JOB TITLE: Policy Specialist
PROGRAM: Center for Results-Driven Governing
LOCATION: Denver, CO -Hybrid
SALARY: $73,232 annually
STATUS: Full-time
ABOUT NCSL:
Are you ready to join an organization with an extraordinary mission? The National Conference of State Legislatures offers careers where you can use your skills, knowledge, and experience to truly make a difference. NCSL’s mission is purposeful – strengthening the legislative institution. From informing effective policies and promoting communication among state legislatures, to ensuring states have a strong, cohesive voice in the federal system, our team works in service of legislatures. And, with a commitment to constantly innovating all resources and services to meet the evolving needs of members, NCSL has earned the reputation as the nation’s most trusted bipartisan membership organization for legislators and legislative staff. Our success serving NCSL members relies on our team of passionate, dedicated professionals who work diligently to strengthen the legislative institution. Join our team and contribute to this unique, essential mission. NCSL has a flexible remote work policy. Building and maintaining our organizational culture is critical and we do so by bringing staff together, in person, for four consecutive days each month. The remote work policy provides the freedom to work from anywhere with the requirement that staff travel on their own fare to the NCSL office once a month for team meetings and professional development.
ABOUT THE ROLE:
The Policy Specialist role requires demonstrated proficiency in legislative research, strong analytic skills, excellent writing and presentation skills, the ability to build professional relationships, and a commitment to nonpartisanship.
This position will join NCSL’s Center for Results-Driven Governing (CRDG) working with a team whose goal is to meet the information needs of state legislators and legislative staff across the nation. The Center seeks a self-motivated professional with the skills necessary to develop expertise in evidence-informed policymaking issues by analyzing legislation, tracking legislative trends and monitoring current academic and agency research. You will translate detailed and complex information for a variety of audiences by preparing concise, accurate, and nonpartisan written products and developing substantive, engaging, and interactive presentations. This position will respond to research requests, provide resources to support state legislatures, plan and conduct meetings and may assist with funder relations. You will also build and maintain effective relationships with legislators, legislative staff and other officials and stakeholders outside of NCSL. The Policy Specialist reports to the director of the Center.
The collaborative, four-person CRDG team tracks state legislative interests and actions, offers in-person and virtual learning and networking opportunities, conducts research, and develops publications on issues related to evidence-informed policymaking and science policy. The team also supports peer learning networks of state legislators, legislative staff and other stakeholders working to integrate research and data into policymaking and budgeting processes in their states.
WHAT YOU’LL DO:
- Develops subject matter expertise on issues related to state evidence-informed policymaking strategies and assists legislators and legislative staff with their research and information needs.
- Collects and analyzes legislative and executive branch actions; interprets and identifies legislative implications and trends. Develops comparative 50-state scans of legislation, polices or action. Researches and tracks state examples of evidence-informed policymaking strategies.
- Conducts research on federal, state, and local actions that impact the work of legislatures, including relevant case law, judicial interpretations and executive, administrative and intergovernmental actions.
- Monitors academic and agency evidence-informed policymaking resources and research that may inform or impact the work of legislatures.
- Translates detailed and complex information in the most effective format using a variety of methods, e.g., verbal presentations, publications, technical assistance workshops, webpages, podcasts, webinars, meetings, memos, newsletters, articles and others.
- Plans educational sessions and assists with overall planning for larger meetings with supervisor oversight. May plan technical assistance projects and small-sized meetings. Contributes to other session and meeting planning tasks, such as speaker identification, agenda development and on-site support. Creates substantive, engaging, and interactive presentations for legislators, legislative staff and others on evidence-informed policymaking issues with the ability to respond to questions.
- Prepares concise, accurate and nonpartisan written products for a variety of purposes and audiences including communications with members (email, memos), reports, webpages, articles and others. Participates in peer review editing of colleagues’ work as needed.
- May assist with the coordination, management, and facilitation of an advisory committee, working group or peer learning network. Maintains effective relationships with key legislators, legislative staff and other stakeholders involved.
- May assist with funder relations and completes high-quality, timely assigned project deliverables, under the direction of the Center’s director. May assist with the development of new projects in assigned subject areas, including assisting with concept papers, proposals, and grant applications.
- Travels domestically for meetings, technical assistance, and other project activities as needed.
- Performs other responsibilities as needed.
SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE:
Supervisor/Management Responsibilities:
This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities but may serve as a coach and mentor for other positions in the program or as a team coordinator on a short-term project.
THE WORK ENVIRONMENT: This full-time position is mostly performed in an office environment, on or off-site, with prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. NCSL provides a unique hybrid remote work policy with the requirement that staff travel on their own fare to the NCSL office once a month for team meetings and professional development. Employees routinely use standard office equipment such as laptops, printers, scanners, copy machines, and smartphones. Occasional travel by airplane, including overnights and weekends, is required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
