State Leg Affairs Advisor

The Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT) State Legislative Affairs Division is seeking an individual for a State Legislative Affairs Advisor. In this role, you will work with high-level executives, governmental officials, private entities, internal agency audiences, and the public.

At TxDOT we value employee work-life-balance. In keeping with our commitment to this, our employees benefit from a wide array of programs and activities that include telework, flexed and compressed work schedules, wellness leave incentive, in-house wellness center, career development programs, tuition assistance, and various other benefits.

At TxDOT, we value employee work-life balance. In keeping with our commitment to this value, our employees benefit from a wide array of programs and activities that include:

• Low Turnover
• Retirement Pension
• Alternative Work Schedules
• Paid Leave/Holidays
• Health Premiums paid at 100% for full-time employees
• On the Job Training
• Tuition Assistance Program
• Comprehensive Wellness Program/Wellness Leave Incentives
• Career Development Programs/Opportunities for advancement

For a complete list of our total compensation package please visit our website at: Total Compensation Package
To view benefits available to all State of Texas employees visit: Benefits at a Glance | ERS (texas.gov)

Assists with the oversight and coordination of the work of professional and technical staff engaged in State governmental relations and legislative related activities for the Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT) State Legislative Affairs Division. Reports to State Legislative Affairs Section Director. Supervises a team of professional employees. Work requires extensive contact with high-level executives, governmental officials, private entities, internal agency audiences, and the public. Employees at this level establish their own work plan and priorities to meet set objectives. Issues are rarely referred to the supervisor but are handled at the occurrence.

Essential Duties:

• Acts as liaison with the Texas Legislature, other State agencies, and special interest groups.
• Advises and coordinates with TxDOT's Administration and the Texas Transportation Commission on State legislative and policy issues.
• Assists in overseeing research and special study activities pertaining to State legislation directed at agency programs and the presentation of data included in agency reports.
• Assists in overseeing the research, analysis, coordination, and implementation of TxDOT's State legislative initiatives.
• Assists in overseeing TxDOT's State Legislative Program
• Communicates complex State legislative initiatives within and outside TxDOT.
• Coordinates the planning and scheduling of assignments on complex State legislative and policy issues, special assignments, and projects.
• Monitors and coordinates State legislative activities to ensure consistency of TxDOT policies and procedures.
• Recommends and implements policy, procedures, staffing and funding required to execute section or division programs.
• Represents TxDOT at various meetings and hearings and responds to special requests from the Administration and Commission.
• Supervises a group of professional employees.
• Supervises TxDOT employees by assigning duties; authorizing personnel actions; approving leave requests; conducting career conversations; and motivating team to accomplish established goals.
• Performs other job responsibilities as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor's Degree in any discipline. Relevant work experience may be substituted for degree on a year per year basis. Substitutions for Minimum Qualifications

Experience:

• 5 years' experience in governmental relations. (Experience can be satisfied by fulltime or prorated parttime equivalent). Related graduate level education may be substituted for experience on a year per year basis.
• Must have one (1) year supervisory/managerial experience. Project leader or lead worker experience may substitute for supervisory/managerial experience.

Licenses and Certifications: Valid driver’s license. This position requires driving a state vehicle.

Competencies:

Considerable knowledge of:

• Transportation principles and methods for moving people or goods by multimodal (road, air, water) methods, including their relative costs, advantages and limitations
• Data presentation techniques
• Governmental policies and procedures
• Statistical compilation practices and techniques
• Government funding programs, methods and procedures

Expert skill in:

• Communicating vision and direction of how an organization should function or a system should work under ideal conditions and conveying this to others
• Public relations for maintaining effective working relationships with individuals and groups, both internal and external
• Persuasion and negotiation of critical issues
• Developing and giving presentations
• Interpreting and analyzing legislation, rules, and regulations

Proficient skill in:

• Establishing plans and setting objectives and goals that support overall business strategy/results; anticipating and adjusting for problems/roadblocks
• Research and analysis methodologies
• Supervising, assigning, reviewing and monitoring the work of others
• Analyzing and organizing data
• Communicating complex ideas and information clearly, concisely, and effectively

Ability to:

• Communicate effectively

Other Attributes:

• Provides organizational leadership; fosters collaborative relationships; initiates and supports quality management activities and performance management measures to provide the highest quality products and services
• Collaborates and cooperates with others and builds effective working relationships with internal and external members to accomplish organizational goals

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:

• Subject to environmental conditions; protection from weather but not temperature changes
• Subject to noise
• Subject to vibration
• Sedentary work: Lift up to 10 lbs at a time and occasionally carry files/small tools
• Light work: Lift up to 20 lbs at a time and frequently lift or carry objects up to 10 lbs
• Standing-prolonged periods of time
• Lifting-raising objects from lower to higher position/horizontally to a different position
• Fingering-picking, pinching, typing; working primarily with fingers rather than whole hand
• Grasping-applying pressure to an object with fingers and palm
• Talking-expressing or exchanging ideas by spoken words
• Hearing-perceive sound at normal speaking levels; receive information by oral communication
• Close Visual Acuity-work includes data/figures; view a computer screen; extensive reading
• Visual Acuity-determine work quality/make general observations of facilities/structures

Conditions of Employment:
Please click this link to read the standard conditions of employment for all positions: Standard Conditions of Employment (TxDOT)

TxDOT is committed to hiring veterans. To assist in determining whether your military experience may pertain to the minimum requirements for this position, Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) codes from each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces have been assigned to each state classification code/title where applicable. The MOS codes are grouped by occupational category.

To view the MOS codes please click on link below and click on the appropriate occupational category.

https://hr.sao.texas.gov/CompensationSystem/JobDescriptions

The Texas Department of Transportation is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination in the workplace. We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need.

If requested, reasonable accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities for any part of the employment process in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Action of 1990.

Please click this link to read the information for applicants: Additional Applicant Information