Legislative Director Jobs
Legislative Director jobs are open across federal agencies, state legislatures, advocacy organizations, and trade associations, from senior associate to chief legislative officer level, with specializations in policy development, stakeholder relations, and regulatory affairs. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 13+ Legislative Director jobs
About the Position
Please Note: The salary range above represents this position’s earning potential. The anticipated hiring range for this position will be $64,104 - $82,149, based on the candidate’s qualifications and experience.
What You'll Be Doing
- Advise the Councilmember and Chief of Staff on communications strategy, audience, timing, message, platform, opportunity, and risk; bring forward clear recommendations rather than waiting for detailed direction.
- Translate legislative initiatives, committee leadership, budget decisions, constituent priorities, and the S.M.A.R.T. agenda into accessible, accurate communications that explain why the work matters and how it benefits the local community.
- Develop and manage an integrated communications plan, editorial calendar, and production schedule that balances planned campaigns with rapid-response needs and competing office deadlines.
- Independently, draft and edit speeches, talking points, statements, press releases, media advisories, newsletters, website content, constituent communications, presentations, opinion pieces, and briefing materials.
- Create, schedule, publish, and evaluate platform-appropriate social media, graphics, photography, short-form video, reels, captions, scripts, email content, and printed materials.
- Lead media relations by pitching stories, responding to inquiries, preparing the Councilmember for interviews, monitoring coverage, maintaining relationships, and identifying opportunities for timely amplification or correction.
- Support press conferences, public appearances, community meetings, and office events through advance planning, messaging, media coordination, on-site content capture, and prompt follow-up.
- Work across the office to gather facts, confirm policy and legislative context, coordinate approvals, anticipate communications needs, and ensure staff responsibilities and deadlines remain clear.
- Engage County departments, Council offices, community organizations, businesses, residents, and other stakeholders to communicate initiatives accurately and elevate relevant community voices.
- Use analytics and audience feedback to assess performance, strengthen reach and engagement, and recommend adjustments to strategy.
- Maintain accuracy, accessibility, brand consistency, confidentiality, public-records compliance, and appropriate approval protocols; escalate material risks, uncertainties, or delays early under the office's no-surprises standard.
- Support the Councilmember's Economic Development portfolio through research, constituent correspondence, stakeholder coordination, issue tracking, briefings, and related public information.
- Participate in evening and weekend meetings, community events, and time-sensitive communications as required.
Minimum Qualifications
Experience: One (1) year of progressively responsible experience in legislative/policy research or communications and/or professional level experience in a subject area relevant to local government administration.
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree.
Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.
Preferred Criteria, Interview Preferences
- Demonstrated ability to manage digital platforms, create multimedia content, communicate complex information clearly, exercise sound judgment, and meet short deadlines.
- Four or more years of progressively responsible, hands-on communications experience in government, legislative affairs, public policy, advocacy, political communications, journalism, public relations, or another high-volume public-facing environment.
- Independent ownership of communications strategy and production across social media, websites, newsletters, email, graphics, photography, video, speeches, media materials, presentations, and live events.
- A record of proactively identifying communications opportunities, translating complex policy or legislative work for diverse audiences, and producing accurate, publication-ready work with limited substantive revision.
- Strong project management, editorial planning, writing, proofreading, analytics, accessibility, and rapid-response skills, including sound judgment in sensitive or fast-changing situations.
- Knowledge of Montgomery County, local government, economic development, public health, housing, environmental policy, or other issues relevant to the Councilmember's priorities.
Checking and Understanding Your Application Status: Your current application status is always available on GovernmentJobs.com. Learn what your application status means and review our FAQs here.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The Office of Human Resources (OHR) reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position.
Montgomery County Government(MCG) is an equal opportunity employer, committed to workforce diversity. Accordingly, as it relates to employment opportunities, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the law. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should email OHR at Hiring@montgomerycountymd.gov. Individual determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made in accordance with all applicable laws.
MCG also provides hiring preference to certain categories of veterans and veterans/persons with a disability. For more information and to claim employment preference, refer to the Careers webpage on Hiring Preference.
All applicants will respond to a series of questions related to their education, relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities required to minimally perform the job. The applicant's responses in conjunction with their resume and all other information provided in the employment application process will be evaluated to determine the minimum qualifications and preferred criteria or interview preference status. Based on the results, the highest qualified applicants will be placed on an Eligible List and may be considered for an interview. Employees meeting minimum qualifications who are the same grade will be placed on the Eligible List as a "Lateral Transfer" candidate and may be considered for an interview.
