Legislative Policy Analyst

Full Job Description

The Utah Legislature and its legislative work environment offer a uniquely rewarding and fulfilling workplace for those interested in helping lawmakers achieve their policy goals.

The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel (OLRGC) is a non-partisan professional staff office of the legislature that facilitates legislative processes and provides policy and legal services to all legislators.

OLRGC is seeking applications for a legislative policy analyst.

A policy analyst at OLRGC is assigned to one or more subject matter areas to provide nonpartisan policy-related services for legislators on legislation, research requests, and committee-related work.

Policy analysts work collaboratively and coordinate workflow in their subject area with one or more legislative associate general counsels, who provide legal services to legislators, such as drafting legislation and providing legal counsel.

Policy analysts may work on a subject-area team with another policy analyst, depending on the office's needs.

Requirements

Policy analysts are responsible for facilitating legislative processes and providing policy services in their subject matter areas that include the following:

Legislation– Identify requests for legislation that require further policy development to prepare for drafting by an attorney; work with bill sponsors to understand their policy goals; provide sponsors with legislative and non-legislative policy options that achieve their policy goals; provide research and policy analysis to sponsors that help them navigate policy gaps and hurdles; flesh out policy details for the sponsor’s chosen policy solution; work with government agencies, stakeholders, and lobbyists at the direction of sponsors; communicate policy in legislation accurately and clearly; prepare bill-related documents that convey to the sponsor and drafting attorney the policies for bill drafting and products that summarize and analyze legislation for legislators.

Research – Respond to legislators’ requests for information, research, and policy analysis; conduct policy research and present findings to legislative committees, individual legislators, House and Senate caucuses, and legislative leadership; create written products and infographics that summarize policy and subject matter area topics.

Committee Work– Staff legislative committees; work with committee chairs to develop agendas; seek to enhance the committee’s policy learning experience by identifying presenters for agenda items, making presentations, and providing information and analysis to the committee; advise the chair and legislators on legislative processes and rules.

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree in public administration, public policy, political science, or another related discipline.

• Candidates must demonstrate:
  • Strong interpersonal skills
  • Excellent research and analytical skills
  • Excellent writing skills with the ability to adapt written communication style to client needs and effectively communicate organized ideas and complex issues
  • Superior organizational skills with the ability to work on multiple projects at one time
  • Excellent oral communication skills with the ability to convey organized ideas and complex issues
  • The ability to provide objective, neutral, and in-depth policy analysis
• OLRGC and its employees are non-partisan, and the candidate must be objective and neutral.
• Candidates must function effectively in a high-pressure, fast-paced political environment and work on legislation and research that promote various public policy positions while maintaining objectivity and neutrality.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality.
• Demonstrate the ability to work in an unbiased manner with a variety of professionals who have varying areas of expertise and experience.
• Demonstrate the ability to work independently, collaboratively within a team, and in a group setting, while communicating frequently and clearly.
• Must be willing and able to work in person. This position has a hybrid schedule of in-office and remote workdays. The schedule is subject to change based on the needs of the Legislature. However, the incumbent must be in person five days a week during the legislative general session.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of the Utah legislative process.

COMPLEMENTARY SKILLS

Please note in resume or cover letter any skills or experience in creating professional infographics or interactive digital storytelling tools that integrate multimedia content, such as text, data visualizations, graphics, maps, and embedded media, into a seamless, scroll-driven experience designed to educate and inform (e.g., ESRI StoryMaps, Shorthand, ArcGIS Dashboards, Tableau Public stories).

Additional Information

CLOSING DATE: March 12, 2026

PHYSICAL ADDRESS:

Utah Legislature

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel

210 House Building

State Capitol Complex

Salt Lake City, UT 84114

SALARY and BENEFITS:

The career salary range for this position is $44.47 to $84.60 per hour.

Starting salary is typically established at or near the minimum of the range, depending on qualifications and professional experience, due to the unique demands of working in a legislative environment, on-the-job learning, and the office's unique policy services.

Employee salaries and compensation adjustments are set using a performance-based pay philosophy that rewards performance while accounting for budgetary constraints.

In addition to a competitive salary, OLRGC employees may earn compensation time for time worked in preparing for and during the general session, with the opportunity to cash out compensation time, contingent upon funding.

OLRGC also provides comprehensive medical, dental, leave, and retirement benefits.

SUBMISSION and NEXT STEPS:

Please send a cover letter and resume to Tita Adams at tadams@le.utah.gov by Thursday, March 12, 2026, at 11:59 PM MST.

Please include the job title (Legislative Policy Analyst) and “Job #48022” in the subject line of your email to ensure a prompt response.

Failure to submit both a cover letter and a resume as attachments to your email may result in disqualification.

After the closure of this announcement, competitive applicants will be contacted to participate in a timed writing test.

Upon successful completion of the writing test, competitive applicants will be invited to participate in a panel interview at OLRGC (video call may be accommodated for distant applicants).

Successful, competitive applications will be invited back for an interview with OLRGC’s executive management.

This process is expected to take place following the closure of this vacancy until the beginning of April.