Legislative Session Fellow

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

The Legislative Session Fellow will support the success of The Commit Partnership’s Policy & Advocacy team during the 90th Texas Legislative Session. This role provides broad support across legislative monitoring, policy analysis, research, data, events, and team coordination during a period of high activity, helping the team stay informed, organized, and responsive as education policy moves through the Texas Legislature. 

Reporting to the Policy & Advocacy, Data Consultant, the Fellow will work closely with colleagues across the Policy & Advocacy team to monitor legislative activity, analyze and summarize policy developments, support partner communications and events, assist with data analysis and visualization, and maintain systems that help the team work effectively. The Fellow is designed as a generalist role that can flex across priorities as the needs of the legislative session shift week to week. 

This role offers an opportunity to observe and contribute to state education policymaking in real time while building practical skills in policy research, legislative analysis, data interpretation, written communication, and stakeholder coordination. The Fellow will gain exposure to policy issues spanning early childhood through 12th grade, postsecondary education, and workforce development while receiving mentorship from experienced policy professionals. 

The ideal candidate is a strong writer and highly organized learner who can synthesize complex information, manage multiple assignments, collaborate across a team, and maintain accuracy in a fast-moving environment. They are curious about education policy, comfortable working with data and research, and motivated by the opportunity to improve outcomes for Texas students.

This position is expected to run January through May.  This is a part-time position scheduled for 30 hours per week. The pay range for this role is $22–$25 per hour.

This job description is a summary and is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Legislative Monitoring & Policy Reporting: Monitor legislative hearings, committee activity, floor proceedings, and other developments related to Commit’s policy priorities. Take detailed, accurate notes and synthesize key decisions, themes, and next steps into clear updates for Policy & Advocacy team members and external partners.
2. Bill & Policy Analysis: Review and summarize bill language, committee substitutes, amendments, fiscal information, and changes across legislative versions. Translate complex statutory or policy information into concise, accessible summaries that help internal and external audiences understand what has changed, why it matters, and potential implications for students and education systems.
3. Policy Research & Landscape Analysis: Conduct targeted state and national research across EC–12 and postsecondary-workforce policy topics. Attend relevant webinars, briefings, hearings, or convenings; identify important takeaways; and develop policy memos, landscape scans, or research summaries that inform team strategy and decision-making.
4. Data Analysis & Visualization: Conduct basic analysis using tools such as Excel, R, or Python to identify relevant trends and insights connected to Commit’s policy priorities. Support the development of clear charts, presentations, and data visualizations for internal and external audiences using tools such as Excel, PowerPoint, or Canva.
5. Event, Partner & Team Coordination: Support the planning and execution of Policy & Advocacy events, including Lunch & Learns, partner briefings, stakeholder convenings, and other session-related activities. Assist with outreach, materials, run-of-show documents, logistics, follow-up tracking, shared files, and team systems that keep work organized and accessible during fast-moving legislative moments.
6. Additional Team Support: Contribute to special projects and other responsibilities as assigned based on team priorities and the evolving needs of the legislative session.

Qualifications, Skills, and Experience

1. Clear & Purposeful Communication

• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to accurately summarize complex information in a concise and accessible way.
• Ability to identify the most important information from hearings, research, policy documents, or data and communicate key takeaways clearly.
• Ability to adjust the level of detail and format of communication based on the needs of the audience.

2. Organization & Execution

• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple assignments, deadlines, and shifting priorities.
• Demonstrated attention to detail and commitment to producing accurate, complete, and timely work.
• Ability to use shared trackers, folders, calendars, or other systems to keep information organized and easy for others to access.
• Willingness to raise questions, flag risks, and seek clarification early when additional direction is needed.

3. Policy Research & Analytical Thinking

• Ability to read, synthesize, and interpret research, legislative information, and other complex source material.
• Interest in developing knowledge of Texas education policy, the legislative process, and the systems that influence student outcomes.
• Ability to distinguish key findings from supporting details and connect evidence to relevant policy questions.

4. Data Analysis & Interpretation

• Basic data analysis and interpretation skills using Excel, R, Python, or a similar tool.
• Ability to organize data, identify patterns, and summarize findings accurately.
• Ability to translate data into clear charts, visuals, or written insights for non-technical audiences.

5. Collaboration & Relationship Building

• Ability to work effectively and respectfully with colleagues, partners, and stakeholders across different roles and areas of expertise.
• Strong follow-through and responsiveness when supporting shared projects or team deliverables.
• Openness to feedback and willingness to adapt work based on input from colleagues.

6. Adaptability & Learning

• Ability to remain organized and productive as priorities, timelines, or assignments shift during the legislative session.
• Curiosity and willingness to learn unfamiliar policy topics, systems, tools, or processes quickly.
• Ability to apply feedback and lessons learned to improve the quality and efficiency of future work.

7. Mission Alignment

• Commitment to ensuring every Texas public school student has the tools, opportunities, and skills needed to succeed.
• Interest in student-centered, data-informed, and equitable approaches to education policy.
• Commitment to producing accurate, credible, and evidence-based work that supports better outcomes for students.

Education and Experience

• Current or recent graduate student pursuing a degree in public policy, public affairs, education, economics, or a related field.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and comfort learning standard workplace technology.
• Basic experience analyzing or interpreting data in Excel, R, Python, or a similar tool.
• Availability for the full January–May term.
• Familiarity with the Texas legislative process, including committee activity, the bill lifecycle, and the role of state agencies in implementation, is preferred.
• Familiarity with education policy or public funding across the EC–12 and postsecondary-workforce spectrum is preferred.
• Previous experience with the Texas Legislature, a state agency, legislative office, education nonprofit, advocacy organization, or related setting is helpful but not required.
• Experience using Canva or another visualization tool, producing data visualizations or policy materials for non-technical audiences, or coordinating communications across a team is a plus.

Work Environment

This position primarily operates in a professional office environment but may occasionally require duties outside of the typical office setting. The noise level in the work environment is typically quiet to moderate. The employee is not generally exposed to adverse environmental conditions.

Physical Activity & Requirements

While performing the responsibilities of the job, the employee is required to talk and hear. The employee is often required to sit and use repetitive motions of the wrists, hands and/or fingers. This is a sedentary position; however, the employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with arms and hands, grasp, climb or balance, and to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl and lift up to 10 pounds.

Hearing, talking and vision abilities required by this job include perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction, expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word, and close visual acuity to perform activities such as preparing and analyzing data and figures, transcribing, viewing a computer terminal, and extensive reading.

Job Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed must be representative of the knowledge, skills, minimum education, training, licensure, experience, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Commit does not sponsor visas of any kind.