Policy Assistant

The Policy Assistant provides essential support to the Policy team and reports directly to the Director of Policy. This position is responsible for assisting with research, data collection, and document preparation to advance the county's policy initiatives. This role will also handle a variety of administrative and project management tasks to ensure the efficient operation of policy-related activities. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, highly organized, and eager to support public policy development in a local government setting.

* Research Support: Assist in researching policy issues relevant to the county, including areas such as public health, housing, economic development, and environmental. sustainability. Collect and compile data from various sources to inform policy decisions.
* Document Preparation: Draft and edit documents including policy briefs, memos, reports, and presentation materials for the Director and other county officials. Ensure that all materials are accurate, clear, and aligned with county goals.
* Project Coordination: Support the planning and execution of policy initiatives and projects, including coordinating schedules, tracking project milestones, and managing timelines. This may include occasional travel within the county for stakeholder meetings and events.
* Meeting and Event Support: Prepare agendas, take detailed notes, and track action items for policy-related meetings. Assist with planning and logistics for community engagement events, workshops, and public meetings as needed.
* Legislative Monitoring: Help monitor local, state, and federal legislation impacting county policies. Provide summaries of relevant bills, regulations, and other legislative developments to keep the Director and the team informed of policy implications.
* Stakeholder Communication: Serve as a point of contact for inquiries and communications related to policy projects. Maintain positive relationships with internal departments, community organizations, and other stakeholders.
* Administrative Support: Manage schedules, maintain files and records, and perform general administrative tasks to support the daily operations of the Policy and Planning team.

Education and Credentials
* Bachelor's degree in Public Policy, Political Science, Public Administration, or a related field.

Experience and Skills
* 1+ years of experience in an office environment, preferably in government, public policy, research, or a related field. Internship experience is also valuable.
* Excellent organizational skills with strong attention to detail and accuracy.
* Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to draft clear and concise documents.
* Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
* Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and familiarity with research or data analysis tools is a plus.
* Collaborative and team-oriented, with a commitment to public service.
* Ability to drive or have reliable transportation to any events and/or meetings
* Ability to occasionally work into evening hours.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; and talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands or arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision and depth perception. This position requires a valid driver's license and reliable transportation for off-site meetings.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential function.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.