Employment

Position Announcement: Legislative Assistant to House Democratic Caucus Members

Associate Legislative Assistant to House Democratic Caucus Member, Washington State House of Representatives

Mission:  To assist Legislators in successfully fulfilling their public obligations by providing support services in the areas of administration, office management, communication, research and public relations

Reports to:  Representative, Legislative Assistant Staff Director, Chief Clerk

Location:  This position is based in Olympia during session. Interim location is Olympia or a District Office, but currently in-state telecommuting is encouraged due to COVID-19. Employees should reside within the State of Washington. Occasional travel within the district and to Olympia are required.

Job Type: Exempt. The position is exempt from civil service laws. Occasional evening/weekend work may be required, particularly during the legislative session. Regular legislative sessions take place January through March in even-numbered years, and January through April in odd-numbered years. Special legislative sessions occur as needed. Legislative Assistants are expected to work full-time hours during session, with a flexible schedule as an option during interim months.

Salary: Associate Legislative Assistant salary starts at $42,732/year and increases depending on a combination of prior work experience and higher education attendance.

Salary determination for Legislative Assistant positions is formula based and includes previous paid, related work experience and (up to) four years of higher education attendance.

Benefits: This position is a full-time, benefited position. All Legislative Employees are State Employees.

The following information describes typical benefits available for full-time employees who are expected to work more than six months. Actual benefits may vary by appointment type or be prorated for other than full-time work.

Benefits include: medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance and FSA/HSA for qualifying plans. Legislative employees are also offered ample paid leave options, including: Annual Leave, Granted Leave, Sick Leave and a Personal Holiday. Additionally, employees of the House are entitled to paid leave on recognized state holidays, unless such holiday falls during a legislative session, in which case, the hours will be added to accumulated granted leave.

Employees are members of the Washington Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) and have the option to participate in the Deferred Compensation Program.

State Employee salary increases, and cost of living adjustments are subject to appropriation in the state biennial budget.

COVID-19 Alert: Due to operational changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, , all House staff are authorized to telecommute until December 31, 2021..

To Apply:  Please send your cover letter outlining your qualifications and interest in working with the House Democratic Caucus and resume in one document to jobs.hdc@leg.wa.gov. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and will be included in a pool of applicants for open Legislative Assistant positions with the House Democratic Caucus. Please include how you heard about this position. Interviews will take place using a video conferencing platform.

PREFERRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES

• Minimum 2 years of prior paid work history
• Prior office management and administrative support experience
• Strong writing, editing, and oral communication skills, including knowledge of standard format and protocol for professional correspondence
• Highly organized and able to perform multiple detailed tasks accurately and efficiently under time constraints
• Experience conducting complex and detailed scheduling, making travel arrangements and managing office budgeting/reimbursement procedures
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Outlook and Teams, with the ability to work with speed and accuracy in these programs.
• Experience scheduling meetings using video conference technology including Microsoft Teams and Zoom
• Knowledge of legislative process and state and local government structure, functions, and services
• Flexibility to travel to requested locations to attend meetings and provide staff support to the member
• Ability to work independently, exercise professional judgment, and maintain confidentiality
• Candidates with non-traditional backgrounds encouraged to apply

TYPICAL ASSIGNMENTS

Office Management:

• Manage daily operation of Olympia and/or district office
• Create and maintain electronic and physical filing and organizational systems for office operations, committees, task forces, and ongoing projects
• Maintain office records in accordance with the Washington State Public Records Act
• Answer phone and act as first point of contact for all callers and visitors, observing formal professional protocol in all external communications

Scheduling:

• Manage the Representative’s calendar with a high level of accuracy, including complex scheduling assignments, individual appointments, group meetings, public events, and travel arrangements
• Respond to staff, constituent, and stakeholder appointment requests
• Plan and organize virtual and in-person town hall meetings
• Coordinate meeting preparation materials when needed
• During session, attend meetings with constituents on member’s behalf, as needed

Bill Management:

• Track advancement of bills throughout drafting and legislative process to ensure that timelines and deadlines are met.  This includes maintaining detailed bill tracking spreadsheets and drafting bill and budget request letters to committee chairs

Correspondence & Writing:

• Draft responses on behalf of the Representative to constituent emails, letters, and phone calls. Manage a high volume of constituent inquiries
• Draft correspondence to agencies and other elected officials
• Coordinate between Communications staff and the Representative to prepare articles, newsletters, press releases, speeches, and talking points

Casework & Constituent Service:

• Facilitate communication between constituents and government agencies, assisting constituents in accessing services, and researching and solving complex problems
• Serve as a liaison between the Representative and constituents of the Legislative District; exercising independent judgment and providing high level customer service

Expense Reimbursement:

• Submit detailed and timely accounting reports for member travel and expense reimbursement, according to House policy
• Budget member expense account to ensure that funds are available for planned expenses
• Maintain organized records of expenses and reimbursements

Honoring diversity, equity and inclusion means that as an organization, and as individuals, we are committed to ensuring that all employees enjoy a respectful, safe and supportive working environment.  Only by fostering the inclusion of people from all backgrounds, cultures and attributes, can Washington State House of Representatives employees achieve their fullest potential and best advance the goals and mission of the House of Representatives.

The Washington State House of Representatives is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation/gender identity, age, disability, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or using a service animal. We encourage people of all backgrounds to apply, including those listed above and those with other diverse life experiences. Persons requiring reasonable accommodation in the application process or requiring information in an alternative format may contact House ADA Coordinator Kyle Overmiller at kyle.overmiller@leg.wa.gov or 360-786-7271, or TTD 1-800-635-9993.