LEGISLATIVE LIAISON - 60064519

Requisition No: 845617 

Agency: Children and Families

Working Title: LEGISLATIVE LIAISON - 60064519

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 60064519 

Salary:  $1,730.77 - $2,692.31 Bi-weekly 

Posting Closing Date: 03/31/2025 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) is the state of Florida’s social services agency. The agency oversees services for child safety, fostering, adoption, domestic violence, adult protective services, refugees, homelessness, mental health, substance abuse, childcare providers, human trafficking and public assistance. The agency’s mission is to work in partnership with local communities to protect the vulnerable, promote strong and economically self-sufficient families, and advance personal and family recovery and resiliency.

Within DCF, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health (SAMH) Program office is recognized as the single state authority for substance abuse and mental health services. The Office of SAMH is statutorily responsible for the planning, evaluation, and implementation of a comprehensive statewide system of care for the prevention, treatment, and recovery of children and adults with serious mental illnesses or substance use disorders.

TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION RESPONSES TO THE QUALIFYING QUESTIONS ARE REQUIRED AND MUST BE VERIFIABLE BASED ON YOUR SUBMITTED APPLICATION.

THIS IS NOT A TELEWORK POSITION.  CANDIDATE WILL BE REQUIRED TO WORK IN THE TALLAHASSEE OFFICE.

This is a highly responsible and professional position that will serve as the Legislative Analyst within the Business Operations unit. This position will collaborate with each section within the program office and be required to use independent judgement, take initiative in carrying out duties and responsibilities and should be extraordinarily detail oriented. 

Specific Duties and Responsibilities include:

• Coordinating with subject matter experts on SAMH legislative tasks, including annual legislative reports, legislative bill analyses, and budget requests.
• Closely monitoring meetings applicable to SAMH during legislative committee weeks and Legislative Session, taking notes and documenting questions and/or requests for follow up information. Subsequently, the individual in this position will be expected to work with SAMH colleagues to collect responsive information and provide through the appropriate channels within the Department.
• Serving as SAMH’s liaison with the Office of Communication to collect and track all SAMH-related media inquiries and requests for talking points, memos and other communications-related materials. To complete this function, the individual will coordinate with SAMH subject matter experts and assist in compiling and routing for approval the final products, ensuring that all deadlines are met. 
• Assisting with compiling and routing for approval the final products, ensuring that all deadlines are met.
• Developing and editing ad hoc memos, reports, and engaging on special projects as assigned.
• Tracking progress of action plans for unit as assigned.
• Monitoring legislative committee meetings, writing committee summaries, creating daily calendars and the daily tracking of legislation. 
• Drafting talking points and other summarizing materials for use by the Assistant Secretary of SAMH.
• Performing other duties as assigned.

An ideal candidate will be able to:

• Engage cooperatively and professionally with internal and external stakeholders.
• Simultaneously Manage multiple priority projects nimbly and seamlessly.
• Be flexible and able to function and succeed both with and without extensive direction.
• Understand and appreciate SAMH’s vision and demonstrate the ability to execute projects, assignments, and policy updates timely and accurately within a fast-paced environment.
• Function both independently and in a team environment.
• Propose solutions to complex problems.
• Determine the best yes, through the use of comprehensive research.

All applicants must ensure that all employment and detailed information about work experience is listed on your applicant profile and/or resume (including dates of service, reason for leaving, military service, self-employment, job-related volunteer work, internships, etc.) and that gaps in employment are explained. Applicants who do not provide all information necessary to meet the minimum requirements, will not be considered for this position.

Salary is negotiable depending on experience and demonstrated successful management of complex projects and initiatives.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities required for the position:

• Knowledge of Florida state government, legislative rules, and procedures.
• Knowledge of research and analysis techniques.
• Skill in reading comprehension, analysis, and organization.
• Ability to take action in situations that lack clear direction.
• Ability to take initiative on independent research projects.
• Ability to work independently and under pressure on multiple tasks.
• Ability to work effectively with legislators, legislative staff, and other constituents.
• Ability to exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality.
• Knowledge of the methods of data collection and analysis.
• Knowledge of basic management principles and practices.
• Ability to collect, evaluate and analyze data to develop alternative recommendations, solve problems, document workflow and other activities relating to the improvement of operational and management practices.
• Ability to organize data into logical format for presentation in reports, documents and other written materials.
• Ability to conduct fact-finding research.
• Ability to utilize problem-solving techniques.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to understand and apply applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures relating to operational and management analysis activities.
• Ability to plan, organize and coordinate work assignments.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Two years of experience preparing written responses to a variety of high-level documents and requests for information both internally and externally.
• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and four years of professional experience in systems analysis, management analysis, program planning, program research, program evaluation, engineering or administrative work with training in policy analysis and research methods.
• A master's degree from an accredited college or university can substitute for one year of the required experience.
• Professional experience as described above can substitute on a year-for-year basis for the required college education.

Preference will be given to applicants who have:

• Working knowledge of the Florida Legislative process.
• Experience with Lobby Tools.
• Experience with Monday.com.
• A graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in Public Policy or Public Administration.
• Experience implementing and managing complex projects.

Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

• Health insurance;
• Life insurance; $25,000 policy is free plus option to purchase additional life insurance
• Dental, vision and supplemental insurance;
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions;
  • (For more information, please click www.myfrs.com)
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal Holiday each year;
• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Opportunities for career advancement; and
• Tuition waiver for public college courses.

For a more complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

DCF EMPLOYMENT DISCLOSURES

US CITIZEN REQUIREMENT Only US citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers will be hired.

SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM REGISTRATION All selected male candidates born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion into an authorized position unless they are registered with the Selective Service System (SSS).  Verification of Selective Service registration will be conducted prior to hire.  For more information, please visit the SSS website: http://www.sss.gov.

RETIREE NOTICE If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be suspended or voided, and you required to repay all benefits received depending upon the date of your retirement.

BACKGROUND SCREENING It is the policy of the Florida Department of Children and Families that any applicant being considered for employment must successfully complete a State and National criminal history check as a condition of employment before beginning employment, and, if applicable, also be screened in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, F.S., and Chapter 408, F.S.  No applicant may begin employment until the background screening results are received, reviewed for any disqualifying offenses, and approved by the Agency.  Background screening shall include, but not be limited to, fingerprinting for State and Federal criminal records checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and may include local criminal history checks through local law enforcement agencies.

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.  Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.