of Washington

Role Description

The Government Affairs Division (GAD) is hiring for a senior policy advisor. This is an existing role that we’re filling focused on supporting our legislative agenda and government affairs work. The GAD team is responsible for the agency’s legislative strategy development and execution – engaging with state legislators, staff, governor’s office team, and constituents around the state. Reporting to the Assistant Director of the Government Affairs & Policy Division (GAD), the Senior Policy Advisor is primarily responsible for legislative engagement for the Department of Commerce.

This position leads highly visible legislative, budgetary, and policy development that will substantially advance the department’s mission and vision. The position is a key advisor to the director and executive leadership team, providing reliable and professionally sound guidance on complex policy issues and initiatives, and overall strategic direction.

This position works independently through effective working relationships with Commerce team members, community organizations, local leaders, economic development and industry representatives, and policy, governmental, and academic organizations. The position represents the department in official meetings, legislative committees, rulemaking, and other committee boards, councils, or convenings.

During state legislative session (January to April), you will need to work part-time in Olympia at the Commerce office and the state capital to meet with the Commerce team, legislators, staff, among others.

Duties

• Effectively lead highly complex policy development efforts that involve engagement with and facilitation of stakeholders with diverse and potentially conflicting interests.
• Anticipate needs and opportunities for the department and advise on policy direction, communications, and actions.
• Serve as trusted advisor for agency executive leadership, providing high level recommendations, complex analysis, data, coordination and convening, planning, and communication.
• Comprehensively evaluate and recommend high level courses of action to the director and/or executive management.
• Analyze legislative proposals, develop recommendations regarding department positions, and work with and through others to help advance bills and their implementation.
• Advise on and support development of department decision packages, agency request legislation and/or fiscal notes on relevant legislative proposals.
• Develop and/or provide materials that present clear, accurate, and engaging information to specific audiences.
• Collaborate and participate in projects of the department’s government affairs division and/or other agency-wide initiatives.
• Conduct and apply research, data analysis, community outreach and engagement to support development of policies and implementation, aligning with the department’s mission and vision.
• Independently conduct and/or lead “just-in-time” research and presentation support to the director and executive leadership.
• Gather and analyze data to understand trends, provide guidance, and develop compelling narratives and graphics to help inform leadership, stakeholders and decision makers about issues, proposals, programs and policies that are important to the agency’s mission.
• Connect, participate, or lead community engagement that can provide community insight based on environmental justice, Pro-Equity, Anti-Racism (PEAR), or co-creation processes to meaningfully engage community in policy development.
• Employ a variety of federal, state, local, and other data sets to understand and support issues and policies.
• Communicate with national and state organizations, federal, state and local policy makers, legislative and congressional staff, Governor, and Office of Financial Management staff, advocacy and lobbying organizations, and media on issues regarding policy and political impacts.

Qualifications

• Any combination of professional experience and education totaling nine (9) years.
• Experience must include four (4) years of the following:
  • Gathering and analyzing legislation proposals, case law, regulations, policies, reports, and other data.
  • Interviewing or seeking advice from organizations, community members, stakeholders, or other interested people.
  • Building comprehensive strategies for discussion, communications, and official comments with elected officials or staff.
  • Technical experience conducting research.
  • Leading complex projects across multiple departments.
  • Analyzing and using complex data sets of varied sources and wide-ranging topics.
• A minimum of one year of experience in the following areas or work related to the position:
  • Developing facts and evidence to support policy development or recommendations.
  • Working with elected officials, government agencies, or community members in developing and implementing plans or programs.
  • Identifying the specific needs and goals that require funding.
  • Research of potential grant opportunities from various sources, such as government agencies, private foundations, corporations, and non-profit organizations.
• Education includes coursework in public administration, law, economics, non-profit management, or related fields.

Requirements

• Effective communication skills – oral, written and listening.
• Existing relationships with policy makers is preferred with strong interpersonal skills including relationship building, problem solving, providing presentations and testimony, and teamwork focused on building and maintaining connections to elected officials, staff, agencies and stakeholders.
• Current understanding of federal, state and local policy development, legislative process, public funding, grant solicitation, and ability to analyze data and policy.
• Ability to take action to learn and grow.
• Ability to take action to meet the needs of others.

Preferred/Desired Education, Experience, and Competencies

• PhD in public administration, law, economics, or a related field, or bachelor’s degree and 1 year of progressively responsible professional experience in public policy development and/or grant seeking.
• OR Master’s degree and 2 years of progressively responsible professional experience in public policy development and/or grant seeking.
• OR Bachelor’s degree and 3 years of progressively responsible professional experience in policy development and/or grant seeking.

Supplemental Information

• Work from Anywhere in Washington State.
• This position may be located anywhere within Washington State though occasional travel to a Commerce office building or in-state travel to attend events or meetings may be required.
• During state legislative session (January to April), you will need to work part-time in Olympia at the Commerce office and the state capital to meet with the Commerce team, legislators, staff, among others.
• If selected, you will need to travel to pick up equipment and receive instruction. Many Commerce employees work remotely or have a hybrid schedule.
• This recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies over the next 60 days.