Legislative Policy Advisor
State of WashingtonDescription
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WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION
Respect. Professionalism. Integrity. Accountability.
Legislative Policy Advisor
Salary Consideration:
For this Washington Management Service (WMS) Band 2 position, the starting salary offer will be determined based on the successful candidates’ qualifications within the budgeted salary range of $104,683 - $110,340 annually. However, there is an ability for growth and development in this salary for the individual once employed.
This recruitment is open until May 20, 2026, at 11:59pm. The first pull of applications is scheduled for May 13. It is in your best interest to apply as soon as possible.
UTC reserves the right to make a hiring decision and/or choose to close or extend this recruitment at any given time after the initial pull of applications. Applications received for this recruitment could be used to fill comparable positions that open within the next 60 days.
The Opportunity:
The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) seeks to fill the role of Legislative Policy Advisor within the Legislative Division. This position provides recommendations and engages in activities related to the comprehensive legislative program and serves as lead advisor to the division director on issues impacting state or federal impacts on regulated companies.
Hybrid:
Although this is a hybrid opportunity, the successful incumbent must reside within Washington state and must be available to report to the Lacey, Washington headquarters building when needed.
Travel:
Occasional in-state or out-of-state travel may be necessary to attend and/or support meetings and conferences, which may include overnight travel.
Our Mission:
To protect the people of Washington by ensuring that investor-owned utility and transportation services are safe, equitable, available, reliable, and fairly priced.Vision:
We strive to achieve equitable and fair outcomes for both consumers and regulated companies. We prioritize inclusion and belonging in the workplace.
For more information about our benefits or working at UTC, please visit our website.
What We Offer Our Employees:
- UTC fosters an environment of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, while striving to hire and retain a workforce from the communities we serve.
- We place importance on a healthy balance between personal and professional lives; offering flexible work schedules, wellness programs, and mobile/telework opportunities.
- Through the state, our employees (and their families) are offered options for medical, dental, vision and basic life insurance.
- We offer enrollment into the state retirement programs and a deferred compensation plan.
- Full-time and part-time employees are entitled to paid holidays and one paid personal holiday per calendar year.
Duties
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Some of What You’ll Do:
Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the advisor will:- Research, analyze, track bills, distribute bill analysis assignments to appropriate subject matter experts, coordinate and elicit appropriate fiscal impact information and associated fiscal notes regarding potential fiscal impacts, and evaluate likely impact of proposed and current federal and state legislation, laws, court cases, national trends, legislative issues, budget issues, regulations, and policies on the agency’s projects and programs.
- Write proposed amendments to legislation; authors letters in support or opposition to bills; draft testimonies and gives presentations.
- Plan, organize, and implement activities to further the agency’s legislative interests.
- Anticipate and provide support to the Legislative Director and proactively communicate with all agency players to keep everyone timely updated and on the same page regarding significant legislative matters.
- Testifies to legislative committees on behalf of the agency as needed; briefs members of the state legislature, and their staff on issues as needed.
- Conduct a variety of analytical and operational studies regarding legislative and policy activities; evaluate alternatives, make recommendations, and assists with the implementation of procedural, policy, and/or operational changes after approval; prepares comprehensive technical records and reports.
- Receives inquiries and provides information to the public regarding a wide variety of topics and successfully communicates with a variety of audiences as they relate to the agency’s programs and projects.
- Support monitoring legislation and regulations and provides recommendations on issue specific fiscal notes and analysis.
Qualifications
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Required Experience and Education:
- A bachelor’s degree in economics, political science, public policy, public administration, law, or related field.
- A minimum of four (4) years of professional experience working on utility and/or transportation policy development. An advanced degree may substitute for one year of the required experience.
OR
A total of eight (8) years’ experience with any combination of education in public administration, political science, law, economics, policy or a closely allied field or progressive experience in state or federal policy development.
- Examples of ways to achieve this qualification are as follows:
- 8 years of progressive professional experience in public policy development.
- A bachelor’s degree in economics, public administration, policy, law or closely related field AND 4 years’ experience in public policy development.
- A master’s degree in economics, public administration, policy, law or closely related field AND 3 years’ experience in public policy development.
- A PhD in public administration, law, policy, economics, or closely allied field AND 2 years of progressive professional experience in public policy development
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Effective communication skills – in written, oral and listening. Able to convey and share complex information to a wide diverse audience. Strong diplomatic and negotiating abilities.
- Ability to work in a high-pressure environment with competing and challenging deadlines with short turnaround times required.
- Ability to engage with and build effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including state and federal governmental agencies, legislators, and the public. Ability to develop relationships of trust with legislators, state and federal agency officials, and industry stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability to take broad policy conceptual ideas, and provide appropriate guidance, recommendations to bring them into practical applications with minimal guidance and direction.
- Ability to interpret and explain state and federal laws, and commission policies and practices, to a wide range of audiences.
