Position Description
The City of Seattle is seeking two Policy Advisors to serve in pivotal roles to support Mayor Harrell’s One Seattle vision to build a thriving, innovative, and equitable city we are all proud to call home. Policy Advisors develop, lead, and track complex, high-priority projects, policies, and initiatives necessary to deliver holistic, multi-faceted solutions. An advisor’s policy portfolio encompasses a wide variety of issues that could include transportation, economic development, education, climate, public safety, housing, and public and metal health. The work environment in the Mayor’s Office is complex, fast-paced, and political. This is an opportunity to leverage your expertise in public policy, project management skills and ability to understand complex problems, identify their key issues and succinctly present options to address them. Policy Advisors provide insight to the mayor’s executive leadership team regarding the operations and strategic goals of city departments.
The Mayor’s Policy Team Is Accountable For
- Ensuring progress and alignment of the mayor’s priorities.
- Supporting the Mayor’s Office executive team and city departments in developing new initiatives.
- Leading high-profile projects that involve multiple city departments.
- Tracking the implementation of key initiatives and priorities.
The policy team ensures city leaders have the information they need to make informed decisions, including identifying alternatives and trade-offs, as part of the decision-making process. This may include providing strategic policy guidance; analyzing legislative and budget developments; advising on responses to Council led inquiries; and assisting in shaping city departments’ legislative agendas to align with broader city goals.
Job Responsibilities
Here Is More About What You Will Be Doing
- Serve as a lead, technical advisor and project manager of multiple complex and high-profile public policy projects.
- Conduct research and analysis to evaluate proposed policies, regulations, rules and procedures; identify potential risks and opportunities; develop options; and make recommendations.
- Produce written products, including project workplans, briefs, research memos, and presentations that concisely and clearly describe complex issues/analyses and provide viable recommendations.
- Research a variety of public policy issues by conducting literature reviews, interviewing experts within and external to the city, and engaging with stakeholders.
- Manage and participate in workgroups with internal and external stakeholders.
Qualifications
The Policy Advisor will have experience that reflects a commitment to public service and civic responsibility. They have knowledge of, and work experience with, supporting the executive decision-making process and are familiar with the workings of local government. To the work they bring expertise in public policy development and the legislative process; optimism in government’s ability to enact creative, ambitious solutions to the challenges facing major cities; and a strategic mindset.
This knowledge and experience should be complemented by demonstrated ability in a combination of the following areas:
- Technical writing skills with the ability to leverage qualitative and quantitative data to produce compelling recommendations and reports to drive policy decisions.
- Convey complex information in a manner that informs diverse audiences through excellent communication and presentation skills.
- Effectively manage multiple projects, delivering high quality and timely results.
- Engage with others in a manner that reflects collaboration, partnership, and respect.
- Build connections between groups, empowering cohesive and collaborative efforts within and across organizations.
- Navigate a political environment with an engaging personal style.
- Exercise a high level of tact, good judgment, discretion, and diplomacy.
Additional Information
This full-time benefited position is classified as a Strategic Advisor 2, Exempt in the City payroll system. It is not covered under the Civil Service System and is FLSA exempt (not eligible for overtime payment). The full salary range for this classification title is $114,005 – 171,069 annually based on 2088 hours ($54.60 - $81.93 per hour). The identified salary range for the Policy Advisor role is $121,521 - $140,940 annually based on 2088 hours ($58.20 - $67.50/hour per hour).
This position offers the flexibility of a hybrid work schedule. Employees are expected to be in-office 3 days per week. Individual schedules will be based on an agreement between the employee and their supervisor. Policy Advisors may be required to work nights, evenings, weekends or attend meetings at locations outside of the office.
Job offers are contingent on review of criminal history as well as verification of information provided by the applicant as part of the application process. In compliance with Seattle's Fair Chance Employment Ordinance, SMC 14.17 applicants will be provided an opportunity to explain or correct background information.
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact Pam Inch at Pam.Inch@seattle.gov to request accommodation.
The City of Seattle recognizes every City employee must play a role in ending institutional and structural racism. Our culture is the result of our behavior, our personal commitments, and the ways that we courageously share our perspectives and encourage others to do the same. To cultivate an antiracist culture, we seek employees who will engage in race and social justice by working to dismantle racist policies and procedures, unlearn the way things have always been done, and provide equitable processes and services.
The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents. More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at: https://www.seattle.gov/humanresources/benefits/employees-and-covered-family-members/most-employees-plans.
Application Process
Please submit your application at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/seattle/ no later than 4:00pm Pacific Time on Tuesday, February 11, 2025. To be considered for this position, in addition to completing your application fully, please attach:
- A PDF of your current resume illustrating your related skills, experience, and abilities
- A cover letter explaining your interest in this opportunity and capability to perform in this role
- While not required, a writing sample or link to your professional portfolio
Please note this job advertisement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
This position is open to all individuals whose experience, skills and abilities are aligned with the qualifications as presented above. The City of Seattle values diverse perspectives and life experiences. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, medical condition, or pregnancy. The City of Seattle encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experiences.
If you have questions, please contact Pam Inch, Senior Executive Recruiter at Pam.Inch@seattle.gov.
