Legislative Director - Exempt Band 3 - Exempt - 2026-04952

State of Washington•Thurston County – Olympia, WA

15h•Hybrid

About The Position

Help shape the future of one of Washington's most visible and impactful natural resource agencies. As Legislative Director, you will serve as a key member of the Director's Policy Team, providing strategic counsel on legislative and policy issues and representing the agency before lawmakers, tribal governments, federal partners, and stakeholders.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in natural resource management, public policy, or a related field.
Five (5) or more years of experience with the Washington State legislature or in a comparable policy or legislative environment.
Public policy or natural resource policy experience.
Familiarity with the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and Administrative Procedure Act (APA).
Understanding of WDFW’s core functions, programs, policies, customers, and constituencies.
Established relationships with key government stakeholders and partner organizations.
Expertise in legislative affairs, public policy analysis, and government relations.
Experience advising executive leaders on legislative and policy matters.
Strong political judgment and the ability to navigate complex and sensitive issues.
Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills.
Experience representing an organization before legislative bodies, elected officials, and stakeholders.
Knowledge of the legal, regulatory, and governmental frameworks that affect public-sector operations.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in public policy or a related field including a Juris Doctorate.
Five years of direct legislative experience.

Responsibilities

Leads the development and execution of the agency’s legislative program, including advancing agency-request legislation and responding to proposed legislation affecting WDFW’s mission, statutory authority, and budget.
Serves as a senior policy advisor to the Director and Executive Management Team, providing strategic guidance on legislative, budgetary, and public policy issues that influence agency direction and priorities.
Represents the agency in high-level external affairs and intergovernmental engagement, coordinating with legislators, legislative staff, tribal governments, stakeholders, lobbyists, and other governmental partners on policy and legislative matters.
Provides leadership and direction to the state and federal legislative team, ensuring alignment between legislative strategy, policy development, and agency priorities.
Oversees coordination of legislative activities with related agency processes, including rulemaking and SEPA-related considerations, to ensure consistency, compliance, and strategic alignment.
Engages in ongoing executive-level decision support, including advising on emerging legislative issues and supporting negotiation and strategy development during legislative session and interim periods.
Performs other duties as assigned in support of executive leadership and evolving legislative priorities.