Senior Legislative Officer

Job Summary 

EDA Overview

• Join the NJEDA and help lead New Jersey to sustainable economic growth, fostering equitable opportunities and vibrant communities. We offer hybrid work, a supportive culture, and robust benefits, including health insurance, retirement plans, and extensive wellness programs. Make a tangible impact and shape New Jersey's future with innovative economic development at NJEDA.

Job Overview

• Working within the NJEDA’s Government Affairs team, the Senior Legislative Officer tracks and monitors legislation with direct and indirect impact to the Authority, provides comment on priority legislation, develops, and plans new legislative initiatives, and facilitates communication between the Authority and the New Jersey State Assembly and Senate.
• Tracks and reviews proposed legislation of importance to the Authority and contributes to bill comments prepared by the Legislative & Regulatory Affairs team on proposed legislation that directly or indirectly impacts NJEDA and economic development in New Jersey.
• Acts as liaison to legislative district offices, to convey NJEDA position on legislation and policy. Provides testimony to legislative committees when called upon and attends and reports on relevant legislative hearings.

Duties

Daily Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Monitors GovNetNJ database to ensure awareness of the terms and status of proposed legislation and adequate response to minimize the effect of adverse legislative activity and to advance legislation that the NJEDA supports.
• Works closely with the Authority’s Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff, Managing Director – Policy, Research, and Government Affairs, and Director - Legislative & Regulatory Affairs to develop positions and proposed revisions, as necessary, to bills and legislative initiatives impacting NJEDA and/or economic development in New Jersey.
• Partners the Authority’s Communications, Events, and Marketing teams to develop legislative communications, including but not limited to obtaining quotes from legislators for NJEDA press releases, developing newsletters and mass mailers, and finalizing legislative dashboards of NJEDA program awards per district. Responds to legislators’ inquiries about constituents and NJEDA programs.

Projects:

• Prepares reports for legislative purposes, when required by the legislature or for other governmental entities, by conducting research and coordinating with other divisions, business units, and Executive staff. Handles the drafting, tracking, and annual reporting of all Economic Recovery Fund notices to the New Jersey State Assembly and Senate.
• Assists with the drafting and finalization of NJEDA’s responses to legislative questions during the annual budget process. Coordinates with the Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff to draft testimony for Assembly and Senate budget hearings.
• Provides policy recommendations on NJEDA program and initiatives, and tracks policy changes made by State that impact economic development.

Goals and Objectives:

• Develops legislative communications and outreach strategies that advance NJEDA’s mission and business objectives and enhance key legislative relationships. Communicates with legislators and other elected officials, informing them of NJEDA projects and initiatives milestones via written communications and in-person meetings.

Collaboration and Cross-Divisional Interaction:

• Partners and collaborates with the Authority’s Legislative and Regulatory Affairs team and Communications, Events, and Marketing teams to provide cohesive and consistent advocacy on behalf of EDA.
• Promotes teamwork and communication to encourage an interactive, cooperative, collaborative and customer focused work environment among division, EDA staff and external customers.

Reporting Structure:

• The Senior Legislative Officer will report into the Managing Director – Policy, Research, and Government Affairs, or a delegate determined by the Chief of Staff.
• This role is relatively autonomous, with the Senior Legislative Officer spearheading legislative tracking, first draft of legislative comment, and handling all constituent inquiries, subject to approval by the Managing Director - Policy, Research, and Government Affairs and the Chief of Staff.
• Must complete annual self-assessment as required.
• Performs other duties and special projects, as assigned.

Skills and Qualifications

Technical Skills:

• Ability to utilize the GovNet software for legislative tracking and comment.
• Strong understanding of the New Jersey State Legislative Process.

Soft Skills:

• Knowledge of or ability to read, understand and communicate in laymen’s terms about complex legislation and other documents.
• Must possess advanced research ability and information technology skills.
• Ability to prioritize workload, must be highly organized, detail-oriented, handle various tasks simultaneously and work independently within limited time constraints with little or no supervision.
• Experience in legislative/government affairs.
• Must possess knowledge of government, economic development, and outreach,
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing; proficient in grammar, spelling and editing; and foster communications with public officials, legislators, general public, the general public, and NJEDA staff.

Experience:

• Minimum 7 years’ experience involving the reading, interpretation and/or drafting of legislation as a government affairs agent, legislative liaison for state department/agency, legislative aide, or other experience with legislative bodies and members.
• Advanced degree or industry specific certification may be substituted for 1 year of experience.

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree in political science, government, public policy, communications, or law and/or equivalent professional experience

Software/Tools Proficiency:

• NJEDA utilizes Microsoft as the core application platform and proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite is preferred.
  

Additional Information

• Minimal physical demands and ability to work out normal business hours
• Travel expected when necessary for business operations

Certificates and Licenses Required

• Staff are required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essentials duties of the position.

Note

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job description. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed. This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope, general nature and level of work performed by job holders within this job.  This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of qualifications, skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position.

Your employment at NJEDA is voluntary and subject to termination by you or NJEDA at will, with or without cause, or with or without notice, at any time.  Nothing in this job description shall be interpreted to conflict, eliminate, or modify the employment-at-will status of NJEDA employees. 

This position is considered exempt and is excluded from minimum wage, overtime regulations, and other rights and protections afforded nonexempt workers under the FLSA.

NJEDA reserves the right to amend/revise this job description as necessary to meet current and changing business needs.

NJ SAME Program

 In accordance with P.L. 2021, c. 465 and P.L. 2021, 466, the SAME program was established to enable New Jersey State agencies to hire, promote, retain, and advance qualified individuals whose physical or mental impairments impact their abilities to participate in the hiring and promotion process for non-competitive and unclassified titles within the State workforce.

The SAME program allows candidates, who identify as having a significant disability, to apply for non-competitive and unclassified positions through a fast track hiring process. This program uses a fast-track process that permits people who are eligible for the program to request that the State appointing authority schedule with them a good faith interview. For more information about the SAME program and the Fast Track Hiring program, please Click Here.  If you have any questions, please email, or call the contact as indicated on the job vacancy announcement.

This posting open to eligible applicants regardless of SAME eligibility.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Position Requirements

• Foreign degrees/transcripts must be evaluated by a reputable evaluation service at your own expense and must be submitted prior to a start date. If this cannot be provided within 21 days of an offer the offer will be rescinded.
• Must comply with the “New Jersey First Act” which requires employees hired after September 1, 2011, to reside in New Jersey. Non-New Jersey resident employees must relocate to New Jersey within one year of their date of hire and provide proof of residency to Human Resources.
• Must complete an Outside Activity Questionnaire (disclosure of outside office or employment) on an annual basis.
• Must review the required NJ State Ethics Guidelines found on the state website.
• Selected candidates must be authorized to work in the United States per the Department of Homeland Security, United States Citizenship, and Immigration Services regulations. Note: The State of New Jersey does not provide sponsorship for citizenship to the United States.