As the Puget Sound Partnership’s Legislative Policy Director, you will be an integral part of the Executive Director’s Office and contribute to our mission by ensuring legislators and legislative staff have current and compelling information upon which to base their decisions on matters related to restoring and protecting Puget Sound. In addition to the Executive Director’s Team, you’ll also collaborate with the entire agency, our boards and partners to develop understanding of policy and legislative needs and work to meet those needs using legislative processes at the Federal, State and Local levels.

A little bit about the Partnership
The Puget Sound Partnership (Partnership) is the state agency leading the region’s collective effort to restore and protect Puget Sound. We bring together hundreds of partners to mobilize action around a common agenda and advance Sound investments.

We are proud to offer a suite of “Employer of Choice” initiatives, including:

• A commitment to justice, diversity, equity and inclusion
• Focus on healthy work/life balance
• Commute reduction incentives
• Fully vested in modern workplace practices and design
• An Infant at Work Program

For more information, visit our website: www.psp.wa.gov.

A little bit about the Executive Director’s Office
The Executive Director’s Office consists of three Directors and two Assistants. This team supports the core strategic leadership initiatives of the agency.

What you will be doing
You will be responsible for representing the official agency positions on public policy, legislation and budget. You’ll develop agendas for the agency for each legislative session and oversee legislative work with partners to amplify our interests and the legislative agenda. This position will be relied upon for expert policy analysis on proposed legislation and potential impacts of proposed legislation and budgets. You will use in-person meetings, written materials and testimony in public hearings, as well as strong relationships with partners, to advance your agendas.

Who we are looking for
We are looking for someone who can function effectively under high stress and high conflict conditions, can foster relationships of trust and personal credibility with colleagues, and can advocate effectively for the credibility and value of the Partnership. The ability to influence others to make decisions aligned with the agency’s priorities for restoring and protecting Puget Sound is critical in this role. The ideal candidate will have excellent communication and presentation skills and can compile researched information into a cohesive reporting structure that can be easily understood broadly. If you are passionate about public policy, are self-motivated and enjoy tracking data, you’ll thrive in this position. The abilities to value others and diversity of thought, promote brave spaces for learning, and strive for equity are essential.

Some of the duties include:

• Develop legislative agenda for the agency for each state legislative session, in close collaboration with partners and in alignment with the agency’s mission and Action Agenda
• Oversee legislative work with partners, the Governor’s Office, legislators, and state and federal officials to advance those interests and the legislative agenda
• Provide expert counsel on state and federal legislative processes and government relations issues
• Work closely with internal and external multi-disciplinary teams, diverse external partners that include local, state, federal and tribal governments and agencies, nonprofits, ports and businesses
• Provide policy analysis on proposed legislation and potential impacts of proposed legislation and budgets
• Testify in public legislative hearings to influence legislators to make decisions on legislation and budgets to help restore and protect Puget Sound
• Assist the PSAR Program Manager and our local partners with helping state legislators and other key decision-makers understand the importance and effectiveness of the PSAR program
• Lead the agency’s communications about state legislative sessions

Success in this position requires that one be a team player, defined as possessing initiative and a driving passion for the work, having humility and practicing curiosity in interactions with others, and valuing the whole human in each of us.  

Leadership is expected of everyone in the organization and is defined as follows:

We are committed to achieving our mission of accelerating and advancing the recovery of Puget Sound. To ensure our success, we are equally committed to running our agency in a high-performance manner that focuses on high-quality products and processes and a collaborative approach. We achieve high performance by:

• Valuing one another, our diversity, and our contribution to the agency and the mission
• Embracing shared leadership, and empowering all staff, as critical thinkers, to make timely evidence-based decisions in a collaborative manner
• Promoting learning–and implementing what we learn–by using the adaptive management cycle for both programs and internal operations
• Optimizing our human and financial resources

Required Experience, Competencies and Technical Skills:

• Two (2) or more years of experience working with state or federal legislative processes.
• Bachelor’s degree in communication, political science, public policy or related field and three (3) years related experience or equivalent combination
• Knowledge and experience lobbying for environmental programs and policy changes at local or state or federal levels, including Congressional, Committee and Administration levels.
• Experience researching policy information from divergent sources and compiling it into a cohesive reporting structure.
• Experience drafting, tracking and passing legislation
• Deep understanding of state and federal legislative processes
• Understanding of funding mechanisms
• Familiarity with social, economic and political conditions and issues in the region, state and nation
• Record of driving efforts to successful outcomes
• Commitment to advancing justice, diversity, equity and inclusion efforts

PREFERRED:

• Master’s degree in communication, political science, public policy, finance or related field and three (3) years of related experience or equivalent combination
• Experience leading staff or matrix managing multi-disciplinary teams to clear outcomes
• Knowledge of Puget Sound ecosystem recovery goals and systems

CONDITIONS OF THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
With or without an accommodation, I am willing and able to:

• Work indoors, at a desk/workstation the majority of a workday, in an open office environment with possible conversation and other noise distractions at least once a week
• Work indoors, at a desk/workstation the majority of a workday in a home-based environment up to four days a week
• Work in a tobacco-free, drug-free, and alcohol-free environment
• Work a 40-hour work week (A flexible work schedule may be considered upon request and supervisory approval, after an initial review period)
• Occasionally work in excess of 40 hours per week and/or to adjust normally scheduled hours, which may include evenings and weekends, to meet program needs and critical deadlines
• Occasionally travel throughout the state, which may include overnight stays, as required, while performing the duties of this position
• Work in a fast-paced environment with multiple priorities and competing deadlines
• Maintain confidentiality regarding information accessed or discussed while performing the duties of the position
• Interact and work with partners and staff in a positive, friendly, and supportive manner that meets the needs and standards of the office and the agency

Application Process – Please read the instructions completely.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in our state, interviews will be conducted using a ZOOM or Teams videoconferencing platform. A telephone option is available as an alternative if videoconferencing is not possible.

We are a small, passionate, mission-driven, team-oriented, and fast-paced agency with an exceptional interdisciplinary staff.  If you enjoy building community and protecting our environment, we encourage you to apply!

Intrigued?  We’d love to hear from you. Click on “Apply” to submit your detailed application. Please attach the following documents to be considered; failure to do so may result in you not being considered for the position:

• A letter of interest that shows your personality and voice to describe why you are the successful candidate and how you meet the specific qualifications for this position; and
• Current resume, detailing experience, and education.

** You will want to ensure you have a current list of at least three (3) professional references with current contact information attached or available to provide at the time of interview.

And that’s it!

The initial screening will be solely based on the contents and completeness of the application material submitted, and the supplemental questionnaire. By submitting materials, you are indicating that all information is true and correct. The state may verify information. Any untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from the applicant pool or dismissal if employed.
Do not attach transcripts or other documents that are not requested in the application process, or that are password protected. These type of documents cause errors when downloading application materials and will not be forwarded to the hiring supervisor.

Should you have any questions regarding this position or the online application, contact Angie Anderson at (360) 407-8446 or jobs@des.wa.gov.

The Puget Sound Partnership (PSP) is an equal opportunity employer.  PSP strives to create a working environment that is inclusive and respectful.  It is our policy to prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, political affiliation, genetics, or disability in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of our workforce. Persons with a disability who need assistance with their application or that need this announcement in an alternative format, may call (360) 664-1960 or toll free (877) 664-1960. TTY users should first call 711 to access the Washington Relay Service.