Legislative Budget and Policy Analyst
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About The Position
The Joint Budget Committee (JBC) Staff is a nonpartisan legislative agency that helps the JBC and legislature form the state budget by providing objective research, analysis, and recommendations. The JBC is made up of six elected members of the state legislature who are tasked with developing the annual state budget. The JBC Staff reviews the management, operations, and fiscal needs of state agencies to develop recommendations for the JBC. The Legislative Budget and Policy Analyst position offers a unique and rewarding opportunity to contribute to public policy. Primary responsibilities include evaluating budget requests submitted by state agencies, identifying and researching fiscal and policy issues impacting expenditures, writing reports summarizing the analysis and recommendations for state agency funding, and presenting these findings to legislators in public settings. Analysts are responsible for drafting the annual budget bill for introduction to the state legislature following the JBC's budget decisions. Analysts engage with state agencies, legislators, stakeholders, and the public throughout this process. In addition to the budget process, the role encompasses a variety of responsibilities, including analyzing the fiscal implications of legislation, collaborating with attorneys to draft budget-related bills, preparing amendments for bills requiring state funding, conducting research for legislators, staffing the Appropriations Committees, and developing annual office publications. The position demands the ability to work with substantial amounts of quantitative and qualitative data while producing documents under tight deadlines. Candidates must be able to ask the right questions and formulate nonpartisan recommendations through objective analysis. Each analysts' recommendations are independent, which is both highly rewarding and challenging. People who excel in the role are self-starters who are able to manage ambiguity and imperfect information. This is an oversight position that requires challenging departments, stakeholders, and the status quo and tactfully handling associated conflicts. This is a full-time and year-round position, but the workload is highly seasonal. Workload can be intense from the Governor's budget request on November 1 through the end of the legislative session in May, often requiring evening and weekend work to meet deadlines. The position entails primarily in-office availability during this time to coordinate essential tasks and build trust with legislators, colleagues, and stakeholders. Work schedules are more flexible from May through October, allowing for the utilization of accrued compensatory time and vacation. Analysts must be able to work with people with diverse experiences, interests, and knowledge levels. The office values candidates from a variety of backgrounds.
