Working In: Legislative Offices

What does working in a legislative office entail?

Working in a legislative office, you could serve as a staff member for an elected legislator or a subject matter expert on a committee. Most positions are vetted by the elected member and their existing staff. Work opportunities vary in scope and depth, as some roles require the development of competency across multiple issues areas, while others require acute expertise in specific issues. Depending on your role, your responsibilities could include gathering support for your member’s bills and legislative agenda by persuading other members of the legislature for their votes, or by building coalitions of stakeholders to influence legislative members. Valuable assets for a legislative job include knowledge of the political system, a robust network within the legislative institution, and adaptability to changing priorities.

Examples of legislative offices 

• United States Congress 
• State legislature
• Board of Education

Sample roles in a legislative office

Policy Analyst

• Collects and compiles information to inform government officials.
• Analyzes the impact of policy decisions and makes recommendations.

Legislative Assistant/Policy Advisor

• Represents the perspective of an elected official to constituents and other policymakers.
• Advises and negotiates the substance of legislation and policy.
• Generates talking points and other communications documents and strategies to advocate for a policy or piece of legislation endorsed by the elected official.

Communications Director/Press Secretary

• Crafts the message of a non-profit or government organization.
• Responds to media requests and issue press releases on your organization’s work.