Director of Government Affairs

State of Maryland • Baltimore City, MD

9d

About The Position

When you join the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS), you join a team of more than 5,000 employees across the state dedicated to positively changing the lives of more than 1 million Marylanders each year. We do this by providing economic support, preventive services, and caring for children and adults. We aim to deliver services so that we more quickly meet the needs of the people we serve. At DHS, we grapple with hard questions to find new ways to foster a culture of bold innovation. We do this to ensure that in Maryland, we leave no one behind. This is a Management Service positions that serves at the pleasure of the Appointing Authority. GRADE 23 LOCATION OF POSITION Maryland Department of Human Services Office of the Secretary 25 South Charles St. Baltimore, MD 21201 Main Purpose of Job The main purpose of this position is to manage, direct, and administer the Department of Human Service Office of Governmental Affairs. This includes providing advice and guidance to the Secretary, Deputy Secretaries, and DHS Program Directors on legislative issues, drafting legislation and position statements supporting the Department's position, testifying in legislative hearings, reviewing and commenting on federal legislation, and providing information and support on legislative matters for all DHS program

Requirements

• Education: A Bachelor's degree in Policy, Political Science, Social Work, Sociology, Psychology, or related field.
• Experience : Five years experience in legislative or government affairs, including one year preparing and reviewing legislative proposals, one year analyzing and developing legislation , and three years managing Legislative Analysts.

Nice To Haves

• Graduate Degree in Policy, Political Science, Social Work, Sociology, Psychology, Law or related field.
• Two years of experience preparing implementation strategies.
• Two years of experience managing communication between legislature and agency.
• Two years of experience with one or more of the following Human Services: Child Welfare, Child Support, TANF, SNAP, and Energy Assistance.

Responsibilities

• Analyze all legislation during the General Assembly session, advise the Secretary and Deputy Secretaries on legislative issues, and develop DHS position statements and strategy.
• Prepare DHS legislative proposals, including reviewing and editing legislative proposals from the various DHS programs, and communicating intent of the proposals to the Secretary and the Governor's Legislative Office.
• Review and analyze passed legislation, to compile information and formulate strategies on actions required of the Department by the General Assembly (e.g. interim studies, reports, JCR responses).
• Acts as liaison to various Administrations and Local Department of Social Services within DHS on legislative matters during the legislative session and the interim.
• Attends meetings of advisory committees, associations, advocacy groups and providers to track issues important to the Department.
• Ensures the compliance of DHS mandatory and statutory reporting, data and response requirements including meeting and coordinating with staff to draft reports.
• Prepares, reviews, approves and distributes reports of pending State legislation.
• Ensures dissemination of reports to relevant Legislative Committees and representatives and finalizes for submission to the Legislature .

Benefits

• health insurance, dental, and vision plans offered at a low cost.
• Personal Leave - new State employees are awarded six (6) personnel days annually (prorated based on start date).
• Annual Leave - ten (10) days of accumulated annual leave per year.
• Sick Leave - fifteen (15) days of accumulated sick leave per year.
• Parental Leave - up to sixty (60) days of paid parental leave upon the birth or adoption of a child.
• Holidays - State employees also celebrate at least thirteen (13) holidays per year.
• Pension - State employees earn credit towards a retirement pension.
• Positions may be eligible for telework.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees