Legislative Coordinator (MA 4)

Legislative Coordinator (MA 4)
At the Department of Commerce, we’re reimagining what’s possible in government. We’re builders, thinkers, and change-makers, working at the intersection of innovation, community, and impact. From unlocking critical funding to fueling inclusive economic growth, we’re turning big ideas into real-world solutions that uplift people and places.

Our agency’s strength lies in the diversity of our workforce and the breadth of the lived experiences and perspectives employees bring to the work. We believe equity is not just a value but a practice, which is reflected in how we design programs, engage communities, and deliver outcomes. We foster a workplace culture where curiosity is encouraged, bold thinking is welcomed, and collaboration drives our impact.

Let’s build what’s next, together.

TheGovernment Affairs Division provides strategic analysis, research, advice, and situational awareness to inform the agency’s approach to a broad range of budget, legislative, and policy issues impacting the agency. The Government Affairs Division, and Director for Government Affairs, oversees and coordinates the agency’s legislative and policy agenda development, government affairs, and strategic agency initiatives. The Government Affairs division directs and manages the agency’s legislative strategy development and execution, legislative and external relations, and intergovernmental relations, including as representative of the agency with the state executive administration, stakeholders and agency partners, and local, state, and federal government staff and officials. This position reports to the Policy Advisor and is essential in meeting agency goals.

This position coordinates the agency’s legislative engagement and activities through high-level collaboration and consultation, project management, analysis, and communications. Effective legislative relations are essential for agency success, and this position, as a critically important team member, helps support and ensure consistent, professional, timely, and accurate information, responses, and communications with little to no oversight.

This includes facilitating, leading, overseeing, and coordinating work with teams and leaders throughout the agency, as well as legislative staff, other agencies, the Governor's Office and other organizations and tribal nations. This position works proactively and creatively to address issues and to recognize and act on opportunities to enhance the legislative activities of Commerce which significantly impacts our ability to strengthen communities. This includes compiling research on highly complex issues and providing fact-based advice and recommendations to executive management and agency staff. This position also acts as the agency’s rulemaking coordinator, representing the agency and presiding on hearings, and ensures the agency’s statutory rulemaking requirements are completed. This position also sits on work groups and tasks forces as the agency representative and presents findings and recommendations to executive management. This position also co-leads and oversees the legislative reports process.Lead legislative internal coordination, tracking and bill analysis process
Tasks include:
• Monitors and tracks all legislation throughout the legislative process and provides timely updates to Executive Leadership and lead policy staff. Communicates changes, amendments, and new assignments from the Governor’s Office to ensure alignment and prompt action across the division.
• Provide expert level consultation and guidance to Commerce staff on the legislative and bill analysis process. Develop training and oversee processes for division legislative coordinators to ensure that all bills are accurately tracked, and that fiscal notes, bill analyses, testimony and other responses are planned and coordinated.
• Develops and maintains a comprehensive system for tracking legislative actions and analyzing the policy and fiscal implications of proposed legislation. Provides consultation, training, and guidance to Commerce staff on the use of the legislative tracking system. Serves as the agency’s legislative subject-matter expert and collaborates with external vendors to design and enhance digital tracking tools, templates, and reporting systems tailored to Commerce’s needs.
• Develop, maintain and provide consultation on legislative tracking processes and standards, to ensure documentation is accurately captured and available for the Director and Government Affairs team when communicating with legislators, the Governor’s Office, and other agencies. Ensure all legislative and rulemaking documents are archived in accordance with agency and state retention policies.
• Develop weekly legislative updates for the Internal Communications team to include in the Daily Digest, highlighting key legislative activity and staff engagement. Coordinate and produce the end-of-session update, and present summaries to leadership and internal teams to support implementation of final bills and budgets.
• Conducts comprehensive analysis of all newly introduced legislation to determine items requiring monitoring by the Government Affairs Division and ensures ongoing tracking throughout the legislative session. Assigns bills and fiscal notes for staff review and analysis, and independently researches, prepares, and delivers bill analyses and related materials for legislation with agency-wide impact.
• Serves as legislative coordinator for director's office and central service teams and provides consultation and support of bill and fiscal analysis; supports development of budget requests and agency request legislation with potential agency or team impacts.
• Manages the development of and approves various products including bill drafts, analysis, fiscal notes, and other materials for legislative meetings, hearings and work sessions, and agency management/governor office briefings.
• Facilitate and lead daily and weekly legislative session meetings for divisions and executive management, as well as sister agencies ensure alignment across legislative priorities, when applicable.
• Provide thorough and factual research, analysis, and recommendations for the Government Affairs team for consultation with legislative staff and executive management.
• Provide thorough factual research, analysis and recommendations to sister agencies regarding bills that may have impact on their organization, as needed.

