The Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) is seeking a paid, work-from-home Policy Fellow to assist the Executive Director and staff during the 2021 Maryland General Assembly Session.

MACo is a nonpartisan organization that represents the interests of Maryland’s 23 counties and Baltimore City. The Association is involved in a variety of policy areas affecting county government, including but not limited to: budgets, taxation, business affairs, finance, procurement, labor relations, public works, elections, education, environment, public health, planning and zoning, public safety, corrections, public information, and ethics. The policy fellowship may include research and writing in any of these areas. Commensurate with abilities, the policy fellowship may also include delivering oral testimony to the General Assembly.

The Policy Fellow will be considered a member of the MACo policy team and will work closely under their mentorship to support the advocacy efforts of the team. In turn, the Policy Fellow will learn first-hand about a range of policy issues affecting local governments and the advocacy process in front of the Maryland General Assembly.

If applicable, this policy fellowship may be eligible for course credit.  

Note: MACo anticipates that these work responsibilities will be overwhelmingly remote, but the work flow of the General Assembly may warrant some of the duties being in-person based in the MACo Annapolis offices, and/or the Maryland General Assembly campus.

QUALIFICATIONS

Applicant must be self-motivated, possess a level of maturity and interest necessary to initiate and complete research requirements with little supervision, and possess good writing, communication, and computer skills – particularly around online meeting platforms. Specialization or coursework in law, political science, public affairs, economics, history, or public policy is preferred. Knowledge of state and local government issues and structure is a plus for this position.

The MACo office and the General Assembly buildings are located in downtown Annapolis. In non-pandemic conditions, walking from MACo’s office to the General Assembly and government buildings will be required. During pandemic restrictions, the ability to participate in meetings or view hearings and briefings through Zoom or other online meeting platforms is required. 

SCHEDULE

The policy fellowship runs from January to mid-April. The policy fellowship includes approximately 20 hours per week, and additional hours may be considered. This is a work-from-home position. Weekday daytime hours are required and additional evening hours may be allowed.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct research online on introduced and proposed legislation, including retrieval of relevant information from online bill files in Senate and House committees
• Assist MACo staff with preparation and virtual delivery of testimony and materials
• Sign-up MACo staff, elected officials, and other county representatives to testify at bill hearings
• Write articles for MACo’s blog, Conduit Street, summarizing positions on legislation and testimony and on other topics of county interest
• Assist with surveys conducted by Policy staff, MACo leaders, or General Assembly members, as requested
• Conduct additional in-depth research on topics as required by the Policy Team
• Track briefing dates and prepare weekly reports on briefing schedule
• Virtually attend public bill hearings, budget hearings, and meetings as needed; writing summaries and analyses for distribution to policy staff and MACo members

COMPENSATION

Stipend or hourly wages will be offered. Other related expenses will be covered.

TO APPLY

Interested candidates should contact Leslie Velasco, Administration and Finance Director, at lvelasco@mdcounties.org by 5:00 pm November 23, 2020.

Please provide a written statement of interest along with a resume and writing sample (between 2-10 pages). Include in the subject line of your email “Policy Fellow – [your name].” Letters of recommendation from faculty are encouraged to support the application.

Virtual interviews will be held in the first 2 weeks of December. If you have questions regarding the policy fellow, please contact Leslie at lvelasco@mdcounties.org.

For more information about MACo, please visit the website, and the MACo blog.