Position: Federal Policy Advisor (12-14 month temporary employee with possibility of renewal)
Reports to: Senior Advisor for Election Infrastructure
Location: Washington D.C. area, with 10% travel
Priority Application Deadline: February 9, 2025
The Challenge and Opportunity
The Institute for Responsive Government helps policymakers find solutions that make government more efficient, accessible, and responsive to the needs of real human beings. We start with the mechanics of democracy: our key focus areas include practical pro-voter policies like Automatic Voter Registration and voter-centric election administration, and resource solutions like predictable federal funding to loosen chronic policy problems. Then, we work to make democracy meet its promises. Government should provide customer service and material benefits at every touchpoint—from health benefits to taxes to the DMV. If we choose to come together with our neighbors to make up a democracy, that government must deliver well enough to make us choose participation.
The Organization
Building on a decade of success working in partnership with state political leaders from both parties, lawmakers, NGOs, and academic leaders, the Institute for Responsive Government is a hub for policy and technical experts, organizers, and government officials working together to craft pragmatic, human-centered policies designed to make government more responsive to all of us.
The Person
As Federal Policy Advisor, you will work with Responsive Gov’s federal team, partner organizations, and consultants to respond to federal legislative and executive policy developments. This is a fast-paced job, involving crafting legislative text, responding to policymaker and stakeholder ideas with coherent policy analysis, and developing strategies for Responsive Gov to advance policies that strengthen American democracy. You are a detail-oriented, proactive, and thoughtful professional looking for a flexible job that helps strengthen our democracy.
Key Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Legal Analysis
- Serve as lead legal analyst on federal policy that touches on Responsive Gov’s areas of interest
- Conduct rapid analysis of complex policy issues, delivering clear and concise recommendations and plain language summaries
- Prepare well-crafted policy briefs, bill and executive order analyses, reports, and advocacy materials with clarity and precision
Policy Development and Advocacy
- Support federal policy development in a fast-paced environment, requiring high responsiveness and quick decision-making
- Research and write legislative text, either from scratch or building on and improving existing legislation
- Support Responsive Gov’s legislative advocacy efforts through strategic planning, stakeholder management, and prepping for and participating in meetings with policymakers
- Serve as a subject matter expert on voting policy, voter registration, and the structure and funding of election systems
Skills and Qualifications
The Ideal Candidate is:
- Committed to our core mission of supporting democracy and quality election administration
- Committed to resilience and dynamic perseverance in the face of evolving strategic challenges
- A knowledgeable attorney with comfort crafting legislative text and policy analysis
- A self-starter, with an ability to quickly integrate and explain complicated policy concepts in an accessible way
- A strong researcher, writer, and communicator, with an ability to convey complex concepts concisely
- Dedicated to producing results and maximizing impact
- Excited to tackle new projects and ideas
- Creative and when they see a problem, they come up with a plan to fix it
- Comfortable in a fast-paced environment
- Flexible and able to work in a remote structure
- Oriented towards what is and could be possible at all times, embodying an abundance mindset
Education and Experience
- JD and legal background strongly preferred to assist in navigating regulatory frameworks and policy impacts, 3-5 minimum years of experience
- Experience in legislative processes, policy development, congressional oversight and/or election law is required. Federal experience is a plus, but not required
- Proven ability to analyze complex policies and communicate with stakeholders from a variety of ideological backgrounds
The Tangible Good
The salary range for this position is $135,000 – $155,000. We offer a highly competitive salary and benefits package, including a 401(k) program with a 3% employer contribution plus a 3% employer match that is fully vested day one and 100% of health/dental/vision premiums fully covered.