- Demonstrated experience working within the political environment, including clear understanding of legislative process, influencing the continuation and maintenance of resources and policy development, and decision-making that impacts programs. In depth knowledge and understanding of the legislative process.
- Must work collaboratively in the development of commission policies and advocate for the selected policy position on assigned matters.
- Ability to research, analyze and make recommendations on complex policy issues.
- Employ and interpret research and statistical methodologies, economic and policy theories and principles, and to use the information to develop and effectively present recommendations to the commission; and
- Balance the interests of consumers and regulated companies to achieve sound and balanced public policy goals and objectives.
- Use computer resources and electronic information resources effectively to manage work, gather information, and communicate.
Demonstration of Leadership Competencies:
Develop teamwork through leadership defines team standards, responsibilities, processes, and goals. Promotes a cooperative and respectful work environment. Works for consensus. Anticipates and resolves conflicts. Identifies opportunities in adverse situations. Leverages team diversity to improve team effectiveness; promotes unique team talents. Appropriately and timely shares information, internally and externally. Models desired behavior.
Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Competencies (expected of all employees):
- The ability to take action to learn and grow.
- The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.
- EDI Knowledge, Understanding, & Commitment.
- Self-Awareness.
- Cultivating Mutually Beneficial and Trusting Strategic Partnerships.
- Inclusive Excellence& Allyship.
UTC Core Competencies (expected of all employees):
- Accountability
- Measuring Success and Improvement
- Customer Focus
- Results Focus
- Communication Skills
- Adaptability/Flexibility
- Self-Development
- Continuous Process Improvement
Desired Experience, Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:
- Advanced university degree, such as a master’s or PhD in public administration, economics, or a closely related field.
- Recognized mastery of one or more public policy areas as demonstrated by a track record of success in formulating policy or performance measurement recommendations that are adopted, authoring peer-reviewed publications and presentations, or other similar professionally evaluated performance.
- Knowledge of state utility regulations, including commission policies, rules, procedures, goals, objectives, and strategies and the body of prior commission precedent; Administrative Procedures Act and quasi-judicial legal process.
- Knowledge of regulatory theory and practice; and state, regional, and federal policy regarding transportation and pipeline industries.
- Knowledge of public entities and national bodies involved in utility, transportation and other issues and the action take that affect their industries. These entities may include the U.S. Congress, U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Washington Department of Ecology, Washington Department of Commerce, and the Washington Legislature.
Supplemental Information
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READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION COMPLETELY:
- This position is covered under civil service rules, Chapter 357 of the Washington Administrative Code (WAC).
- RCW 80.01.020 limits the UTC's ability to employ any person who owns stock in any company the UTC regulates or is otherwise financially interested in such company. Such interests include those of an employee's spouse.
- UTC does not use E-Verify; therefore, we are not eligible to extend STEM-Optional Practice Training (OPT). For information, please visit www.uscis.gov.
How to Apply:
Interested in joining the UTC team? Click the Apply button at the top to begin! To be considered for further screening, ensure you attach the following documents to your completed application:
- Letter of Interest - describing how you meet the position qualifications and why you believe you are the ideal candidate.
- Resume - detailing your applicable competencies, experience and education.
- Brief Policy Statement Sample - preferably no more the ten (10) pages that you have written without contribution, assistance, or substantive editing by anyone else demonstrating your professional work.
- References - At minimum, three (3) professional references with current telephone numbers and email addresses must be included with your application; one (1) contact MUST be your current or most recent supervisor.
The initial screening of candidates will be solely based on the contents and completeness of the application materials, including answers provided to the ‘Supplemental Questionnaire’, along with the additional application documents submitted as part of the application process.
If you are viewing this recruitment on any website other than www.careers.wa.gov, please note the recruitment title and job number and apply through Washington state’s official portal. Your application may be received incomplete if using a third-party website. If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or email support@neogov.com.
NOTE, indicating ‘see resume’ will not substitute for completing the "work experience" section or supplemental questionnaire of the application packet and will result in your submission being marked incomplete.
Veterans Preference:
For information about YesVets, please click here.
Applicants wishing to claim Veterans Preference should attach to their application a copy of their redacted DD-214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22, or signed verification of service letter from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Please blackout any personally identifiable data such as Social Security numbers. For further information, contact UTC Human Resources at humanresources@utc.wa.gov.
All information may be verified; additional documentation may be required. Candidates may be disqualified if the education and/or work experience does not include information used to meet the minimum qualifications of the job.
The UTC is an equal opportunity employer. We want to make sure you have an equal opportunity to join our team. Our commitment is making sure current and future employees are treated fairly and equally without regard to age, sex (including gender identity), race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status, or religious or political affiliation.
Persons needing accommodation in the application process may contact the recruiter via telephone on (360) 664-1134 or email the UTC HR office at humanresources@utc.wa.gov. For TTY service, please call the Washington Relay Service on 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.
For more information about the UTC, please visit:
www.utc.wa.gov, www.facebook.com/wautc
The State of Washington:
http://access.wa.gov