Legislative and Policy Manager (WMS2)

State of Washington•Thurston County – Olympia, WA

15h

About The Position

The Department of Licensing (DOL) is seeking a Legislative and Policy Manager to lead strategic legislative and rulemaking operations. This role involves improving coordination, consistency, and policy implementation across the division and agency. The manager will collaborate with various stakeholders, including agency leadership, legislators, the Governor's Office, and external partners, to advance policy priorities and address complex legislative issues. A key aspect of the role is evaluating operational performance and implementing process improvements to enhance team capacity, efficiency, and organizational effectiveness, which is crucial for the agency's ability to maintain funding and secure approval for initiatives. The position supports legislative engagement, coordinates committee presentations, and represents the Legislative and Policy Director in discussions with legislators. It also involves directing and supporting Legislative and Policy Analysts in developing processes, training, and guidance for legislative analysis, rulemaking, fiscal review, and stakeholder engagement. The role requires identifying new legislative and policy projects based on feedback and consulting with unit leadership on critical assignments such as legislative management, maintaining external relationships, and formalizing internal operations. The manager must use sound judgment to respond to questions in high-pressure situations with calm and tact.

Requirements

Ten (10) years of experience working within the state agency environment.
Experience working with the state legislature, in areas of legislative proposals, policy development, and rulemaking experience.
Excellent communication skills.
Ability to facilitate conversations effectively.
Experience in reading and writing legislation.
Knowledge of the interplay between the various programs administered by the Department of Licensing.
Knowledge of principles of sound program administration and policy.
Knowledge of principles of developing strategic operational policies and processes.
Knowledge of the rulemaking process and the Administrative Procedures Act and Regulatory Fairness Act.
Knowledge of agency priorities, policies and practices.
Knowledge of impacted party engagement strategies and best practices.
Ability to effectively communicate in writing and orally with diverse groups, including the Department's Executive Leadership, Governor's Office, local government representatives, industry representatives and associations, and Department staff.
Ability to use sound judgment to respond to questions in high-pressure situations with calm and tact.
Ability to identify and implement sound processes to achieve effective program administration.
Ability to establish, monitor and follow timeframes, and successfully meet deadlines.
Ability to build trusted relationships by working with others both inside and outside the agency.
Ability to effectively mentor, coach, and train staff.
Ability to manage others to deliver a high-quality product within set timeframes.
Ability to anticipate and seek to resolve confrontations and disagreements in a constructive manner.
Ability to facilitate discussions to arrive at agreed-upon solutions.
Ability to analyze complex issues by interpreting and applying pertinent rules, laws, and other research material.
Ability to know when to bring in the expertise of other divisions.
Ability to work quickly and thoroughly with sound judgment to briefly and accurately summarize complex issues.
Ability to provide high quality service to customers.
Ability to remain calm and rational while handling volatile situations.
Ability to successfully navigate challenging situations and diffuse difficult people.
Ability to take action to meet the needs of others.
Ability to take action to learn and grow.
Understand and follow agency values of respect, trust, diversity, equity, and inclusion through behaviors and decisions.
Promote and support a respectful, equitable, and inclusive workplace for all employees.
Promote and support respectful, equitable, and inclusive delivery of services to customers.
Demonstrate ethical behavior and impress its importance upon others.
Speak up for and support a position.
Exhibit self-confidence, creativity, and objectivity.
Strong awareness of authorizing environments and discretion to identify issues for escalation.
Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to accept the suggestions of others, to motivate and build teamwork.
Strong analytical and organizing skills.
Strong editing skills for the review of others' work.
Self-motivation to produce excellent work.
Up to four (4) years of education in business, administration, public administration, or a closely related field may be used in lieu of experience.

Nice To Haves

Prior DOL experience that lends an understanding of internal agency operations and organizational structure.
Prior experience communicating with legislators, Governor's Office staff, and external partners.
A master's degree in public administration, public administration, or closely allied field.

Responsibilities

Lead strategic legislative and rulemaking operations.
Improve coordination, consistency, and policy implementation across the division and agency.
Collaborate with the Rules and Policy Manager, Legislative and Special Projects Manager, agency leadership, legislators, the Governor's Office, and external partners to advance policy priorities.
Address complex legislative issues and support informed decision-making.
Evaluate operational performance and implement process improvements to increase team capacity, efficiency, and organizational effectiveness.
Support legislative engagement activities, coordinating committee presentations.
Speak with legislators on various policy issues on behalf of the Legislative and Policy Director.
Direct and support Legislative and Policy Analysts in developing effective processes, training, and operational guidance.
Strengthen legislative analysis, rulemaking, fiscal review, and stakeholder engagement activities.
Identify new legislative and policy projects or proposals based on internal and external feedback.
Consult with unit leadership on critical assignments like legislative management, maintaining external partner relationships, and formalizing processes for essential internal operations.
Use sound judgment to respond to questions in high-pressure situations with calm and tact.
Develop process improvements to assist in carrying out the operational vision of the Legislative and Policy Director.