Research and Policy Analyst

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This is an EXCITING time to Join the City of Richmond! We are committed to nurturing talent, fostering growth opportunities, and building strong connections within our workforce. As we continue to make strides to becoming the employer of choice, we are thrilled about the below employee benefit enhancements:

• Virginia Retirement System (VRS)
• Language Incentive
• Referral Bonus
• Tuition Assistance Program

The Office of Elections is seeking to hire a Research and Policy Analyst (Legal Advisor). The Research and Policy Analyst (Legal Advisor) position is responsible for conducting thorough research and analysis to support election staff, candidates, political committees and other entities throughout the election cycle.  The position helps ensure compliance with state and local election laws related to candidate qualifications, ballot access, filing requirements, and campaign documentation. The role will also help draft policies and procedures to ensure elections are conducted in compliance with all aspects of local, state and federal law related to election administration, voter registration, and elections, more broadly.

Analysis

• Recommend, research and draft changes to proposed legislation and existing laws
• Help develop technical, administrative, and policy protocols to ensure compliance with existing election law, policies and regulations.
• Conduct research on various research and policy issues
• Analyze statistical data
• Identify trends, issues, opportunities, and funding resources related to key election policy areas
• Help prepare presentations and communicate findings to stakeholders, including policymakers, senior management, and the public
• Help represent the City of Richmond Office of Elections at legislative committee meetings, board meetings, hearings, and other public meetings.

Candidate Qualification and Filing

• Provide guidance to candidates and prospective candidates on eligibility requirements, filing deadlines and required forms.
• Accept, review and process candidate filings and campaign finance reports for completeness and accuracy.
• Verify candidate information and coordinate with other local election officials and state election officials as needed
• Track and maintain candidate records.

Ballot Preparation & Certification

• Help prepare and proof candidate ballots for accuracy prior to publication
• Help coordinate the ballot order, name formatting and ballot layout requirements.
• Assist with candidate withdrawal and disqualification processes when applicable

Compliance & Documentation

Administrative & Data Management

MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy, Political Science, Economics, Social Sciences, or a related field
• 2-5 years of experience in research and evaluation, policy analysis, strategic planning, project management, or a related field
• An equivalent combination of training and experience (as approved by the department) may be used to meet the minimum qualifications of the classification

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING:

• Demonstrated experience in legislative and policy analysis and drafting
• Significant professional experience in election administration, election law, regulatory compliance, campaign finance, government relations or related policy/research role.
• Demonstrated ability to read, interpret, apply and advise on state, local and federal laws and regulations — especially relating to election administration, voter registration, campaign finance, candidate fillings, and voting rights.
• Experience interpreting election ruling, statutes and administrative rules 
• Prior experience working in a government elections office, regulatory agency, judicial/legal environment, campaign or advocacy organization; familiarity with GIS/mapping or voter-file datasets; multilingual capabilities depending on jurisdiction.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: TYPICAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: These are a representative sample; position assignments may vary.

Knowledge (some combination of the following):

• Policy analysis
• Project management
• Strategic planning
• Quantitative and qualitative research methods
• Ethical research practices 
• Specialized knowledge of Virginia Freedom of Information Act laws and procedures
• Knowledge of the interconnection between the Richmond City Office of Elections and other agencies, including but not limited to, other local registrars and electoral boards, the Virginia Department of Elections, the Election Assistance Commission, the Federal Voting Assistance Program, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, and the Library of Virginia
• Knowledge of the city’s and state’s regulatory processes

Skills (some combination of the following):

• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills
• Proficiency in statistical software (e.g., SPSS, R, Stata) and data analysis tools
• Proficiency in use of word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to synthesize complex information and present it clearly
• Strong organizational and project management skills

Abilities (some combination of the following):

• Problem-solve and be detail oriented
• Work independently and as part of a team
• Adapt to changing priorities and deadlines
• Maintain confidentiality

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The City of Richmond provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

The City of Richmond is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, the City of Richmond will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodations. If you require reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to participate in the job application and/or the interview process, please contact Jessica McKenzie, Human Resources Manager by email at Jessica.McKenzie@RVA.GOV.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

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