This will establish an Eligible List that may be used to fill both current and future vacancies.
If selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume.
Montgomery County Ethics Law: Except as provided by law or regulation, the County's "Public Employees" (which does not include employees of the Sheriff's office) are subject to the County's ethics law including the requirements to obtain advanced approval of any outside employment and the prohibitions on certain outside employment. The outside employment requirements of the ethics law can be found at 19A-12 of the County Code. Additional information about outside employment can be obtained from the Ethics Commission website.Members of Montgomery County Boards, Committees, and Commissions who are pursuing permanent employment should seek advice from the Ethics Commission.
About the Position
Please Note: The salary range above represents this position’s earning potential. The anticipated hiring range for this position will be $64,104 - $82,149, based on the candidate’s qualifications and experience.
What You'll Be Doing
- Advise the Councilmember and Chief of Staff on communications strategy, audience, timing, message, platform, opportunity, and risk; bring forward clear recommendations rather than waiting for detailed direction.
- Translate legislative initiatives, committee leadership, budget decisions, constituent priorities, and the S.M.A.R.T. agenda into accessible, accurate communications that explain why the work matters and how it benefits the local community.
- Develop and manage an integrated communications plan, editorial calendar, and production schedule that balances planned campaigns with rapid-response needs and competing office deadlines.
- Independently, draft and edit speeches, talking points, statements, press releases, media advisories, newsletters, website content, constituent communications, presentations, opinion pieces, and briefing materials.
- Create, schedule, publish, and evaluate platform-appropriate social media, graphics, photography, short-form video, reels, captions, scripts, email content, and printed materials.
- Lead media relations by pitching stories, responding to inquiries, preparing the Councilmember for interviews, monitoring coverage, maintaining relationships, and identifying opportunities for timely amplification or correction.
- Support press conferences, public appearances, community meetings, and office events through advance planning, messaging, media coordination, on-site content capture, and prompt follow-up.
- Work across the office to gather facts, confirm policy and legislative context, coordinate approvals, anticipate communications needs, and ensure staff responsibilities and deadlines remain clear.
- Engage County departments, Council offices, community organizations, businesses, residents, and other stakeholders to communicate initiatives accurately and elevate relevant community voices.
- Use analytics and audience feedback to assess performance, strengthen reach and engagement, and recommend adjustments to strategy.
- Maintain accuracy, accessibility, brand consistency, confidentiality, public-records compliance, and appropriate approval protocols; escalate material risks, uncertainties, or delays early under the office's no-surprises standard.
- Support the Councilmember's Economic Development portfolio through research, constituent correspondence, stakeholder coordination, issue tracking, briefings, and related public information.
- Participate in evening and weekend meetings, community events, and time-sensitive communications as required.
Minimum Qualifications
Experience: One (1) year of progressively responsible experience in legislative/policy research or communications and/or professional level experience in a subject area relevant to local government administration.
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree.
Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.
Preferred Criteria, Interview Preferences
- Demonstrated ability to manage digital platforms, create multimedia content, communicate complex information clearly, exercise sound judgment, and meet short deadlines.
- Four or more years of progressively responsible, hands-on communications experience in government, legislative affairs, public policy, advocacy, political communications, journalism, public relations, or another high-volume public-facing environment.
- Independent ownership of communications strategy and production across social media, websites, newsletters, email, graphics, photography, video, speeches, media materials, presentations, and live events.
- A record of proactively identifying communications opportunities, translating complex policy or legislative work for diverse audiences, and producing accurate, publication-ready work with limited substantive revision.
- Strong project management, editorial planning, writing, proofreading, analytics, accessibility, and rapid-response skills, including sound judgment in sensitive or fast-changing situations.
- Knowledge of Montgomery County, local government, economic development, public health, housing, environmental policy, or other issues relevant to the Councilmember's priorities.
Checking and Understanding Your Application Status: Your current application status is always available on GovernmentJobs.com. Learn what your application status means and review our FAQs here.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The Office of Human Resources (OHR) reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position.
Montgomery County Government(MCG) is an equal opportunity employer, committed to workforce diversity. Accordingly, as it relates to employment opportunities, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the law. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should email OHR at Hiring@montgomerycountymd.gov. Individual determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made in accordance with all applicable laws.
MCG also provides hiring preference to certain categories of veterans and veterans/persons with a disability. For more information and to claim employment preference, refer to the Careers webpage on Hiring Preference.
