State Legislative Consultant

Job Description and Duties

CDSS is seeking highly-motivated and professional applicants for an Analyst III position as a State Legislative Consultant with the Office of Legislation. The Office of Legislation serves as the focal point for all legislative activities, and provides support to the Director, the executive staff, and other divisions within the Department. The Office is responsible for State and federal legislative matters, for obtaining successful passage of Administration and departmental policies which require legislative authority, as well as for communication to the Legislature the Governor's official positions of support or opposition on bills which are germane to and have a potential impact on the Department's program areas. The Legislative Consultant will represent one or more of the Department’s program areas. Managing the bill analysis process requires complex organization and requires the Legislative Consultant to be well-versed on current legislative matters, related statute and regulations, and the Department’s programs they represents. The Legislative Consultant must communicate with sound logic, objectivity, and credibility in the bill analyses they prepare and in discussing legislative matters and responding to questions from the Legislature and others.

The consequence of error associated with this position is significant. Failure to adequately and timely analyze bills and appropriately alert the Director and Executive Staff of any information that could put the Administration’s and Department’s programs or legislative agenda at risk may lead to the passage of legislation that is inconsistent with the Governor’s policy and/or fiscal agenda. The serious consequences which could result include loss of federal funding, inappropriate commitment of state funding, inappropriate changes to human services programs, harm to the thousands of vulnerable children, elderly and disabled people served by the Department, and adverse publicity to the Department or the State. Must work effectively and independently as well as in collaboration with various levels of the organizational hierarchy, and is expected to gain and maintain the confidence and cooperation of those engaged during the course of work.

Because of the timing of the legislative session and its many statutory deadlines, and the imperative to meet such deadlines, there are times throughout the year when it may be necessary to work long, irregular hours and weekends during peak workload periods.

The Department of Social Services does not participate in E-Verify for employment authorization purposes. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship by the start date of employment. If you would like to share how you learned about this career opportunity, please take a moment to complete our brief Recruitment Survey . Need help with applying for positions, taking an examination, or preparing for interviews? Our team is here to support you, reach out anytime at [email protected] For guidance on applying for a state job, visit .

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Working Conditions

Telework-Hybrid Option available. In-person office days are required each week and as business needs require.

This position may be eligible for Hybrid work. In-person attendance is required based on the operational needs of the position and in accordance with the Statewide Hybrid Telework Policy, Government Code section 14200, and any applicable department telework requirements. The successful candidate must reside in California at the time of appointment. Proof of California residency may be required .

Please note: Regular commute is not compensable.

Special Requirements

Do not include any confidential information on any documents (i.e., application, resume, or transcripts) you submit for this job vacancy. Confidential information that should be excluded or removed from these documents include but is not limited to: Social Security Number (SSN), birthday and/or age, photos, student/other ID number, driver’s license number (unless required), basis of eligibility, exam results, LEAP status, and marital status. Confidential information submitted via a CalCareer Account (electronic application) is automatically redacted upon submission.

Please submit a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) addressing the criteria outlined below. Your SOQ must be submitted in 12-point font, be no more than two pages in length, and must be submitted with your application to be considered.

The Office of Legislation serves as the focal point for all legislative activities and provides support to the Director, the executive staff, and other divisions within the Department. The Analyst III serves as the Legislative Consultant for one or more of the Department’s program areas. Managing the bill analysis process requires complex organization and requires the Legislative Consultant to be well-versed on current legislative matters, related statute and regulations, and the Department’s programs he/she represents. The Legislative Consultant must communicate with sound logic, objectivity, and credibility in the bill analyses they prepare and in discussing legislative matters and responding to questions from the Legislature and others.

Please describe your knowledge, skills, and experience in legislation and the Department’s program areas that qualify you for this position.

If you are meeting minimum qualifications with education, you must include your unofficial transcripts for verification. If selected, you may be required to provide official transcripts at the time of hire.

Candidates who reside outside of the State of California may be admitted to the job interview, but they must provide proof of residence in California prior to being eligible for appointment.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

This position requires the incumbent to possess a high degree of initiative, independence, judgment, and originality in performing duties; work under short time lines; communicate effectively and professionally, both orally and in writing when interacting with the public and/or other employees; independently complete assignments in a timely and efficient manner, effectively handling multiple tasks and tight deadlines calmly and efficiently; conduct oneself with the highest degree of professionalism, including dressing in business attire, and adherence to departmental policies and procedures regarding attendance, leave, conduct, and professionalism.

The incumbent must be able to provide guidance and leadership with management and staff involved in the development of the legislative agenda and in the preparation of bill analyses. This necessitates extensive communication, persuasive, and negotiating skills in order to effectively defend Administration and departmental interests and positions on legislation and policy decisions and initiatives.

The most qualified candidates will demonstrate a high-degree of initiative, and an exceptional understanding of legislative protocol and the political sensitivity of various issues. Preferred candidates have experience in legislation and/or policy making. Extremely strong analytical, verbal, and written skills are required. The incumbent has frequent contact with all levels of the Department, including the Directorate, deputy directors, and management staff throughout the Department; staff with the Governor’s Office, CHHS, Department of Finance and other departments; members of the Legislature and their staff; the Legislative Analyst’s Office; advocacy groups; provider associations; lobbyists; and the diverse mix of stakeholders who have interest in the Department’s programs.

Benefits

There are many benefits to joining our team! The State of California has a generous benefits package that includes medical coverage, CalPERS pension upon retirement, two weeks paid vacation per year, two weeks paid sick leave per year, two paid Professional Development Days, one paid Personal Holiday, pre-tax parking fee program.

TRANSPORTATION REIMBURSEMENT

• Public transit (mass transit) passes.
  • 100 percent discount on public transit passes sold by state agencies, up to the monthly exclusion amount provided by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
  • 100 percent reimbursement on public transit passes purchased by state employees, up to the monthly exclusion amount provided by the IRS.
• Vanpool drivers and riders
  • 100 percent reimbursement on the monthly fee, up to the monthly exclusion amount provided by the IRS.

Benefit information can be found on the website and the website.

Personal Leave Program (PLP) 2025

Personal Leave Program (PLP) 2025 - Salaries do not reflect reductions from the Personal Leave Program, please see the applicable for additional information on the length and percentage of reductions.

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is optional. It may be included, but is not required.
• Statement of Qualifications -

  (SOQ) Please see the Special Requirements section of this job advertisement for detailed instructions for the SOQ submission.