Policy Associate Jobs in Tacoma, WA (NOW HIRING)

Position Announcement – Codes & Policy Manager

The Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW) is the voice of the residential construction industry in the state of Washington, representing nearly 8,000 home builders, remodelers, and their associates.

We're looking for an experienced and passionate Codes & Policy Manager who wants to help shape the future of housing in Washington State. This position offers the opportunity to lead BIAW's advocacy efforts in the building code process, develop research and housing data that influence public policy, and support grassroots engagement initiatives across the state. You'll work closely with builders, remodelers, policymakers, and industry partners while helping advance solutions that make homeownership more attainable. If you're ready to make a meaningful impact while working with a highly skilled team at Washington's largest trade association, we invite you to join us at BIAW.

Position Title: Codes & Policy Manager

Reports to: Vice President – Industry Partnerships & Research

Office Location: Tumwater, WA

Status: Full-time, Non-Exempt

Salary Range: $30.00 to $38.50 per hour ($62,400 to $80,080 per year)

Benefits: Health insurance, dental and vision (100% employer paid) are provided starting the 1st day of the month following hire. Employer matching 401K retirement plan, Paid Time Off (PTO) and holidays provided.

Job purpose

Lead BIAW’s efforts on construction and energy codes at the Washington State Building Code Council; be a BIAW member resource for applicable residential codes and lead coalitions and grassroots engagement on the code adoption process. Lead research and develop reports related to housing and the home building industry. 

Duties and responsibilities

LEAD BIAW'S EFFORTS AT THE STATE BUILDING CODE COUNCIL

• Advocate for reasonable and effective building codes for homebuilders 
• Monitor, review, and participate in the code development process at the SBCC 
• Support BIAW’s representative on the SBCC – including but not limited to writing code change proposals, talking points, and providing updates on emerging developments when the BIAW representative is absent 
• Develop relationships with other representatives of the SBCC and code officials engaged in the code development process 
• Recruit and support BIAW members to serve on SBCC, SBCC Committees and Technical Advisory Groups 
• Assist in the development of classes to highlight code changes and updates; remain abreast of industry and code issues/trends 
• Develop and maintain coalition relationships for the code adoption process 
• Coordinate needed grassroots engagement in the code adoption process 
• Provide code updates to the BIAW Legislative Policy Committee at board meetings, communicating technical details in a clear, concise manner 
• Assist members in interpreting and implementing codes 

LEAD RESEARCH AND HOUSING DATA DEVELOPMENT

• Develop data sets to create reports pertinent to home building and housing in Washington State 
• Create useable and digestible reports for BIAW, local associations, members, the general public, and policymakers 
• Develop research on issues impacting home construction, home ownership, and rentals 
• Present findings as needed to BIAW, local associations, the general public, and policymakers 
• Establish a clearing house for the existing body of research related to housing and home building 
• Be a conduit of information and resource for local associations' government affairs programs, including hosting monthly roundtable meetings 

ASSIST EXTERNAL AFFAIRS IN REGULATORY AND LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS

• Develop BIAW member grassroots calls to action as needed
• Establish and manage a general public grassroots program
• Assist at relevant BIAW member committees, such as the Legislative Policy Committee, Washington Affordable Housing Council, and Build-PAC 
• Partner with internal departments on public relations needs 

Other Duties as Assigned

Direct reports

None 

This job description does not cover every requirement of the job and is subject to change at any time by BIAW. 

BIAW complies with all federal, state, and local employment laws. To that end, the Board of Directors and Executive Vice President of BIAW will not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sex, color, marital status, military status, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other characteristic protected by law. 

Qualifications include:

Bachelor’s degree in public policy, urban planning, engineering, construction management, or a related field

• 3 - 5 years of experience in policy analysis, research, or advocacy, preferably within the building industry or a related field
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and other relevant software tools
• Excellent research, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work independently or on behalf of a team 
• Passionate about the building industry and committed to advancing the interests of association members.
• Preferred familiarity with Washington State’s legislative and regulatory systems
• Preferred knowledge of building codes and regulations 
• Self-starter and general curiosity are must-have traits to be successful in this position 

Working conditions

This job occasionally requires nights and weekends and the ability to travel, generally within Washington State. This is a public-facing job; there is potential for public relations issues to arise. 

Physical requirements

This job requires long periods of being in painfully boring meetings a lot.