All applicants will respond to a series of questions related to their education, relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities required to minimally perform the job. The applicant's responses in conjunction with their resume and all other information provided in the employment application process will be evaluated to determine the minimum qualifications and preferred criteria or interview preference status. Based on the results, the highest qualified applicants will be placed on an Eligible List and may be considered for an interview. Employees meeting minimum qualifications who are the same grade will be placed on the Eligible List as a "Lateral Transfer" candidate and may be considered for an interview.
This will establish an Eligible List that may be used to fill both current and future vacancies.
If selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume.
Montgomery County Ethics Law: Except as provided by law or regulation, the County's "Public Employees" (which does not include employees of the Sheriff's office) are subject to the County's ethics law including the requirements to obtain advanced approval of any outside employment and the prohibitions on certain outside employment. The outside employment requirements of the ethics law can be found at 19A-12 of the County Code. Additional information about outside employment can be obtained from the Ethics Commission website.Members of Montgomery County Boards, Committees, and Commissions who are pursuing permanent employment should seek advice from the Ethics Commission.
See All 13 Legislative Director Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Legislative Director JobsLegislative Director Job Market
Who's Hiring
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in legislative director jobs.
- Five or more years of legislative, policy, or government affairs experience at the federal or state level
- Demonstrated ability to analyze complex legislation and translate it into clear stakeholder communications
- Experience managing relationships with elected officials, agency staff, or government affairs teams
- Bachelor's degree in political science, public policy, law, or a closely related field
- Proficiency drafting testimony, bill summaries, regulatory comments, and briefing materials
- Juris Doctor or graduate degree in public policy preferred for senior federal and regulatory roles
Tips for Your Legislative Director Job Search
Tailor your resume to jurisdiction level
Federal legislative director roles expect fluency with the Congressional Research Service and committee markup processes, while state-level roles weight floor management and governor's office relationships. Align your resume language precisely to the jurisdiction before you apply.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists legislative director openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Lead with your policy portfolio wins
Hiring decision-makers want to see bills you moved, regulations you shaped, or coalitions you built. Name the legislation, the chamber, and the outcome on your resume instead of describing day-to-day duties in abstract terms.
Network inside policy committees early
Many legislative director openings are filled through informal referrals within committee staff networks before they post publicly. Attend markup hearings, sign onto coalition calls, and stay visible in the policy communities tied to your issue area.
Prepare for a policy briefing exercise
Expect at least one interview stage that asks you to draft or deliver a one-page policy brief on short notice. Practice condensing complex regulatory language into clear, decision-ready memos your principal can use the day you hand it over.
Negotiate scope alongside compensation
Legislative director offers frequently include ambiguous portfolio scope. During negotiations, clarify which issue areas fall under your authority, whether you manage staff, and how much direct access you have to the principal before you accept.
Legislative Director Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most legislative directors?
American Medical Association (AMA), EY, and APCO Worldwide are hiring the most legislative directors right now, with openings concentrated in District of Columbia, New York, and Ohio, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Demand tends to cluster around state capitals, Washington D.C., and the headquarters cities of major trade associations and advocacy organizations.
How many legislative director jobs are remote?
About 83% of legislative director openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the relationship-driven nature of most legislative work. Policy research, drafting, and stakeholder communications roles carry the highest remote flexibility, while positions that require direct principal support or floor access remain predominantly in-person.
How do you become a legislative director?
Start by building a foundation in a legislative office, advocacy organization, or government affairs team, working on bill analysis, stakeholder outreach, or regulatory comment drafting. Progress into a senior policy advisor or government relations manager role where you manage an issue portfolio independently. Develop relationships with committee staff and agency contacts in your issue area, then target legislative director openings once you can point to legislation or regulatory outcomes you shaped directly.
Can you get a legislative director job with limited experience?
Entry into a legislative director role with limited experience is rare at the federal level but more achievable at smaller state agencies, municipal offices, or advocacy organizations with lean teams. Prioritize roles that combine policy drafting with direct principal access, volunteer on campaigns or committees to build relationships with sitting legislators, and position yourself as an expert in a narrow, in-demand issue area rather than a generalist.
What does the legislative director interview process look like?
Most legislative director processes run three to four stages: an initial screening call focused on your policy background and issue expertise, a substantive interview with the hiring principal or chief of staff, and a written exercise requiring a policy brief or testimony draft on a live issue. Final-round interviews often include a panel of senior staff and may involve a conversation about how you manage competing legislative priorities under tight deadlines.
Where can I find and apply to legislative director jobs?
You can find and apply to legislative director jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from employers across the United States. Find roles that match your policy background and jurisdiction experience, then apply directly to each listing from the page.
See All 13 Legislative Director Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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