Coordinate key legislative processes and communications
Tasks include:
• Lead agency request legislation (ARL) process during the interim. This includes educating Commerce teams on process and due dates, reviewing proposals once approved, and preparing and submitting them to the Governor’s Office and the Office of Financial Management for final approval.
• Review and provide consultation across the divisions on testimony, presentation development, policy analysis and recommendations, correspondence, and other issues throughout agency ensuring content meets agency standards and is accurately submitted by required deadline(s).
• Serves as the main point of contact for stakeholders, constituents, and legislative assistants for questions and inquiries and respond in a timely manner.
• Assess and identify additional legislative needs and take action to address them. As needed, elevate issues to supervisor, Government Affairs AD and/or executive leadership.
• Assists the Government Affairs Director in developing the process, timeline and materials (in consultation with the Governor's office and the departmental legislative, budget, and policy directors) for agency proposals
• Works in coordination with communications and policy staff, ensuring the tracking of existing legislative reporting requirements. Determines any new legislative reporting requirements following the session and establishes processes for programs to complete reporting requirements.
• Serves as the lead liaison between Commerce and the Governor's Office/OFM on submitting the reports for approval and subsequent submission to the Legislature.

Coordinate agency wide rulemaking
Tasks include:
• Establish and maintain a clear process for rulemaking at Commerce with predictable timelines that are consistent and easy to follow based on statutory requirements.
• Provide education, consultation, and support around the process of rulemaking ensuring a good fit with various configurations of rule-making staff, including groups that hire consultants and groups that have a unit rulemaking lead.
• Facilitate and lead public hearings as part of the rulemaking process per statutory requirements.
• Consults with agency divisions regarding rulemaking agenda items for the biannual rulemaking agenda ensuring the agency’s statutory rulemaking requirements are met.

Process and systems organization/coordination
Tasks include:
• Lead the development of tracking systems, protocols, and training to support efficient and timely completion of legislative reports.
• In coordination with agency communications team, develop legislative communication materials. Provides consultation to agency staff on establishing legislative report tracking systems.

Other duties assigned, including contributing to agency-wide priorities and initiatives.
Tasks include:
• Other duties as assigned, at the discretion of supervisor and Gov. Affairs Assistant Director.

Required Position Qualifications:
Eight (8) years of combined experience and/or education as described below:
Experience must include:
• Four years of legislative and/or government relations coordination
• Managing and leading numerous projects simultaneously across an organization
• Building collaboration relationships both internally and externally to an organization
• Experience with data collection, analysis, storing and reporting practices related to the Washington State legislative process

Education involves public administration, law, public policy, business administration, or a related field. Qualifying education post High School or equivalent may be substituted year for year for experience.

Examples of how to qualify:
• 8 years of experience
• 7 years of experience and one year of education
• 6 years of experience and two years of education
• 5 years of experience and three years of education
• 4 years of experience and four years of education
• 3 years of experience and five years of education
• 2 years of experience and six years of education
• 1 year of experience and seven years of education

Preferred/Desired Qualifications:
• Experience in writing fiscal notes and bill analyses.
• Proficient in LobbyGov or similar legislative tracking system.

Required Position Competencies:
• Intermediate level experience with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Advanced project management and coordination skills.
• Strong facilitative and coaching skills.
• Strong communication skills, including outstanding written and verbal English grammar, punctuation and vocabulary.
• Track record of establishing and maintaining positive, collaborative relationships with colleagues, teams, executive leaders, elected officials, and other decision makers and stakeholders.

To be considered for this position, the following are needed:

• A complete and detailed online application.
• A cover letter (enter online).
• At least threeprofessional references(enter online).

For questions about this recruitment, please contact our recruitment team via email: comrecruitment@commerce.wa.gov - please reference the job number in your message.

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. 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 position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement

This recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies over the next 60 days.

Technical support is provided by NEOGOV, 855-524-5627 (can't log in, password or email issues, error messages). DES job seeker support may answer general questions regarding the recruiting system atcareershelp@des.wa.gov.

Our Commitment to Equal Opportunity
The Washington State Department of Commerce is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons needing accommodation in the application, testing, or interview process or this job announcement in an alternative format may email Human Resources at Human.Resources@commerce.wa.gov. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.

Department of Commerce also offers a competitive benefits package including: medical and dental insurance benefits, retirement and deferred compensation plans, 11 paid holidays each year, 14-25 vacation days per year (depending on length of employment), 8 hours of sick leave per month (if full time employed), bereavement leave, an employee assistance program, as well as other benefits. Please see the Benefits Tab for more details.