Lead Policy Advisor - Budget

Position Description

About the Office of Commissioner Rodney Ellis:

There are four precincts in Harris County. The four elected commissioners, along with an elected county judge, serve as members of Harris County Commissioners Court, the administrative head of the county's government. Commissioner Rodney Ellis represents the constituents of Precinct One.

With approximately 1.17 million residents, Harris County Precinct One is a diverse, urban precinct that covers 363 square miles. Precinct One's multi-racial, multi-ethnic population is roughly 33 percent African American, 38 percent Latino, 21 percent Anglo, 6 percent Asian and 2 percent other or multiple races. Precinct One stretches south to Brazoria County and reaches into eastern and northern sections of Harris County.

The Precinct's territory includes a large section of Downtown Houston, including the Downtown Harris County Courthouse Complex, Toyota Center, Minute Maid Park and the BBVA Compass Stadium. Other notable landmarks include the 263-acre NRG Park Complex and the renowned Texas Medical Center. The Precinct is also the higher educational home to Houston Community College, Rice University, Texas Southern University, the University of Houston and the University of St.

Thomas. Precinct One manages more than 21 parks, 10 community centers, numerous hike-and-bike trails, three maintenance service centers and several area offices, all of which provide an array of services to Precinct One residents.

Commissioner Rodney Ellis' Office Mission Precinct One:

Commissioner Rodney Ellis' Office, is committed to becoming a national model for delivering responsive public service that utilizes inclusive, innovative, and collaborative approaches to improve the quality of life, advance equality of opportunity, and promote the fair treatment of all people in Harris County. Key Areas of focus for our organization include, but are not limited to:

* Advancing more effective, fair and equitable criminal justice system.

* Furthering economic justice, equity, and opportunity for all Harris County residents, especially those often and historically left behind by government programs.

* Ensuring equitable outcomes in health and access to quality, affordable healthcare Fighting for environmental and climate justice that keeps all communities safe and healthy.

* Equitably investing in developing and maintaining resilient infrastructure and transportation for the 21st century

* Building and defending voting rights and a democracy that ensures equitable representation.

* Progressing equity and social and racial justice as common threads through all areas of public policy and public service.

What you will do at Precinct One:

The Lead Policy Advisor for Budget helps move forward the fiscal work of the Office of Commissioner Rodney Ellis (OCRE). Working under the Senior Advisor for Budget & Tax, this role provides analysis and insight on the County's budget, revenue systems, and tax policy to support fair, transparent, and responsible use of public resources. The position calls for strong analytical thinking and the ability to use data to understand complex budget questions and guide decision-making.

The Lead Advisor conducts both quantitative and qualitative analysis, builds models and dashboards, and uses forecasting tools to support clear and actionable policy recommendations. The ideal candidate can translate large and complex datasets into meaningful insights that highlight risks, opportunities, and trends tied to Precinct One's and the County's strategic budget priorities. This role is a good fit for someone who is strategic, detail-oriented, and committed to using data and policy judgment to strengthen fiscal responsibility and community impact.

Policy Division team members are responsible for advancing, developing, and defending policies consistent with the Precinct One mission. Conduct policy research and analysis and work on cross-department planning and policy efforts. Prepare and present consensus recommendations to leadership and policymakers that address complex issues. Enable policy making progress and successful implementation. Direct and contribute subject matter expertise to the workflow of Policy Advisors.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

* Monitor, analyze and track changes to county budget, policies and related local, state and federal laws and regulations.

* Draft succinct policy memos and relevant background documents, distilling complex issues into clear and understandable terms.

* Serve as liaison to internal and external County departments, as well as city, state, and federal elected officials and agencies, and outside advocates and stakeholders, to advance, protect, and successfully implement policies.

* Think strategically and enable strategies to advance and defend key budget and tax policy priorities.

* Perform research to evaluate budgets, while considering best practices and new strategies; specific areas of inquiry may include data analysis, financial…