Program Policy Fellow

Texas Health & Human Services Commission•Dallas, TX

1d•$2,262 - $3,627•Hybrid

About The Position

Join the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and gain hands-on experience supporting public policy and program operations that impact Texans across the state. Access and Eligibility Services (AES) Program Policy develops and maintains policy for programs that help Texans access food, medical coverage, cash assistance, and other critical services. The Program Policy team works closely with operations, training, technology, legal, government relations, and agency leadership to ensure policies are clear, accurate, and effectively implemented. The Management Analyst II (Program Policy Fellow) will primarily support AES Program Policy throughout the upcoming Texas legislative session. Working alongside policy professionals and program subject-matter experts, the fellow will help the division manage the fast-paced analysis, coordination, and documentation required during the legislative process. Responsibilities may include reviewing and summarizing proposed legislation; researching existing federal and state requirements; helping identify potential policy and operational impacts; tracking legislative assignments, deadlines, and decisions; coordinating input from subject-matter experts; and preparing clear, accurate materials for leadership review. The fellow may also assist with legislative inquiries, meeting and hearing preparation, status reports, implementation planning, and other time-sensitive projects related to the session. Following the legislative session, the fellow may help translate enacted legislation into implementation plans, policy updates, staff guidance, and other resources needed to put legislative changes into operation. This opportunity is ideal for someone interested in the Texas legislative process, public policy, public administration, health and human services programs, government operations, research, writing, or project coordination. Successful candidates will be curious, organized, adaptable, attentive to detail, and comfortable managing multiple assignments and deadlines in a collaborative environment. This is a temporary fellowship during the 90th Texas Legislative session intended to provide practical experience and professional development while supporting meaningful work that benefits Texans and the programs that serve them.

Requirements

Current enrollment in a college, graduate program, or recent graduate status.
Coursework in public policy, public administration, political science, government, public health, health care administration, communications, English, business, or a related field.
Experience conducting research and preparing written summaries, analyses, reports, presentations, or similar work products.
Experience organizing information and managing multiple assignments or deadlines.
Experience using Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Nice To Haves

Graduate-level coursework or completion of a graduate degree preferred.
Knowledge of and experience with the Texas legislative process preferred.
Experience researching, reviewing, summarizing, or tracking legislation, public policy, statutes, regulations, or government programs preferred.
Experience with health and human services programs or other public-sector programs preferred.

Responsibilities

Assists with monitoring and tracking proposed legislation, bill amendments, committee activity, legislative deadlines, assignments, and other developments affecting Access and Eligibility Services programs.
Reviews and summarizes proposed legislation and related materials to help identify potential impacts on program policy, operations, eligibility systems, staff guidance, training, client communications, and other business processes.
Conducts research using federal and state statutes, regulations, rules, policy guidance, legislative materials, and other reliable sources to support legislative and policy analysis.
Coordinates with policy staff and subject-matter experts to gather information, clarify issues, document program impacts, and support the timely completion of legislative assignments.
Drafts, edits, formats, and organizes bill summaries, policy analyses, briefing materials, status reports, presentations, responses to inquiries, and other legislative-session work products.
Helps maintain legislative trackers, assignment records, reference materials, decisions, deadlines, and supporting documentation to ensure information is current, accurate, and accessible.
Participates in legislative meetings, workgroups, and project discussions; documents decisions, action items, outstanding questions, and next steps; and communicates updates to appropriate staff.
Assists with responding to time-sensitive requests from leadership and other agency areas by gathering information, coordinating reviews, and preparing clear and accurate materials.
Translates complex legislative, statutory, regulatory, and policy information into concise and understandable formats for leadership, agency staff, and other audiences.